Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mutation in the gene coding for coagulation factor V and the risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, and venous thrombosis in apparently healthy men.

BACKGROUND A specific point mutation in the gene coding for coagulation factor V is associated with resistance to degradation by activated protein C, a recently described abnormality of coagulation that may be associated with an increased risk of venous thrombosis. Whether this mutation also predisposes patients to arterial thrombosis is unknown, as is the value of screening for the mutation in order to define the risk of venous thrombosis among unselected healthy people. METHODS Among 14,916 apparently healthy men in the Physicians' Health Study who provided base-line blood samples, 374 had myocardial infarctions, 209 had strokes, and 121 had deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, or both, during a mean follow-up of 8.6 years. We determined whether a mutation at nucleotide position 1691 of the factor V gene was present or absent in these 704 men and in an equal number of matched participants who remained free of vascular disease. RESULTS The prevalence of heterozygosity for the mutation among men who had myocardial infarctions (6.1 percent, P = 0.9) or strokes (4.3 percent, P = 0.4) was similar to that among men who remained free of vascular disease (6.0 percent). However, the prevalence of the mutation was significantly higher among men who had venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, or both (11.6 percent, P = 0.02). In adjusted analyses, the relative risk of venous thrombosis among men with the mutation was 2.7 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.3 to 5.6; P = 0.008). This increased risk was seen with primary venous thrombosis (relative risk, 3.5; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.5 to 8.4; P = 0.004) but not with secondary venous thrombosis (relative risk, 1.7; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.6 to 5.3; P = 0.3), and it was most apparent among older men. Specifically, the prevalence of the mutation among men over the age of 60 in whom primary venous thrombosis developed was 25.8 percent (relative risk, 7.0; 95 percent confidence interval, 2.6 to 19.1; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS In a large cohort of apparently healthy men, the presence of a specific point mutation in the factor V gene was associated with an increased risk of venous thrombosis, particularly primary venous thrombosis. The presence of the mutation was not associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction or stroke. This mutation appears to be the most common inherited factor thus far recognized that predisposes patients to venous thrombosis.
Antiproliferative Efficacy of Hesperetin (Citrus Flavanoid) in 1,2‐Dimethylhydrazine‐Induced Colon Cancer

Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide and is increasing at an alarming rate. The present study was to evaluate the antiproliferative effcts of hesperetin, a flavonoid commonly found in many herbal medicines and foods, on aberrant crypt foci (ACF), argyrophylic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in 1,2‐dimethylhydrazine (DMH)‐induced colon carcinogenesis in rats. Rats were given subcutaneous injections of DMH (20 mg/kg body weight) weekly for 15 weeks to induce carcinogenesis, and hesperetin was administered orally at the dose of 20 mg/kg body weight. DMH exposure alone produced a high incidence of ACF and showed positive staining for PCNA and AgNORs in colonic tissues. Supplementation with hesperetin lowered the PCNA labeling index and suppressed the formation of ACF in the rats with colon cancer. These results clearly reveal that dietary hesperetin possesses antiproliferative ability against chemically induced colon tumourigenesis. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Short Communication Special Issue: Interactions Between White-Tailed Deer and Invasive Plants in North American Forests Introduction to the Special Issue: Ungulates and invasive species: quantifying impacts and understanding interactions

White-tailed deer are emblematic ungulates that, due to anthropogenic modification of landscapes, currently occur at elevated densities. Elevated deer densities often co-occur with non-native plants, but it is not known if plant invasions are a consequence of deer impacts or occur independent of deer impacts on ecosystems, or whether these two stressors are synergistic. A colloquium on ‘Interactions of white-tailed deer and invasive plants in forests of eastern North America’ explored these topics at the 2016 annual meeting of the Botanical Society of America. Nine of those presentations are published in this special issue of AoB PLANTS.
Murine CMV Expressing the High Affinity NKG2D Ligand MULT-1: A Model for the Development of Cytomegalovirus-Based Vaccines

The development of a vaccine against human cytomegalovirus (CMV) has been a subject of long-term medical interest. The research during recent years identified CMV as an attractive vaccine vector against infectious diseases and tumors. The immune response to CMV persists over a lifetime and its unique feature is the inflationary T cell response to certain viral epitopes. CMV encodes numerous genes involved in immunoevasion, which are non-essential for virus growth in vitro. The deletion of those genes results in virus attenuation in vivo, which enables us to dramatically manipulate its virulence and the immune response. We have previously shown that the murine CMV (MCMV) expressing RAE-1γ, one of the cellular ligands for the NKG2D receptor, is highly attenuated in vivo but retains the ability to induce a strong CD8+ T cell response. Here, we demonstrate that recombinant MCMV expressing high affinity NKG2D ligand murine UL16 binding protein-like transcript (MULT-1) (MULT-1MCMV) inserted in the place of its viral inhibitor is dramatically attenuated in vivo in a NK cell-dependent manner, both in immunocompetent adult mice and in immunologically immature newborns. MULT-1MCMV was more attenuated than the recombinant virus expressing RAE-1γ. Despite the drastic sensitivity to innate immune control, MULT-1MCMV induced an efficient CD8+ T cell response to viral and vectored antigens. By using in vitro assay, we showed that similar to RAE-1γMCMV, MULT-1 expressing virus provided strong priming of CD8+ T cells. Moreover, MULT-1MCMV was able to induce anti-viral antibodies, which after passing the transplacental barrier protect offspring of immunized mothers from challenge infection. Altogether, this study further supports the concept that CMV expressing NKG2D ligand possesses excellent characteristics to serve as a vaccine or vaccine vector.
Draft Genome Sequence of Comamonas testosteroni R2, Consisting of Aromatic Compound Degradation Genes for Phenol Hydroxylase

ABSTRACT Comamonas testosteroni strain R2 was isolated from a continuous culture enriched by a low concentration of phenol-oxygenating activities with low Ks values (below 1 μM). The draft genome sequence of C. testosteroni strain R2 reported here may contribute to determining the phenol degradation gene cluster.
A variational technique to estimate snowfall rate from coincident radar, snowflake, and fall-speed observations

Abstract. Estimates of snowfall rate as derived from radar reflectivities alone are non-unique. Different combinations of snowflake microphysical properties and particle fall speeds can conspire to produce nearly identical snowfall rates for given radar reflectivity signatures. Such ambiguities can result in retrieval uncertainties on the order of 100–200 % for individual events. Here, we use observations of particle size distribution (PSD), fall speed, and snowflake habit from the Multi-Angle Snowflake Camera (MASC) to constrain estimates of snowfall derived from Ka-band ARM zenith radar (KAZR) measurements at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) North Slope Alaska (NSA) Climate Research Facility site at Barrow. MASC measurements of microphysical properties with uncertainties are introduced into a modified form of the optimal-estimation CloudSat snowfall algorithm (2C-SNOW-PROFILE) via the a priori guess and variance terms. Use of the MASC fall speed, MASC PSD, and CloudSat snow particle model as base assumptions resulted in retrieved total accumulations with a −18 % difference relative to nearby National Weather Service (NWS) observations over five snow events. The average error was 36 % for the individual events. Use of different but reasonable combinations of retrieval assumptions resulted in estimated snowfall accumulations with differences ranging from −64 to +122 % for the same storm events. Retrieved snowfall rates were particularly sensitive to assumed fall speed and habit, suggesting that in situ measurements can help to constrain key snowfall retrieval uncertainties. More accurate knowledge of these properties dependent upon location and meteorological conditions should help refine and improve ground- and space-based radar estimates of snowfall.
Efficacy of neuromuscular electrical stimulation in improving the negative psychological state in patients with cerebral infarction and dysphagia

Abstract Objective To observe the improvement of negative affect disorders in patients with cerebral infarction and dysphagia by neuromuscular electrical stimulation. Methods One hundred and twelve patients with cerebral infarction and dysphagia were selected and randomized into treatment (n = 59) and control (n = 53) groups. Similar swallowing function was found in both groups before treatment: (1) Water-drinking test in the treatment group proved swallowing function Level III in 24 cases, Level IV in 22 cases and Level V in 13 cases; (2) in the control group, swallowing function was Level III in 21 cases, Level IV in 20 cases and Level V in 12 cases. Both groups received conventional drug therapy and swallowing training. The treatment group additionally received neuromuscular electrical stimulation. Both groups underwent water-drinking test evaluation, Hamilton Anxiety Scale test, and Hamilton Depression Scale test before and after treatment. Results After two courses of treatment, the rate of improvement in swallowing function was 88.1% in the treatment group while 69.8% in the control group. Somatic anxiety, psychogenic anxiety and total scores in the Hamilton Anxiety Scale in the treatment group were improved to varying degrees compared to the control group (P < 0.01). Anxiety, cognitive disorder, psychomotor retardation and total scores in the Hamilton Depression Scale in the treatment group were improved to varying degrees compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion Patients with cerebral infarction and dysphagia have varying degrees of anxiety, depression, and other negative affect disorders, which could be minimized by neuromuscular electrical stimulation in conjunction with conventional therapy.
Comparative efficacy of antiherpes drugs in different cell lines

A selection of antiherpes compounds including bromovinyldeoxyuridine (BVDU), acyclovir (ACV), and fluoroiodoaracytosine (FIAC) were compared for their inhibitory effects on herpes simplex virus type 1 (strain KOS) replication in a wide variety of human, simian, feline, and murine cell lines. The 50% inhibitory doses of the compounds varied considerably from one cell line to another, i.e., from 0.01 to 2 micrograms/ml for ACV and from 0.004 to 0.2 micrograms/ml for BVDU and FIAC. However, the relative order of antiviral potency remained constant, thus (in order of decreasing potency) BVDU greater than FIAC greater than ACV, for all cell lines studied except for the murine embryo cells, in which the order of decreasing potency was BVDU greater than ACV greater than FIAC, and for the feline lung cells, in which the order of decreasing potency was FIAC greater than ACV greater than BVDU.
An empirical examination of long-run purchasing power parity using cointegration techniques

This paper presents an empirical analysis of long-run purchasing power parity (PPP) for five major exchange rates using recently developed econometric techniques on the cointegration of economic time series. Our empirical results are extremely unfavourable to the PPP hypothesis as a long-run equilibrium condition, even with an allowance made for measurement error and/or tranportation costs. In particular, we are unable to reject the hypothesis of non-cointegration of the exchange rate and relative prices for any of the countries concerned. Far from finding a stable, long-run proportionality between exchange rates and relative prices, our results therefore suggest that they tend to drift apart without bound.
Energy efficient MPTCP transmission — Scheduler implementation and evaluation

Nowadays, if one purchases a communication device it is typically equipped with a few network interfaces. Similarly, a professional service in the Internet is run via a couple of interfaces to avoid a single point of failure. Despite the existence of many transmission paths, most of data is expedited and received by the same interfaces. The remaining ones serve as backup only, according to the premises of the fundamental transport protocol — TCP. Although networking devices allow for bundling channels, it is executed at the link layer and thus unusable in the Internet. This functional gap has been filled by a variant of TCP that permits simultaneous transmission over a few paths — Multipath TCP (MPTCP). MPTCP allows for spreading the application data stream among different interfaces or paths, yet the way the splitting is actually performed has not been standardized. This task can be optimized to satisfy various quality indicators. The paper presents a continuation of the work on energy-aware optimal load balancing method, addressing implementation issues in a real networking environment. A comparison with the reference solution is also provided.
Use of curcumin in diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of Alzheimer's disease

This review summarizes and describes the use of curcumin in diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. For diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, amyloid-β and highly phosphorylated tau protein are the major biomarkers. Curcumin was developed as an early diagnostic probe based on its natural fluorescence and high binding affinity to amyloid-β. Because of its multi-target effects, curcumin has protective and preventive effects on many chronic diseases such as cerebrovascular disease, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. For prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease, curcumin has been shown to effectively maintain the normal structure and function of cerebral vessels, mitochondria, and synapses, reduce risk factors for a variety of chronic diseases, and decrease the risk of Alzheimer's disease. The effect of curcumin on Alzheimer's disease involves multiple signaling pathways: anti-amyloid and metal iron chelating properties, antioxidation and anti-inflammatory activities. Indeed, there is a scientific basis for the rational application of curcumin in prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
Position Auctions with Budget-Constraints: Implications for Advertisers and Publishers

This paper examines position auctions with budget-constrained advertisers, a dominant bidding environment used by publishers to allocate positions in online advertising. Budget constraints play a crucial role in equilibrium bidding by inducing advertisers to strategically deplete a higher-ranked advertiser’s budget to gain in rank. This strategic consideration has consequences for the advertisers’ profits and the publisher’s revenue. An advertiser’s profit can strictly decrease with her budget when competition for an advertising space (e.g., a keyword) is intense. The publisher’s revenue can also strictly decrease when an increase in the higher-ranked advertiser’s budget induces the lower-ranked rival to reduce her bid, due to her inability to deplete the higher-ranked advertiser’s budget. Several managerial implications for advertisers and publishers are discussed.
Growth of GaN films on porous SiC substrate by molecular-beam epitaxy

Porous SiC (PSiC) substrates were used for the growth of GaN by reactive molecular-beam epitaxy with ammonia as the nitrogen source. Improved quality of GaN films has been demonstrated for growth on PSiC substrates, as compared to that on standard 6H–SiC substrates. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction showed a reduction in dislocation density and a higher degree of lattice and thermal relaxation in the GaN films grown on porous substrates. The submicron GaN films exhibit a rocking curve linewidth of 3.3 arcmin for (0002) diffraction and 13.7 arcmin for (1012) diffraction. Low-temperature photoluminescence showed an excitonic transition with a full width at half maximum of 9.5 meV at 15 K, as well as high quantum efficiency, on the GaN layer grown on PSiC when the thin skin layer on porous SiC was removed before growth.
Follow-Up of Women With Previous GDM: Insulin, C-Peptide, and Proinsulin Responses to Oral Glucose Load

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a strong predictor of glucose intolerance later in life. Former GDM (n = 145) and control (n = 41) subjects were studied 3–4 yr after the index pregnancy. They were subjected to a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) with measurements of insulin, C-peptide, and proinsulin in the basal state and every 30 min for 180 min. In the former GDM group, 5 subjects (3.4%) had developed non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), and 32 (22%) had developed impaired glucose tolerance (IGT; by World Health Organization criteria). In the control group, 2 (4%) had IGT. In the GDM group, IGT or NIDDM was significantly associated with obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥25 kg/m2) and earlier diagnosis of GDM during pregnancy (P < 0.001). Nonobese (BMI <25 kg/m2) GDM subjects with normal glucose tolerance at follow-up had significantly higher mean glucose(P < 0.01), insulin (P < 0.05), and proinsulin (P < 0.001) values during the OGTT than control subjects, whereas there was no significant difference in C-peptide values. A comparison between control subjects with normal OGTT and BMI <25 kg/m2 (n = 39) and GDM subjects (n = 39) selected to have a comparable area under the glucose curve, BMI, and age demonstrated no group differences in glucose, C-peptide, or insulin levels, whereas the proinsulin levels were significantly higher (P < 0.001) during the glucose load. The molar ratio between proinsulin and insulin was also significantly higher among the former GDM subjects. We speculate that an elevated proinsulin-insulin ratio in women with previous GDM could be a marker for later development of NIDDM.
Performance analysis of low complexity multi-user MIMO scheduling schemes for massive MIMO system

Massive MIMO is a promising technology for the 5G mobile communications system and contributes to the enhancement of multi-user MIMO transmission. However, the user scheduling of multi-user MIMO transmission requires a high computational complexity because the matrix operation is performed to estimate SINR, which is used as a user selection criterion. In this paper, we investigate low complexity multi-user MIMO scheduling schemes that estimate the SINR without the matrix operation. The schemes are the polynomial approximation scheme, which approximately estimates the SINR by channel correlation between users, and the single-user based scheme, which uses the SINR of single-user transmission instead of the SINR of multi-user MIMO transmission. Simulation results show that the complexity of the polynomial approximation scheme is reduced to a few tenths of that of the matrix operation based scheme without throughput degradation. It is also shown that the complexity of the single-user based scheme is reduced to a few thousandths of that of the matrix operation based scheme with little throughput degradation as the number of spatially multiplexed users increases.
G-15 and South-South cooperation: Promise and performance

The waning phase of the Cold War witnessed the emergence of a consultative group from within the nonaligned movement (NAM). The ninth NAM Summit held in Belgrade in 1989 gave birth to a new coalition called the Group of Fifteen: The Summit Level Group of Developing Countries (G-15), with the avowed aim of enhancing beneficial cooperation among developing countries and opening a dialogue with the developed countries of the North. Following a brief description of the context and origins of the G-15 this paper will highlight the issues that have dominated the summits held so far and assess the grouping's achievements to date.
Mixed Findings on the Service Recovery Paradox

The purpose of this study was to test the service recovery paradox and double deviation on customers' overall satisfaction considering definitional and methodological issues. This study employed a scenario experimentation manipulated three dimensions of justice at two levels each (2 × 2 × 2 factorial design). A convenience sample of 286 casual restaurant customers was used in the study. Paired sample t-tests were employed to test recovery paradox and double deviation effects after selecting four groups of customers based on recovery satisfaction to take into account the if-condition in the definition of the service recovery paradox. Customers' post-recovery overall satisfaction could be higher than their initial overall satisfaction provided customers were highly satisfied with service recovery (recovery paradox). When customers are somewhat satisfied with recovery efforts, their initial overall satisfaction could be carried over after two transactional evaluations. Double deviation effects were obvious and consistent when customers were either highly dissatisfied or somewhat dissatisfied with service recovery.
CloudAware: Empowering context‐aware self‐adaptation for mobile applications

Mobile devices are already woven into our everyday life, and we became accustomed that mobile applications assist us in a multitude of daily activities. With the rise of the Internet of Things, new opportunities to further automatize tedious tasks open up. New functional and user experience requirements demand for further resources and new ways to acquire these, because mobile devices remain comparatively limited in terms of, eg, computation, storage, and battery life. To face these challenges, current approaches augment mobile applications either with cloud resources (mobile cloud computing) or with resources near the mobile device at the logical edge of the network (mobile edge computing) onto which tasks can be offloaded during runtime. However, this does not automatically solve the conflict between resource demands and good user experience, as current solutions prove. It is the dynamically changing context that makes for good or bad offloading strategies. In this paper, we corroborate this finding by first evaluating 40 existing solutions based on a requirements catalogue derived from several application scenarios as well as the International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission criteria for software quality. Afterward, we present CloudAware, which is a mobile cloud computing/mobile edge computing middleware that supports automated context‐aware self‐adaptation techniques that ease the development of elastic, scalable, and context‐adaptive mobile applications. Moreover, we present a qualitative evaluation of our concepts and quantitatively evaluate different offloading scenarios using real usage data to prove that mobile applications indeed benefit from context‐aware self‐adaptation techniques. Finally, we conclude with a discussion of open challenges.