Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Naive CD4+ Cells from Cord Blood Can Generate Competent Th Effector Cells

Background. Umbilical cord blood (UCB) cells have been increasingly used as a source of hematopoietic stem cells for allogeneic transplantation. Previous reports suggest that the low risk of graft-versus-host disease in patients that received cord blood cells seems related to the distinctive nature of cord blood T cells. Methods. To analyze the maturation of CD4+CD45RA+ cord blood cells, we performed an in vitro differentiation assay to compare the generation of Th effector cells strictly from UCB and adult peripheral blood (APB) CD4+CD45RA+ cells. Results. During the maturation into effector cells, UCB and APB cells acquired a comparable activation level determined by the expression pattern of CD69, CD40L, OX40 and CD62L as well as PD1 and CTLA-4 molecules. Moreover, the expression of CD45RO isoform was induced in most activated effector cells from both UCB and APB. OKT3-restimulated effector cells generated from naive UCB expressed higher levels of CD25 coinciding with the secretion of higher amounts of IL-2. Effector cells from both origins consisted of heterogeneous populations with similar frequencies of Th1 and Th2 cytokine producing cells, secreting equivalent levels of IL-4, IL-5 and IFNγ. Although, higher levels of IL-10 were detected in the cytokine mRNA profile and in the supernatants of OKT3-restimulated UCB effector cells, blocking endogenous IL-10 with anti-IL-10 mAbs enhanced significantly the proliferative response of UCB as well as APB effector cells (P<0.05). Conclusions. These results indicated that Th effector cells generated from naive UCB cells were intrinsically as competent as naive APB to respond to TCR-mediated stimulation. In addition, UCB effector cells produced higher IL-10 but its inhibitory effect on proliferation may be partially compensated by the higher production of IL-2 and enhanced expression of CD25.
Donepezil in Alzheimer’s Disease: What to Expect after 3 Years of Treatment in a Routine Clinical Setting

Background/Aims: Clinical short-term trails have shown positive effects of donepezil treatment in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. The outcome of continuous long-term treatment in the routine clinical settings remains to be investigated. Methods: The Swedish Alzheimer Treatment Study (SATS) is a descriptive, prospective, longitudinal, multicentre study. Four hundred and thirty-five outpatients with the clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, received treatment with donepezil. Patients were assessed with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog), global rating (CIBIC) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) at baseline and every 6 months for a total period of 3 years. Results: The mean MMSE change from baseline was positive for more than 6 months and in subgroups of patients for 12 months. After 3 years of treatment the mean change from baseline in MMSE-score was 3.8 points (95% CI, 3.0–4.7) and the ADAS-cog rise was 8.2 points (95% CI, 6.4–10.1). This is better than expected in untreated historical cohorts, and better than the ADAS-cog rise calculated by the Stern equation (15.6 points; 95% CI, 14.5–16.6). After 3 years with 38% of the patients remaining, 30% of the them were unchanged or improved in the global assessment. Conclusion: Three-year donepezil treatment showed a positive global and cognitive outcome in the routine clinical setting.
Lands of Opportunity: Social and Economic Effects of Tribal Gaming on Localities

This report describes the social and economic effects of tribal government gaming operations on tribal and local governments in California, comparing changes in key indicators of well-being between 1990 and 2000 across tribal governments in California. It also contrasts these changes in California’s tribal governments to those outside the state. These findings suggest that, on the whole, gaming operations have had beneficial effects on the tribes, on communities near gaming facilities, and on California more generally. In particular, the establishment of gaming has had beneficial effects on income levels, poverty rates, employment, and educational attainment. Further, these are progressive effects, meaning that poorer areas received larger benefits than more prosperous areas.
Photonic Boson Sampling in a Tunable Circuit

Computing Power of Quantum Mechanics There is much interest in developing quantum computers in order to perform certain tasks much faster than, or that are intractable for, a classical computer. A general quantum computer, however, requires the fabrication and operation a number of quantum logic devices (see the Perspective by Franson). Broome et al. (p. 794, published online 20 December) and Spring et al. (p. 798, published online 20 December) describe experiments in which single photons and quantum interference were used to perform a calculation (the permanent of a matrix) that is very difficult on a classical computer. Similar to random walks, quantum walks on a graph describe the movement of a walker on a set of predetermined paths; instead of flipping a coin to decide which way to go at each point, a quantum walker can take several paths at once. Childs et al. (p. 791) propose an architecture for a quantum computer, based on quantum walks of multiple interacting walkers. The system is capable of performing any quantum operation using a subset of its nodes, with the size of the subset scaling favorably with the complexity of the operation. Optical circuits are used to demonstrate a quantum-enhanced calculation. [Also see Perspective by Franson] Quantum computers are unnecessary for exponentially efficient computation or simulation if the Extended Church-Turing thesis is correct. The thesis would be strongly contradicted by physical devices that efficiently perform tasks believed to be intractable for classical computers. Such a task is boson sampling: sampling the output distributions of n bosons scattered by some passive, linear unitary process. We tested the central premise of boson sampling, experimentally verifying that three-photon scattering amplitudes are given by the permanents of submatrices generated from a unitary describing a six-mode integrated optical circuit. We find the protocol to be robust, working even with the unavoidable effects of photon loss, non-ideal sources, and imperfect detection. Scaling this to large numbers of photons should be a much simpler task than building a universal quantum computer.
Electronic Data Interchange: A Review

EDI encourages long-term commitment with trading partners, makes the transmission of information more efficient, and allows firms to be more responsive to customer needs through shorter order cycles. The electronic data interchange technology allows to do the simultaneously reducing costs by reducing paper, mail expense, and delays due to data entry errors This paper presenting here the business issues and describes existing and potential solutions and it is a transmission in a standard syntax of unambiguous information of business or strategic significance between computers of independent organization. This paper also representing the AS2 specification, implementation and EDI data transmitted over the Internet.
Changes to AIDS dementia complex in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy.

OBJECTIVES To determine the protective efficacy of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) against AIDS dementia complex (ADC) relative to other initial AIDS-defining illnesses (ADIs), Australian AIDS notification data over recent years were examined. METHODS All initial ADIs in Australia over the period 1992-1997 were included. Three initial ADI groups were established: ADC; other predominantly central nervous system (CNS) ADIs (toxoplasmosis and cryptococcosis); and non-CNS ADIs. For each ADI grouping, the proportion of total ADls, and median CD4 cell count in the pre-HAART era (1992-1995) were compared with the HAART era (1996 and 1997). RESULTS Initial ADls peaked in Australia in 1994 (n = 1049), with a gradual decline to 1996 (n = 722), and a marked decline in 1997 (n = 367). ADC constituted 4.4% of initial ADIs over the period 1992-1995, but increased after the introduction of HAART to 6.0% in 1996 and 6.5% in 1997 (P = 0.02). In contrast, the proportion of other CNS ADIs (1992-1995, 8.1%; 1996, 6.0%; 1997, 8.2%; P = 0.41) was stable over the period 1992-1997. The median CD4 cell count at ADC diagnosis increased from 70/mm3 in 1992-1995 to 120/mm3 in 1996 and 170/mm3 in 1997 (P = 0.04). Although the median CD4 cell count also increased significantly over this period for both other CNS ADIs (40-60/mm3; P = 0.02), and non-CNS ADIs (60-70/mm3; P = 0.02), the increase was small. CONCLUSION A proportional increase in ADC compared with other ADIs and a marked increase in the median CD4 cell count at ADC diagnosis have occurred since the introduction of HAART in Australia. These changes suggest that HAART has a lesser impact on ADC than on other ADIs, with the poor CNS penetration of many antiretroviral agents a possible explanation.
The paraoxonase gene family and coronary heart disease

Purpose of review The antioxidant activity of high-density lipoprotein is largely due to the paraoxonase 1 located on it. Experiments with transgenic paraoxonase 1 knock-out mice indicate the potential for this enzyme to protect against atherogenesis. This effect of high-density lipoprotein in decreasing low-density lipoprotein lipid peroxidation is maintained for longer than that of antioxidant vitamins and could thus be more protective. Several important advances in the field of paraoxonase research have occurred during this review period, not least the discovery that two other members of the paraoxonase gene family, PON2 and PON3, may also have important antioxidant properties. Significant advances have been made in understanding the basic biochemical function of paraoxonase 1 and the discovery of possible modulators of its activity. Recent findings Decreased coronary heart disease risk associated with polymorphisms of paraoxonase 1, which are most active in lipid peroxide hydrolysis, as revealed by meta-analysis is likely to be an underestimate of the true contribution of paraoxonase 1 to coronary heart disease because these polymorphisms explain only a small component of the variation in paraoxonase 1 activity. It is a very important observation, however, because genetic influences are not likely to be confounded by other factors linked with both coronary heart disease and diminished paraoxonase 1 activity. Summary Although advances have been made in research into the paraoxonase family and atherosclerosis, much more needs to be done. Paraoxonase 1 is much the most extensively researched and strategies will hopefully emerge to increase its activity and provide a more satisfactory test of the antioxidant hypothesis of atherosclerosis than antioxidant vitamins have done.
Molecular and Biochemical Characterization of Lecithin Retinol Acyltransferase*

The enzyme responsible for conversion of all-trans-retinol into retinyl esters, the lecithin retinol acyltransferase (LRAT) has been characterized at the molecular level. The cDNA coding for this protein was cloned and its amino acid sequence deduced. LRAT is composed of a polypeptide of 230 amino acid residues with a calculated mass of 25.3 kDa. Tissue distribution analysis by Northern blot showed expression of a 5.0-kilobase transcript in the human retinal pigment epithelium as well as in other tissues that are known for their high LRAT activity and vitamin A processing. Affinity labeling experiments using specific compounds with high affinity for LRAT and monospecific polyclonal antibodies raised in rabbits against two peptide sequences for LRAT confirmed the molecular mass of LRAT as a 25-kDa protein. High performance liquid chromatography analysis of the reaction product formed by HEK-293 cells transfected with LRAT cDNA confirmed the ability of the transfected cells to convert [3H]all-trans-retinol into authentic [3H]all-trans-retinyl palmitate as chemically determined.
Effects of Glucose, Exogenous Insulin, and Carbachol on C-peptide and Insulin Secretion from Isolated Perifused Rat Islets*

Isolated perifused rat islets were stimulated with glucose, exogenous insulin, or carbachol. C-peptide and, where possible, insulin secretory rates were measured. Glucose (8–10 mm) induced dose-dependent and kinetically similar patterns of C-peptide and insulin secretion. The addition of 100 nm bovine insulin had no effect on C-peptide release in response to 8–10 mm glucose stimulation. The addition of 100 nm bovine insulin or 500 nm human insulin together with 3 mm glucose had no stimulatory effect on C-peptide secretion rates from perifused rat islets. Stimulation with carbachol plus 7 mm glucose enhanced both C-peptide and insulin secretion, and the further addition of 100 nm bovine insulin had no inhibitory effect on C-peptide secretory rates under this condition. Perifusion studies using pharmacologic inhibitors (genistein and wortmannin) of the kinases thought to be involved in insulin signaling potentiated 10 mm glucose-induced secretion. The results support the following conclusions. 1) C-peptide release rates accurately reflect insulin secretion rates from collagenase-isolated, perifused rat islets. 2) Exogenously added bovine insulin exerts no inhibitory effect on release to several agonists including glucose. 3) In the presence of 3 mm glucose, exogenously added bovine or human insulin do not stimulate endogenous insulin secretion.
Mentoring, Networking, and Role Modeling Opportunities Between Men and Women in Management Positions

Mentoring, Networking, and Role Modeling Opportunities Between Men and Women in Management Positions by Annette Moultrie-Ohens MBA, Webster University, Charleston, SC, 2003 BS, South Carolina State University, 1983 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Management
A service failure framework of hotels in Taiwan

This study aims to identify and categorize service failures from luxury hotels in Taiwan. A theoretical framework is proposed by adapting marketing mix elements. A total of 411 negative comments were found and extracted from four popular online review websites from 20 luxury hotels in Taipei. The content analysis method was employed for data analysis. The study results show that majority of luxury hotels in Taiwan encounter critical product issues, especially concerning the condition of facilities and equipment offered in the guest rooms. Furthermore, cleanliness of the hotel rooms requires greater attention, especially the cleanliness of room carpets, which could affect the hotel guests’ comfort during their stay. The findings and recommendations can provide luxury hotel practitioners in Taiwan a clearer picture about the service problems faced and enable them to conduct further investigations for further improvements. So far, existing studies are lacking of a systematic framework in demonstrating the service failures from online reviews. This research attempts to fill this gap.
Control of eye orientation: where does the brain's role end and the muscle's begin?

Our understanding of how the brain controls eye movements has benefited enormously from the comparison of neuronal activity with eye movements and the quantification of these relationships with mathematical models. Although these early studies focused on horizontal and vertical eye movements, recent behavioural and modelling studies have illustrated the importance, but also the complexity, of extending previous conclusions to the problems of controlling eye and head orientation in three dimensions (3‐D). An important facet in understanding 3‐D eye orientation and movement has been the discovery of mobile, soft‐tissue sheaths or ‘pulleys’ in the orbit which might influence the pulling direction of extraocular muscles. Appropriately placed pulleys could generate the eye‐position‐dependent tilt of the ocular rotation axes which are characteristic for eye movements which follow Listing's law. Based on such pulley models of the oculomotor plant it has recently been proposed that a simple two‐dimensional (2‐D) neural controller would be sufficient to generate correct 3‐D eye orientation and movement. In contrast to this apparent simplification in oculomotor control, multiple behavioural observations suggest that the visuo‐motor transformations, as well as the premotor circuitry for saccades, pursuit eye movements and the vestibulo‐ocular reflexes, must include a neural controller which operates in 3‐D, even when considering an eye plant with pulleys. This review summarizes the most recent work and ideas on this controversy. In addition, by proposing directly testable hypotheses, we point out that, in analogy to the previously successful steps towards elucidating the neural control of horizontal eye movements, we need a quantitative characterization first of motoneuron and next of premotor neuron properties in 3‐D before we can succeed in gaining further insight into the neural control of 3‐D motor behaviours.
Phase 2 trial of leuprorelin in patients with spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy

Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) is a hereditary motor neuron disease caused by the expansion of a polyglutamine tract in the androgen receptor (AR). Animal studies have shown that the pathogenesis of SBMA is dependent on serum testosterone level. This study is aimed at evaluating the efficacy and safety of androgen deprivation by leuprorelin acetate in patients with SBMA.
Analysis of contagion in Mexican financial system combining Merton and random networks models

The control of systematic risk and the contagion effect are very important on the regulation and Basilea context. This paper presents a two phase model (Merton Model on the first part and Random networks Erdos-Renyi in the second part) in order to analyze the contagion effect on the Mexican bank system. The conclusions are that the Banks could not be infected or fall into default depending of the behavior of liabilities, the structure of the network and (external asset/interbank asset) ratio and (capital/asset) ratio. The results are consistent with the regulation politics in order to avoid the contagion in Mexico Financial System.
Patient–practitioner agreement: does it matter?

Background. Good communication is a crucial clinical skill. Previous research demonstrated better clinical outcomes when practitioners and patients agree about the nature of patients' core presenting complaints. We investigated the nature of this agreement and its impact on outcome among depressed primary care patients. Method. We compared presenting problem formulations completed by patients, GPs and therapists in a primary care randomized controlled trial of cognitive-behavioural therapy and non-directive counselling for depression. Participants compiled formulations from a list of 13 potential problems of self-completed questionnaires. Subjects scored at least 14 on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) at baseline. Outcome measure for this study included BDI at 4 and 12 months, failure to attend for therapy when referred, dropout from therapy and patient satisfaction. Results. Among 464 trial patients, 395 received therapy. Patient baseline problem formulations included significantly more items than GPs, who identified significantly more items than therapists. Agreement levels varied according to a range of patient and professional variables. While patients in complete agreement with their therapists about their main problem after assessment had lower average BDI scores at 12 months (9·7 v. 12·8, P=0·03); we found no other significant associations between the extent of agreement and clinical outcome. There were significant (but relatively weak) associations between agreement and aspects of patient satisfaction. Conclusion. Our results suggest that detailed mutual understanding of the presenting complaints may be less important than agreement that the core problem is psychological, and that referral for psychological therapy is appropriate.
Formation of a centromere-specific chromatin structure

The kinetochore is formed on centromeric DNA as a key interface with microtubules from the mitotic spindle to achieve accurate chromosome segregation during mitosis. However, in contrast to other regions of the chromosome, the position of the kinetochore is specified by sequence-independent epigenetic mechanisms. Most recent work on kinetochore specification has focused on the centromere-specific histone H3-variant CENP-A. Whereas CENP-A is an important epigenetic marker for the kinetochore specification, it is unclear how centromeric chromatin structure is organized. To understand centromeric chromatin structure, we focused on additional centromere proteins that have an intrinsic DNA binding activity and identified the DNA binding CENP-T-W-S-X complex. Tetramer formation of CENP-T-W-S-X is essential for functional kinetochore assembly in vertebrate cells. Our structural and biochemical analysis reveals that the CENP-T-W-S-X complex is composed of four histone-fold domains with structural similarity to nucleosomes and displays DNA supercoiling activity. These results suggest that the CENP-T-W-S-X complex forms a unique nucleosome-like structure at centromeric chromatin. In addition, CENP-S and CENP-X function at non-centromeric sites. The intriguing histone-like properties of these proteins suggest that they may form nucleosome-like structures at various genome loci, extending the chromatin code beyond classical histone variants.
Quantification of the Effects of Training the Auditory‐Visual Reception of Connected Speech

The tracking method of auditory-visual speech reception training was used with normal hearing subjects in an attempt to quantify the effectiveness of this procedure, which uses connected discourse. A related purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a contextually based training procedure on the recognition of syllables (visemes), sentences, and connected discourse. Results of this study indicated that all subjects improved in their ability to track connected discourse over a span of several training sessions; however, asymptotic performance was not achieved by any subject. Furthermore, results indicated significant improvement on post-training tests of syllable recognition and intelligibility estimation of connected discourse for the experimental subjects. However, no significant improvement was observed for sentence recognition. Implications for the tracking method as part of an aural rehabilitation program are discussed.