Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Requisite considerations for successful adoptive immunotherapy with engineered T-lymphocytes using tumor antigen-specific T-cell receptor gene transfer

Introduction: Although engineered T-cell-based antitumor immunotherapy using tumor-antigen-specific T-cell receptor (TCR) gene transfer is undoubtedly a promising strategy, a number of studies have revealed that it has several drawbacks. Areas covered: This review covers selected articles detailing recent progress in this field, not only for solid tumors, but also for leukemias. In terms of achieving uniform therapeutic quality of TCR gene-modified T cells as an ‘off-the-shelf’ product, the authors abstract and discuss the requisite conditions for successful outcome, including: i) the optimal target choice reflecting the specificity of the introduced TCR, ii) the quality and quantity of expressed TCRs in gene-modified T cells, and additional genetic modification reflecting enhanced antitumor functionality, and iii) ‘on-’ and ‘off-target’ adverse events caused by the quality of the introduced TCRs and other adverse events related to genetic modification itself. Readers will be able to readily abstract recent advances in TCR gene-transferred T-cell therapy, centering notably on efforts to obtain uniformity in the therapeutic functionality of engineered T cells Expert opinion: Harmonizing the functionality and target specificity of TCR will allow the establishment of clinically useful adoptive immunotherapy in the near future.
INVERSE PROBLEMS IN HILBERT SCALES

We study the efficiency of the approximate solution of ill-posed problems, based on discretized noisy observations, which we assume to be given beforehand. A basic purpose of the paper is the consideration of stochastic noise, but deterministic noise is also briefly discussed. We restrict ourselves to problems which can be formulated in Hilbert scales. Within this framework we shall quantify the degree of ill-posedness, provide general conditions on projection schemes to achieve the best possible order of accuracy. We pay particular attention on the problem of self-regularization vs. Tikhonov regularization. Moreover, we study the information complexity. Asymptotically, any method which achieves the best possible order of accuracy must use at least such amount of noisy observations.
SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research at DIW

This paper presents the Bomb Risk Elicitation Task (BRET), an intuitive procedure aimed at measuring risk attitudes. Subjects decide how many boxes to collect out of 100, one of which containing a bomb. Earnings increase linearly with the number of boxes accumulated but are zero if the bomb is also collected. The BRET requires minimal numeracy skills, avoids truncation of the data, allows to precisely estimate both risk aversion and risk seeking, and is not affected by the degree of loss aversion or by violations of the Reduction Axiom. We validate the BRET and test its robustness in a large-scale experiment, although the task can be performed in the field as well. Choices react significantly to the stakes and to the size of the choice set. Our experiment rationalizes the gender gap that often characterizes choices under uncertainty by means of a higher loss rather than risk aversion. JEL Classifications: C81; C91; D81.
Semi-Automatic Video Object Segmentation Using LVQ with Color and Spatial Features

This paper presents a semi-automatic algorithm for video object segmentation. Our algorithm assumes the use of multiple key video frames in which a semantic object of interest is defined in advance with human assistance. For video frames between every two key frames, the specified video object is tracked and segmented automatically using Learning Vector Quantization (LVQ). Each pixel of a video frame is represented by a 5-dimensional feature vector integrating spatial and color information. We introduce a parameter K to adjust the balance of spatial and color information. Experimental results demonstrate that the algorithm can segment the video object consistently with less than 2% average error when the object is moving at a moderate speed.
Ligand-induced Dynamic Membrane Changes and Cell Deletion Conferred by Vanilloid Receptor 1*

The real time dynamics of vanilloid-induced cytotoxicity and the specific deletion of nociceptive neurons expressing the wild-type vanilloid receptor (VR1) were investigated. VR1 was C-terminally tagged with either the 27-kDa enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) or a 12-amino acid ε-epitope. Upon exposure to resiniferatoxin, VR1eGFP- or VR1ε-expressing cells exhibited pharmacological responses similar to those of cells expressing the untagged VR1. Within seconds of vanilloid exposure, the intracellular free calcium ([Ca2+] i ) was elevated in cells expressing VR1. A functional pool of VR1 also was localized to the endoplasmic reticulum that, in the absence of extracellular calcium, also was capable of releasing calcium upon agonist treatment. Confocal imaging disclosed that resiniferatoxin treatment induced vesiculation of the mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum (∼1 min), nuclear membrane disruption (5–10 min), and cell lysis (1–2 h). Nociceptive primary sensory neurons endogenously express VR1, and resiniferatoxin treatment induced a sudden increase in [Ca2+] i and mitochondrial disruption which was cell-selective, as glia and non-VR1-expressing neurons were unaffected. Early hallmarks of cytotoxicity were followed by specific deletion of VR1-expressing cells. These data demonstrate that vanilloids disrupt vital organelles within the cell body and, if administered to sensory ganglia, may be employed to rapidly and selectively delete nociceptive neurons.
The uterine endometrium and isthmic oviduct of the ewe: does progesterone act as an antiestrogen?

The action of progesterone (P) on the estrogen stimulated uterine endometrium and isthmic oviduct of the ewe was studied. Changes in protein:DNA and RNA:DNA ratios, rate of in vitro protein synthesis, alkaline phosphatase and peroxidase activity and the level of cytoplasmic recep- tors for estradiol (E2) and P were measured in the endometrium. Only receptor effects were mea- sured in the oviduct. Progesterone decreased the level of both receptors in each tissue but did not decrease protein:DNA and RNA:DNA ratios or protein synthesis; P had little effect on alkaline phosphatase activity and there was no detectable peroxidase activity. These findings argue against the concept, based on studies in the rat, that the initial anti- estrogenic effects of P are mediated by a specific effect on E2 receptor replenishment.
Lazy-Merge: A Novel Implementation for Indexed Parallel K-Way In-Place Merging

Merging sorted segments is a core topic of fundamental computer science that has many different applications, such as $n$ -body simulation. In this research, we propose Lazy-Merge, a novel implementation of sequential in-place $k$ -way merging algorithms, that can be utilized in their parallel counterparts. The implementation divides the $k$ -way merging problem into $t$ ordered and independent smaller $k$ -way merging tasks (partitions), but each merging task includes a set of scattered ranges to be merged by an existing merging algorithm. The final merged list includes ranges with ordered elements, but the ranges themselves are not ordered. Lazy-Merge utilizes a novel usage of indexes to access the entire set of merged elements in order. Its merging time complexity is $O(k\log (n/k)+merge(n/p))$ , where $k$ , $n$ , and $p$ are the number of segments, the list size and the number of processors (partitions), respectively. Here, $merge(n/p)$ represents the time needed to merge $n/p$ elements by the used in-place merging algorithm. The time complexity of accessing an element in the merged list is $O\left(\log k\right)$ , that time can be constant if $k$ processors are used. The results of the proposed work are compared with those of bitonic merge and the best time-space optimal algorithms on number of moves and execution time. In comparison with the existing algorithms, significant speedup and reasonable reduction factor for number of moves have been achieved.
Grasp Analysis and Synthesis of 2 D Articulated Objects with n Links Noé

This paper proposes a solution to the problem of grasp analys is and synthesis of 2D articulated objects with n links considering frictionless contacts. The boundary of each link of the object is represented by a finite s e of boundary points allowing links of any shape to be considered. Grasp analysis is carried out to verify whether a set of contact points on the object boundary allows a force-closure grasp, while the goal of grasp synthesis is to determine a set of cont a t points that allows a force-closure grasp. The paper describes the process of fin ding the elements of the generalized wrench vector generated by a force applied t o any link of the articulated object and a procedure to search for a force-closu re grasp based on these generalized wrenches. The approach has been implemented an d some examples are included in the paper.
Transgenia e Nanotecnologia: Uma reflexão acerca da relação entre Modernidade, Novas Tecnologias e Informação

Vivemos num momento no qual novas tecnologias, tais como a transgenia e a nanotecnologia, advindas em grande medida de descobertas cientificas e pesquisas desenvolvidas nas areas da engenharia genetica, fisica e quimica nos seculos XIX e XX, tornam-se cada vez mais abrangentes em sua aplicacao comercial e, em consequencia, influenciando diretamente no modo de vida das sociedades ocidentais. Estas tecnologias recebem investimentos macicos de empresas transnacionais que veem nas mesmas uma fonte certa de retorno financeiro e lucro. Tal investimento e espantoso para um periodo relativamente curto de tempo, alem de ser acompanhado de processos muito rapidos de fusao e incorporacao empresarial na area, fato que demonstra a expectativa de retorno rapido de investimentos depositada neste novo mercado que se forma. O desenvolvimento da sociedade industrial e tecnologica culmina na criacao de sociedades cujos riscos advindos de tal desenvolvimento comecam a se manifestar socialmente de uma maneira muito mais enfatica que em periodos anteriores, ja que os problemas ambientais sao, em sua
Therapeutic Oral Vaccination Induces Mucosal Immune Response Sufficient to Eliminate Long‐Term Helicobacter pylori Infection

We examined the efficacy of therapeutic oral vaccination using Helicobacter pylori‐whole cell sonicate and cholera toxin (CT) in mice persistently infected with H. pylori. Efficacy was determined by bacterial culture and microscopic examination of gastric tissues for the persistence of bacteria at 6 weeks after the last vaccination. Vaccination of H. pylori‐whole cell sonicate combined with CT eradicated bacteria in 10/16 mice (62.5%). Interestingly, oral vaccination with CT alone also eliminated the bacteria in 8/17 mice (47.1%). However, a therapeutic intraperitoneally administered vaccine failed to eradicate H. pylori from the stomach (1/17 mice, 5.9%). Identification of the type of immunity involved in the eradication process showed that oral vaccination enhanced the antigen‐specific IgA in the feces and saliva. The efficacy of eradication of H. pylori correlated well with increases in IgA secretion in mucosal tissue and a higher labeling index of IgA‐positive lumina of pyloric glands. Moreover, the expression of IL‐4 mRNA in the stomach of mice with eradicated bacteria was higher than in the uneradicated group. Our results suggest that the efficacy of vaccination depends on the mucosal IgA response in the gastrointestinal tract against H. pylori via Th2 cell activation and that therapeutic oral vaccination induces a mucosal immune response sufficient to eradicate long‐term infection with H. pylori.
Specific T-cell recognition of the merozoite proteins rhoptry-associated protein 1 and erythrocyte-binding antigen 1 of Plasmodium falciparum

The merozoite proteins merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP-1) and rhoptry-associated protein 1 (RAP-1) and synthetic peptides containing sequences of MSP-1, RAP-1, and erythrocyte-binding antigen 1, induced in vitro proliferative responses of lymphocytes collected from Ghanaian blood donors living in an area with a high rate of transmission of malaria. Lymphocytes from a large proportion of the Ghanaian blood donors proliferated in response to the RAP-1 peptide, unlike those of Danish control blood donors, indicating that this sequence contains a malaria-specific T-cell epitope broadly recognized by individuals living in an area with a high transmission rate of malaria. Most of the donor plasma samples tested contained immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM antibodies recognizing the merozoite proteins, while only a minority showed high IgG reactivity to the synthetic peptides.
From the times of the first scribes: innovation and technology within graphic design

The authors use their different work and training background as perspectives for discussing the changing world of graphical design. In this digital world, expert knowledge of the technology is essential, but the authors argue that a consequence of prioritising technical expertise in the new interdisciplinary IT- design studies may be a loss of quality in design. To improve the depth in design the authors introduce a psychological framework for design work and on this basis they suggest a systematic method. The method is a 4-step conceptual model: reason, function, emotion and senses, and technology. The model interacts with all phases of the design, and functions as a generating-creating and execution-evaluation system. The authors emphasise that evaluation is embedded throughout the design process. They suggest that a systematic method becomes the guiding tool in interdisciplinary design education, an essential part of the students design qualifications as well as an essential tool in design work.
Actin cytoskeleton in ischemic acute renal failure.

A 36-year-old African American man was evaluated in the emergency room at Wishard Memorial Hospital following a motor vehicle accident. The patient’s car was hit from behind, and as he fled the scene of the accident, he fell and rolled down a hill. He was subsequently detained by police and brought to the hospital for evaluation of diffuse trauma and myalgias. In the emergency room, he was awake and alert but tachycardic, with a heart rate of 136 beats/min, a respiratory rate of 20 breaths/min, and a blood pressure of 104/57 mm Hg. The trauma team’s evaluation disclosed no significant injuries. However, he was admitted for evaluation and hydration, and because of an elevated serum creatinine level. His medical history was remarkable for a solitary right kidney, excessive alcohol intake, and use of crack cocaine, but he denied illicit intravenous drug use. He was taking no prescribed medications and had no history of diabetes, hypertension, or past surgeries. He had no known allergies. The baseline serum creatinine had been 1.2 mg/dL
Usos correctos de las partículas en japonés: una reseña sobre las partículas de caso

Japoniera bigarren hizkuntza gisa ikastea benetan zaila da. Eta partikulak behar bezala erabiltzea bereziki gaitza da. Lan honen helburu nagusia, hain zuzen, partikulen erabilerak eta funtzioak sailkatzea da, bakoitzaren ezaugarri linguistikoak aintzat hartuta. Hiru mailatako behaketa eginda, kasu-partikulen funtzioei buruzko eskema laburra egitea izango da lanaren xedea.
Accelerate in-line packet processing using fast queue

It is common for network researchers and system developers to run packet processing algorithms on UNIX-like operating systems. For the ease of development, complex packet processing algorithms are often implemented at the user-space level. As a result, performance benchmarks for packet processing algorithms often show a great gap when packets are input from different sources. An algorithm that performs well by reading packets from a raw packet trace file may get a worse result when it reads packets directly from a network interface. Such a phenomenon gets much worse when the algorithm is going to process packets in-line. In this paper, we identify the performance bottleneck of existing in-line packet processing implementations in the Linux operating system. Based on the observation, a new software architecture, named Fast Queue, is proposed and implemented to show that the identified bottleneck can be effectively eliminated. Experiments show that the proposed software architecture reduces 30% of CPU utilization. In addition, the overall system throughput can be improved by a factor of 1.6 when it is applied to the well-known snort-inline open source intrusion detection system.
Hospital readmissions for asthma in children and young adults in Canada

To examine the incidence rate of hospital readmission for asthma in relation to sex and age among Canadian children and young adults, we used data from 86,863 subjects under age 20 years when they had a first admission for asthma as 1 of first 5 diagnoses in Canada between April 1, 1994 and March 31, 1997. We calculated age‐ and sex‐specific incidence rates, and used the Cox proportional hazards model for multivariate analysis. Of these subjects, 20,277 (23.3%) were readmitted to hospital for asthma during the study period. After adjusting for length of stay for first admission and province, the rate ratio for females vs. males was 0.86 for those under age 1 year, and close to unity for the 1–4‐year and 5–9‐year age groups, whereas it was 1.47 and 1.35 for the 10–14‐year and 15–19‐year age groups, respectively. The data showed similar trends for rehospitalization asthma as a primary diagnosis. The incidence rate of rehospitalization showed little sex difference between ages 1–9 years, but was markedly higher in females than in males 10–19 years of age. Airway size, female hormonal changes, increased use of cosmetic products, and cigarette smoking among adolescent girls may contribute to the age‐ and sex‐differences in adolescence. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2003; 36:22–26. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effects of Valproate and Citrulline on Ammonium‐Induced Encephalopathy

Summary: Hyperammonemia is a recognized side effect of treatment with the antiepileptic drug (AED) valproate (VPA). Encephalopathic complications have also been observed in some patients receiving VPA therapy. The relation between VPA‐induced hyperammonemia and encephalopathy is not clear, however. A model of ammonium (NH4,+)‐induced coma was used to investigate the contribution of VPA and to assess the efficacy of citrulline (a urea cycle intermediate) on hyperammonemia and encephalopathy. In groups of 6–12 rats, administration of VPA (2.5 mmol/kg) was associated with (a) a decrease in the dose of NH4+ that produces coma in 50% of the animals (CD50) from 6.1 to 3.6 mmol/kg, and (b) significant increases in blood ammonia concentrations in NH4,+ treated animals. In addition, clear evidence also showed that in the presence of VPA, a lesser concentration of ammonia produced coma. Citrulline treatment (5. 0 mmol/ kg) was associated with (a) an increase in the CD50 value of NH4,+treated animals from 6.1 to 8.6 mmolikg, (b) a statistically significant decrease in ammonia concentration at all doses examined, (c) complete protection from encephalopathic effects of NH, + at citrulline concentrations threeto tenfold greater than basal levels; and (d) a 24% increase in the CD, value and a statistically significant decrease in ammonia concentration of VPA/NH4,+ treated animals. These findings indicate that VPA has a dual effect on encephalopathy and that citrulline should benefit those patients treated with VPA who experience adverse encephalopathic effects.
Un nouveau paradigme : le corps sportif

Le corps humain est une realite plurielle. En tant que tel, il est devenu un pole de reference pour une nouvelle positivite. De tous les lieux d'expression et de recuperation du corps, le sport est devenu le plus accaparant et le plus efficace. Le systeme sportif faconne le corps humain dans tous ses aspects et lui confere un statut nouveau, celui de corps sportif, ce nouveau paradigme des temps actuels.
Empirical Assessment of Alternative Designs for Enhancing Different Types of Trusting Beliefs in Online Recommendation Agents

Abstract competence, integrity, and benevolence are the three key trusting beliefs that are widely acknowledged in the trust literature. Drawing on users’ different dispositional attribution of these trusting beliefs, we investigate the different influence of two sets of experiential reasons on the competence belief versus the benevolence and integrity beliefs in online recommendation agents (RAs). The two sets of experiential reasons encompass interactive reason, including three performance factors (namely, perceived cognitive effort, advice quality, and perceived strategy restrictiveness), and knowledge-based reason (i.e., perceived transparency of an RA). Data were collected through a laboratory experiment to test our hypotheses. Results demonstrate that the three performance factors affect only the competence belief, whereas perceived RA transparency influences all three trusting beliefs. In addition, the effects of perceived transparency on competence are partially mediated by perceived cognitive effort and advice quality. The research contributes to the trust literature by revealing the different antecedents of the three trusting beliefs and provides guidelines for designers to choose specific design elements to improve a particular trusting belief of the user toward an RA.
Increasing productivity in high energy physics data mining with a domain specific visual query language

Diese Arbeit entwickelt die erste anwendungsspezifische visuelle Anfragesprache fur Hochenergiephysik. Nach dem aktuellen Stand der Technik ist Analyse von experimentellen Ergebnissen in der Hochenergiephysik ein sehr aufwendiger Vorgang. Die Verwendung allgemeiner hoherer Programmiersprachen und komplexer Bibliotheken fur die Erstellung und Wartung der Auswertungssoftware lenkt die Wissenschaftler von den Kernfragen ihres Gebiets ab. Unser Ansatz fuhrt eine neue Abstraktionsebene in Form einer visuellen Programmiersprache ein, in der die Physiker die gewunschten Ergebnisse in einer ihrem Anwendungsgebiet nahen Notation formulieren konnen. Die Validierung der Hypothese erfolgte durch die Entwicklung einer Sprache und eines Software-Prototyps. Neben einer formalen Syntax wird die Sprache durch eine translationale Semantik definiert. Die Semantik wird dabei mittels einer Ubersetzung in eine durch spezielle Gruppierungsoperatoren erweiterte NF2-Algebra spezifiziert. Die vom Benutzer erstellten visuellen Anfragen werden durch einen Compiler in Code fur eine Zielplattform ubersetzt. Die Benutzbarkeit der Sprache wurde durch eine Benutzerstudie validiert, deren qualitative und quantitative Ergebnisse vorgestellt werden.