julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Inflammation‐adapted liver stiffness values for improved fibrosis staging in patients with hepatitis C virus and alcoholic liver disease
2015-06-30

Abstract Background &amp; Aims It is well known that inflammation increases liver stiffness ( LS ) in patients with chronic hepatitis C ( HCV ) and alcoholic liver disease ( ALD ) independent of fibrosis stage, but no inflammation‐adapted cut‐off values have been settled so far. An early identification of rapid fibrosers, however, is essential to decide whom to treat first with the novel but expensive antiviral drugs. Methods Liver stiffness, biopsy‐proven fibrosis stages F0–F4 ( METAVIR or Kleiner score) and routine laboratory parameters were studied in 2068 patients with HCV ( n = 1391) and ALD ( n = 677). Results Among the routine parameters for liver damage, AST correlated best with LS ( HCV : r = 0.54, P &lt; 0.0001 and ALD : r = 0.34, P &lt; 0.0001). In the absence of elevated transaminases, cut‐off values were almost identical between HCV and ALD for F1–2, F3 and F4 ( HCV : 5.1, 9.0 and 11.9 kPa vs ALD: 4.9, 8.1 and 10.5 kPa). These cut‐off values increased exponentially as a function of median AST level. The impact of AST on LS was higher in lobular‐pronounced ALD as compared to portal tract‐localized HCV . Most notably, Cohen's weighted Kappa displayed an improved agreement of the novel AST ‐dependent cut‐off values with histological fibrosis stage both for HCV (0.68 vs 0.65) and ALD (0.80 vs 0.76). Conclusions The novel AST ‐adapted cut‐off values improve non‐invasive fibrosis staging in HCV and ALD and may be also applied to other liver diseases. Especially in HCV , they could help to decide whom to treat first with the novel but expensive antiviral drugs.
Implications of Nubian-Like Core Reduction Systems in Southern Africa for the Identification of Early Modern Human Dispersals
2015-06-30

Lithic technologies have been used to trace dispersals of early human populations within and beyond Africa. Convergence in lithic systems has the potential to confound such interpretations, implying connections between unrelated groups. Due to their reductive nature, stone artefacts are unusually prone to this chance appearance of similar forms in unrelated populations. Here we present data from the South African Middle Stone Age sites Uitpanskraal 7 and Mertenhof suggesting that Nubian core reduction systems associated with Late Pleistocene populations in North Africa and potentially with early human migrations out of Africa in MIS 5 also occur in southern Africa during early MIS 3 and with no clear connection to the North African occurrence. The timing and spatial distribution of their appearance in southern and northern Africa implies technological convergence, rather than diffusion or dispersal. While lithic technologies can be a critical guide to human population flux, their utility in tracing early human dispersals at large spatial and temporal scales with stone artefact types remains questionable.
Did Globalisation Influence Credit Market Deregulation?
2015-06-30

Abstract We investigate whether globalisation influenced credit market deregulation over the period 1970–2010. Globalisation is measured by the KOF indices of globalisation. Credit market deregulation is measured by the credit market freedom indicators of the Fraser Institute. The results from both cross‐sectional and panel regressions using ordinary least squares indicate a positive correlation between globalisation and credit market deregulation. We account for reverse causality using predicted trade openness as an instrumental variable and show that this approach gives rise to different conclusions. Two‐stage least squares estimations do not show that globalisation had a causal influence on credit market deregulation.
In Vitro Evaluation of a Novel mRNA-Based Therapeutic Strategy for the Treatment of Patients Suffering from Alpha-1-Antitrypsin Deficiency
2015-06-30

In single-gene disorders, like alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD), a gene mutation causes missing or dysfunctional protein synthesis. This, in turn, can lead to serious complications for the patient affected. Furthermore, single-gene disorders are associated with severe early-onset conditions and necessitate expensive lifelong care. Until nowadays, therapeutic treatment options are still limited, cost-intensive, or lack effectiveness. For these reasons, we aim to develop a novel mRNA-based therapeutic strategy for the treatment of single-gene disorders, such as AATD, which is based on the induction of de novo synthesis of the functional proteins. Therefore, an alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) encoding mRNA was generated by in vitro transcription. After in vitro delivery of the mRNA to different cells, protein expression and functionality, as well as adverse effects and mRNA serum stability, were analyzed. Our results show that the AAT mRNA-transfected cells express the AAT protein in high amounts within the first 24 h. Moreover, the expressed AAT protein is highly functional, since the activity of elastase is significantly inhibited. Our data also show that mRNA concentrations up to 1 μg per 150,000 cells have no adverse effects on cell viability and immune activation. Furthermore, the encapsulated AAT encoding mRNA is stable and functional in human serum for up to 30 min. Overall, the proposed project provides an innovative, highly promising, and safe therapeutic approach and, thus, promises a novel progress in the treatment of single-gene disorders, whereby affected patients could greatly benefit.
Eat and drink – if you can! A language internal explanation for the ‘irregular’ paradigm of Tibetan za, zos, zo ‘eat’
2015-06-30

The paper discusses recent suggestions that Tibetan may originally have had a system of person marking, which could thus be reconstructed for proto-Tibeto-Burman. While self-evident traces of such person marking are clearly missing, the ‘irregular’ paradigm of the verb ‘eat’ has been taken as indirect evidence. This proposal, however, is in need of several further assumptions. The ‘irregular’ stem forms zos and zo, on the other hand, correspond to a regular, albeit obsolete modal derivation of ability in Old and Classical Tibetan.
Cystic fibrosis in Europe: patients live longer but are we ready?
2015-06-30

Having passed the 25th anniversary of discovering the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, let's take a look forward to the next 25 years. Newborn screening, animal models, biomarkers, innovative drugs (prototypical CFTR modulators), and advances in lung transplantation have moved the field forward, probably faster than for any other lung disease in recent years [1–5]. As a consequence, the mean survival of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) is steadily increasing and now exceeds 40 years of age in most European countries [6, 7] and beyond [8]. This study highlights the future challenge to deal with an ageing CF population and innovative, but expensive drugs <http://ow.ly/JRCnx>
Shadows of the past, visions of the future in African literatures and cultures
2015-06-30

Tydskrif vir Letterkunde is an online, peer-reviewed, accredited scholarly journal which publishes original, previously unpublished research and overview articles on theoretical, applied or comparative aspects of African literatures and cultural practices.
‘Regardez la vie reprendre’: Futurity in Véronique Tadjo’s L’Ombre d’Imana / The Shadow of Imana
2015-06-30

In this essay, I review a series of binaries that are examined by Véronique Tadjo’s recent narrative about Rwanda and its 1994 genocide, L’Ombre d’Imana (Engl. trans. The Shadow of Imana, 2002), and doubly blurred. These binaries (inside/out, here/there, past/future) and envisaged from two points of view. They are situated first in the dreadful zones of biopolitical indistinction in which the law legalizes its own suspension and renders legal atrocities normally outside the realm of the permissible; and they are re-envisaged in a movement which “turns inside out” (Esposito) these indistinctions to assert an unbroken fabric of life, human or otherwise, which resists even the perversions of the extreme manifestation of biopolitics evinced by genocide. This article shifts its focus away from the customary topic of the relationship between genocide and representation, towards issue of genocide and biopolitics, and to a form of semiois that does not merely “mean”, but makes life (continue to) happen. Rwanda may stand, emblematically, for the stamping out of life on the continent, for the existential negativity that African often emblematizes in the global imaginary; by contrast, Tadjo, in her reading of Rwanda, poses to the African continent, not a rhetorical question but a fundamental ontological and existential enquiry: “Comment envisager le futur ici? Quel futur?” (Tadjo 125, “How can you envisage the future here? What future?”).
Wall Teichoic Acid Glycosylation Governs Staphylococcus aureus Nasal Colonization
2015-07-01

ABSTRACT Nasal colonization by the human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus is a major risk factor for hospital- and community-acquired infections. A key factor required for nasal colonization is a cell surface-exposed zwitterionic glycopolymer, termed wall teichoic acid (WTA). However, the precise mechanisms that govern WTA-mediated nasal colonization have remained elusive. Here, we report that WTA GlcNAcylation is a pivotal requirement for WTA-dependent attachment of community-acquired methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and emerging livestock-associated MRSA to human nasal epithelial cells, even under conditions simulating the nutrient composition and dynamic flow of nasal secretions. Depending on the S. aureus strain, WTA O-GlcNAcylation occurs in either α or β configuration, which have similar capacities to mediate attachment to human nasal epithelial cells, suggesting that many S. aureus strains maintain redundant pathways to ensure appropriate WTA glycosylation. Strikingly, a lack of WTA glycosylation significantly abrogated the ability of MRSA to colonize cotton rat nares in vivo . These results indicate that WTA glycosylation modulates S. aureus nasal colonization and may help to develop new strategies for eradicating S. aureus nasal colonization in the future. IMPORTANCE Nasal colonization by the major human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus is a risk factor for severe endogenous infections and contributes to the spread of this microbe in hospitals and the community. Here, we show that wall teichoic acid (WTA) O-GlcNAcylation is a key factor required for S. aureus nasal colonization. These data provide a mechanistic explanation for the capacity of WTA to modulate S. aureus nasal colonization and may stimulate research activities to establish valuable strategies to eradicate S. aureus nasal colonization in high-risk hospitalized patients and in the general community.
Two new vertebrate localities from the Early Pleistocene of Mygdonia Basin (Macedonia, Greece): Preliminary results
2015-07-01

Two new vertebrate fossiliferous localities from the Pleistocene of the Mygdonia Basin (Macedonia, Greece), Tsiotra Vryssi (TSR) and Platanochori-1 (PLN), are presented in this article. TSR belongs to the Gerakarou Formation and its preliminary faunal list includes the corvid Corvus pliocaenus, the hyaenid Pachycrocuta brevirostris, the canid Canis etruscus, the rhinoceros Stephanorhinus sp., two species of Equus, the bovid Bison sp., the cervid Metacervocerus rhenanus and the giraffid Palaeotragus sp. PLN belongs to the Platanochori Formation (overlying Gerakarou Formation) and its fauna includes the following taxa: Stephanorhinus hundsheimensis, Equus apolloniensis, Bison sp. and Pontoceros ambiguus. The preliminary comparison of these faunal assemblages with the already known localities from the Mygdonia Basin and the wider region, combined with the geological data, suggest a Late Villafranchian age for TSR, chronologically intermediate between the localities Gerakarou-1 and Apollonia-1, while the fauna from PLN is indicative of a Latest Villafranchian age, similar to that of Apollonia-1. These new localities will enhance our understanding of the crucial time period of the earliest dispersal of hominins into Europe. Deux nouveaux sites fossilifères de vertébrés du Pléistocène du bassin de Mygdonia (Macédoine, Grèce), Tsiotra Vryssi (TSR) et Platanochori-1 (PLN), sont présentés dans cet article. TSR appartient à la formation de Gerakarou et la liste faunique préliminaire comprend le corvidé C. pliocaenus, l'hyaenid P. brevirostris, le canidé C. etruscus, le rhinocéros Stephanorhinus sp., deux espèces d'Equus, le bovidé Bison sp., le cervidé M. rhenanus et la giraffidé Palaeotragus sp. PLN appartient à la formation Platanochori (recouvrant la formation Gerakarou), et sa faune comprend les taxons suivants: S. hundsheimensis, E. apolloniensis, Bison sp. et P. ambiguus. La comparaison préliminaire de ces assemblages faunistiques avec les localités déjà connues du bassin de Mygdonia et la région alentour, combinée avec les données géologiques, suggèrent un âge Villafranchien supérieur pour TSR, chronologiquement intermédiaire entre les localités Gerakarou-1 et Apollonia-1, tandis que la faune de PLN est indicative d'un âge Villafranchien terminal, similaire à celui d'Apollonia-1. Ces nouvelles localités permettront d'améliorer notre compréhension de la période cruciale qui vit la première dispersion des homininés en Europe.
Enhancement of plume dilution in two‐dimensional and three‐dimensional porous media by flow focusing in high‐permeability inclusions
2015-07-01

Abstract In porous media, lateral mass exchange exerts a significant influence on the dilution of solute plumes in quasi steady state. This process is one of the main mechanisms controlling transport of continuously emitted conservative tracers in groundwater and is fundamental for the understanding of many degradation processes. We investigate the effects of high‐permeability inclusions on transverse mixing in three‐dimensional versus two‐dimensional systems by experimental, theoretical, and numerical analyses. Our results show that mixing enhancement strongly depends on the system dimensionality and on the parameterization used to model transverse dispersion. In particular, no enhancement of transverse mixing would occur in three‐dimensional media if the local transverse dispersion coefficient was uniform and flow focusing in both transverse directions was identical, which is fundamentally different from the two‐dimensional case. However, the velocity and grain size dependence of the transverse dispersion coefficient and the correlation between hydraulic conductivity and grain size lead to prevailing mixing enhancement within the inclusions, regardless of dimensionality. We perform steady state bench‐scale experiments with multiple tracers in three‐dimensional and quasi two‐dimensional flow‐through systems at two different velocities (1 and 5 m/d). We quantify transverse mixing by the flux‐related dilution index and compare the experimental results with model simulations. The experiments confirm that, although dilution is larger in three‐dimensional systems, the enhancement of transverse mixing due to flow focusing is less effective than in two‐dimensional systems. The spatial arrangement of the high‐permeability inclusions significantly affects the degree of mixing enhancement. We also observe more pronounced compound‐specific effects in the dilution of solute plumes in three‐dimensional porous media than in two‐dimensional ones.
Weathering of galena: Mineralogical processes, hydrogeochemical fluid path modeling, and estimation of the growth rate of pyromorphite
2015-07-01

In many natural and anthropogenically affected environments, alteration of galena produces thermodynamically more stable secondary lead phases. These secondary minerals control the mobility of the toxic heavy metal lead in water. These textural, paragenetic, and stability relations have not been investigated in detail in the literature yet. An extensive petrographic study of 41 thin sections of weathered, zoned galena and adjacent country rock from the Schwarzwald mining area, southwest Germany, is presented. The observed textures were evaluated using PHREEQC fluid path modeling and sequences of stable secondary mineral assemblages were predicted.
Branching ratios for the decay of d*(2380)
2015-07-01

\\n Based on measurements, the branching ratios for the decay of the recently discovered dibaryon resonance into two-pion production channels and into the np channel are evaluated. Possibilities for a decay into the isoscalar single-pion channel are discussed. Finally, the electromagnetic decay of is considered.\\n
An integration of competing accounts on children’s number line estimation
2015-07-01

Children's estimation patterns in bounded number line estimation (NLE) reveal marked developmental changes. Three different theoretical accounts were proposed to explain these changes: a log-to-linear shift account, a proportion-judgment account and a two-linear account considering familiarity with numbers or the understanding of the place-value structure of the Arabic number system. However, only the first two accounts are considered prominently in the ongoing scientific debate. Therefore, we first present a reanalysis of NLE data of Austrian first-graders contrasting all three accounts. Results indicate that the two-linear account is a reliable alternative to the log-to-linear shift as well as the proportion-judgment account. However, we do not claim the two-liner account to provide an exhaustive explanation for the observed developmental changes. We rather introduce the idea that aspects of all three accounts may complement - instead of exclude - each other. Jointly considering conceptual (i.e., familiarity, place-value) and procedural (i.e., proportion-judgments) aspects will allow for a more comprehensive understanding of children's development in NLE.
The evolution and extinction of the ichthyosaurs from the perspective of quantitative ecospace modelling
2015-07-01

The role of niche specialization and narrowing in the evolution and extinction of the ichthyosaurs has been widely discussed in the literature. However, previous studies have concentrated on a qualitative discussion of these variables only. Here, we use the recently developed approach of quantitative ecospace modelling to provide a high-resolution quantitative examination of the changes in dietary and ecological niche experienced by the ichthyosaurs throughout their evolution in the Mesozoic. In particular, we demonstrate that despite recent discoveries increasing our understanding of taxonomic diversity among the ichthyosaurs in the Cretaceous, when viewed from the perspective of ecospace modelling, a clear trend of ecological contraction is visible as early as the Middle Jurassic. We suggest that this ecospace redundancy, if carried through to the Late Cretaceous, could have contributed to the extinction of the ichthyosaurs. Additionally, our results suggest a novel model to explain ecospace change, termed the ‘migration model’.
Solidarisation and its limits: the EU and the transformation of international society
2015-07-01

The literature on international societies has widely recognised that the EU has formed a regional international society that has transcended the rules of Westphalian statecentred pluralism. However, the analysis of the consequences of this transcendence for global international society has so far been limited. For the most part, such studies have focused on the EU as a normative power, and even within that literature, there is much more attention given to the question of whether the EU acts as a normative power rather than to the consequences of its actions. This is intriguing given that Ian Manners, who originally coined the term, thought of the EU's ability to fundamentally transform the pluralist international society as the ultimate litmus test of normative power. In this paper, we want to explore this question further. Our argument is that the EU contributes to a solidarisation of international society, and we will show this in relation to two cases, human rights and regionalisation. However, we will also argue that this contribution is not unambiguous. Instead, it is characterised by internal contradictions and tensions.
A Floor-Plate Extracellular Protein-Protein Interaction Screen Identifies Draxin as a Secreted Netrin-1 Antagonist
2015-07-01

Floor-plate-derived extracellular signaling molecules, including canonical axon guidance cues of the Netrin family, control neuronal circuit organization. Despite the importance of the floor plate as an essential signaling center in the developing vertebrate central nervous system, no systematic approach to identify binding partners for floor-plate-expressed cell-surface and secreted proteins has been carried out. Here, we used a high-throughput assay to discover extracellular protein-protein interactions, which likely take place in the zebrafish floor-plate microenvironment. The assembled floor-plate network contains 47 interactions including the hitherto-not-reported interaction between Netrin-1 and Draxin. We further characterized this interaction, narrowed down the binding interface, and demonstrated that Draxin competes with Netrin receptors for binding to Netrin-1. Our results suggest that Draxin functions as an extracellular Netrin signaling modulator in vertebrates. A reciprocal gradient of Draxin might shape or sharpen the active Netrin gradient, thereby critically modulating its effect.
Electrooculogram based sleep stage classification using deep belief network
2015-07-01

In this work, we used single electrooculogram (EOG) signal to perform automatic sleep scoring. Deep belief network (DBN) and combination of DBN and Hidden Markov Models (HMM) are employed to discriminate sleep stages. Under the leave-one-out protocol, the average accuracy of DBN and DBN-HMM are 77.7% and 83.3% for all sleep stages, respectively. On the other hand, we found the EOG signal not only contribute to identify stages of Awake and rapid eye movement, also contribute to discriminate stage 2 and slow wave sleep stage.
Ribosomal Tag Pyrosequencing of DNA and RNA Reveals “Rare” Taxa with High Protein Synthesis Potential in the Sediment of a Hypersaline Lake in Western Australia
2015-07-01

Little is known about the potential activity of microbial communities in hypersaline sediment ecosystems. Ribosomal tag libraries of DNA and RNA extracted from the sediment of Lake Strawbridge (Western Australia) revealed bacterial and archaeal operational taxonomic units (OTUs) with high RNA/DNA ratios providing evidence for the presence of ‘rare’ but potentially “active” taxa. Among the ‘rare’ bacterial taxa Halomonas, Salinivibrio and Idiomarina showed the highest protein synthesis potential. Rare but ‘active’ archaeal OTUs were related to the KTK 4A cluster and the Marine-Benthic-Groups B and D. We present the first molecular analysis of the microbial diversity and protein synthesis potential of rare microbial taxa in a hypersaline sediment ecosystem.