Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CD4+CD25highforkhead box protein 3+ regulatory T lymphocytes suppress interferon‐γ and CD107 expression in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from tuberculous pleural effusions

Tuberculous pleural effusion is characterized by a T helper type 1 (Th1) profile, but an excessive Th1 response may also cause tissue damage that might be controlled by regulatory mechanisms. In the current study we investigated the role of regulatory T cells (Treg) in the modulation of Th1 responses in patients with tuberculous (TB) pleurisy. Using flow cytometry we evaluated the proportion of Treg (CD4+CD25highforkhead box protein 3+), interferon (IFN)‐γ and interleukin (IL)‐10 expression and CD107 degranulation in peripheral blood (PB) and pleural fluid (PF) from patients with TB pleurisy. We demonstrated that the proportion of CD4+CD25+, CD4+CD25highFoxP3+ and CD8+CD25+ cells were increased in PF compared to PB samples. Mycobacterium tuberculosis stimulation increased the proportion of CD4+CD25low/negIL‐10+ in PB and CD4+CD25low/negIFN‐γ+ in PF; meanwhile, CD25high mainly expressed IL‐10 in both compartments. A high proportion of CD4+CD107+ and CD8+CD107+ cells was observed in PF. Treg depletion enhanced the in‐vitro M. tuberculosis‐induced IFN‐γ and CD4+ and CD8+ degranulation responses and decreased CD4+IL‐10+ cells in PF. Our results demonstrated that in TB pleurisy Treg cells effectively inhibit not only IFN‐γ expression but also the ability of CD4+ and CD8+ cells to degranulate in response to M. tuberculosis.
The Neuroradiographic Diagnosis of Lumbar Herniated Nucleus Pulposus: II: A Comparison of Computed Tomography (CT), Myelography, CT-Myelography, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging

The accuracy of computed tomography (CT), myelography, CT-myelography (myelo-CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the diagnosis of lumbar herniated nucleus pulposus (HNP) is compared prospectively in 59 patients, all of whom underwent surgical exploration. All tests were read independently of each other and the level of confidence in each diagnosis was recorded. The results are based on the negative (61) as well as positive (59) findings at the 120 disc sites (level and side) explored. Magnetic resonance imaging was the most accurate test (76.5%) compared with myelo-CT (76.0%), CT (73.6%), and myelography (71.4%). The false positive rate was lowest for MRI (13.5%) followed by myelography (13.7%), CT (13.8%), and myelo-CT (21.1%). The false negative rate was lowest for myelo-CT (27.2%) followed by MRI (35.7%), CT (40.2%), and myelography (44.1%). In that subset of 19 patients who had prior surgery, myelography was the most accurate means of diagnosing lumbar HNP (88.8%), followed by MRI (83.3%), myelo-CT (78.4%), and CT (72.6%). The false positive rates in these patients were 11.6% for myelography, 13.2% for MRI, 14.5% for CT, and 16.4% for myelo-CT; the false negative rates were 22.7% for MRI, 24.4% for myelography, 29.5% for myelo-CT, and 47.7% for CT. Magnetic resonance imaging compares very favorably with other currently available imaging modalities for diagnosing lumbar HNP. Magnetic resonance imaging is painless, has no known side effects or morbidity, no radiation exposure, and is noninvasive. The authors recommend it as the procedure of choice for the diagnosis of most lumbar disc herniations.
Ret deficiency in mice impairs the development of A5 and A6 neurons and the functional maturation of the respiratory rhythm

Although a normal respiratory rhythm is vital at birth, little is known about the genetic factors controlling the prenatal maturation of the respiratory network in mammals. In Phox2a mutant mice, which do not express A6 neurons, we previously hypothesized that the release of endogenous norepinephrine by A6 neurons is required for a normal respiratory rhythm to occur at birth. Here we investigated the role of the Ret gene, which encodes a transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor, in the maturation of norepinephrine and respiratory systems. As Ret‐null mutants (Ret–/–) did not survive after birth, our experiments were performed in wild‐type (wt) and Ret–/– fetuses exteriorized from pregnant heterozygous mice at gestational day 18. First, in wt fetuses, quantitative in situ hybridization revealed high levels of Ret transcripts in the pontine A5 and A6 areas. Second, in Ret–/– fetuses, high‐pressure liquid chromatography showed significantly reduced norepinephrine contents in the pons but not the medulla. Third, tyrosine hydroxylase immunocytochemistry revealed a significantly reduced number of pontine A5 and A6 neurons but not medullary norepinephrine neurons in Ret–/– fetuses. Finally, electrophysiological and pharmacological experiments performed on brainstem ‘en bloc’ preparations demonstrated impaired resting respiratory activity and abnormal responses to central hypoxia and norepinephrine application in Ret–/– fetuses. To conclude, our results show that Ret gene contributes to the prenatal maturation of A6 and A5 neurons and respiratory system. They support the hypothesis that the normal maturation of the respiratory network requires afferent activity corresponding to the A6 excitatory and A5 inhibitory input balance.
Liver cancer and non‐Hodgkin lymphoma in hepatitis C virus‐infected patients: Results from the DANVIR cohort study

Hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐infection can cause hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and most likely non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). No studies have compared the risk of these cancers between patients with chronic and cleared HCV‐infection. The aim of this study was to estimate the 10‐year risk of HCC and NHL in HCV‐infected patients and to compare the risk of these cancers between HCV‐infected patients and the general population in Denmark and between patients with chronic and cleared HCV‐infection. Nationwide cohorts were used: 11,975 HCV‐infected patients in the DANVIR cohort and 71,850 individuals from an age‐ and gender‐matched general population cohort. Within DANVIR, 4,158 patients with chronic HCV‐infection and 2,427 patients with cleared HCV‐infection were studied. The 10‐year risks of HCC and NHL in HCV‐infected patients were 1.0% [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.8–1.3%] and 0.1% (95% CI: 0.1–0.2%), respectively. Compared to the general population, HCV‐infected patients had a 62.91‐fold increased risk of HCC (95% CI: 28.99–136.52), a 29.97‐fold increased risk of NHL during the first year of follow‐up (95% CI: 6.08–147.84), and a 1.26‐fold increased risk of NHL after the first year (95% CI: 0.36–4.41). Chronic HCV‐infection was associated with a 4.71‐fold increased risk of HCC (95% CI: 1.67–13.32) compared to cleared HCV‐infection; 5 and 0 events of NHL occurred in patients with chronic and cleared HCV‐infection, respectively. HCC‐risk is increased substantially in HCV‐infected patients compared to the general population. Chronic as opposed to cleared HCV‐infection increases the risk of HCC and perhaps NHL.
Organizational creativity and task environment: an interactionist perspective

The main objective of this article is to connect the interactionist view to organizational creativity and task environment research to implications for firm performance. The framework represents an attempt to examine relationships between organizational creativity and task environment in a systematic and nuanced manner, with the objective of understanding why these interactions may advance firm performance. The article presents the development of the typology of five types of organizational creativity – task environment interactions producing different organizational effects. Collectively, the authors’ arguments expand, and in some respects, challenge the theory of organizational creativity, and open new windows into the study of its relationship with firm performance.
The paramyxovirus, Sendai virus, V protein encodes a luxury function required for viral pathogenesis

The Sendai virus (SeV) V protein is characterized by the unique cysteine‐rich domain in its carboxy‐terminal half which is fused to the amino‐terminal half of the P protein, but its function has remained enigmatic. The V protein‐directing mRNA is generated by a remarkable process known as mRNA editing involving the pseudotemplated addition of a single G residue at a specific septinucleotide locus in the P gene, whereas the unedited exact copy encodes the P protein. Here, we introduced two nucleotide changes in the septinucleotide motif (UUUUCCC to UUCUUCC) in a full‐length SeV cDNA and were able to recover a virus from the cDNA, which was devoid of mRNA editing and hence unable to synthesize the V protein. Compared with the parental wild‐type virus with regard to gene expression, replication and cytopathogenicity in various cell lines in vitro, the V(−) virus was found to be either potentiated or comparable but never attenuated. The V(−) virus, however, showed markedly attenuated in vivo replication capacity in and pathogenicity for mice. Thus, though categorized as a non‐essential gene product, SeV V protein encodes a luxury function required for in vivo pathogenicity.
The assessment of auditory function in CSWS: Lessons from long‐term outcome

In Landau‐Kleffner syndrome (LKS), the prominent and often first symptom is auditory verbal agnosia, which may affect nonverbal sounds. It was early suggested that the subsequent decline of speech expression might result from defective auditory analysis of the patient’s own speech. Indeed, despite normal hearing levels, the children behave as if they were deaf, and very rapidly speech expression deteriorates and leads to the receptive aphasia typical of LKS. The association of auditory agnosia more or less restricted to speech with severe language decay prompted numerous studies aimed at specifying the defect in auditory processing and its pathophysiology. Long‐term follow‐up studies have addressed the issue of the outcome of verbal auditory processing and the development of verbal working memory capacities following the deprivation of phonologic input during the critical period of language development. Based on a review of neurophysiologic and neuropsychological studies of auditory and phonologic disorders published these last 20 years, we discuss the association of verbal agnosia and speech production decay, and try to explain the phonologic working memory deficit in the late outcome of LKS within the Hickok and Poeppel dual‐stream model of speech processing.
Downlink scheduling for heterogeneous traffic with Gaussian weights in LTE-A

In Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-A) networks, different aspects of radio resource scheduling such as fairness and Quality of Service (QoS) assurance must be provided for heterogeneous traffic, having different characteristics. However, the ever-growing number of mobile devices sharing the limited radio resources leads to the high cost and difficulty for information acquisition and computations in resource scheduling process. In the present paper, we propose a proportional knapsack scheduling approach for fairness- and QoS-aware downlink transmission of all different service classes in LTE-A networks. Moreover, we assess the computational cost created by the uncertainty and lack of information on user operations, and propose a Gaussian-based approach for ranking the bearers in presence of limited information and computational capabilities. This approach is particularly suitable for emerging next generation wireless networks to support a wide range of applications with huge number of users. The results indicate that significant advantages are achieved both in terms of QoS and fairness and that it is a scalable solution for overload states of the network.
Influence of Caregivers and Children’s Entry Into the Dental Care System

OBJECTIVES: Early preventive dental visits are essential in improving children’s oral health, especially young children at high risk for dental caries. However, there is scant information on how these children enter the dental care system. Our objectives were as follows: (1) to describe how a population-based cohort of young Medicaid-enrolled children entered dental care; and (2) to investigate the influence of caregiver characteristics on their children’s dental care–seeking patterns. METHODS: We relied on Medicaid claims and interview data of caregiver–child dyads who were enrolled in the Carolina Oral Health Literacy study during 2007–2008. The analytical cohort comprised 1000 children who had no dental visits before enrollment. Additional information was collected on sociodemographic characteristics, oral health status, health literacy, dental neglect, and access to care barriers. Our analyses relied on descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate methods. RESULTS: During the 25-month median follow-up period, 39% of the children (mean baseline age: 16 months) entered the dental care system, and 13% of their first encounters were for emergency care. Caregivers’ dental neglect emerged as a significant predictor of nonentrance. Children with reported oral health problems at baseline were more likely to enter the dental care system compared with children with better oral health, but they were also more likely to require emergency care. CONCLUSIONS: Caregivers have a pivotal role in children’s oral health and care. Interventions aimed at improving children’s oral health should involve community outreach to engage caregivers in a culturally appropriate manner when their children are infants or toddlers.
Transformational and transactional leadership styles among leaders of administrative ministries in Lagos, Nigeria

In contrast to transformational leadership where the leader works with employees to identify the needed change, creating a vision to guide the change through inspiration, and executing the change in tandem with committed members of the group, transactional leadership styles focus on the use of rewards and punishments in order to achieve compliance from followers. This study examines the prevalence of Transformational Leadership and Transactional Leadership styles of Permanent Secretaries, Directors and Deputy Directors in various ministries in Lagos State Nigeria. A sample size of 60 was selected out of the 72 officers. The principal instrument used was the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) which included a section for demographic data collection. The Pearson r for correlation and descriptive statistical analysis were employed in the study. There was a 58.3% prevalence of Transformational Leadership and 55.0% prevalence for Transactional leadership. Results show a significant correlation between Transformational and Transactional Leadership styles r (60) =. 348, p =. 006, while correlation between leadership styles sub-factors of both styles report a significant correlation between Inspirational Motivation and Management by Exception, p =. 005 and between Intellectual stimulation and Management by Exception, p =. 022. It is concluded that there is a prevalent manifestation of both leadership styles in the population sample studied. Finding may assist in the informed decisions of executive leadership trainers and recruiters. Findings of this study imply that there is room for further research in the area. It is recommended that national and state administrative management should examine various strategies to strengthen a balance of both leadership orientations as required with a view to effectively channeling them in order to achieve their goals and objectives. Keywords : Transformational Leadership, Transactional Leadership, Leaders in Lagos State
Long C terminal splice variant CaV2.2 identified in presynaptic membrane by mass spectrometric analysis

CaV2.2 voltage-gated calcium channels play a key role in the gating of transmitter release at presynaptic terminals. Recently we used mass spectrometry (MS) to analyze the protein complex associated with CaV2.2 in purified presynaptic terminal membranes. A number of known and new CaV2.2-associated proteins were identified, but not the channel itself. Here we set out to explore this anomaly. As previously, we used antibody Ab571 to capture the channel from purified synaptosome membrane lysate. We prepared a brain membrane lysate enriched for presynaptic active zones using standard methods to fractionate purified synaptosomes. These were osmotically lysed to generate a fraction enriched in presynaptic surface membranes. The lysate was solubilized in modified RIPA buffer and was passed over anti-CaV2.2 antibody covalently bonded to immunoprecipitation beads. Captured complexes on the beads were then stripped of weakly-bound proteins by exposure to high salt to enrich the channel fraction. Proteins remaining bound to the sample were recovered in high concentration urea and the sample was subjected to standard enzyme digestion and MS analysis. We identified 12 distinct CaV2.2 peptides, but no other ion channel peptides, in the lysate-exposed bead sample but no other ion channel peptides were recovered. Interestingly one of the channel peptides was derived from the alternatively spliced, long-C terminal region. Hence, confidence in identification of CaV2.2 was beyond reasonable doubt. The identification of the long-splice CaV2.2 provides compelling evidence that this variant is targeted to the presynaptic terminal, as we and others have suggested.
From Herding to Farming under Adaptation Interventions in Southern Kenya: A Critical Perspective

Improving water supply for irrigable farming and livestock purposes in communities in Africa is an increasingly popular approach for community-based adaptation interventions. A widespread intervention is the construction of agro-pastoral dams and irrigation schemes in traditionally pastoral communities that face a drying climate. Taking the Maji Moto Maasai community in southern Kenya as a case study, this article demonstrates that water access inequality can lead to a breakdown of pre-existing social capital and former pastoral cooperative structures within a community. When such interventions trigger new water uses, such as farming in former pastoral landscapes, there are no traditional customary institutional structures in place to manage the new water resource. The resulting easily corruptible local water management institutions are a main consolidator of water access inequalities for intervention beneficiaries, where socio-economic standing often determines benefits from interventions. Ultimately, technological adaptation interventions such as agro-pastoral dams may result in tensions and a high fragmentation of adaptive capacity within target communities.
Potato spindle tuber viroid: the simplicity paradox resolved?

TAXONOMY Potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) is the type species of the genus Posipiviroid, family Pospiviroidae. An absence of hammerhead ribozymes and the presence of a 'central conserved region' distinguish PSTVd and related viroids from members of a second viroid family, the Avsunviroidae. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES Viroids are small, unencapsidated, circular, single-stranded RNA molecules which replicate autonomously when inoculated into host plants. Because viroids are non-protein-coding RNAs, designation of the more abundant, highly infectious polarity strand as the positive strand is arbitrary. PSTVd assumes a rod-like, highly structured conformation that is resistant to nuclease degradation in vitro. Naturally occurring sequence variants of PSTVd range in size from 356 to 361 nt. HOSTS AND SYMPTOMS: The natural host range of PSTVd-cultivated potato, certain other Solanum spp. , and avocado-appears to be quite limited. Foliar symptoms in potato are often obscure, and the severity of tuber symptoms (elongation with the appearance of prominent bud scales/eyebrows and growth cracks) depends on both temperature and length of infection. PSTVd has a broad experimental host range, especially among solanaceous species, and strains are classified as mild, intermediate or severe based upon the symptoms observed in sensitive tomato cultivars. These symptoms include shortening of internodes, petioles and mid-ribs, severe epinasty and wrinkling of the leaves, and necrosis of mid-ribs, petioles and stems.
Atrial Size Reduction as a Predictor of the Success of Radiofrequency Maze Procedure for Chronic Atrial Fibrillation in Patients Undergoing Concomitant Valvular Surgery

Radiofrequency Maze Procedure and Atrial Size. Introduction: Previous studies showed that the surgical maze procedure can restore sinus rhythm and atrial transport function in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation (AF). However, no previous studies discussed the association of atrial size reduction and the success of sinus conversion by the radiofrequency (RF) maze procedure for chronic AF.
Evaluating museum visitor experiences based on user-generated travel photos

ABSTRACT This research introduces online travel photos published on social media platforms as a complementary data resource to examine the behavior and experience of museum visitors. The practical value of online travel photos is demonstrated through a case study of popular Hong Kong museums, particularly by using the photo content and metadata available from the Flickr platform. The proposed approach is a generic method for understanding museum visitor behavior and preferences, and supports museum practitioners in developing improved products for visitors. The case study findings are particularly beneficial for tourism managers, especially those in Hong Kong, in promoting and attracting tourists to visit local museums.
Role of Economics and Allied Sciences Into Information and Computing Fields: Emphasizing Economics & IT Programs — World and Indian Context

Information Technology is an important and interdisciplinary field of fields. Information Technology is applicable in almost all the areas of Sciences, Arts, and Commerce as well. Even sector wise whether healthcare, government, education, transportation or agriculture—everywhere Information Technology and Computing is required. Hence whether it is a Field or Subject or Sector, Information Technology is very much important and useful. Economics is an important subject for the development; it is more than development today. More importantly, it is valuable to note that Information Technology is not only useful in Economics but also in other contexts viz. Economics also played a great role in the field of Information Technology and Computing. There are many spaces where Economics and Allied Sciences such as Management and Commerce playing an important role. Due to the relationship between Economics and Information Technology, even educational programs worldwide have been developed. The programs are available as Bachelors degree, Masters degree, Doctoral degree etc. In India also in recent past, several improvements were noticed and as a result, educational programs combined with IT and Economics also noted. This paper is conceptual in nature and deals with the analysis and discussion on the application of Economics and allied subjects in the field of Information Technology and Computing. Moreover, the paper also discusses the educational programs available in India combined with IT and Economics.
Influences of the Accommodative Stimulus and Aging on the Accommodative Microfluctuations

The effects of the accommodative stimulus and age on the accommodative microfluctuations were investigated in human subjects. Accommodative responses were measured by using an infrared (IR) optometer, and accommodative microfluctuations were quantified by power spectrum analysis. Two frequency bands were determined: low frequency components (< 5 Hz, LFC) and high frequency components (1.3 to 2.2 Hz, HFC). Among younger subjects, the changes in the HFC in response to the accommodative stimuli differed between subjects. The activity of the HFC reached a peak in the center of the accommodation range, whereas the activity of the LFC was its maximum in the presence of darkness or blur in the over-accommodation range. Smaller changes in the magnitude of the HFC were observed in older subjects. Although the LFC may be controlled neurologically, the HFC seems to arise from mechanical and elastic properties of the lens, and may be modulated by other physiological rhythmic variations.