Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The phenomenon of social networks: the paradox of dependence and variability modeling

Мета дослідження. Здійснити порівняльний аналіз науково-методичних засад моделювання віртуального середовища навчання, в тому числі з використанням соцільних мереж. Варіативні моделі представляються на основі компетентнісного підходу з врахуванням основних етапів проектування. Методи. Теоретичні (аналіз філософських, психологічних, соціологічних, педагогічних і методичних публікацій з теми дослідження); емпіричні (спостереження, опитування, педагогічний експеримент); методи статистичного опрацювання даних. Висновки. Для підвищення ефективності роботи, в тому числі з використанням соціальних мереж, рекомендується враховувати переваги децентралізованих та централізованих мереж, підвищення стійкості горизонтальних зв’язків, забезпечення прозорості доступу до ресурсів, моніторинг «достовірність рейтингів», обмеження кількість учасників мережі, формування та розвиток «компетентності в мережі». Стійкість мережі зберігається навіть у випадку нестабільності складу її членів та об’єму транзакцій. На основі порівняльного аналізу моделей, що розглядаються в дослідженні, виокремлено принципи формування та координації організаційної структури у віртуальному просторі. Відмінності обумовлені специфікою щодо використання сучасних інформаційно-когнітивних технологій, внутрішньою логікою дій та специфічною культурою комунікацій в мережі. На основі подібності із врахуванням особливостей використання проаналізованих у дослідженні моделей, перспективність подальших розвідок вбачається у контексті уточнення шляхів підвищення ефективності діяльності агентів у віртуальному просторі, в тому числі соціальних мережах.
Nedd4 mediates ErbB4 JM‐a/CYT–1 ICD ubiquitination and degradation in MDCK II cells

ErbB4, a type I transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase, is a member of the epidermal growth factor receptor family. Its cleavage releases an intracellular C‐terminal domain (ICD), which can be either degraded following ubiqitination or translocated to the nucleus and regulate gene expression. There are 2 ErbB4 ICD isoforms:CYT‐1 andCYT‐2. We and others have previously reported that following cleavage,CYT‐2 selectively translocates to the nucleus. In the current study we found that following cleavage, the intracellular levels ofCYT‐1 ICD decreased rapidly, while levels ofCYT‐2 ICD remained relatively stable.CYT‐1 ICD degradation could be prevented by administration of either the proteasome inhibitor lactacystin or the lysosome inhibitor chloroquine, indicating both proteasomal and lysosomal degradation. Further studies implicated Nedd4, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, as a mediator ofCYT‐1 ubiquitination and degradation. The interaction of Nedd4 withCYT‐1 was shown by coimmnunoprecipitation, an in vitro direct binding assay, and an in vitro ubiquitination assay. Three PPxY or PY motifs present in theCYT‐1 C terminus are necessary for binding by Nedd4 WW domains, because impaired interactions are seen in mutation of any of the PY motifs. Nedd4‐CYT‐1 binding was associated with increasedCYT‐1 ubiquitination following proteasome inhibitor treatment. Impaired Nedd4 binding toCYT‐1 by PY motif mutations led to increasedCYT‐1 ICD stability, whereas only one of the PY motif mutations (Y1056A), which disrupts the binding sites for both a WW domain and an SH2 domain of PI3 kinase, demonstrated enhanced nuclear translocation following HB‐EGF treatment. These studies indicate that Nedd4 mediates ErbB4CYT‐1 ICD ubiquitination and degradation, and the prevention of both WW binding and PI3 kinase activity are required for ErbB4 nuclear translocation. —Zeng, F. ,Xu, J., Harris, R.C. Nedd4 mediates ErbB4JM‐a/CYT‐1 ICD ubiquitination and degradation in MDCK II cells. FASEB J. 23, 1935–1945 (2009)
Air quality and inbound tourism in China

The issue of air quality in China has gotten great attention worldwide. This study makes the first effort to investigate the impact of air pollution on China's inbound tourism, using panel data at city level and the technique of corrected least square dummy variable (CLSDV). This study demonstrates how air pollution in China adversely impacts inbound tourism demand as well as the lagged effect of air pollution. Furthermore, this study reveals that for cities with different degrees of air pollution, the impact differs. Accordingly, we provide suggestions for governments and tourism firms on how to respond to the air pollution concern of international tourists.
Prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms and self‐reported diagnosed ‘benign prostatic hyperplasia’, and their effect on quality of life in a community‐based survey of men in the UK

To assess the prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in a community‐based population in the UK, to measure the impact of these symptoms on quality of life and health status in men with self‐reported ‘benign prostatic hyperplasia’ (‘BPH’), and to evaluate health‐seeking behaviour in this population.
The effect of resistance training on the frequency of bleeding in haemophilia patients: a pilot study

The benefits and feasibility of progressive resistance training on muscle strength and bleeding profile were studied prospectively in two patients with severe haemophilia. Additionally, retrospective data were collected from three patients who had been training for 11–21 years (one patient for 21 years and two patients for 11 years). Muscle strength increased, especially in muscle groups surrounding the target joints (elbow and knee). Bleeding frequency decreased from 2–3 times per week to 1–2 times per week. Patients who had been training for > 11 years reported bleeding episodes of 2–4 times per month prior to training, but after > 11 years of progressive training a marked decrease in bleeding occurred, as well as a decrease in severity. These data support the importance of resistance training for haemophilia patients, not only for increasing muscle strength, but also for decreasing the frequency and severity of bleeding episodes and the associated pain. A controlled study, with a greater number of patients, is needed to confirm the suggested benefits of resistance training in haemophilia patients.
State capitalism in construction: Staffing practices and labour relations of Chinese construction firms in Africa

A distinct feature of China’s involvement in the economic development of African countries in recent years has been the Chinese government’s financing and participation in infrastructure construction projects through its state-owned firms. However, there remains limited academic research on labour relations’ issues concerning Chinese firms in Africa. This article fills part of the research gap by examining key aspects of labour relations of Chinese construction firms operating in Africa. The article mobilises the notion of space in analysing the role of the state and its agencies in shaping the transnational labour market of construction workers and workplace industrial relations. Drawing on data from 52 interviews with managers, professionals and government officials, this study highlights the interdependence and interconnectedness of the Chinese lead construction firms, subcontractor firms and employment agencies on the one hand, and legislative and representational gaps for the Chinese dispatched workers on the other.
Acting under Uncertainty for Information Gathering and Shared Autonomy

Acting under uncertainty is a fundamental challenge for any decision maker in the real world. As uncertainty is often the culprit of failure, many prior works attempt to reduce the problem to one with a known state. However, this fails to account for a key property of acting under uncertainty: we can often gain utility while uncertain. This thesis presents methods that utilize this property in two domains: active information gathering and shared autonomy. For active information gathering, we present a general framework for reducing uncertainty just enough to make a decision. To do so, we formulate the Decision Region Determination (DRD) problem, modelling how uncertainty impedes decision making. We present two methods for solving this problem, differing in their computational efficiency and performance bounds. We show that both satisfy adaptive submodularity, a natural diminishing returns property that imbues efficient greedy policies with near-optimality guarantees. Empirically, we show that our methods outperform those which reduce uncertainty without considering how it affects decision making. For shared autonomy, we first show how the general problem of assisting with an unknown user goal can be modelled as one of acting under uncertainty. We then present our framework, based on Hindsight Optimization or QMDP, enabling us assist for a distribution of user goals by minimizing the expected cost. We evaluate our framework on real users, demonstrating that our method achieves goals faster, requires less user input, decreases user idling time, and results in fewer user-robot collisions than those which rely on predicting a single user goal. Finally, we extend our framework to learn how user behavior changes with assistance, and incorporate this model into cost minimization.
Effects of low‐dose l‐arginine on insulin‐mediated vasodilatation and insulin sensitivity

The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of a low‐dose intravenous supplementation of l‐arginine on insulin‐mediated vasodilatation and insulin sensitivity. The study was performed in healthy subjects (n = 7) and patients with obesity (n = 9) and non‐insulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) (n = 9). Insulin‐mediated vasodilatation was measured by venous occlusion plethysmography during the insulin suppression test, evaluating insulin sensitivity. Experiments were performed twice in each subject in the presence or absence of a concomitant infusion of l‐arginine (0.52 mg kg−1 min−1). l‐Arginine restored the impaired insulin‐mediated vasodilatation observed in obesity (22.4 ± 4.1%, P < 0.01 vs. without l‐arginine) and NIDDM (20.3 ± 3.2%, P < 0.01 vs. without l‐arginine). In healthy subjects, no effect on insulin mediated‐vasodilatation was observed (24.8 ± 3.1% vs. 21.4 ± 3.1%). Insulin sensitivity was improved significantly (P < 0.001) in all three groups by infusion of l‐arginine. No effect of l‐arginine was observed on insulin, insulin‐like growth factor I (IGF‐I), free fatty acids (FFAs) or C‐peptide levels during the insulin suppression test. Our data indicate that defective insulin‐mediated vasodilatation in obesity and NIDDM can be normalized by intravenous l‐arginine. Furthermore, l‐arginine improves insulin sensitivity in obese patients and NIDDM patients as well as in healthy subjects, indicating a possible mechanism that is different from the restoration of insulin‐mediated vasodilatation.
Lead acid battery SoC estimation based on extended Kalman Filter method considering different temperature conditions

State of Charge (SoC) is the most important parameter to be estimated on a Battery Management System (BMS). Improper SoC management can cause faster battery degradation, reduce its operational lifetime and, on extreme cases of overcharge, it may lead to an explosion. In addition, batteries are complex electrochemical systems, and both the electrical components and chemical reactions vary significantly with changes in temperature. In this paper, it is presented the effect of the temperature on the Lead Acid battery SoC estimation. The data collection was performed varying the battery temperature, under a range of 10oC to 70oC. To determine the model parameters from the used battery, several data acquisition was performed. To obtain the SoC estimation it was implemented the Extended Kalman Filter that provide satisfactory results. The simulated results were obtained using the MATLAB environment. To verify the effectiveness and the performance of the implemented Kalman Filter it was applied the EKF for estimate the SoC of a Lead Acid battery described in the Introduction Section. It is important to realize that is a comparative study and the only evaluation comparison with the SoC estimation that we can do uses the Open Circuit Voltage (OCV).
Discordance of fetal genotype or phenotype in monozygotic twins: a report of 2 cases.

BACKGROUND Discordance of fetal genotype or phenotype in a monozygotic twin pregnancy is rare. CASE In case 1, a 28-year-old woman at 15 weeks' gestation was found to have a dichorionic twin pregnancy with 1 fetus affected with hydrop fetalis. The result of chromosomal study showed that the structurally normal fetus was 46,XY and that the hydropic fetus was 45,X. One week after selective termination of the hydropic fetus at 19 weeks' gestation, the cotwin died in utero. In case 2, a 30-year-old woman at 20 weeks' gestation, was found to have a monochorionic twin pregnancy with 1 fetus presenting with omphalocele. The result of chromosomal study showed that both fetuses were 46,XX. The fetus with omphalocele died in utero at 29 weeks' gestation, and the normal cotwin was delivered later due to fetal distress. Analysis by short tandem repeat markers in both cases indicated that they were monozygotic twins. CONCLUSION These cases emphasize the importance of zygosity/chorionicity identification in twin pregnancy even though discordance of fetal genotype or phenotype was found. In monozygotic monochorionic twins, the normal cotwin is at risk for an adverse fetal outcome after 1 spontaneous intrauterine fetal death or selective termination. In monozygotic dichorionic twins, the risk of intrauterine fetal demise of the cotwin after selective termination still exists.
The response of marine picoplankton to ocean acidification.

Since industrialization global CO(2) emissions have increased, and as a consequence oceanic pH is predicted to drop by 0.3-0.4 units before the end of the century - a process coined 'ocean acidification'. Consequently, there is significant interest in how pH changes will affect the ocean's biota and integral processes. We investigated marine picoplankton (0.2-2 µm diameter) community response to predicted end of century CO(2) concentrations, via a 'high-CO(2) ' (∼ 750 ppm) large-volume (11 000 l) contained seawater mesocosm approach. We found little evidence of changes occurring in bacterial abundance or community composition due to elevated CO(2) under both phytoplankton pre-bloom/bloom and post-bloom conditions. In contrast, significant differences were observed between treatments for a number of key picoeukaryote community members. These data suggested a key outcome of ocean acidification is a more rapid exploitation of elevated CO(2) levels by photosynthetic picoeukaryotes. Thus, our study indicates the need for a more thorough understanding of picoeukaryote-mediated carbon flow within ocean acidification experiments, both in relation to picoplankton carbon sources, sinks and transfer to higher trophic levels.
Simplified Arithmetic Hilbert Transform based Wide-Band Real-Time Digital Frequency Estimator

This paper presents a practical solution to the FPGA/CPLD implementation of a Hilbert Transform based real-time frequency estimator. The most important breakthrough of this work is the substitution of the ever-complicated Arctan function implementation by the “One-Bit” based balanced QuadriCorrelator operating at IF. This has the advantage of producing quasi-instantaneous frequency estimation with no input signal amplitude dependence. The first series of computer simulations show the very good dynamic performances.
Working Paper 22: Hidden agendas, social norms and why we need to re-think anti-corruption

In many countries high levels of corruption persist in spite of the adoption of so-called anti-corruption “best practices”. In this paper we make a call to pursue a context-sensitive inquiry into the drivers of corruption in order to substantially improve the practices and effects of anti-corruption. We discuss evidence from case studies in Africa, Central Asia and the Caucasus suggesting that high levels of corruption are associated to a significant discrepancy between formal rules and informal practices. Informal practices of co-optation, control and camouflage are used by political and business elites to safeguard regime survival via a de facto re-distribution of public resources in favour of informal networks of “insiders”. From the perspective of citizens, corrupt acts such as bribing enjoy social acceptability especially when they are effective in solving practical problems and protecting livelihoods. The functional relevance of informal practices clarifies the factors behind the limited effectiveness of anti-corruption law-driven reforms, short-term action plans, and technical measures that focus on particular processes, procedures and institutions. We argue for the need to ponder informality and consider how it may help us develop better anti-corruption strategies. The prevalence and entrenched nature of informal practices indicate their heuristic potential: they can tell us what we are missing in official policies, inform about resistances and can help uncover pathways to strategic, sustainable reforms. This paper has been presented at the OECD Global Anti-Corruption & Integrity Forum 2017 in a form of a poster presentation.
A Lectinlike Receptor on Murine Macrophage Cell Line Cells, Mm1: Involvement of Sialic Acid‐Binding Sites in Opsonin‐Independent Phagocytosis for Xenogeneic Red Cells

The recognition mechanism of xenogenic red cells by mouse macrophages was studied by using established cell lines. Approximately 30% of cell line cells Mm1, which lack la antigen, as well as of thioglycollate‐induced peritoneal macrophages from SL/Am mice (TGC‐Mφ) could ingest unopsonized quail red cells (QRC). In contrast, an undifferentiated type of cell line, M1″, and another type of macrophage cell line, Mk1C, possessing accessory cell activity in association with the expression of la antigen, had no phagocytic activity for QRC. Approximately 80% of Mm1, cells, as well as TGC‐Mφ formed rosettes with QRC, whereas M1 and Mk1 C cells did not; indicating that specific binding sites for QRC are expressed on a large portion of Mm1 and TGC‐Mφ but not on M1 ‐ and Mk1,‐C cells. No requirement of divalent cation (Mg++, Ca++) and metabolic energy was observed for rosette formation between Mm1 cells and QRC. Protease treatment of Mm1 cells eliminated the rosetting activity, whereas periodate oxidation or glycosidase treatment slightly enhanced this activity, suggesting the involvement of surface protein in binding sites of Mm1, cells. In contrast to these findings on Mm1 cells, binding components of QRC were sensitive to periodate oxidation or neuraminidase treatment but resistant to protease, suggesting that the terminal sialic acid residues of carbohydrate of QRC are recognized by Mm1, cells. Furthermore, N‐acetylneuraminic acid (NeuNAc) inhibited the rosette formation and promoted the dissociation of rosettes already formed. N‐Acetylneuramin lactose (NeuNAc‐Lact) was more efficient in rosette inhibition than NeuNAc. These sugars also blocked the phagocytosis of QRC by Mm1 cells but had no effect on either Fc‐mediated phagocytosis or latex ingestion. These results suggest that phagocytosis of QRC by murine macrophages is mediated by protease‐sensitive binding sites recognizing terminal sialic acid residues of QRC in conjunction with additional carbohydrates.
Therapeutic antitumor efficacy of monoclonal antibody against Claudin‐4 for pancreatic and ovarian cancers

Claudin‐4 (CLDN4) is a tetraspanin transmembrane protein of tight junction structure and is highly expressed in pancreatic and ovarian cancers. In this study, we aimed to generate an anti‐Claudin‐4 monoclonal antibody (mAb) and evaluate its antitumor efficacy in vitro and in vivo. To isolate specific mAb, we generated CLDN3, 4, 5, 6, and 9, expressing Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, and then used them as positive and negative targets through cell‐based screening. As a result, we succeeded in isolating KM3900 (IgG2a), which specifically bound to CLDN4, from BXSB mice immunized with pancreatic cancer cells. Immunoprecipitation and flow cytometry analysis revealed that KM3900 recognized the conformational structure and bound to extracellular loop 2 of CLDN4. Furthermore, binding of KM3900 was detected on CLDN4‐expressing pancreatic and ovarian cancer cells, but not on negative cells. Next, we made the mouse–human chimeric IgG1 (KM3934) and evaluated its antitumor efficacy. KM3934 induced dose‐dependent antibody‐dependent cellular cytotoxicity and complement‐dependent cytotoxicity in vitro, and significantly inhibited tumor growth in MCAS or CFPAC‐1 xenograft SCID mice in vivo (P < 0.05). These results suggest that mAb therapy against CLDN4 is promising for pancreatic and ovarian cancers. (Cancer Sci 2009; 100: 1623–1630)
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Everolimus: A Consensus Report

Abstract: In 2014, the Immunosuppressive Drugs Scientific Committee of the International Association of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and Clinical Toxicology called a meeting of international experts to provide recommendations to guide therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of everolimus (EVR) and its optimal use in clinical practice. EVR is a potent inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin, approved for the prevention of organ transplant rejection and for the treatment of various types of cancer and tuberous sclerosis complex. EVR fulfills the prerequisites for TDM, having a narrow therapeutic range, high interindividual pharmacokinetic variability, and established drug exposure–response relationships. EVR trough concentrations (C0) demonstrate a good relationship with overall exposure, providing a simple and reliable index for TDM. Whole-blood samples should be used for measurement of EVR C0, and sampling times should be standardized to occur within 1 hour before the next dose, which should be taken at the same time everyday and preferably without food. In transplantation settings, EVR should be generally targeted to a C0 of 3–8 ng/mL when used in combination with other immunosuppressive drugs (calcineurin inhibitors and glucocorticoids); in calcineurin inhibitor-free regimens, the EVR target C0 range should be 6–10 ng/mL. Further studies are required to determine the clinical utility of TDM in nontransplantation settings. The choice of analytical method and differences between methods should be carefully considered when determining EVR concentrations, and when comparing and interpreting clinical trial outcomes. At present, a fully validated liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry assay is the preferred method for determination of EVR C0, with a lower limit of quantification close to 1 ng/mL. Use of certified commercially available whole-blood calibrators to avoid calibration bias and participation in external proficiency-testing programs to allow continuous cross-validation and proof of analytical quality are highly recommended. Development of alternative assays to facilitate on-site measurement of EVR C0 is encouraged.
Unique and redundant functions of NKp46+ ILC3s in models of intestinal inflammation

Song et al. generate mice selectively lacking NKp46+ ILC3s to demonstrate that in the absence of T cells, NKp46+ILC3s are sufficient to promote inflammatory monocyte accumulation in CD40-induced colitis via production of GM-CSF. In T cell–sufficient mice, the lack of NKp46+ILC3s did not impact C. rodentium infection.