Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Identification of Extracellular Actin As a Ligand for Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells-1 Signaling

Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (TREM-1) is a potent amplifier of pro-inflammatory innate immune reactions, and it is an essential mediator of death in sepsis. However, the ligand for TREM-1 has not been fully identified. Previous research identified a natural ligand of TREM-1 distributed on platelets that contributed to the development of sepsis. However, the exact signal for TREM-1 recognition remains to be identified. Here, we identified actin as a TREM-1-interacting protein on platelets and found that recombinant actin could interact with recombinant TREM-1 extracellular domain directly. Furthermore, actin co-localized with TREM-1 on the surface of activated mouse macrophage RAW264.7 cells interacting with platelets. In addition, recombinant actin could enhance the inflammatory response of macrophages from wt mice but not from trem1−/− mice, and the enhancement could be inhibited by LP17 (a TREM-1 inhibitor) in a dose-dependent manner. Importantly, extracellular actin showed co-localization with TREM-1 in lung tissue sections from septic mice, which suggested that TREM-1 recognized actin during activation in sepsis. Therefore, the present study identified actin as a new ligand for TREM-1 signaling, and it also provided a link between both essential regulators of death in sepsis.
Motor Impairment as a Predictor of Functional Recovery and Guide to Rehabilitation Treatment After Stroke

Objective: This study tests three hypotheses relevant for the efficient use of re habilitation services after stroke: (a) the severity of initial motor impairment after stroke predicts discharge motor impairment and self-care mobility scores; (b) identi fication of those unlikely to show improvement in motor impairment can focus reha bilitation efforts on use of compensatory techniques and assist devices; and (c) im provement in self-care mobility scores without change in motor impairment, balance, or cognition is a quantitative estimate of the value of teaching compensatory tech niques and use of assist devices. Methods: We studied 171 sequential patients previ ously independent in the community who were admitted for inpatient rehabilitation within 17 ± 12 SD days of an initial, unilateral, hemispheric, ischemic stroke. Im pairment was assessed using the Fugl-Meyer upper limb motor (ULM), lower limb motor (LLM), and upper plus lower limb total motor (TM) subscores. Disability was assessed using the Functional Independence Measure (FIM), FIM self-care (FIMS), FIM mobility (FIMM), and FIM self-care plus FIM mobility (FIMSM) subscores. Spear- man correlation coefficients tested strength of association between dependent and independent variables, stepwise linear regression tested the effects of clinically rele vant co-variables, and positive and negative predictive values (PPV, NPV) assessed the clinical relevance of outcome-prediction models. Results: The highest correla tions observed were between admission TM scores and the following discharge scores: TM (R = 0.92; p < 0.01), ULM (R = 0.91; p < 0.01), LLM (R = 0.82; p < 0.01), FIMSM (R = 0.67; p < 0.01), FIMM (R = 0.67; p < 0.001), FIM (R = 0.58; p < 0.0001). An admission TM score in the lowest quartile had a PPV of 0.74 for a dis charge ULM score in the lowest quartile. An admission TM score in the highest quar tile had a PPV of 0.86 for a discharge ULM score in the highest quarttle. Similar but weaker PPVs were seen for admission TM scores and discharge LLM scores. Patients without significant change in TM scores (≤2 points) had a 17 ± 9 SD improvement in FIMSM scores. Conclusions: Admission motor impairment scores (a) predict dis charge impairment and activities of daily living mobility functional outcome; and (b) guide treatment toward improving motor impairment versus use of compensatory tech niques and assistive devices. The use of compensatory techniques and assistive devices, without change in motor impairment, is associated with a 17 ± 9 SD improvement in FIMSM score. Key Words: Stroke—Motor recovery—Rehabilitation—Outcome.
Adjuvant radiation therapy for high-grade and/or locally advanced major salivary gland tumors.

OBJECTIVE To examine the effect of adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) on survival of high-grade and/or locally advanced malignant major salivary gland tumors (MMSGT). PATIENTS The study population comprised 2170 patients with high-grade (poorly differentiated or undifferentiated) and/or locally advanced MMSGT (T3/4 or N+). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry was used to obtained data for all patients 20 years or older who underwent surgery for high-grade and/or locally advanced nonmetastatic MMSGT between 1988 and 2005. Univariate and multivariable regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with improved survival. RESULTS Seventy-two percent of patients received adjuvant RT, while 28% underwent surgery alone. Patients receiving adjuvant RT were younger and had higher T and N categories and grade. Multivariable analysis revealed significantly improved survival with adjuvant RT (HR for mortality, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.65-0.89; P < .001). Other factors associated with improved survival included younger age at diagnosis, less than radical surgery, certain histologic subtypes, lower grade, and lower T and N categories. Subset analyses found significantly improved survival with adjuvant RT among patients with both high-grade and locally advanced disease (P < .001), involvement of the parotid gland (P = .002), or squamous cell carcinoma (P = .004), with a survival benefit seen among patients with adenocarcinoma that did not reach significance (P = .06). CONCLUSIONS Adjuvant RT is associated with improved survival for high-grade and/or locally advanced MMSGT based on analysis of this large, population-based database. Further prospective studies are warranted to examine the role of RT in the management of this disease.
Patient-Specific Hemodynamic Analysis for Cerebral Aneurysm

Cerebrovascular diseases are one of the three major mortalities in China, such as the rupture of cerebral aneurysm. The growth mechanism of the cerebral aneurysm has not been clearly understood. In this research, we are introducing a numerical simulation tool, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technique, to simulate and predict the hemodynamics of blood passing through the cerebral aneurysms. Endovascular coils occlusion is a main surgery treatment to the cerebral aneurysms and the hemodynamic factors should change a lot after the coiling treatment, but there is no quantitative way to evaluate the effect of the coiling treatment. Such image- based CFD analysis may be used to provide key hemodynamic information for prospective studies of aneurysm regrowth of an individual aneurysm or evaluating the effect of the endovascular coils occlusion. Appropriate computational techniques show great promise in simulating the hemodynamic behavior before and after coil occlusion and may be a potentially valuable tool in studying the regrowth reasons of the leaving residual neck remnant. In this article, hemodynamic analysis of the cerebral aneurysm before and after coiling treatment were done. The results revealed that the speed flow changed a little bit in the artery but the wall shear stress reduced more than 50% percent of the aneurysm at the proximal and distal ends of the neck.
Lamivudine in the treatment of hepatitis B virus reactivation during cytotoxic chemotherapy

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation has been described in cancer patients who received cytotoxic/immunosuppressive therapy and may result in liver damage of varying degrees of severity. There is no known effective treatment. Lamivudine, a nucleoside analogue, has been found to suppress HBV replication and to improve histology in chronic carriers of hepatitis B virus. The outcome of lamivudine therapy (at doses of 100 or 150 mg/day) in eight patients who developed HBV reactivation while receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy is described. Each of the eight patients had >98% suppression of the pretreatment HBV DNA levels. Three of the five patients who were initially HBeAg positive underwent seroconversion. Five patients had normalization of liver function tests and improvement in clinical condition. However, one patient died of hepatic failure due to HBV‐related submassive liver necrosis, and two died of widespread metastases (including liver) from the primary malignancies. It is concluded that early commencement, i.e., at the onset of HBV reactivation before severe hepatic decompensation, of lamivudine may be effective in the control of HBV reactivation during chemotherapy. In Hong Kong, where hepatitis B infection is endemic, we propose to screen all cancer patients for hepatitis B surface antigen before immunosuppressive/cytotoxic therapy, and to closely monitor liver function of those who are found to be HBsAg seropositive. J. Med. Virol. 59:263–269, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
RTS/FCTS mechanism based full-duplex MAC protocol for wireless networks

As an attractive and challenging transmission mode, the wireless full-duplex transmission can potentially double the system throughput if the self-interference can be efficiently cancelled or suppressed as compared with that of the wireless half-duplex transmission. Recently emerged advanced self-interference cancellation and suppression techniques have shown the possibility of avoiding the overwhelmed self-interference of the wireless full-duplex transmission. However, to achieve the double system throughput in wireless full-duplex networks, not only the efficient self-interference cancellation and suppression techniques in the physical-layer is necessary, but also the practical full-duplex medium access control (MAC) protocol is highly demanded in the datalink layer. In this paper, we propose a novel request to send (RTS)/full-duplex clear to send (FCTS) based MAC protocol which can support both bidirectional and unidirectionallinks in wireless full-duplex networks. Then, we develop the analytical model to characterize the performance of our proposed full-duplex MAC protocol in wireless full-duplex networks. Also conducted is a set of numerical evaluations showing that our proposed full-duplex MAC protocol can achieve superior system throughput as compared with that of the conventional half-duplex MAC protocol for wireless networks.
Are consumers forward looking? Evidence from used iPhones

ABSTRACT This study examines the impact of planned obsolescence – the introduction of new models to make existing models obsolete – on secondary markets for mobile phones. Using data of over 320,000 used iPhones listings on Thailand’s largest online marketplace, we document that iPhone prices decrease with age, around 2.8–3.2% for each passing month. We find no evidence that the price decline accelerates after launches of new models (i.e. obsolescence), lending support to the view that consumer in durable goods markets are rational and forward looking.
Modification of spontaneous renal lesion of APA hamsters by streptozotocin‐induced diabetes

Syrian hamsters of the APA strain (APA hamsters) develop spontaneous mesangial thickening in the renal glomeruli from an early age. They also develop focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSG) at and after 6 months of age. In this study, histopathological, immunohistochemical and lectin histochemical examinations were conducted to clarify the modification of the spontaneous renal lesions of APA hamsters by streptozotocin(SZ)‐induced diabetes. Histopathological analysis revealed that the expansion of the mesangial region was more prominent and the thickening of the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) was weaker in SZ‐treated animals than in non‐treated ones. Immunohistochemical analysis suggested that type IV collagen and laminin were involved in the expansion of the mesangial region and thickening of the GBM. In lectin histochemical analysis, podocytes, capillary endothelial cells, GBM and a part of mesangial region of SZ‐treated animals were positive for RCA120 and GSL‐I with neuraminidase‐pretreatment although they were negative for these lectins in non‐treated animals. These results suggest that the spontaneous glomerular lesion of APA hamsters is modified qualitatively and quantitatively by SZ‐induced diabetes.
Genetic Contributions to the Development of Retinopathy of Prematurity

There is growing support for the role of genetic factors in the development of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a serious visual morbidity resulting from preterm birth. We used both candidate gene and data-mining approaches to investigate the role of genetic polymorphisms in the development of ROP. Our study population consisted of 330 infants, less than 32 wk gestation, and their parents. We initially studied 24 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 11 candidate genes. Using a family-based analysis strategy, we found an association between SNPs in the EPAS1 gene and the development of ROP (p = 0.007). Logistic regression analysis showed three SNPs associated with development of ROP, two in the CFH gene (p = 0.01) and one in the EPAS1 gene (p = 0.001). Extending this analysis to include genotyping data from a larger genetic study of prematurity (455 SNPs in 153 genes), we found SNPs in five genes associated with the development of ROP: IHH (p = 0.003), AGTR1 (p = 0.005), TBX5 (p = 0.003), CETP (p = 0.004), and GP1BA (p = 0.005). Our data suggest that genetic risk factors contribute to the development of ROP.
Why are developing country corporations more susceptible to the vicissitudes of international finance?

About USD7 trillion of quantitative easing funds has flooded emerging markets since 2008. These funds, created to stimulate a recovery in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and to stabilise financial markets, ended up mostly as emerging markets’ corporate bonds and loans (often after being leveraged into many multiples of their original value). Not for the first time, emerging markets became the financial markets of last resort. These funds were then either mainly invested (Asia) or used (as in Latin America and South Africa) for almost anything except for creating additional productive capacities. Enquiries into these issues, especially how corporations financed their investment, were subjects that fascinated economist Ajit Singh. He was the first to find out that corporations in emerging markets relied much more on external finance than those in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (where retained profits played a major role). The implication was that they were likely to be more susceptible to the vicissitudes of financial markets, and these have become even more weird since quantitative easing, as Northern ‘investors’, in search for elusive yields, have been happy to take on ever higher risks, leverage and illiquidity in the South. This is a key difference between current global financial fragilities and those at the onset of the current global financial crisis in 2007. The stakes for emerging economies and international financial markets could scarcely be higher, but unfortunately these huge new challenges occur at the worst possible time, as our social imagination has seldom been so barren.
A Holistic Approach to SoC Verification

Semiconductor designs are continuously growing in complexity. It is no longer practical to view large swaths of waveforms at one time. Dataflow and bus transactions must be presented to engineers in way that will stimulate their creative juices and empower an intuitive understanding of the big picture without unnecessarily cluttering the debug environment. Over time, as technologies enable advanced viewing, navigating and packetizing the waveforms, we migrate to a more artistic approach for understanding complex semiconductor systems. Test environments are bound to grow more complex. Intuitive, visual presentations will support a holistic approach for comprehending and systematically working with increasing complexity instead of getting buried deep into unnecessary details - a need-to-know basis description of the underlying design details. This paper scratches the surface on what such holistic verification solutions will look like by citing examples from existing commercial EDA technologies as well as in- house home-brewed solutions. Examples include design visualization environments that employ hierarchy of signals, color-coding, advanced packet bundling and exploding packet views to foster right-brained thought. Potential future improvements to EDA tools are suggested to show how transaction level models and verification sessions can be presented to give an intuitive feel of the SoC design.
Functional analysis of pre‐mRNA splicing factor SF2/ASF structural domains.

Human pre‐mRNA splicing factor SF2/ASF has an activity required for general splicing in vitro and promotes utilization of proximal alternative 5′ splice sites in a concentration‐dependent manner by opposing hnRNP A1. We introduced selected mutations in the N‐terminal RNA recognition motif (RRM) and the C‐terminal Arg/Ser (RS) domain of SF2/ASF, and assayed the resulting recombinant proteins for constitutive and alternative splicing in vitro and for binding to pre‐mRNA and mRNA. Mutants inactive in constitutive splicing can affect alternative splice site selection, demonstrating that these activities involve distinct molecular interactions. Specific protein‐RNA contact mediated by Phe56 and Phe58 in the RNP‐1 submotif of the SF2/ASF RRM are essential for constitutive splicing, although they are not required for RRM‐mediated binding to pre‐mRNA. The RS domain is also required for constitutive splicing activity and both Arg and Ser residues are important. Analysis of domain deletion mutants demonstrated strong synergy between the RRM and a central degenerate RRM repeat in binding to RNA. These two domains are sufficient for alternative splicing activity in the absence of an RS domain.
Incidence, characteristics and course of narrow phenotype paediatric bipolar I disorder in the British Isles

To estimate the surveillance incidence of first‐time diagnosis of narrow phenotype bipolar I disorder (NPBDI) in young people under 16 years by consultants in child and adolescent psychiatry (CCAP) in the British Isles and describe symptoms, comorbidity, associated factors, management strategies and clinical outcomes at 1‐year follow‐up.
Computer-controlled, multilevel, morphometric analysis of blastomere size as biomarker of fragmentation and multinuclearity in human embryos.

BACKGROUND Little is known about blastomere size at different cleavage stages and its correlation with embryo quality in human embryos. Using a computer system for multilevel embryo morphology analysis we have analysed blastomeres of human embryos and correlated mean blastomere size with embryonic fragmentation and multinuclearity. METHODS A consecutive cohort of 232 human 2-, 3- and 4-cell embryos from patients referred for ICSI treatment were included. Sequences of digital images were taken by focusing at 5- micro m intervals through the embryo. Blastomere sizes and number of nuclear structures were evaluated based on these sequences. The degree of embryonic fragmentation was evaluated by normal morphological assessment prior to transfer and correlated to the blastomere sizes. RESULTS As a result of normal cell cleavage, mean blastomere size decreased significantly from a volume of 0.28 x 10(6) microm(3) at the 2-cell stage to 0.15 x 10(6) microm(3) at the 4-cell stage (P < 0.001). Mean blastomere size decreased significantly (P < 0.001) with increasing degree of embryonic fragmentation, where highly fragmented embryos showed a 43-67% reduction in blastomere volume compared with embryos with no fragmentation. Multinucleated blastomeres were significantly larger than non-multinucleated blastomeres (P < 0.001). On average, multinucleated blastomeres were 51.5, 67.8 and 73.1% larger than their non-multinucleated sibling blastomeres at the 2-, 3- and 4-cell stage, respectively. Furthermore, the average volume of non-multinucleated blastomeres originating from multinucleated embryos was significantly smaller than the average volume of the blastomeres from mononucleated embryos (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The results of this study show that the average blastomere size is significantly affected by degree of fragmentation and multinuclearity, and that computer-assisted, multilevel analysis of blastomere size may function as a biomarker for embryo quality.
Autoantibodies to the functionally active RING-domain of Ro52/SSA are associated with disease activity in patients with lupus

The Ro52 protein of the Ro/SSA antigen was recently defined as an E3 ligase controlling cytokine production. Autoantibodies from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients targeting the Ro52-RING domain, containing the E3 ligase activity, have been shown to inhibit the E3 ligase activity of Ro52. The objective of the present study was to investigate correlations between clinical parameters in patients with SLE and levels of Ro/SSA (Ro52 and Ro60) and La/SSB autoantibodies, including autoantibodies directed towards the functional RING and B-box domains of the Ro52 protein. SLE patients (n = 232) were clinically examined and disease activity indices collected concurrently to blood sampling. The samples were analyzed for immunological parameters including autoantibodies. Ro52 autoantibody levels were associated with more variables than the other analyzed antibodies and were significantly associated with several individual items related to sSS and the diagnosis of sSS itself (p = 0.004). Other associated variables were high sedimentation rate (p = 0.0003), levels of immunoglobulins (p = 0.0003), and an inverse correlation with levels of lymphocytes (p = 0.003) and leukocytes (p = 0.01). Antibodies to the RING domain of Ro52, which is the functionally active domain with E3 ligase activity, were significantly correlated with disease activity as measured by the SLAM score. We conclude that autoantibodies against Ro52 and in particular its functional RING domain are important in lupus patients and associated with several clinical and laboratory features of the disease. The impact on disease activity of Ro52-RING specific antibodies was especially noted, and could imply a functional role for these autoantibodies in inhibiting Ro52 activity, which is important for the control of proinflammatory cytokine production, including type 1 interferons.
Relationships among allergic rhinitis, asthma, and chronic rhinosinusitis

Background Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a common disease in the United States. There are a significant number of patients with CRS who are refractory to standard medical and surgical therapy. Many of these patients also have comorbid allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma, although the underlying pathophysiology that connects these three conditions remains unclear. Objective The goal of this article is to review the relationships among CRS, AR and asthma. Methods Scientific literature that addresses the prevalence of AR and asthma in CRS populations, the effect of AR and asthma on CRS disease severity, and whether treatment of AR and asthma can affect CRS outcomes was reviewed. Results The literature supports the relationship between AR and CRS, but there is no direct evidence of causality the between the two conditions. There is a high prevalence of CRS in patients with asthma and the presence of CRS is associated with worse asthma outcomes. There is weak evidence that treatment of CRS may improve asthma outcomes. Targeting type 2 inflammation via biologics is being investigated in the treatment of asthma and CRS. Conclusion AR, asthma, and CRS are closed related and understanding the associations among these comorbid diseases will have significant clinical implication.