Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Down-Regulation of ICOS Ligand by Interaction with ICOS Functions as a Regulatory Mechanism for Immune Responses1

Although it is well-known that the ICOS-ICOS ligand (ICOSL) costimulatory pathway is important for many immune responses, recent accumulated evidence suggests that dysregulation of this pathway may lead to and/or exaggerate autoimmune responses. ICOS is induced on the cell surface after T cell activation. Similarly, ICOSL is up-regulated on APCs by several mitogenic stimuli. However, the mechanism regulating expression of the ICOS-ICOSL pair, and the significance of controlling their expression for an appropriate immune response, is largely unknown. To gain a better understanding of the importance of fine control of the ICOS-ICOSL costimulatory pathway, we generated ICOS-transgenic (Tg) mice that have high constitutive expression of ICOS in all T cells. Using ICOS-Tg mice, we studied whether in vivo immune responses were affected. Unexpectedly, we first found that ICOS-Tg mice exhibited a phenotype resembling ICOS-deficient mice in their Ag-specific Ab response, such as a defect in class switch recombination. Further examination revealed that ICOSL expression of APCs was significantly suppressed in ICOS-Tg mice. Interestingly, suppression of ICOSL was induced by interaction of ICOSL with ICOS, and it seemed to be regulated at the posttranscriptional level. The suppressive effect of the ICOS-ICOSL interaction overcame the positive effect of CD40 or B cell activation factor of the TNF family (BAFF) stimulation on ICOSL expression. Together, our studies demonstrate a novel mechanism for the regulation of ICOSL expression in vivo and suggest that the ICOS costimulatory pathway is subject to negative feedback regulation by ICOSL down-regulation in response to ICOS expression.
Comparison of mental health treatment status and use of antidepressants in men and women with eating disorders

ABSTRACT Mental health treatment status and antidepressant use were investigated among men and women with an eating disorder (ED) who were interviewed in a general population survey of 3005 adults (aged ≥15 years). Compared to women, men with an ED were significantly less likely to receive treatment for a mental health problem or to be currently using an antidepressant. On multivariate analyses, female gender, lower mental health-related quality of life, and lower weight/shape overvaluation were significant predictors of receiving treatment and antidepressant use. Treatment was less likely in men and in people with higher ED cognitions.
Propagation of Waves in an Excitable Medium with Discrete Release Sites

We use averaging and homogenization techniques to study the propagation and propagation failure of waves in an excitable medium where the excitable activity is at discrete sites. The primary application of this model is to calcium release in cardiac cells, but other applications are feasible. We derive analytical expressions for the waveform and for the speed of propagation to show the transition between continuous and "saltatory" propagation, and the transition between propagation success and its failure.
Isolated small bowel transplantation for tufting enteropathy.

Tufting enteropathy is a chronic malabsorptive syndrome beginning in infancy that is characterized histopathologically by the presence of “tufts” of closely packed surface enterocytes in the bowel, along with features of villous atrophy and crypt hyperplasia (1,2). The significance of these tufts is not fully understood, and there is no effective treatment (3). Patients usually require total parenteral nutrition indefinitely, which can lead to line sepsis, total parenteral nutrition–induced liver failure, and loss of intravenous access. Only one instance of combined liver/intestinal transplantation for tufting enteropathy associated with endstage liver disease from total parenteral nutrition has been reported (4). The impact of isolated intestinal transplantation on both developing liver disease and the course of the primary disease are unknown. Here we describe the first case in which isolated intestinal transplantation was used to treat tufting enteropathy in a patient with impending liver failure from total parenteral nutrition.
A multidimensional approach to religiosity and disengagement.

This study of 106 elderly Central Missourians examines religious behavior as an indication of "disengagement. " It is argued that religiosity must be measured in both organizational forms such as attending religious services and the more subjective nonorganizational forms including prayer and listening to religious services and music on radio and television before an assessment of "disengagement" is made. Following Hochschild (1975) it is argued that from the perspective of researchers and others it may appear "engaged". Data support the thesis that elderly may be disengaged organizationally but engaged non-organizationally.
Schwann Cell Proliferation Is Accompanied by Enhanced Inositol Phospholipid Metabolism

Inositol phospholipid metabolism during mito‐gen‐induced Schwann cell proliferation has been examined. Addition of axolemma‐ and myelin‐enriched membrane fractions (AXL and MYE, respectively) to cultured Schwann cells stimulated 32P incorporation into phospha‐tidylinositol 4‐monophosphate [Ptdlns(4)P] and phospha‐tidylinositol4,5‐bisphosphate [Ptdlns(4,5)P2]. During the first 5 min of incubation with the mitogens, the amount of 32P incorporated into PtdIns(4)P and PtdIns(4,5)P2 was four‐ to fivefold above control values. The phosphorylation of the inositol phospholipids was dependent on the concentration of membrane mitogens and was maximal within 1 h. Schwann cells that were prelabeled with [3H]glycerol and then stimulated with AXL and MYE displayed a 30–70% increase in the amounts of [3H]PtdIns(4)P and [3H]PtdIns(4,5)P2 and a 60–80% increase in the amount of [3H]phosphatidic acid. A concomitant 20% decrease in the content of [3H]PtdIns was observed after stimulation. These results suggest that the increased metabolism of Ptdlns, Ptdlns(4)P, and Ptdlns(4,5)P2 may be one of the initial molecular events in the transduction of the mito‐genic signal across the Schwann cell plasma membrane.
Matrix Gla Protein Expression in NRK-52E Cells Exposed to Oxalate and Calcium Oxalate Monohydrate Crystals

Purpose: Matrix Gla protein (MGP), a potent calcification inhibitor in extracellular matrix, is a molecular determinant regulating vascular calcification. Here, we characterized MGP expression in cultured renal tubular epithelial cells exposed to oxalate and calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) crystals. Methods:NRK-52E cells were cultured and exposed to medium containing oxalate or COM for 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 h. The levels of MGP mRNA expression were quantified using real-time PCR (RT-PCR), and the levels of protein expression were characterized by Western blot. Results: MGP was expressed rapidly and intensively following exposure to COM and was time-dependent with exposure to oxalate. Conclusion: Our results have given a profile of MGP expression in renal tubular epithelial cells exposed to oxalate and crystals and provided support for an association between MGP and kidney stones. Further investigations on the mechanism of the MGP in the process of crystal-cell interaction may be important in the future.
Using DEMATEL to Implement LibQUAL+TM in Evaluating Library Service

Library administrators can realize how the users access services and propose strategies for improvement by LibQUAL+TM survey data. Through a Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL), causation across items of LibQUAL+TM is inquired for locating core key items, which effectively and accurately offers library administrators information for assessing and improving services. The outcomes indicate that respective key items of Affect of Service, Library as Place and Information Control are willingness to help users and giving users individual attention, quiet space for individual activities, and easy-touse access tools that allows me to find things on my own, a library website enabling me to locate information on my own and making information easily accessible for independent use, respectively.
Inhibitory effect of procaterol on exercise dynamic lung hyperinflation during the 6-min walk test in stable patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate the inhibitory effect of procaterol (procaterol hydrochloride, CAS 62929-91-3) on exercise dynamic lung hyperinflation during the 6-min walk test (6MWT) in stable chronic obstructive disease (COPD) patients. Fourteen patients with stable COPD who were referred to our clinic between July 2008 and October 2009 were evaluated in this study. After the inhalation of procaterol, values for the lung function test, including vital capacity, inspiratory capacity, forced vital capacity, and FEV1/FEV1pred showed a significant improvement. Compared to the baseline assessment, the 6-min walk distance increased by a mean of 20.5 m when measured after inhalation of procaterol (512.4 ± 90.7mvs. 532.9 ± 79.8 m, p < 0.05). During the 6MWT, inspiratory capacity decreased significantly with time. The inspiratory capacity after inhalation of procaterol was improved significantly compared with placebo. The Borg scale increased significantly during the 6MWT and was attenuated after inhaling procaterol hydrochloride, though the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant. In the present study, there was a significant attenuation in exercise dynamic lung hyperinflation, suggesting the important role of the β2-receptor agonist procaterol in the treatment of COPD. It is therefore likely that most patients with COPD may derive considerable benefit from bronchodilator therapy with procaterol.
Respiratory clearance of 99mTc-DTPA and pulmonary involvement in sarcoidosis.

To investigate the relationships between the respiratory epithelial clearance of micronic aerosolized 99mTc-DTPA (RC-DTPA) and pulmonary function, serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (SACE), and lymphocytic alveolitis in patients with sarcoidosis, RC-DTPA was measured in 49 nonsmokers with pulmonary sarcoidosis and 38 normal nonsmokers. Pulmonary involvement was evaluated on chest roentgenograms (type O = normal, type I = hilar adenopathies, type II = hilar adenopathies associated with parenchymal shadows, type III = parenchymal shadows without adenopathy) and by pulmonary function tests. Serum angiotensin-converting enzyme was determined, and a bronchoalveolar lavage was performed for alveolar lymphocyte differential counting (Ly%). RC-DTPA was increased (greater than or equal to 1.96%/min) in 12 of 31 patients with type II or III involvement but was normal in all 18 patients with type O or I involvement (p = 0.002). Patients with increased RC-DTPA had low FVC, TLC, FEV1, and resting Pao2 (p less than 0.05); resting and exercise AaPo2 were increased (p less than 0.05), but RC-DTPA correlated negatively with FEV1 (p less than 0.01), Pao2 at rest (p less than 0.005), and DLCO (p less than 0.05) and positively with resting and exercise AaPO2 (p less than 0.01). In patients with increased RC-DTPA (42 +/- 17%), Ly% did not differ from Ly% in patients with normal RC-DTPA (34 +/- 16%). SACE was increased in patients with increased RC-DTPA (56 +/- 26 U/ml versus 38 +/- 16 U/ml; p = 0.007) and correlated positively with RC-DTPA (p less than 0.001). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
An Empirical Exploration, Typology, and Definition of Corporate Sustainability

The relationship between business and society is evolving. On the one hand, social, environmental, and long-term economic issues subsumed under the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development are inspiring intergovernmental organizations, governments, NGOs, NPOs, foundations, and civic society to legislate and regulate corporate behavior toward a greater concern for the wellbeing of groups, regions, or entire societies. On the other, a growing trend toward protectionism, nationalism, and populism may be the consequence or expression of a dissatisfaction with the perceived dissociation of the private sector from society. As a form of self-regulation, corporate responsibility deals with the complex responsibilities businesses have toward society. However, it tends to be hampered by an emphasis on theology and philosophy-based business ethics, which are difficult to integrate into day-to-day business operations or to translate between national or corporate cultures. In this article, we argue that corporate sustainability could be a more useful concept to help improve on how government, the private sector, and academia understand the links between business and society, and how to translate the interdependence between business and society from one culture to another. For this purpose, we empirically analyzed the relevant academic literature on corporate sustainability, using Content Configuration Analysis. Our analyses revealed three conceptual types and nine subtypes of corporate sustainability. Based on their assessment, we suggest conceptual preferences and a definition of corporate sustainability, which fulfil criteria that may render the concept more useful to global political and socioeconomic negotiations among stakeholder groups for the long-term benefit of business and society.
Supply Chain Coordination with Multiple Shipments: The Optimal Inventory Subsidizing Contracts

We study a supply chain involving a supplier–retailer relationship. When production lead-time is long and the selling season is short, the retailer has to place an order ahead of the season, which resembles the classical Newsvendor model. However, we consider the situation when the supplier agrees to deliver the order in multiple shipments in the season, and then the retailer needs to determine the quantity and/or timing of each shipment. Under a centralized setting, we derive the optimal quantity and/or timing decisions of the retailer. Under a decentralized setting, incentive misalignment arises from ineffective allocation of inventory costs between the parties, in addition to the well- known double marginalization effect. Hence, we devise an incentive contract, which involves a risk-sharing mechanism at the end of the season and an inventory subsidizing scheme for the entire season; in practice, the inventory subsidizing scheme can be implemented in different ways, such as a direct subsidizing scheme or a delayed-payment scheme. The proposed contract can achieve channel coordination and Pareto optimality. Furthermore, we can show that the inventory subsidizing scheme plays a key role in channel coordination because without the inventory subsidizing scheme, the loss of supply chain efficiency is almost always significant.
Getting to the truth: evaluating national tobacco countermarketing campaigns.

OBJECTIVES This study examines how the American Legacy Foundation's "truth" campaign and Philip Morris's "Think. Don't Smoke" campaign have influenced youths' attitudes, beliefs, and intentions toward tobacco. METHODS We analyzed 2 telephone surveys of 12- to 17-year-olds with multivariate logistic regressions: a baseline survey conducted before the launch of "truth" and a second survey 10 months into the "truth" campaign. RESULTS Exposure to "truth" countermarketing advertisements was consistently associated with an increase in anti-tobacco attitudes and beliefs, whereas exposure to Philip Morris advertisements generally was not. In addition, those exposed to Philip Morris advertisements were more likely to be open to the idea of smoking. CONCLUSIONS Whereas exposure to the "truth" campaign positively changed youths' attitudes toward tobacco, the Philip Morris campaign had a counterproductive influence.
Women's past physical activity and risk of coronary heart disease.

shifted men to different categories, however, the true relative risk might shift toward the null; thus vigorous physical activity would become less protective. Counter to their hypothesis, the authors observed among men Z65 years who reported >29METh/wk of vigorous physical activity a 25% higher risk of nonadvanced prostate cancer. Giovannucci et al did not address the implications of this finding, although it is vital that public health efforts to improve physical activity levels consider the benefits and risks for population health. Based on 10 cases, the nearly 70% lower risk of advanced or fatal prostate cancer with vigorous activity seems robust because it was not modified by lag time or tumor grade; however, the public health message remains unclear. The authors suggest >29METh/wk is roughly equivalent to Z3 hours of vigorous intensity activity per week, although this estimate assumes participation in activities of 10-MET intensity on average. On the basis of intensity standards for vigorous activity generally (Z6MET), >29METh/wk translates to about Z5 hours per week of vigorous activity—2 hours more than the authors suggest as the lower limit for vigorous activity. Ultimately, 3 questions remain from this study about physical activity promotion and disease prevention: (1) how much is enough? (2) how much is too much? and (3) for whom?
A Survey of Context-Aware Recommendation Systems

Recommender systems have become an important approach to help users deal with information overload and provide personalised suggestions and have been successfully applied in both industry and academia. Recommender systems support users by identifying interesting products and services, when the number and diversity of choices outstrips the user’s capability of making good decisions. One of the most promising recommending technologies is collaborative filtering Hill et al. (1995); Shardanand and Maes (1995). Essentially a nearest-neighbour method is applied to a user’s ratings, and provides the user with recommendations based on how her likes and dislikes relate to a large user community.
Loss of ATP-dependent Transport Activity in Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum-associated Mutants of Human ABCC6 (MRP6)*

Mutations in the ABCC6 (MRP6) gene cause pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE), a rare heritable disorder resulting in the calcification of elastic fibers. In the present study a cDNA encoding a full-length normal variant of ABCC6 was amplified from a human kidney cDNA library, and the protein was expressed in Sf9 insect cells. In isolated membranes ATP binding as well as ATP-dependent active transport by ABCC6 was demonstrated. We found that glutathione conjugates, including leukotriene C4 and N-ethylmaleimideS-glutathione (NEM-GS), were actively transported by human ABCC6. Organic anions (probenecid, benzbromarone, indomethacin), known to interfere with glutathione conjugate transport of human ABCC1 and ABCC2, inhibited the ABCC6-mediated NEM-GS transport in a specific manner, indicating that ABCC6 has a unique substrate specificity. We have also expressed three missense mutant forms of ABCC6, which have recently been shown to cause PXE. MgATP binding was normal in these proteins; ATP-dependent NEM-GS or leukotriene C4 transport, however, was abolished. Our data indicate that human ABCC6 is a primary active transporter for organic anions. In the three ABCC6 mutant forms examined, the loss of transport activity suggests that these mutations result in a PXE phenotype through a direct influence on the transport activity of this ABC transporter.
RCS computation and Analysis of target using FEKO

Radar engineers always have specific requirements for target's RCS data computation and Analysis. Target's detectability can be obtained by 1-dimensional probability density functions (PDF) and 2-dimensional RCS intensity. Based on varying angles of incidence and frequency of excitation RCS data, target's Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR) [1] image can be calculated by 2D-IFFT. In this paper, a missile's RCS is computed by FEKO, the RCS 1-dimensional PDF, 2-dimensional RCS intensity and ISAR image are presented. For the scattering characteristics of antenna, the structural mode scattering and the antenna mode scattering can be identified separately in FEKO. Owing to various CEM solvers and powerful abilities of postprocessing script, FEKO can be clearly used for RCS and radar research and development purpose.
Neuromuscular Behaviour of the Triceps Surae Muscle-Tendon Complex during Running and Jumping

The present study examined the behaviour of the Achilles tendon (AT) - triceps surae (TS) muscle complex during running and long jump take-off. High AT forces were measured in the push-off phase in running even with very low EMG activity. In the long jump, high rate of stiffness development was a characteristic of the braking phase of the jump. The results suggest that high and well-coordinated activation patterns of the leg extensor muscles during the preactivation and eccentric phases together with high stretching velocities of muscle-tendon complex provide basis for appropriate tendomuscular stiffness. This together with high force at the end of the eccentric phase enables an effective push-off (concentric) phase.
System implementation of robust time difference of arrival estimation

We combine sound activity detection, sound enhancement, and direction of arrival (DOA) estimation system to an integrated system. We use sound activity detection for finding frames which are sound-dominated, then pass the signal to the subspace based sound enhancement for denoising. Finally, the denoised signal will be input to DOA detection system for sound tracking. The generalized cross-correlation and phase transformation (GCC-PHAT) based time difference of arrival (TDOA) estimation can detect the TDOA of the sound signal and then calculate the respondent DOA.
Exogenous tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-1 alpha increase resistance to Salmonella typhimurium: efficacy is influenced by the Ity and Lps loci

Interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) or tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) administered prior to infection with Salmonella typhimurium increases survival in mice that are Ityr, not in susceptible Lpsd or Itys mice. Combined IL-1 alpha and TNF-alpha pretreatment results in greater survival than that seen with either cytokine alone in Ityr mice. Treatment after infection with TNF-alpha and/or IL-1 alpha increases the mean time to death but not the survival fraction of Lpsd mice and was ineffective in either Ityr or Itys mice.