Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Glycosaminoglycans and the regulation of blood coagulation.

Blood coagulation involves the sequential activation of a series of serine proteinases, which culminates in the generation of thrombin and subsequent thrombin-catalysed conversion of fibrinogen into insoluble fibrin (Furie and Furie, 1988). Inhibitory modulation of this process, of paramount physiological importance, is primarily achieved by two principally different mechanisms (Figure 1). The enzymes may be inactivated by serine proteinase inhibitors (known as 'serpins'), which act by formation ofstable 1 :1 molar complexes with their target enzymes (Travis and Salvesen, 1983). Alternatively, the so-called protein C pathway leads to inactivation of auxiliary coagulation proteins (factors V. and VIII.) by cleavage at distinct sites (Esmon, 1989; Dahlbaick, 1991). The prime site of regulation is the surface of vascular endothelial cells, which have been known to possess anticoagulant properties (Colburn and Buonassisi, 1982). These properties are particularly conspicuous in the microcirculation, with its high wall surface to blood volume ratio (Busch, 1984). The ability of certain sulphated polysaccharides, glycosaminoglycans, to interfere with blood coagulation has a long-standing record, as illustrated by the extensive clinical use of heparin as an antithrombotic agent (see Roden, 1989). The main effect of heparin (and of its relative, heparan sulphate) is to accelerate the inactivation of coagulation enzymes by the serpin antithrombin (Rosenberg, 1977; Bjork and Lindahl, 1982). A more complex picture emerged with the finding of an additional serpin, heparin cofactor II, which is 'activated' not only by heparin, but also by another glycosaminoglycan, dermatan sulphate, and which selectively inactivates thrombin (Tollefsen et al., 1982; Tollefsen, 1989). Remarkably, also the other major regulatory mechanism, the protein C pathway, involves a glycosaminoglycan-containing molecular species, since the protein C activation cofactor, thrombomodulin, turned out to be a proteoglycan with a functionally important, covalently bound glycosaminoglycan chain (Bourin and Lindahl, 1990; Bourin et al., 1990). In this Review we attempt to summarize our current understanding of glycosaminoglycan involvement in the regulation of blood coagulation.
Reporting for Democracy or Convenience? The Kenyan Media and the 2017 Elections

Abstract In 2017, Kenya had its sixth election since the reintroduction of the multi-party system, and a decade after 2007/2008 in which the local media were accused of partly fuelling violence. In 2013, the local media were accused of betraying democracy for peace despite expectations that they would strive to improve their reputation after learning from past mistakes. This article demonstrates how, in 2017, the fractious state-media relations, more so over the withdrawal of government advertising and harsh laws, pushed the local media to report for democracy in the period before the elections. Yet, owing to fresh government censorship, the local media abandoned the democracy project when the tallying process began and instead switched to the peace reporting of 2013. It therefore appears that the local media in neo-patrimonial settings are more inclined to report for democracy when they are independent of, or have a tussle with, the state than when they are even just flirting, thus creating the picture that the local media simply report for democracy at their convenience rather than as a set agenda. And noting that the media are aware of their obligation to report for democracy, this article recommends that the local media must tactfully weave through the neo-patrimonial influences, as a constant reality, and set reporting for democracy, even if imperfectly, as an obligation.
The role of glucocorticoids in endotoxin-mediated otitis media with effusion.

OBJECTIVE To understand the actions of glucocorticoids on the development and progression of endotoxin-mediated otitis media with effusion. METHODS AND DESIGN The middle ears of 20 Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 35 microL of either 300-mOsm Krebs-Ringer solution (control; n = 5) or lipopolysaccharide, 1 mg/mL, dissolved in Krebs-Ringer solution (n = 15). Among the group that received lipopolysaccharide, 10 rats were randomly selected to receive dexamethasone (1 mg/kg intramuscularly), either 2 hours (n = 5) or 24 hours (n = 5) before the introduction of lipopolysaccharide. Middle ear fluid was sampled after 2, 4, and 6 hours of exposure. OUTCOME MEASURES Middle ear fluid volume and albumin content were determined as measures of vascular extravasation. Histological sections of the middle ear mucosa were used to quantify the degree of leukocyte exudation. Data were analyzed by 1- or 2-way analysis of variance with the significance level set at P < . 05. RESULTS Lipopolysaccharide exposure caused a significant increase in the mean +/- SEM middle ear fluid volume from 29.9 +/- 0.99 to 45.8 +/- 1.4 microL between the 2- and 6-hour samplings. Lipopolysaccharide exposure caused a significant increase in the albumin content of middle ear fluid from 70.1 +/- 19.2 to 271.0 +/- 93.1 micrograms between the 2- and 6-hour samplings. Both increases were significant compared with controls. Lipopolysaccharide also caused a significant increase in leukocytes localized to the middle ear mucosa. Pretreatment of animals with dexamethasone for either 2 or 24 hours inhibited the lipopolysaccharide-induced changes. There were no differences between 2- and 24-hour pretreatment with dexamethasone. CONCLUSIONS Dexamethasone inhibits the development of endotoxin-induced otitis media with effusion.
Insulin, Insulin-like Growth Factors-I and -II and Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein-3 in Newborn Serum: Association with Normal Fetal Head Growth and Head Circumference

The insulin-like growth factors (IGF) and their binding proteins (IGFBP) have been implicated in the regulation of fetal weight and length. The aim of our study was to determine the relationship between head circumference at birth and serum levels of IGF-I, IGF-II, IGFBP-3 and insulin in full-term appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA) infants. Serum samples were obtained from 77 singleton full-term neonates, 69 AGA and 8 small-for-gestational age (SGA). The AGA infants were divided into three groups by head circumference: Group 1: < or = 3rd percentile; Group 2: at 50th percentile; Group 3: > or = 97th percentile. Serum levels of IGF-I, IGF-II, IGFBP-3 and insulin were determined with commercial kits and immunometric methods. There were no statistically significant differences in mean serum levels of IGF-I, IGF-II and IGFBP-3 between the groups. A significantly higher mean serum insulin level was noted in the AGA infants with a head circumference > or = 97th percentile compared to those with a head circumference < or = 3rd percentile (4.6 +/- 0.3 vs 3.3 +/- 0.6 microU/ml; p = 0.04), and in AGA infants with a head circumference above the 50th percentile compared to those with a head circumference below the 50th percentile (4.4 +/- 0.4 vs 3.3 +/- 0.3 microU/ml; p = 0.01). AGA infants with a head circumference above or below the 50th percentile did not differ statistically in their mean IGF-II and IGFBP-3 serum level, while IGF-I differed statistically between the groups (18 +/- 2.7 vs 11.6 +/- 1.6 ng/ml, respectively; p = 0.045). Using univariate analysis, head circumference correlated positively with insulin (r = 0.29; p = 0.016) and with IGF-I (r = 0.26; p = 0.03). A stepwise multivariate linear regression analysis, however, did show statistically significant correlation of head circumference with birth weight (f = 36; p = 0.0001), and only marginally with birth length (f = 4.7; p = 0.06) and insulin (f = 3.4; p = 0.07). No correlations were found between head circumference and IGF-I, IGF-II or IGFBP-3. These data suggest that apart from genetic and nutritional factors, insulin may play a role in promoting intrauterine head growth, as reflected by head circumference at birth.
Sedatives and hypnotics in Stockholm: social factors and kinds of use.

OBJECTIVES The aims of the study were (1) to estimate prevalence rates of current, regular, and long-term use of sedatives and hypnotics and the incidence of regular use in an urban population and (2) to study the association between such use of drugs and sociodemographic factors, symptoms of disease, and alcohol consumption. METHODS Data on drug use in a random sample of 6217 adults in Stockholm County were analyzed with logistic regression. RESULTS The prevalence rate for current use of sedatives or hypnotics was 12.8% among men and 18.6% among women; the rate for regular use was 3.7% among males and 4.7% among females. The odds ratio for current use increased with age and was higher among unemployed persons and disability pensioners, high consumers of alcohol, persons with an increased level of symptoms, and widows. More than 25% of the persons who had used sedatives or hypnotics during the previous 2 weeks were regular users 6 months later. For persons aged 25 through 64 years, the annual incidence rate was 1.8% among men and 2.7% among women. CONCLUSIONS The comparatively low incidence and high prevalence of regular use implies that long-term use of sedatives and hypnotics is common.
Active Virtual Ground: Single phase grid-connected Voltage Source Inverter topology

An efficient single-phase grid-connected voltage source inverter (VSI) topology by using the proposed Active Virtual Ground (AVG) technique is presented. With AVG, the conventional output L filter can be reconfigured to LCL structure without adding additional inductor. High frequency differential mode (DM) current ripple can be significantly suppressed comparing to the prior single-phase grid-connected inverter topologies. Additionally, strong attenuation to the high frequency common mode (CM) voltage is achieved. It is particularly important for some applications such as photovoltaic (PV). High efficiency can be achieved due to fewer component involved in the conduction loss. Cost of the inverter can be minimized since the required inductance of the filter is small. Performance of the proposed inverter has been evaluated analytically. Experimental verification is performing on a 50W, 100V input, and 60Vrms output prototype.
Iterative non-rigid image registration based on Möbius transformations

The objective of this work is to present a new approach for non-rigid image registration, which is based on Möbius transformations. The Möbius transformations are conformal maps of the extended complex plane and can be expressed as composition of affine transformations and inversions. These transformations are general enough and can be obtained also by rigid motions of a sphere through 3D space and a stereographic projection to the complex plane. The equivalence between the motion of the sphere in the 3D space and the Möbius transformations is largely used in the registration model developed in this work. It allows the transformations to be parameterized with 6 parameters, each of which has clear physical meaning. In order to register image A to image B, image A is first stereographically projected on a sphere above it. A Möbius transformation is then applied by moving and rotating the sphere in the 3D space and performing a stereographic projection back to the plane. The similarity between the resulting image A' and image B is evaluated by a dedicated cost function (the sum of squared differences of pixel intensities in A' and B). The goal of the algorithm is to find iteratively a transformation that minimizes the cost function. The optimization procedure is over the 6 parameters, defining the position of the sphere (3 coordinates of the sphere's center and 3 Euler angles defining the orientation) and is performed using simulated annealing. The developed registration algorithm is applied to register heart images obtained in a typical SPECT heart imaging diagnostic study. We register stress SPECT heart image to the corresponding rest SPECT heart image of the same patient. The performance of the algorithm is evaluated qualitatively (with the aid of difference images) and promising results are obtained.
Intersubtype Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Superinfection following Seroconversion to Primary Infection in Two Injection Drug Users

ABSTRACT In this study, we describe two cases of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) intersubtype superinfection with CRF01_AE and subtype B strains, which occurred in two injection drug users participating in a prospective cohort study in Bangkok, Thailand. In both cases, the superinfecting strain was detected by molecular and serologic analyses several weeks after complete seroconversion to the primary infection with a strain belonging to a different subtype. Superinfection occurred despite specific T-cell and humoral antibody responses to the primary virus. In both cases, cross-subtype immune responses were limited or absent prior to the second infection. These data show that, in some individuals, the quality and quantity of the immune response elicited by primary HIV-1 infection may not protect against superinfection. This finding has important implications for vaccine design. HIV-1 vaccines, at a minimum, will need to include potent, broadly protective, conserved immunogens derived from several group M subtypes.
Antibody Repertoire Development in Fetal and Neonatal Piglets. XVII. IgG Subclass Transcription Revisited with Emphasis on New IgG31

Fetal piglets offer an in vivo model for determining whether Ag-independent IgG subclass transcription proceeds in a manner that differs from subclass transcription in pigs exposed to environmental Ags and TLR ligands. Our data from ≃12,000 Cγ clones from >60 piglets provide the first report on the relative usage of all known porcine Cγ genes in fetal and young pigs. Studies revealed that among the six Cγ genes, allelic variants of IgG1 comprised 50–80% of the repertoire, and IgG2 alleles comprised <10% in nearly all tissues. However, relative transcription of allelic variants of IgG1 randomly deviate from the 1:1 ratio expected in heterozygotes. Most surprising was the finding that IgG3 accounted for half of all Cγ transcripts in the ileal Peyer’s patches (IPPs) and mesenteric lymph nodes but on average only ≃5% of the clones from the thymus, tonsil, spleen, peripheral blood, and bone marrow of newborns. Lymphoid tissues from late term fetuses revealed a similar expression pattern. Except for IgG3 in the IPPs and mesenteric lymph nodes, no stochastic pattern of Cγ expression during development was seen in animals from mid-gestation through 5 mo. The age and tissue dependence of IgG3 transcription paralleled the developmental persistence of the IPP, and its near disappearance corresponds to the diversification of the preimmune VDJ repertoire in young piglets. We hypothesize that long-hinged porcine IgG3 may be important in preadaptive responses to T cell-independent Ags similar to those described for its murine namesake.
Economic growth, welfare models and inequality in the context of globalisation

The recent economic crisis was a test case for many advanced countries to determine the capacity of their socio-economic model to cope with the challenges of globalisation and financial crash. From this perspective, the aim of this article is to explore whether the expansion of the welfare state should be seen as a barrier to economic growth and competitiveness, as ‘neoliberal’ economists often argue, or whether increasing public social provision might contribute to enhancing real income. After a comparative discussion of the evolution of different welfare models in developed countries, we advance our argument that public social spending is not a drain on competitiveness or an obstacle to economic efficiency. On the contrary, we explore the possibility that increasing welfare expenditure can stimulate economic growth along with lowering inequality, while the so-called ‘efficiency thesis’ (according to which globalisation needs to be accompanied by the retrenchment of welfare states in order to promote external competitiveness) produces worse economic performance and higher inequality. As a test of this hypothesis, we analyse empirical data on 34 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries from 1990 to 2013. We use econometric analysis to indicate that the so-called ‘compensation thesis’ (a process whereby globalisation is regulated through expansion of welfare states) may contribute to real income dynamics, while greater income inequality may inhibit per capita gross domestic product growth. JEL Codes: I380, P510, F600, G010
Firm ownership structure impact on corporate social responsibility: evidence from austerity U.K.

ABSTRACT Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become an increasingly important sustainable development issue in U.K. The main contribution of this study is to examine how firm ownership structure impacts good corporate governance and CSR in U.K. during austerity conditions. Following the financial crisis of 2007–2008, the U.K. government introduced austerity conditions which impacted firm CSR activities. From the initial sample of more than 250 firms, 50 consistently remain listed on the FTSE4good index during 2008–2012 and are analysed. The definition of CSR distinguishes voluntary and mandatory CSR construct. Findings indicate Board ownership structure and satisfactory firm performance impact on the level of voluntary CSR. Board ownership results suggest increased institutional and non-CEO shareholdings support a higher level of voluntary CSR engagement, whilst increased CEO shareholdings lead to a lower level of investment in voluntary CSR. In terms of satisfactory firm performance, results suggest positive attainment discrepancy supports a higher level of voluntary CSR, whereas greater potential organisational slack leads to a lower level of voluntary CSR investment. Effective governance and voluntary CSR association is more pronounced under conditions of high attainment discrepancy and low organisational slack. The findings suggest implications for adapting firm decision-making latitude and government policy between austerity and prosperity conditions.
Political orientation and its changing mechanism

: Political orientation refers to people’s ideological self-positioning and can be divided into liberalism and conservatism. Individuals with different political orientations exhibit significant differences in cognitive and behavioral characteristics. Although individuals’ political orientation is relatively stable, it may change under threat. Motivated social cognition theory postulates that threat makes people more conservative. Terror management theory proposes that threat makes people more firmly believe in their original cultural worldviews, and thus makes their political orientation more pronounced. This suggests that threat will cause liberals to be more liberal and conservatives to be more conservative. Based on deep analysis and discussion of relevant theories and empirical studies, we point out that failing to distinguish between external threat and internal threat may explain why these two theories are contradictory. We propose that internal threat can reinforce individuals’ original political orientation, while external threat makes people more conservative. Future research should endeavor to explore the mechanism underlying how external and internal threat affect political orientation, this phenomenon in Chinese context, and how to promote harmonious relationship between people with different political orientations.
Minimally invasive vacuum-assisted closure therapy in the management of complex pleural empyema.

OBJECTIVES The pool of potential candidates for pleural empyema is expanding. In a previous technical report, we tested the feasibility of the minimally invasive insertion of a vacuum-assisted closure (Mini-VAC) system without the insertion of an open-window thoracostomy (OWT). In this study, we describe a consecutive case series of complex pleural empyemas that were managed by this Mini-VAC therapy. METHODS In this retrospective study, we investigated 6 patients with multimorbidity (Karnofsky index ≤ 50%) who were consecutively treated with Mini-VAC for a primary, postoperative or recurrent pleural empyema between January 2011 and February 2012. RESULTS Local control of the infection and control of sepsis were satisfactory in all 6 of the patients treated by Mini-VAC therapy. The suction used did not create any air leaks or bleeding from the lung or mediastinal structures. Mini-VAC therapy allowed a reduction of the empyema cavity and improved the re-expansion of the residual lung. Mini-VAC therapy resulted in a rapid eradication of the empyema. The chest wall was closed in all patients during the first hospital stay. All patients left the hospital in good health (Karnofsky index >70%) and with a non-infected pleural cavity at a mean of 22 ± 11 days after Mini-VAC installation. Pleural empyema was not detected in any of the 6 patients at the 3-month follow-up appointment. CONCLUSIONS The Mini-VAC procedure with the abdication of an OWT offers a rapid treatment for complex pleural empyema with minimal surgical effort and the opportunity for a primary closure of the empyema cavity.
Neonatal lipopolysaccharide treatment has long‐term effects on monoaminergic and cannabinoid receptors in the rat

Brain inflammation in early life has been proposed to play important roles in the development of anxiety and psychosis‐related behaviors in adulthood, behaviors that rely on the integrity of dopamine and/or serotonin systems. Moreover recent behavioral and anatomical evidence suggests involvement of CB1 receptors in the control of emotion and mood. In this study, we determined the effects of neonatal LPS treatment on dopamine, serotonin, and cannabinoid receptor binding in adulthood. Rats were treated with the bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on postnatal day (PND) 3 and 5. Dopamine D1, D2, serotonin 5HT1A, 5HT2A, and serotonin transporter and cannabinoid CB1 receptor binding across several brain regions were measured autoradiographically in adulthood (PND 85). Neonatal LPS treatment caused a significant increase in dopamine D2 in the nucleus accumbens and olfactory tubercle, a decrease in 5HT1A receptor binding in the hippocampus CA1 and ventromedial hypothalamus. A decrease in CB1 receptor binding after neonatal LPS was observed in the amygdala. Neonatal LPS had no significant impact on dopamine D1, serotonin 5HT2A or serotonin transporter binding in any of the brain regions examined. Our results suggest long lasting, region specific effects and differential impact on dopamine, serotonin and cannabinoid receptor systems following neonatal inflammation, that may form the basis for compromised anxiety and psychosis related behaviors. Synapse, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.