Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Survivin-targeted immunotherapy drives robust polyfunctional T cell generation and differentiation in advanced ovarian cancer patients

DepoVax™ is an innovative and strongly immunogenic vaccine platform. Survivin is highly expressed in many tumor types and has reported prognostic value. To generate tumor-specific immune response, a novel cancer vaccine was formulated in DepoVax platform (DPX-Survivac) using survivin HLA class I peptides. Safety and immune potency of DPX-Survivac was tested in combination with immune-modulator metronomic cyclophosphamide in ovarian cancer patients. All the patients receiving the therapy produced antigen-specific immune responses; higher dose vaccine and cyclophosphamide treatment generating significantly higher magnitude responses. Strong T cell responses were associated with differentiation of naïve T cells into central/effector memory (CM/EM) and late differentiated (LD) polyfunctional antigen-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. This approach enabled rapid de novo activation/expansion of vaccine antigen-specific CD8+ T cells and provided a strong rationale for further testing to determine clinical benefits associated with this immune activation. These data represent vaccine-induced T cell activation in a clinical setting to a self-tumor antigen previously described only in animal models.
Renal atrophy secondary to chemoradiation treatment of abdominal malignancies.

e15532 Background: Information on renal atrophy following abdominal chemoradiation (CRT) is limited. METHODS Patients who received concurrent CRT to the abdomen between 2002 and 2008 were identified for this study to evaluate change in renal size (RS) and function following CRT. Imaging and biochemical data were obtained prior to radiation (RT) and after RT in 6 month intervals. RS was defined by craniocaudal measurement on CT images. Renal function was assessed by serum creatinine and creatinine clearance (CrCl) using the Cockcroft-Gault formula. The primarily irradiated kidney (PK) was defined as the kidney that received the greater mean kidney dose. RESULTS Median patient age was 64 years (range 31-87), 51.5% of 130 patients were male. Primary disease sites were pancreas (61.5%), periampullary (16.1%), stomach (10.8%), gastroesophageal junction (10%), and retroperitoneum (1.5%). Median follow up was 9.4 months (range 0-55.4 mos). Median radiation dose was 50.4Gy (range 12.6- 55.8Gy). Mean dose to the PK was 18.6 Gy. Compensatory hypertrophy of the non-PK was not seen. Age, gender, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, pre-RT CrCl, and pre-RT RS were not associated with renal atrophy at 12 months post RT. Percent volumes of the PK receiving ≥10Gy (V10), 15Gy (V15), and 20Gy (V20) were significantly associated with renal atrophy at 12 months post RT (p=0.0030, 0.0041, and 0.0046 respectively). CONCLUSIONS Significant detriments in PK size and renal function were seen following abdominal CRT. V10, V15, and V20 were associated with renal atrophy at 12 months post RT. These observations can assist with renal dose constraints in CRT treatment planning for patients at increased risk for renal complications. [Table: see text] No significant financial relationships to disclose.
The design of caring environments and the quality of life of older people

There has been little systematic research into the design of care environments for older people. This article reviews empirical studies from both the architectural and the psychological literature. It outlines the instruments that are currently available for measuring both the environment and the quality of life of older people, and it summarises the evidence on the layout of buildings, the sensory environment and the privacy of residents. The conclusion is drawn that all evidence-based design must be a compromise or dynamic and, as demands on the caring environment change over time, this compromise must be re-visited in the form of post-occupancy evaluation.
Estimation of moving target parameters using compressive sensing methods

The parameter estimation of a distributed target with several moving elements is an important question in radar based security applications. In this paper, a solution of this problem is proposed by using an incoherent radar sensor network as well as signal processing methods known from the area of Compressive Sensing. Thereby, three different algorithms are evaluated: Orthogonal Matching Pursuit (OMP), SIMPLEX and nonlinear Convex Optimization. It can be shown that a relative small number of radar channels is sufficient to determine positions and velocity vectors of many point scatterers included in the analyzed scene.
Identification of a Novel Group of Bacteria in Sludge from a Deteriorated Biological Phosphorus Removal Reactor

ABSTRACT The microbial diversity of a deteriorated biological phosphorus removal reactor was investigated by methods not requiring direct cultivation. The reactor was fed with media containing acetate and high levels of phosphate (P/C weight ratio, 8:100) but failed to completely remove phosphate in the effluent and showed very limited biological phosphorus removal activity. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of PCR-amplified 16S ribosomal DNA was used to investigate the bacterial diversity. Up to 11 DGGE bands representing at least 11 different sequence types were observed; DNA from the 6 most dominant of these bands was further isolated and sequenced. Comparative phylogenetic analysis of the partial 16S rRNA sequences suggested that one sequence type was affiliated with the alpha subclass of theProteobacteria, one was associated with theLegionella group of the gamma subclass of theProteobacteria, and the remaining four formed a novel group of the gamma subclass of the Proteobacteria with no close relationship to any previously described species. The novel group represented approximately 75% of the PCR-amplified DNA, based on the DGGE band intensities. Two oligonucleotide rRNA probes for this novel group were designed and used in a whole-cell hybridization analysis to investigate the abundance of this novel group in situ. The bacteria were coccoid and 3 to 4 μm in diameter and represented approximately 35% of the total population, suggesting a relatively close agreement with the results obtained by the PCR-based DGGE method. Further, based on electron microscopy and standard staining microscopic analysis, this novel group was able to accumulate granule inclusions, possibly consisting of polyhydroxyalkanoate, inside the cells.
Successive Interference Cancellation in Bipolar Ad Hoc Networks With SWIPT

Successive interference cancellation (SIC) is based on the idea that some interfering signals may be strong enough to decode in order to be removed from the aggregate received signal and thus boost performance. In this letter, we study the SIC technique from a simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT) standpoint. We consider a bipolar ad hoc network and evaluate the impact of SIC on the SWIPT performance for the power splitting technique. Theoretical and numerical results show that our proposed approach can achieve significant energy gains and under certain scenarios the average harvested energy converges to its upper bound.
Discovery of cyanovirin-N, a novel human immunodeficiency virus-inactivating protein that binds viral surface envelope glycoprotein gp120: potential applications to microbicide development

We have isolated and sequenced a novel 11-kDa virucidal protein, named cyanovirin-N (CV-N), from cultures of the cyanobacterium (blue-green alga) Nostoc ellipsosporum. We also have produced CV-N recombinantly by expression of a corresponding DNA sequence in Escherichia coli. Low nanomolar concentrations of either natural or recombinant CV-N irreversibly inactivate diverse laboratory strains and primary isolates of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 as well as strains of HIV type 2 and simian immunodeficiency virus. In addition, CV-N aborts cell-to-cell fusion and transmission of HIV-1 infection. Continuous, 2-day exposures of uninfected CEM-SS cells or peripheral blood lymphocytes to high concentrations (e.g., 9,000 nM) of CV-N were not lethal to these representative host cell types. The antiviral activity of CV-N is due, at least in part, to unique, high-affinity interactions of CV-N with the viral surface envelope glycoprotein gp120. The biological activity of CV-N is highly resistant to physicochemical denaturation, further enhancing its potential as an anti-HIV microbicide.
Development of a Start-Stop Signal for a Directional BMI.

While BMI systems abound, little care has been exercised over practical considerations in the day to day use of such systems. This paper proposes to learn a Start-Stop switch to augment a directional BMI. Taken together, the hope is that a BMI could be constructed that would be able to signal the appropriate directional intent when called upon and be virtually silent when not needed. Using data from rats utilizing a simple directional BMI, an attempt is made to test several possible methods for integrating a Start-Stop decision. Three methods, a 3-class SVM, directional classifier with probabilistic output, and a directional classifier with Start-Stop modulated probabilistic output are constructed and compared. Results show that the directional classifier with Start-Stop performs well with a significant reduction in signaling outside the task period
International Replication Note Examining Selective Determinants of Job Performance for Entry and Lower‐level Workers in Mexico

A partir de donnees collectees dans une usine mexicaine de traitement de bons et coupons, cette etude explore les determinants de la performance au travail de salaries des niveaux les plus modestes. Les resultats d'analyses de regression multivariee montrent que le niveau scolaire predit negativement la performance au Mexique, alors que c'est l'inverse aux Etats-Unis. La confiance en soi presente une correlation significative avec la performance. On discute de l'interet de ces decouvertes pour la selection professionnelle et pour les proprietaires de maquiladoras, ainsi que des domaines que de futures recherches se devront d'aborder.
Assessing Idiosyncrasies in a Bayesian Model of Speech Communication

Although speakers of one specific language share the same phoneme representations, their productions can differ. We propose to investigate the development of these differences in production , called idiosyncrasies, by using a Bayesian model of communication. Supposing that idiosyncrasies appear during the development of the motor system, we present two versions of the motor learning phase, both based on the guidance of an agent master: " a repetition model " where agents try to imitate the sounds produced by the master and " a communication model " where agents try to replicate the phonemes produced by the master. Our experimental results show that only the " communication model " provides production idiosyncrasies, suggesting that idiosyncrasies are a natural output of a motor learning process based on a communicative goal.
Relational and Health Correlates of Affection Deprivation

This article articulates the construct of affection deprivation, the condition of wanting more tactile affectionate communication than one receives. Individual- and group-level variance on the construct is investigated and its social and health correlates are identified in a survey of 509 adults from all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and 16 foreign countries. Affection deprivation shows no correlation with age and no relationship with ethnicity, but men report significantly higher average affection deprivation than women. Moreover, as affection exchange theory predicts, affection deprivation shows positive linear associations with loneliness, depression, stress, alexithymia, preoccupied and fearful avoidant attachment styles, and numbers of personality disorders, mood and anxiety disorders, and secondary immune disorders. Affection deprivation shows negative linear associations with general health, happiness, social support, relationship satisfaction, and attachment security. These findings support the claims of affection exchange theory that the provision and receipt of affection contribute to health and wellness in both mental and physical ways.
Effect of ear stimulated on reaction time and movement time.

In a unimanual choice RT task, 5s moved a control handle to the right or left from the midline of the body in response to monaural verbal commands of "right" or "left" which were presented to the right or left ear. Both RT and MT were significantly faster when the content of the command corresponded to the ear stimulated than when it did not; i.e., the time required to initiate and execute the movement was affected by a cue irrelevant to the task itself, the ear in which the command was heard. RT was faster for abductive movements toward the side of the responding member whereas MT (for the right hand) was faster when movements were directed toward the opposite arm.
Context-aware reconfiguration of autonomic managers in real-time control applications

We consider autonomic applications to systems for which continuous perfect monitoring of state is not possible. We use Exact-State Observers (ESO) to provide enhanced information about the system state. To achieve optimal configuration of the autonomic controller itself, over a wide range of environmental operating conditions, and across a wide range of unique application domains, we implement a new architecture for dynamic supervision and control systems in which a policy-based autonomic engine automatically selects both its monitoring and actuator components to suit ambient operating conditions. By using a suite of ESOs tuned for different tradeoffs between real-time responsiveness and extent of system disturbance tolerated, and a policy mechanism to contextually select the most appropriate observer at any given time, we achieve self-configuring and self-optimising behaviours whilst keeping the complexity, resource-requirements and adaptation latency low.
Language in Israeli society and education

Depending on their language ideologies, countries are likely to develop different concerns for language-education policy. Countries with a monolingual ideology, which may ignore the multilingual reality, will be concerned with correctness and normativism. A country that recognizes two or three languages as equally important, or countries that recognize multilingual complexity, will need first to determine the status of each. While Israel is historically and actually multilingual, the strength of the monolingual ideology used to effect the revitalization of Hebrew has led to downplaying the claims of other languages, even the rights of the autochthonous second official language, Arabic. However, the inexorable penetration of English as a world language into Israeli society, the major effects of 600,000 Russian speakers arriving in the last few years, and the slow changes brought about by the ongoing peace process all worked to encourage the development of a new multilingual ideology while presenting pragmatic pressures encouraging acceptance of diversity. It is this changed atmosphere that has led the recent Ministry of Education to a policy for language education in Israeli schools
Inhibition of PI3K binding to activators by serine phosphorylation of PI3K regulatory subunit p85α Src homology-2 domains

Class IA PI3Ks are activated by growth factor receptors and generate lipid second messengers that mediate downstream responses including cell growth, cell migration, and cell survival. The p85 regulatory subunit of PI3K contains Src homology-2 (SH2) domains that mediate binding to tyrosine-phosphorylated receptors or adaptor proteins to facilitate localization and activation of PI3K at the plasma membrane. We report here that persistent activation of PKC family members by phorbol ester stimulation in cells leads to phosphorylation of two serine residues at analogous sites on both SH2 domains of p85α (S361 and S652). The modified serine residues are located in the phospho-tyrosine binding pockets of the two SH2 domains, and in the crystal structures the phosphate moieties are predicted to occupy the same space as the phosphate moieties of bound phospho-tyrosine peptides. Consistent with this prediction, phosphorylation at these serine residues or mutation to aspartate inhibits binding of p85α to tyrosine-phosphorylated peptides. We provide evidence that protein kinase D, which is phosphorylated and activated by PKCs, mediates phosphorylation of S652 in the C-terminal SH2 domain. These results reveal cross talk between PKC signaling and PI3K signaling that impairs PI3K pathway activation under conditions of persistent PKC (and protein kinase D) activity.
Radiation and speciation of pelagic organisms during periods of global warming: the case of the common minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata

How do populations of highly mobile species inhabiting open environments become reproductively isolated and evolve into new species? We test the hypothesis that elevated ocean‐surface temperatures can facilitate allopatry among pelagic populations and thus promote speciation. Oceanographic modelling has shown that increasing surface temperatures cause localization and reduction of upwelling, leading to fragmentation of feeding areas critical to pelagic species. We test our hypothesis by genetic analyses of populations of two closely related baleen whales, the Antarctic minke whale (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) and common minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) whose current distributions and migration patterns extent are largely determined by areas of consistent upwelling with high primary production. Phylogeographic and population genetic analyses of mitochondrial DNA control‐region nucleotide sequences collected from 467 whales sampled in four different ocean basins were employed to infer the evolutionary relationship among populations of B. acutorostrata by rooting an intraspecific phylogeny with a population of B. bonaerensis. Our findings suggest that the two species diverged in the Southern Hemisphere less than 5 million years ago (Ma). This estimate places the speciation event during a period of extended global warming in the Pliocene. We propose that elevated ocean temperatures in the period facilitated allopatric speciation by disrupting the continuous belt of upwelling maintained by the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. Our analyses revealed that the current populations of B. acutorostrata likely diverged after the Pliocene some 1.5 Ma when global temperatures had decreased and presumably coinciding with the re‐establishment of the polar–equatorial temperature gradient that ultimately drives upwelling. In most population samples, we detected genetic signatures of exponential population expansions, consistent with the notion of increasing carrying capacity after the Pliocene. Our hypothesis that prolonged periods of global warming facilitate speciation in pelagic marine species that depend on upwelling should be tested by comparative analyses in other pelagic species.
The influence of prompt on group oral tests

This paper reports an investigation into how the prompt may influence the discourse of group oral tests. The group oral test, in which three or four participants are rated on their ability to discuss a prompt, is a format for assessing the spoken ability of language learners. In this study, 141 Japanese university students were videoed in 41 group orals of three or four test-takers. Although the four different prompts written for the test were supposed to be of equal difficulty, they were found to be substantially different in the type and number of questions that comprised them. Analysis of the transcribed interactions revealed significant differences in turns taken, syntactic complexity and fluency of the interactions they elicited. A qualitative examination revealed that the two prompts that elicited longer, more complex turns did so by encouraging test-takers to explain their family circumstances or speculate about their future. Prompts with more factual content elicited shorter, less complex turns and the prompt that test-takers responded to with the least fluency required the test-takers to talk about a more personal subject. The implications for rating and creating prompts are discussed, and the need to tailor them to the purpose of the test.
The effect of information security breaches on stock returns: is the cyber crime a threat to firms?

A very debated issue in recent years is the cyber crime and its impact on market returns and reputation of firms. The issue is made particularly actual by the proliferation of information technology and internet. Information security breaches are concerned with protecting the accessibility, integrity and confidentiality of information. As a consequence, there are potential high explicit and implicit costs to firms due to these breaches. This paper investigates the impact of information security breaches on stock returns. We compiled a broad dataset of cyber attacks which involved firms all over the world. Using eventstudy methodology, we provide empirical evidence on the effect of announcements of cyber attacks on the market value of firms from 1995 to 2012. Our main data sources are Factiva and Datastream. Our expected findings have interesting operating implications, regarding stock market reaction to public announcements of cyber attacks. EFM Classification: 510, 530, 570 JEL Classification: G10, G15, G20
Anti-aquaporin-4 antibodies in Devic’s neuromyelitis optica: therapeutic implications

Devic’s neuromyelitis optica (DNMO) is a demyelinating and inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS) essentially restricted to the spinal cord and the optic nerves. It is a rare disorder with a prevalence estimated at less than 1/100,000 in Western countries. Since the first description by Eugène Devic in 1894, the relationship between DNMO and multiple sclerosis (MS) has been controversial. Recent clinical, epidemiological, pathological and immunological data demonstrate that MS and DNMO are distinct entities. This distinction between DNMO and MS is crucial, as prognosis and treatment are indeed different. DNMO is now considered to be an autoimmune, antibody-mediated disease especially since the identification of a specific serum autoantibody, named NMO-IgG and directed against the main water channel of the CNS, aquaporin-4 (AQP4). The assessment of AQP4 antibodies (Abs) has initially been proposed to differentiate DNMO and MS. It has also enlarged the clinical spectrum of DNMO and proved to be helpful in predicting relapses and conversion to DNMO after a first episode of longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis or isolated optic neuritis. Lastly, the discovery of the pathogenic role of AQP4 Abs in DNMO leads to a better understanding of detailed DNMO immunopathology and the elaboration of relevant novel treatment strategies specific to DNMO. In this review, we summarize the present and future therapeutic implications generated by the discovery of the various pathogenic mechanisms of AQP4 Abs in DNMO pathophysiology.