Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Relationships between local enforcement, alcohol availability, drinking norms, and adolescent alcohol use in 50 California cities.

OBJECTIVE This study investigated relationships between local alcohol policies, enforcement, alcohol outlet density, adult alcohol use, and underage drinking in 50 California cities. METHOD Eight local alcohol policies (e.g., conditional use permit, social host ordinance, window/billboard advertising) were rated for each city based on their comprehensiveness. Local alcohol enforcement was based on grants received from the California Alcoholic Beverage Control agency for enforcement of underage drinking laws. Outlet density was based on the number of on- and off-premise outlets per roadway mile. Level of adult alcohol use was ascertained from a survey of 8,553 adults and underage drinking (frequency of past-year alcohol use and heavy drinking) from surveys of 1,312 adolescents in 2009 and 2010. Multilevel regression analyses were conducted to examine the effects of policies, enforcement, and other community-level variables on adolescent drinking, controlling for youth demographic characteristics. Mediating effects of adolescents' perceived ease of obtaining alcohol, perceived enforcement, and perceived acceptability of alcohol use also were examined. RESULTS None of the eight local alcohol-policy ratings were associated with adolescent drinking. Funding for underage drinking enforcement activities was inversely related to frequency of past-year alcohol use, whereas outlet density and adult drinking were positively related to both past-year alcohol use and heavy drinking. These relationships were attenuated when controlling for perceived ease of obtaining alcohol, enforcement, and acceptability of alcohol use, providing evidence formediation. CONCLUSIONS Adolescent alcohol use and heavy drinking appear to be influenced by enforcement of underage drinking laws, alcohol outlet density, and adult alcohol use. These community-level influences may be at least partially mediated through adolescents' perceptions of alcohol availability, acceptability of alcohol use, and perceived likelihood of getting in trouble with local police.
Characterization of the respiratory NADH dehydrogenase of Escherichia coli and reconstitution of NADH oxidase in ndh mutant membrane vesicles.

Highly purified preparations of the cholate-solubilized respiratory NADH dehydrogenase, isolated from genetically amplified Escherichia coli strains [Jaworowski, A. , Campbell, H. D. , Poulis, M. I. , & Young, I. G. (1981) Biochemistry 20, 2041-2047], have been characterized. Enzyme preparations were shown to contain 70% (w/w) lipid, predominantly phosphatidylethanolamine. One mol of noncovalently bound FAD and approximately 1 mol of ubiquinone/mol of enzyme subunit were detected. The purified enzyme was shown to contain only low levels of Fe and acid-labile S, indicating the absence of iron-sulfur clusters. No Cu, Mo, W, or covalently bound P was detected, and no evidence for other chromophores was obtained from visible and ultraviolet absorption spectra of the purified enzyme or of the delipidated polypeptide prepared by gel filtration in sodium dodecyl sulfate. Protein chemical studies verified that the enzyme consists of a single polypeptide species of Mr 47 000, and the N- and C-terminal cyanogen bromide peptides were identified. The pure enzyme was shown to reconstitute membrane-bound, cyanide-sensitive NADH oxidase activity in membrane vesicles prepared from ndh mutant strains.
Role of viruses in the onset of asthma and allergy: lessons from animal models

There are several potential mechanisms by which viral respiratory tract infections in childhood might trigger the onset of sensitization to allergens and asthma. To study these potential mechanisms, researchers have developed a number of animal models. In this paper, results of animal experiments are discussed under three headings: (i) chronic sequelae of acute viral infections; (ii) viral infections and sensitization to aeroallergens; and (iii) persistent viral infections. The use of animal models to study the role of viral infections in the induction of allergic sensitization and airway responsiveness has provided intriguing new insights that may be relevant to the pathogenesis of human disease.
TAK1-ECSIT-TRAF6 Complex Plays a Key Role in the TLR4 Signal to Activate NF-κB*

Background: ECSIT as a multifunctional protein is involved in TLR signals. However, its regulatory function is not fully characterized. Results: ECSIT forms a high molecular endogenous complex including TAK1 and TRAF6, and that leads to activation of TAK1 and NF-κB. Conclusion: TAK1-ECSIT-TRAF6 complex plays an essential role in TLR4 signals. Significance: This study identifies a new regulatory role of ECSIT in TLR4-mediated signaling. ECSIT (evolutionarily conserved signaling intermediate in Toll pathways) is known as a multifunctional regulator in different signals, including Toll-like receptors (TLRs), TGF-β, and BMP. Here, we report a new regulatory role of ECSIT in TLR4-mediated signal. By LPS stimulation, ECSIT formed a high molecular endogenous complex including TAK1 and TRAF6, in which ECSIT interacted with each protein and regulated TAK1 activity, leading to the activation of NF-κB. ECSIT-knockdown THP-1 (ECSITKD THP-1) cells exhibited severe impairments in NF-κB activity, cytokine production, and NF-κB-dependent gene expression, whereas those were dramatically restored by reintroduction of wild type (WT) ECSIT gene. Interestingly, ECSIT mutants, which lack a specific interacting domain for either TAK1 or TRAF6, could not restore these activities. Moreover, no significant changes in both NF-κB activity and cytokine production induced by TLR4 could be seen in TAK1KD or TRAF6KD THP-1 cells transduced by WT ECSIT, strongly suggesting the essential requirement of TAK1-ECSIT-TRAF6 complex in TLR4 signaling. Taken together, our data demonstrate that the ECSIT complex, including TAK1 and TRAF6, plays a pivotal role in TLR4-mediated signals to activate NF-κB.
Treatment of posttraumatic syringomyelia.

OBJECT This paper presents results of a prospective study for patients undergoing surgery for posttraumatic syringomyelia between 1991 and 2010. METHODS A group of 137 patients with posttraumatic syringomyelia were evaluated (mean age 45 ± 13 years, mean follow-up 51 ± 51 months) with pre- and postoperative MRI and clinical examinations presenting in this period and followed prospectively by outpatient visits and questionnaires. Surgery was recommended for symptomatic patients with a progressive course. Short-term results were determined within 3 months of surgery, whereas long-term outcomes in terms of clinical recurrences were studied with Kaplan-Meier statistics. RESULTS Three groups were distinguished according to the type of trauma: Group A, patients with spinal trauma but without cord injury (ASIA E, n = 37); Group B, patients with an incomplete cord injury (ASIA C or D, n = 55); and Group C, patients with complete loss of motor function or a complete cord injury (ASIA A or B, n = 45). Overall, 61 patients with progressive symptoms underwent 71 operations. Of these operations, 61 consisted of arachnolysis, untethering, and duraplasty at the trauma level (that is, decompression), while 4 ASIA A patients underwent a cordectomy. The remaining procedures consisted of placement of a thecoperitoneal shunt, 2 opiate pump placements, and 2 anterior and 1 posterior cervical decompression and fusion. Seventy-six patients were not treated surgically due to lack of neurological progression or refusal of an operation. Neurological symptoms remained stable for 10 years in 84% of the patients for whom surgery was not recommended due to lack of neurological progression. In contrast, 60% of those who declined recommended surgery had neurological progression within 5 years. For patients presenting with neurological progression, outcome was better with decompression. Postoperatively, 61% demonstrated a reduction of syrinx size. Although neurological symptoms generally remained unchanged after surgery, 47% of affected patients reported a postoperative improvement of their pain syndrome. After 3 months, 51% considered their postoperative status improved and 41% considered it unchanged. In the long-term, favorable results were obtained for Groups A and C with rates for neurological deterioration of 6% and 14% after 5 years, respectively. In Group B, this rate was considerably higher at 39%, because arachnolysis and untethering to preserve residual cord function could not be fully achieved in all patients. Cordectomy led to neurological improvement and syrinx collapse in all 4 patients. CONCLUSIONS The technique of decompression with arachnolysis, untethering, and duraplasty at the level of the underlying trauma provides good long-term results for patients with progressive neurological symptoms following ASIA A, B and E injuries. Treatment of patients with posttraumatic syringomyelia after spinal cord injuries with preserved motor functions (ASIA C and D) remains a major challenge. Future studies will have to establish whether thecoperitoneal shunts would be a superior alternative for this subgroup.
Management of asymptomatic aortic stenosis

The management of asymptomatic patients with aortic stenosis (AS) is a frequent situation, as attested by the 23% of patients in New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class I referred for AS in the Euro Heart Survey on valvular disease.1 This is the consequence of an increased awareness of AS, which is the most frequent heart valve disease in western countries, and of the widespread use of echocardiography. Symptomatic severe AS is a class I recommendation for surgery in guidelines.2 3 Conversely, asymptomatic AS was initially considered as justifying only follow-up. A better insight into the prognosis of asymptomatic AS now makes it possible to identify asymptomatic patients with AS in whom intervention can be considered. ### Overall prognosis The landmark paper of Ross and Braunwald published in 1968 reported a dramatic increase in the mortality of patients with AS after the onset of severe symptoms. For a long time this has been the rationale for not operating on patients with asymptomatic AS. However, this study from the pre-echo era did not include any evaluation of either AS severity or its left ventricular consequences. In addition, rheumatic AS was still prevalent and mean age at death was 63 years, which does not correspond to contemporary AS epidemiology. Prospective studies focusing on asymptomatic AS have been performed since the 1990s and these have progressively led to an individualised prognostic assessment. From nine prospective series totalling 1125 asymptomatic patients, the linearised rate of sudden death is estimated at 0.8% per year (table 1). 4–12 A series of 622 patients identified retrospectively reported a 0.3% yearly rate of sudden death over a mean follow-up of 5.4 years.13 View this table: Table 1 Prospective series on the spontaneous prognosis of asymptomatic aortic stenosis At first sight, this could be an incentive for not intervening before symptom onset, since the …
The effect of race on the CYP3A-mediated metabolism of vincristine in pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Objective The purpose of this preliminary study was to compare racial background and CYP3A distribution in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients as it relates to vincristine-related neurotoxicity. Methods Patients with B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated at Children’s Hospital of Michigan were eligible to participate in this study. Determination of the CYP3A variant for each patient was done using Qiagen DNA Blood Mini Kit and polymerase chain reaction amplification. Patients were monitored during their leukemia treatment course for vincristine-related neurotoxicity. Results Fifty-four patients were enrolled. Twenty-nine Caucasian patients (81%) and 13 African-American patients (77%) experienced neurotoxicity. CYP3A genotyping was done for 52 patients. Two African-American and two Caucasian patients were homozygous A/A for the CYP3A5*3 polymorphism. Three of these patients (75%) experienced grade 2 neuropathy. Two Caucasian patients and one African-American patient were heterozygous A/G. Two of these patients (66.7%) experienced grade 2 or 3 neuropathy. Thirty-five patients (67.3%) were homozygous for the mutant inactive G/G allele for CYP3A5*3, eight African-American and 27 Caucasian patients. Of these, six of the African-American patients (75%) and 22 of the Caucasian patients (81.5%) experienced neuropathy. Conclusion The CYP3A5*3 genotype causes very low expression of the CYP3A5 protein and hence decreased vincristine metabolism. In this study, patients who expressed CYP3A5*3 had an increased incidence of vincristine-related neurotoxicity. Overall, a greater percentage of Caucasian patients had documented incidences of neurotoxicity. A larger sample size and more detailed gene analysis are needed for future studies.
Large Magnetoelectric Coupling Near Room Temperature in Synthetic Melanostibite Mn2 FeSbO6.

Multiferroic materials exhibit two or more ferroic orders and have potential applications as multifunctional materials in the electronics industry. A coupling of ferroelectricity and ferromagnetism is hereby particularly promising. We show that the synthetic melanostibite mineral Mn2 FeSbO6 (R3‾ space group) with ilmenite-type structure exhibits cation off-centering that results in alternating modulated displacements, thus allowing antiferroelectricity to occur. Massive magnetoelectric coupling (MEC) and magnetocapacitance effect of up to 4000 % was detected at a record high temperature of 260 K. The multiferroic behavior is based on the imbalance of cationic displacements caused by a magnetostrictive mechanism, which sets up an unprecedented example to pave the way for the development of highly effective MEC devices operational at or near room temperature.
Sector Based Multiple Camera Collaboration for Active Tracking Applications

This paper presents a scalable multiple camera collaboration strategy for active tracking applications in large areas. The proposed approach is based on distributed mechanism but emulates the master-slave mechanism. The master and slave cameras are not designated but adaptively determined depending on the object dynamic and density distribution. Moreover, the number of cameras emulating the master is not fixed. The collaboration among the cameras utilizes global and local sectors in which the visual correspondences among different cameras are determined. The proposed method combines the local information to construct the global information for emulating the master-slave operations. Based on the global information, the load balancing of active tracking operations is performed to maximize active tracking coverage of the highly dynamic objects. The dynamics of all objects visible in the local camera views are estimated for effective coverage scheduling of the cameras. The active tracking synchronization timing information is chosen to maximize the overall monitoring time for general surveillance operations while minimizing the active tracking miss. The real-time simulation result demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed method
Reasoning with place information on the Linked Data Web

The Linked Data Web (LDW) is an evolution of the traditional Web from a global information space of linked documents to one where both documents and data are linked. A significant amount of geographic information about places are currently being published on this LDW. These are used to qualify the location of other types of datasets. This paper examines the limitations in the nature of location representation in some typical examples of these Resource Description Framework (RDF) resources, primarily resulting from the simplified geometric representation of location and the incomplete and random use of spatial relationships to link place information. The paper proposes a qualitative model of place location that enforces an ordered representation of relative spatial relationships between places. The model facilitates the application of qualitative spatial reasoning on places to extract a potentially large percentage of implicit links between place resources, thus allowing place information to be linked and to be explored more fully and more consistently than what is currently possible. The paper describes the model and presents experimental results demonstrating the effectiveness of the model on realistic examples of geospatial RDF resources.
Intermuscular Hemangioma of the Left Ventricle

Abstract Intermuscular hemangioma is a histological type of hemangioma and rarely originates from the heart. This paper reports a case of giant intermuscular hemangioma of the left ventricle in a 20‐year‐old male patient. (J Card Surg 2012;27:572‐575)
Legal modeling and automated reasoning with ON-LINE

Abstract In this paper we present a modeling approach to legal knowledge systems and its computational realization in the ON-LINE architecture. ON-LINE has modules for modeling legal sources, for storing and retrieving legal information and for reasoning with legal knowledge. The approach takes two perspectives: domain and task. In the domain perspective, a core ontology divides legal knowledge into five major categories: normative, world, responsibility, reactive and creative. For the normative knowledge, which is most typical of legal domains, we developed a new representation and inference formalisms which are an alternative to deontic logic. For the world knowledge, we argue for using a terminological knowledge representation language. The structure of the ontology is not a taxonomy, but a network of dependencies between the categories. These dependencies reflect the global structure of arguments in legal reasoning. In the task perspective, we followed a top-down approach using the CommonKADS modeling library. Design, planning and assessment were identified as typical tasks in the legal domain. For assessment, a model was specified and implemented.
Studies of the molecular mechanisms of C3b inactivation and a simplified assay of beta 1H and the C3b inactivator (C3bINA).

A sensitive radio assay was developed to evaluate and quantitate the function of the control proteins important in the cleavage of cell-bound C3b and in the release of the subfragment C3c. In addition, the effects of the control proteins on C3b functional hemolytic activity and on C3b immune adherence reactivity were measured. The cellular complement intermediate EAC43b was prepared with highly purified radiolabeled C3. The effects of incubation with β1H and the C3b inactivator were followed over a wide range of protein concentrations, and the kinetics of the interaction was measured. Incubation of EAC43b* with β1H led to some decrease in immune adherence activity but no loss in C3b functional hemolytic activity and no change in the integrity of the α- or β-chains. Addition of C3b inactivator to the membrane-bound β1H-C3b complex led to a single cleavage of the C3b α-chain without release of the C3c fragment from the cellular site. This led to complete loss of C3b functional hemolytic activity. The α-chain cleavage led to loss but not complete disappearance of immune adherence reactivity. The action of both β1H and the C3b inactivator on cell-bound C3b led to the appearance of a trypsin-sensitive bond within the α-chain. Addition of trypsin led to a second cleavage of the α-chain and the release of the radiolabeled C3c fragment. In kinetic studies the appearance of the trypsin-sensitive bond was shown to parallel the loss of C3b functional hemolytic activity. Kinetic studies demonstrated that both plasma and serum contain all of the ingredients for a C3b-cleaving system. By utilizing this sensitive radio-release assay, the functional titers of C3b inactivator in the serum of 15 normal individuals were found to be 11,310 ± 666 S.E. The mean β1H titer for 12 normal individuals was 20,600 ± 873. This assay can be used to quantitate the level of the trypsin-like enzyme as well. The assay provides a simple method to quantitate and evaluate the function of the C3b control proteins.
Traversing the RNA world

An invitation to write a “Reflections” type of article creates a certain ambivalence: it is a great honor, but it also infers the end of your professional career. Before you vanish for good, your colleagues look forward to an interesting but entertaining account of the ups-and-downs of your past research and your views on science in general, peppered with indiscrete anecdotes about your former competitors and collaborators. What follows will disappoint those who await complaint and criticism, for example, about the difficulties of doing research in the 1960s and 1970s in Eastern Europe, or those seeking very personal revelations. My scientific life has in fact seen many happy coincidences, much good fortune, and several lucky escapes from situations that at the time were quite scary. I have also been fortunate with regard to competitors and collaborators, particularly because, whenever possible, I tried to “neutralize” my rivals by collaborating with them — to the benefit of all. I recommend this strategy to young researchers to dispel the nightmares that can occur when competing against powerful contenders. I have been blessed with the selection of my research topic: RNA biology. Over the last five decades, new and unexpected RNA-related phenomena emerged almost yearly. I experienced them very personally while studying transcription, translation, RNA splicing, ribosome biogenesis, and more recently, different classes of regulatory non-coding RNAs, including microRNAs. Some selected research and para-research stories, also covering many wonderful people I had a privilege to work with, are summarized below.
Inhibition of Rickettsia conorii growth by recombinant tumor necrosis factor alpha: enhancement of inhibition by gamma interferon

Purified human recombinant tumor necrosis factor alpha (rTNF-alpha) inhibited the growth of Rickettsia conorii (Casablanca strain) in HEp-2 cell culture. The effect was observed when the cells were pretreated with rTNF-alpha or when rTNF-alpha was added after adsorption of the rickettsiae. The inhibitory effect of rTNF-alpha on rickettsial growth was enhanced by gamma interferon. Cycloheximide had no effect on inhibition of the rickettsial yield, suggesting that de novo protein synthesis is not required for the inhibitory effect of rTNF-alpha. The addition of tryptophan partially abolished the inhibitory effect of rTNF-alpha and rTNF-alpha plus gamma interferon.
Visual function and perinatal focal cerebral infarction.

AIMS: To evaluate the visual function of infants with perinatal cerebral infarction in whom the site and size of the lesion has been determined using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: Twelve infants with cerebral infarction on MRI were studied with a battery of tests specifically designed to evaluate visual function in infancy. This included tests: for visual attention (fixation shifts); of cerebral asymmetry (optokinetic nystagmus, visual fields); for assessment of acuity (forced choice preferential looking); and neurophysiological measures of vision (phase reversal and orientation reversal visual evoked potential). RESULTS: A considerable incidence of abnormalities on at least one of the tests for visual function used was observed. The presence or severity of visual abnormalities could not always be predicted by the site and extent of the lesion seen on imaging. CONCLUSIONS: Early focal lesions affecting the visual pathway can, to some extent, be compensated for by the immature developing brain. These data suggest that all the infants presenting with focal lesions need to be investigated with a detailed assessment of various aspects of vision.