Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The presence of anti-HLA donor-specific antibodies in lung allograft recipients does not correlate with C4d immunofluorescence in transbronchial biopsy specimens.

CONTEXT C4d immunofluorescence (IF) is a surrogate for development of donor-specific antibodies (DSAs) against human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I and II antigens in kidney and heart biopsy specimens for monitoring of antibody-mediated (humoral) allograft rejection (AMR). Use of C4d IF in monitoring of lung allografts has shown conflicting results. OBJECTIVE To determine if C4d IF can be used as a reliable marker for AMR and if it correlates with the presence of DSAs and histologic findings on biopsy. DESIGN All transbronchial biopsies in lung allograft recipients, performed at our institution in a 3-year period, were reviewed. A cohort of 92 patients with 110 corresponding biopsies met the inclusion criteria of (1) having a resulted DSA within 2 weeks of biopsy and (2) having C4d immunofluorescence studies performed and confirmed. RESULTS Twenty-nine patients (31.5%) were positive for DSAs and 63 patients (68.5%) did not develop DSAs. Positive C4d capillary IF was seen in 18 of 110 total biopsy specimens (16.4%). Eight of these biopsy samples were from patients positive for DSAs and 10 were from patients negative for DSAs. The correlation coefficient between the presence of DSAs and C4d IF was 0.1628 (P = .09). CONCLUSIONS A significant proportion of DSA-positive patients had negative C4d IF results and frequently have no histologic changes on biopsy specimens. DSA-negative patients can be positive for C4d and may show the same histologic changes as reported for DSA-positive patients. Diagnosis of AMR in lung may require a collaborative approach combining clinical data, DSA status, and histology.
Old fish in a young lake: stone loach (Pisces: Barbatula barbatula) populations in Lake Constance are genetically isolated by distance

The genetic structure of 10 populations (453 individuals) of stone loach (Barbatula barbatula L.), a small bottom‐dwelling cyprinid fish, in the littoral zone of Lake Constance, central Europe, was investigated by analysing the mitochondrial control region sequences and five microsatellite loci. An unexpectedly high degree of genetic diversity (up to 0.36%) and old estimated age of these populations (> 150 000 years) based on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was found. These findings contrast with the relatively young age of the lake, which could be colonized by fish only after the last ice age around 15 000 bp. Stone loach appears to be an old species in a young lake. Both types of molecular markers showed population genetic structure pronounced in mtDNA (overall FST = 0.15) but moderate in microsatellites (FST = 0.03). As predicted by its life history, philopatry, and limited capacity for dispersal, stone loach populations of Lake Constance show a clear pattern of isolation by distance. Geographic distances along the shores are the best explanation for the observed geographical distribution of genetic differentiation (r = 0.88), indicating that open water represents a barrier for the dispersal of the stone loach. The colonization of Lake Constance might have occurred initially at one location and then populations spread throughout the lake in a stepwise manner following the shoreline, and subsequently remained largely genetically isolated as suggested by the large observed differences among them.
Validity of the Basic Personality Inventory in a Correctional Setting

This study investigates the validity of the Basic Personality Inventory (BPI) with a sample of 101 adult male offenders in a medium security institution. The criterion measures consisted of self-ratings (i.e., bipolar dimensional and adjective ratings), correctional officer ratings, and institutional adjustment (i.e., contact with medical staff, verbal warnings, institutional charges, days segregated, and cell maintenance). The majority of the scales corresponded well to the self-ratings. The Denial, Persecutory Ideation, Anxiety, and Thinking Disorder scales had poor convergent and discriminant validity with the correctional officer ratings. Interpersonal Problems, Alienation, and Impulse Expression scales predicted behavioral adjustment indexes. The results are summarized in relation to the higher order factors of emotional adjustment, antisocial orientation, cognitive functioning, and social or self-perception. Overall, the BPI scales adequately measure psychopathology and adjustment within a correctional setting.
Heuristic Methods for Parameter Estimation in a Smart Beam Structure

We employed the genetic algorithm and its hybrid which is a combination with the steepest descent method in estimating the parameters of a smart beam structure consisting of a cantilever beam bonded with a pair of piezoceramic patches. The estimated parameters were the density, stiffness and internal damping of both the beam and piezoceramic patches and the dielectric constant of the patches. The performance of these heuristic methods were compared with the Nelder-Mead method, a direct search method.
Automatic Representation of the Semantic Relationships Corresponding to a French Surface Expression

The work presented here is a preliminary study concerning the automatic translation of French natural language statements into the RESEDA semantic metalanguage. The text in natural language is first (pre) processed in order to obtain its syntactic structure. The "semantic parsing" process begins with marking the "triggers", defined as lexical units which call one or more of the predicative patterns allowed for in the metalanguage. The patterns obtained are then merged, and their case slots filled with the elements found in the surface structure according to the predictions associated with the slots.
Influence of F0 on Vietnamese syllable perception

Understanding and managing tonal characteristics of Vietnamese language is one of the most difficult aspects in Vietnamese speech processing. However, at present, there is no common agreement about the influence of fundamental frequency (F0) on the perception of Vietnamese syllables. Thus, instead of analyzing the F0 of a limited number of Vietnamese syllables like other methods found in literature, this paper will present a new methodology based on, first the synthesis of arbitrary syllables, and secondly perception tests. This approach permits us to understand and define more precisely the role of F0 in the characterisation of Vietnamese tones.
Accurate extragalactic distances and dark energy: anchoring the distance scale with rotational parallaxes

We investigate how the current and future uncertainty on the Hubble constant affects the uncertainty in the equation of state (EOS) of dark energy (DE) (w) and the total density of the Universe (Ωtot). We start with the approximate linear relations between the cosmological parameters as presented by Spergel et al., and use the s.e. propagation relations to estimate the effects of improving the cosmic microwave background (CMB) parameters as well as the Hubble constant (H0) on our knowledge of the EOS of DE. Because we do not assume a flat universe, we also estimate the attainable accuracy on Ωtot and the spatial curvature of the Universe. In one limiting case, we assume that the constraints provided by additional data (galaxy clustering, weak lensing and so forth) do not improve significantly, while the error on the Hubble constant is decreased by a factor of up to 10. The other limiting case of significantly improved additional data with current H0 errors has been investigated by the Dark Energy Task Force (DETF). For the former scenario, we find that future improvements of the determination of the CMB hardly changes the accuracy with which the EOS and Ωtot are known, unless the Hubble constant can be measured with an accuracy of several per cent. The conclusion of the DETF is that the Hubble constant hardly matters if the additional data are sufficiently accurate. We find that a combination of moderate H0 improvements with moderately improved ‘other’ data might significantly constrain the evolution of DE, but at a reduced cost. We review in some detail several methods that might yield extragalactic distances with errors of the order of several per cent, where we focus on the current and future strengths and weaknesses of the methods. Specifically we review the following: the velocity field method, two maser methods, four light echo techniques, two binary star methods and the ‘rotational parallax’ (RP) technique. Because these methods substantially rely on geometry rather than astrophysics or cosmology, their results are quite robust. In particular we focus on the advantages of the RP technique which can provide accurate (1 per cent), single-step and bias-free distances to Local Group galaxies. These distances can be used to improve the zero-point for other distance indicators which in turn would then be able to determine the Hubble constant to greater accuracy than they currently do. Achieving an accuracy of a few per cent in the zero-point distances to M 31, M 33 and the Large Magellanic Cloud by the RP method requires radial velocities at the 10 km s−1 level and proper motions attainable by future astrometric missions such as SIM, GAIA and OBSS, or by future radio observatories such as the SKA.
Xenogeneic islet re‐transplantation in mice triggers an accelerated, species‐specific rejection

Xenogeneic islets could provide an unlimited source of tissue for the treatment of diabetes, and could in theory be transplanted repeatedly in a recipient. However, little is known on the consequences of islet re‐transplantation in a recipient who has rejected a first graft. In this study, we investigated the functional consequence of xeno islet re‐transplantation in mice sensitized with islets from different species. Sprague–Dawley (SD)‐rat islets transplanted in sensitized C57/Bl6 mice that rejected either SD‐ or Lewis‐rat islets underwent accelerated rejection. However, accelerated rejection was not found in mice sensitized with pig or human islets, suggesting that accelerated rejection was species specific. Immunohistochemistry showed increased binding of antibodies and accelerated leucocyte infiltration on re‐grafted islets in sensitized mice. In situ apoptosis detection indicated that islet cell apoptosis was correlated with the time of leucocyte infiltration, but not with the time of antibody binding. In vitro experiments with cultured islet cells showed that although antibody binding was increased after incubation with sensitized mouse serum, islet cell cytotoxicity was not increased, suggesting that humoral immunity did not play a direct role in islet destruction. These results indicate that there is a cell‐mediated, species‐specific accelerated rejection after re‐transplantation of xenogeneic islets.
Functional and structural characterization of the mammalian TREX-2 complex that links transcription with nuclear messenger RNA export

Export of messenger RNA (mRNA) from the nucleus to the cytoplasm is a critical step in the gene expression pathway of eukaryotic cells. Here, we report the functional and structural characterization of the mammalian TREX-2 complex and show how it links transcription/processing with nuclear mRNA export. Mammalian TREX-2 is based on a germinal-centre associated nuclear protein (GANP) scaffold to which ENY2, PCID2 and centrins bind and depletion of any of these components inhibits mRNA export. The crystal structure of the GANP:ENY2 complex shows that two ENY2 chains interact directly with GANP, but they have different orientations from those observed on yeast Sac3. GANP is required to recruit ENY2 to nuclear pore complexes (NPCs), but ENY2 is not necessary to recruit GANP, which requires both its CID and MCM3AP domains, together with nucleoporin Nup153. GANP and ENY2 associate with RNA polymerase II and inhibition of mRNA processing redistributes GANP from NPCs into nuclear foci indicating that mammalian TREX-2 is associated with transcription. Thus, we implicate TREX-2 as an integral component of the mammalian mRNA export machinery where it links transcription and nuclear export by facilitating the transfer of mature mRNPs from the nuclear interior to NPCs.
Public relations literature and scholarship in Australia: A brief history of change and diversification

This article traces the development of public relations literature and scholarship in Australia from the 1950s. It presents a discussion of Australian academic and professional texts from early chapters on public relations in generic communication texts (Sommerlad, 1950), to the first book on public relations by Thomas Dwyer published in 1961 and David Potts’ pioneering 1976 edited volume, Public Relations in Australia, to the latest collection of texts and monographs. It also plots the beginnings of Australian scholarly public relations and communication journals. In providing this examination, the paper includes two case studies: Macnamara’s collection of public relations handbooks published from the early 1980s through the 1990s and Johnston and Zawawi’s Public Relations: Theory and Practice, first published in 2000, which spearheaded the contemporary range of Australian public relations texts. Based on an examination of early publishing history and key case studies, the article investigates the development of public relations as a discipline within the Australian tertiary sector, drawing on the texts as primary sources, published accounts and reports, plus a brief survey of PhD outputs since 2001. It reports that, after an initial period of largely imported texts and scholarship, growth within the academy in recent years reflects the rise in Australian-based literature and a burgeoning scholarly environment within the Australian tertiary education sector.
Reconstitution of ATP- and Cytosol-dependent Transport of de Novo Synthesized Ceramide to the Site of Sphingomyelin Synthesis in Semi-intact Cells*

Transport of ceramide synthesized at the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi compartment, where sphingomyelin (SM) synthase exists, was reconstituted within semi-intact Chinese hamster ovary cells. When [3H]ceramide that had been produced from [3H]sphingosine at 15 °C in perforated cells was chased at 37 °C, [3H]ceramide-to-[3H]SM conversion occurred in a cytosol-dependent manner. In various aspects (i.e. kinetics, ATP dependence, and temperature dependence), [3H]ceramide-to-[3H]SM conversion in perforated cells was consistent with that in intact cells. The cytosol from LY-A strain, a Chinese hamster ovary cell mutant defective in endoplasmic reticulum-to-Golgi transport of ceramide, did not support [3H]ceramide-to-[3H]SM conversion in perforated wild-type cells, whereas the wild-type cytosol rescued the conversion in perforated LY-A cells. Brefeldin A-treated cells, in which the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus were merged, no longer required cytosol for conversion of [3H]ceramide to [3H]SM. These results indicated that the assay of [3H]ceramide-to-[3H]SM conversion in semi-intact cells is a faithful in vitro assay for the activity of cytosol-dependent transport of ceramide and that LY-A cells are defective in a cytosolic factor involved in ceramide transport. In addition, conversion of [3H]ceramide to [3H]glucosylceramide in semi-intact cells was little dependent on cytosol, suggesting that ceramide reached the site of glucosylceramide synthesis by a cytosol-independent (or less dependent) pathway.
A low profile monopole antenna with double finger ring for BAN and PAN

This paper describes the simulated results of the very low profile monopole antenna with wearable double finger ring for UWB band (7.25GHz–10.25GHz). The height of the proposed antenna element was 1 mm. So, very low profile antenna was realized. VSWR less than 2 was obtained for UWB band without a finger. On the other hand, VSWR less than 2.1 was obtained with finger. It is shown that the finger doesn't affect on the input characteristic as long as the double finger ring is mounted on finger.
Tissue Cells Feel and Respond to the Stiffness of Their Substrate

Normal tissue cells are generally not viable when suspended in a fluid and are therefore said to be anchorage dependent. Such cells must adhere to a solid, but a solid can be as rigid as glass or softer than a baby's skin. The behavior of some cells on soft materials is characteristic of important phenotypes; for example, cell growth on soft agar gels is used to identify cancer cells. However, an understanding of how tissue cells—including fibroblasts, myocytes, neurons, and other cell types—sense matrix stiffness is just emerging with quantitative studies of cells adhering to gels (or to other cells) with which elasticity can be tuned to approximate that of tissues. Key roles in molecular pathways are played by adhesion complexes and the actinmyosin cytoskeleton, whose contractile forces are transmitted through transcellular structures. The feedback of local matrix stiffness on cell state likely has important implications for development, differentiation, disease, and regeneration.
Tularemia: current diagnosis and treatment options

Tularemia is an infection caused by Francisella tularensis with a worldwide distribution and diverse clinical manifestations. Limitations in both culture and serologic testing have led to substantial research into new diagnostic techniques and their clinical application, with PCR testing as the best example. This review focuses on the utility of culture, PCR and serologic testing for tularemia. In addition, we also review the evidence to support different therapeutic options for tularemia, highlighting both the most effective supporting evidence for therapeutic recommendations as well as gaps in current knowledge. We conclude the article with suggestions regarding potential areas for future research.
Nutrition Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of College Sportsmen

Purpose Nutrition is an important component of any physical fitness program. The main dietary goal for active individuals is to obtain adequate nutrition to optimize health fitness and to increase sports performance. The present study aims to assess the nutrition knowledge, attitude and practice among the selected athletes. Methods Athletes from five different private colleges situated in Salem District, Tamilnadu, India were selected. A total number of 102 athletes, 32 sportsmen belong to Volleyball discipline, 25 belongs to weightlifter discipline and 45 belong to runners discipline in sports. All the selected athletes were including in the study. The Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) questionnaire contained ten questions about nutrition knowledge, nine questions about attitudes, and ten questions about dietary practice were collected from the selected athletes. Dietary composition of the sportsmen is also assessed. The collected data was coded and used for evaluation. Results Results about KAP revealed that 42 per cent of the volleyball players had good nutritional knowledge (60–69per cent) compared to weight lifters (43per cent) who had satisfactory (50–59per cent) knowledge about nutrition. Twenty nine per cent of the runners had very good (70–79per cent) knowledge about nutrition. Regarding food consumption pattern intake of cereals, other vegetables and milk was found to be less compared to the RDA for the athletes. Among the three disciplines sports persons, the mean nutrient intake of the runners is high compared to volleyball and weight lifters. Conclusion The sports disciplines strongly affected the nutrition knowledge, attitudes and practices of sportsmen. The overall scores indicate that most sportsmen had good knowledge of nutrition and supplements.
Identification of Natural Compounds with Anti-Hepatitis B Virus Activity from Rheum palmatum L. Ethanol Extract

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a severe health problem in the world; however, there is still no satisfactory therapeutic strategy for the HBV infection. In search for new anti-HBV agents with higher efficiency and less side effects, the anti-HBV activities of traditional Chinese medicine Rheum palmatum L. ethanol extract (RPE) and isolated anthraquinones were evaluated. Methods: The anti-HBV activities of RPE and isolated anthraquinones were demonstrated in a stable HBV-producing cell line HepG2 2.2. 15 by using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Southern blot analysis. Results: RPE could inhibit HBV-DNA production and HBsAg expression in a dose-dependent manner. The concentration of 50% HBV-DNA inhibition (IC50) of RPE was calculated at 212.36 ± 11 µg/ml. Six anthraquinones were isolated from RPE by using RP-HPLC. Five free anthraquinones showed weakly or slightly inhibitory activities against HBV. The only combined anthraquinone chrysophanol 8-O-β-D-glucoside exhibited significant activity against HBV DNA production and antigens expression with an IC50 value of 36.98 ± 2.28 µg/ml on HBV DNA inhibition. Endogenous HBV DNA polymerase activity assay indicated that chrysophanol 8-O-β-D-glucoside might be a potential inhibitor of the HBV DNA polymerase. Conclusions: The results suggested that RPE could effectively inhibit HBV. The combined anthraquinone chrysophanol 8-O-β-D-glucoside is the major active compound in RPE and could be a promising candidate for the development of new anti-HBV drugs in the treatment of HBV infection.