julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Evaluation Of Alloimmune Responses In Humanized NOD/SCID/IL2rgnull Mice Following Human CD34+ Stem Cell Transplantation
2009-01-23

Immunodeficient NOD/SCID/IL2Rg (yc)null mice can be efficiently used to establish human lymphohematopoiesis or lymphohematological neoplasia in a murine environment. Thus, upon engraftment of human CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) or acute leukemia cells and allogeneic donor lymphocyte infusions these mice might become a powerful tool to provide an allogeneic HSCT model for investigating human graft-vs-host (GvH)- and graft-vs-leukemia (GvL)-immunity in vivo. In the current study, we engrafted NOD/SCID/ycnull mice with human CD34+ HSC to provide a model for analyzing the role of patient-derived antigen presenting cells for the induction of GvH- and GvL-reactivity and to evaluate reactivity to human alloantigens of ex vivo engineered T cell allografts for improved immunotherapy. Following reconstitution of busulfan conditioned neonatal or (300 cGy) irradiated adult NOD/SCID/ycnull recipients with 1 × 105 to 1 × 106 purified CD34+ adult HSC and weekly i.v. injections of Fc-IL7, human CD45+ PBMNC were detected as early as early as 30 or 60 days (d) post reconstitution of newborn and adult mice, respectively. After 120d, T-, B-, and NK-cells, as well as monocytes and dendritic cells (DCs) were found in spleen (SPL) and bone marrow of both newborn and adult recipients by flow cytometry and immunhistological studies in e.g. SPL and skin. However, as reconstitution of newborns resulted in thymopoiesis of human CD3+ cells and better lympho- and myelopoiesis as compared to adult mice, further studies were performed in HSC engrafted newborn recipients. Functional analyses of lymphocytes grown in humanized NOD/SCID/ycnull mice revealed that human CD3+ T cells isolated from SPL and challenged ex vivo with i) murine NOD/SCID/ycnull derived DCs, ii) HLA-mismatched DCs or iii) HSC donor derived (autologous) DCs elicited alloresponses to human but not murine alloantigens(s). These results and further studies on ex vivo examined allo- and xenoimmunity of naïve HLA-matched and HLA-mismatched CD8+ T cells transferred into HSC engrafted NOD/SCID/ycnull recipients will be presented to demonstrate T cell alloimmune responses in humanized mice and to show that our model can be used to evaluate residual GvH reactivity of CD8+ donor T cells in HLA- matched or haploidentical settings. Finally, these studies should help to elucidate the impact of xenoreactivity on the induction of GvH immunity by human T cells in humanized mice.
A Phase I/II Study Of Cyclophosphamide and Topotecan In Patients With High-Risk Malignancies Undergoing Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: The St. Jude Long-Term Follow-Up
2009-01-23

Tabled 1The 3-year and 5-year OS and EFS for the 3 most common diagnoses and all participants treated on this therapeutic protocol.3-year OS3-year EFS5-year OS5-year EFSNeuroblastoma73.1% +/- 8.5%42.3% +/- 9.3%57.7% +/- 10.8%38.5% +/- 11.4%Lymphoma75% +/- 14.2%50% +/- 15.8%75% +/- 14.2%50% +/- 15.8%Sarcoma50% +/- 15.8%37.5% +/- 14.8%50% +/- 17.7%37.5% +/- 17.1%Total64.7% +/- 6.6%41.2% +/- 6.7%56.7% +/- 7.8%39.2% +/- 8.2%OS, overall survival; EFS, event-free survival Open table in a new tab OS, overall survival; EFS, event-free survival
Stereotype content model across cultures: Towards universal similarities and some differences
2009-01-25

The stereotype content model (SCM) proposes potentially universal principles of societal stereotypes and their relation to social structure. Here, the SCM reveals theoretically grounded, cross‐cultural, cross‐groups similarities and one difference across 10 non‐US nations. Seven European (individualist) and three East Asian (collectivist) nations ( N =1,028) support three hypothesized cross‐cultural similarities: (a) perceived warmth and competence reliably differentiate societal group stereotypes; (b) many out‐groups receive ambivalent stereotypes (high on one dimension; low on the other); and (c) high status groups stereotypically are competent, whereas competitive groups stereotypically lack warmth. Data uncover one consequential cross‐cultural difference: (d) the more collectivist cultures do not locate reference groups (in‐groups and societal prototype groups) in the most positive cluster (high‐competence/high‐warmth), unlike individualist cultures. This demonstrates out‐group derogation without obvious reference‐group favouritism. The SCM can serve as a pancultural tool for predicting group stereotypes from structural relations with other groups in society, and comparing across societies.
An auditory oddball (P300) spelling system for brain‐computer interfaces
2009-01-26

Abstract This study was designed to develop and test an auditory event‐related potential (ERP) based spelling system for a brain‐computer interface (BCI) and to compare user's performance between the auditory and visual modality. The spelling system, where letters in a matrix were coded with acoustically presented numbers, was tested on a group of healthy volunteers. The results were compared with a visual spelling system. Nine of the 13 participants presented with the auditory ERP spelling system scored above a predefined criterion level control for communication. Compared to the visual spelling system, users' performance was lower and the peak latencies of the auditorily evoked ERPs were delayed. It was concluded that auditorily evoked ERPs from the majority of the users could be reliably classified. High accuracies were achieved in these users, rendering item selection with a BCI based on auditory stimulation feasible for communication.
Randomized, double blind, placebo controlled trial on the safety and efficacy of continuous intratympanic dexamethasone delivered via a round window catheter for severe to profound sudden idiopathic sensorineural hearing loss after failure of systemic therapy
2009-01-26

Abstract Objectives: To study the safety and efficacy of continuous intratympanic dexamethasone‐phosphate (Dex‐P) for severe to profound sudden idiopathic sensorineural hearing (ISSHL) or sudden idiopathic anacusis after failure of systemic therapy. Study Design: Randomized, double‐blind, placebo controlled multicenter trial. Methods: Patients with ISSHL and insufficient recovery (mean 4PTA = 97 dB HL) after systemic high dose glucocorticoid therapy received either Dex‐P (4mg/ml) or placebo (NaCl 0.9%) continuously applied for 14 days into the round window niche via a temporarily implanted catheter. For ethical reasons, intratympanic treatment was continued with Dex‐P in all patients for another 14 days after the placebo‐controlled study period. According to a two‐step adaptive study design an interim analysis was performed after inclusion of 23 patients. Results: Intention‐to‐treat analysis for the primary outcome criterion (4PTA: 0.5‐3kHz) during the placebo controlled study period (14 days) showed an average hearing improvement in the treatment group of 13.9 dB (SD: 21.3) and in the placebo group of 5.4 dB (SD: 10.4). This difference in hearing improvement between the two groups (mean: 8.4 dB, SD: 17.0, 95% CI: −7.1–24.1) was statistically not significant ( p = .26). Of the secondary outcome parameters, the largest benefit of local salvage therapy was found for maximum speech discrimination with an improvement of 24.4% (SD: 32.0) in the treatment and 4.5% (SD: 7.6) in the placebo group ( p = 0.07). After a 3 month follow‐up period (i.e. after all patients received intratympanic Dex‐P) hearing improvement in the two groups was very similar. No serious adverse events were observed. Sample size calculation after the interim analysis resulted in stopping of the trial. Conclusions: The tendency toward better hearing improvement in the treatment group, the rather conservative inclusion criteria, the limited placebo‐controlled observation period and the absence of serious adverse events supports further investigation local inner ear drug delivery as a first or second line treatment option for ISSHL. Laryngoscope, 119:359–369, 2009
Comparing explorative saccade and flicker training in hemianopia
2009-01-26

Explorative saccade training selectively improves saccadic behavior, natural search, and scene exploration on the blind side. Flicker-stimulation training does not improve saccadic behavior or visual fields. The findings show substantial benefits of compensatory exploration training, including subjective improvements in mastering daily-life activities, in a randomized controlled trial.
Functional Haplotypes That Produce Normal Ficolin‐2 Levels Protect against Clinical Leprosy
2009-01-26

Host factors have been shown to play a significant role in the susceptibility to and clinical outcome of leprosy. Here, we analyze polymorphisms of the gene encoding ficolin-2 (FCN2), which is a soluble pattern-recognition molecule. A total of 158 patients with leprosy and 210 healthy control subjects from Brazil were investigated. Polymorphisms in the promoter and exon 8 of FCN2 were assessed by DNA sequencing. The distribution of functional FCN2 haplotypes amongpatients was significant different from that among the control subjects (P = .004). These results unveil an immunogenetic role for ficolin-2 in the host response against M. leprae.
FIRM HETEROGENEITY AND THE LABOR MARKET EFFECTS OF TRADE LIBERALIZATION*
2009-01-28

This article develops a model that incorporates workers' fair wage preferences into a general equilibrium framework with heterogeneous firms. In a setting where the wage considered to be fair by workers depends on the productivity of the firm they are working in, we study the determinants of profits, involuntary unemployment and within‐group wage inequality. We use this model to investigate the effects of globalization, thereby pointing to distributional conflicts that have so far not been accounted for: a simultaneous increase of average profits and involuntary unemployment as well as a surge in within‐group wage inequality.
Effects of a metabotropic glutamate receptor group II agonist LY354740 in animal models of positive schizophrenia symptoms and cognition
2009-01-29

It has been proposed that activation of metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 2/3 (mGluR2/3) may induce both antipsychotic and anxiolytic effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate further the effect of the mGluR2/3 agonist, LY354740 [(+)-2-aminobicyclo(3.1.0)hexane-2,6-dicarboxylate monohydrate] in animal models relevant to both psychotic and cognitive impairment in schizophrenia. The elevated plus maze was used to select the doses for further experiments, LY354740 induced anxiolytic-like effects at doses of 3 and 10 mg/kg but not 1 mg/kg. At a dose of 10 mg/kg. LY354740 attenuated phencyclidine (PCP)-induced locomotor activity. Administered alone, it had no effect on horizontal activity, but at doses of 3 and 10 mg/kg, slightly decreased vertical activity (rearings). LY354740 (1-10 mg/kg intraperitoneally) affected neither prepulse inhibition in normal rats nor reversed the disruption of prepulse inhibition produced by PCP (2 mg/kg subcutaneously). Moreover, LY354740 (3-10 mg/kg) did not modify PCP-induced working memory deficits assessed in a spontaneous alternation task and had no effect on PCP-evoked amnesia in the passive avoidance test. LY354740 alone (3 and 10 mg/kg) induced working memory deficits, but had no effect on acquisition of passive avoidance. In conclusion, LY354740 was effective in models for anxiety and positive symptoms of schizophrenia but not in models for sensorimotor gating and cognitive impairment.
Clinical presentation and therapeutic outcome in 26 patients with primary CNS lymphoma
2009-01-29

This retrospective study analyzes clinical features and therapeutic outcome in 26 immunocompetent patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL). Most patients presented with personality changes. PCNSL lesions were mainly iso- or hyperdense, enhancing lesions on CT scan, hypointensive on T1-, and hyperintensive on T2-weighted MRI. Multiple lesions were found in about 60% of patients. Nine of 11 patients receiving radiotherapy alone showed complete remission (CR). Median survival time after diagnosis (MST) was 13 months. Seven patients received intravenous and intrathecal methotrexate, radiotherapy, and postirradiation intravenous cytarabine. Six of these patients had CR and 5 patients are alive in CR after a median follow-up of 12 months. Five patients received various other radiochemotherapy regimens (MST 6 months), and 3 patients died before receiving any radio- or chemotherapy. Our preliminary treatment results show a tendency to improved survival with radiochemotherapy. This is consistent with pertinent data from the literature which favors radiochemotherapy for patients with PCNSL.
Increased intrathecal synthesis of fibronectin in bacterial and carcinomatous meningitis
2009-01-29

Immunoreactive fibronectin (Fn) was quantified in paired cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum samples from patients with bacterial meningitis (n = 46), tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) (n = 6), HIV infection (n = 6), Guillain-Barré syndrome (n = 5), carcinomatous meningitis (n = 11), multiple sclerosis (n = 15), disk disease (n = 11), and controls (n = 28). A highly significant elevation of CSF Fn was found in bacterial meningitis, TBE, and carcinomatous meningitis. There were no significant differences in serum Fn between any of the groups. An Fn index to estimate the rate of intrathecal Fn synthesis reached the highest value in bacterial meningitis. Our findings suggest that CSF Fn may be an indicator of adequate host reaction and tissue repair. For diagnostic purposes, the determination of CSF Fn probably does not add much to routine CSF laboratory tests.
Recovery of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis from suppression by short-term, high-dose intravenous prednisolone therapy in patients with MS
2009-01-29

We have studied the recovery of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis from inhibition by short-term, intravenous high-dose, corticosteroid therapy (IVHDCT) without subsequent oral replacement therapy in 10 patients with relapsing-remitting or progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) using the human corticotrophin-releasing hormone (hCRH) test. There was significant HPA suppression with profoundly decreased basal and peak plasma ACTH and cortisol levels 24 h after cessation of therapy. However, at 48 h the pituitary response was greatly enhanced with peak ACTH concentrations rising by more than 100% over baseline values in 7 of 10 patients. Basal and stimulated ACTH concentrations returned to pre-treatment levels at 120 h. Basal and stimulated plasma cortisol levels remained subnormal in 6 patients 120 h after IVHDCT. We conclude that IVHDCT without oral replacement therapy in MS patients is endocrinologically safe.
Kursgewinne durch Entlassungspläne? Erste Ergebnisse aus Deutschland
2009-01-29

Abstract Employing traditional event study methodology we examine the market reaction to layoff announcements of firms listed on the German stock market. We contribute to the international literature in this field with two major results. First, unlike anecdotal and similar to international evidence we report a negative and significant abnormal rate of return of −0.37 percent on the announcement day. Further, we find that the reason for the layoff announcement plays a decisive role in the revaluation process. On the one hand, stocks of firms that announce layoffs as a reaction to declining market conditions are associated with a more intense negative market response. On the other hand, even stocks of firms that intend to enhance their profitability by means of layoffs do not show a significant positive reaction.
Encephalitogenic peptide and platelet aggregation in multiple sclerosis
2009-01-29

Platelet aggregation (PA) stimulated by encephalitogenic peptide (EP) and PA induced by ADP were measured in 83 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and 70 control subjects with other neurological diseases (OND). EP-stimulated PA was significantly increased in MS patients as compared with the controls. There was no significant difference in ADP-induced PA between patients with MS and OND. The results are discussed in terms of EP-stimulated platelets playing a role in the pathogenesis of MS by affecting the venular permeability of the brain.
Innate or learned acoustic recognition of avian predators in rodents?
2009-01-30

SUMMARY Calls of avian predators potentially predict danger for murine rodents. Indeed, exposure of field-experienced rodents to owl calls induces defensive behavior suggesting that recognition of vocalizations of avian predators is innate. To address this hypothesis, we investigated whether laboratory-reared and predator-naive rodents (mice, gerbils, rats) express defensive behavior in response to calls of different avian predators but we observed no such defensive behavior. We then asked whether the calls of avian predators are faster or better learned as a danger-predicting cue than the calls of avian non-predators. All calls could be learned as danger-predicting cues, but we found no differences in the speed or strength of the learning. Taken together,our results suggest that there is no innate recognition of the calls of avian predators in murine rodents and that the recognition of the calls of avian predators observed in field-experienced rodents is acquired by learning.
Strong decays of radially excited mesons in a chiral approach
2009-01-30

We study radial excitations of pseudoscalar and vector (q bar q) mesons\\nwithin a chiral approach. We derive a general form for a chiral Lagrangian\\ndescribing processes involving excited pseudoscalar and vector mesons. The\\nparameters of the chiral Lagrangian are fitted using data and previous\\ncalculations in the framework of the 3P0 model. Finite-width effects are\\nexamined and predictions for mesons previously not discussed are given.\\nAvailable experimental data is analyzed whenever possible. Possible hints for\\nexotic mesons and open interpretation-issues are discussed.\\n
THE pp → dπ+π0 REACTION — A CASE OF ΔΔ EXCITATION WITHOUT ABC-EFFECT
2009-01-30

The ABC effect, a low-mass enhancement in the invariant ππ mass, is observed in double-pionic fusion reactions leading to a bound nuclear system in the final state. From previous measurements there have been indications that this phenomenon is resctricted to the σ channel of the ππ system. With exclusive measurements of the pp → dπ + π 0 reaction at T p = 1.1 GeV we demonstrate that, indeed, the ABC effect does not occur in the vector-isovector ππ channel (ρ channel) despite the fact that the ΔΔ excitation is oberved to be the dominant reaction process. We also show that this reaction is well described by a t -channel ΔΔ excitation with the subsequent decay into the vector-isovector ππ channel given by the ρ channel operator.
a0(980) AND f0(980) MESONS AS HADRONIC MOLECULES
2009-01-30

We discuss a possible interpretation of the scalar mesons f 0 (980) and a 0 (980) as hadronic molecules - bound states of K and [Formula: see text] mesons. Using a phenomenological Lagrangian approach we calculate strong as well as the electromagnetic decay properties of both scalars. The covariant and gauge invariant model, which also allows for finite size effects of the hadronic molecule, delivers results in good agreement with experimental data.
η PRODUCTION IN PROTON-PROTON COLLISIONS AT 72 MeV EXCESS ENERGY
2009-01-30

The production of η mesons at an excess energy of 72 MeV has been studied in the reaction pp → pp(η)γγ. It is shown that a simple model with Pp final states included reproduces observed differential distributions better than the same model restricted to Ss , Sd and Ds final states. The strong influence of the Pp states could be taken as an indication of ρ dominance within an one boson exchange model for the excitation of N *(1535).
ISOSPIN DECOMPOSITION OF pp → NNππ CROSS SECTIONS — DO WE SEE A SIGN OF Δ(1600) EXCITATION IN THE nnπ+π+ CHANNEL?
2009-01-30

The two-pion production in pp-collisions has been investigated in exclusive measurements from threshold up to T p = 1.36 GeV . Total and differential cross sections have been obtained for the channels pnπ + π 0 , ppπ + π - , ppπ 0 π 0 and also nnπ + π + . For intermediate incident energies T p &gt; 1 GeV , i.e. in the region, which is beyond the Roper excitation but at the onset of ΔΔ excitation the total ppπ 0 π 0 cross section falls behind theoretical predictions by as much as an order of magnitude near 1.2 GeV, whereas the nnπ + π + cross section is a factor of five larger than predicted. A model-unconstrained isospin decompostion of the cross section points to a significant contribution of an isospin 3/2 resonance other than the Δ(1232). As a possible candidate the Δ(1600) is discussed.
Quotients of projective spaces and spheres
2009-01-30

Abstract In this paper we prove results on topological properties of quotients of manifolds, in particular of projective spaces and spheres. Specifically, under suitable conditions we exhibit results on homology and homotopy groups of these quotients. As an application we generalize the characterization of topological translation planes obtained by Löwen, Steinke, and Van Maldeghem in [Adv. Geom.: S59–S74, 2003] to all possible (finite) dimensions. Our approach also yields a more unified proof for this characterization result. Most of the results in this paper are obtained by means of standard results from algebraic topology.
DOUBLE-PION PRODUCTION IN NUCLEON COLLISIONS ON FEW-BODY SYSTEMS — THE ABC EFFECT AND ITS POSSIBLE ORIGIN
2009-01-30

The ABC effect – an intriguing low-mass enhancement in the ππ invariant mass spectrum – is known from inclusive measurements of two-pion production in nuclear fusion reactions. Exclusive measurements have been carried out at CELSIUS/WASA and WASA@COSY for the fusion reactions leading to d, 3 He and 4 He . They all reveal this effect to be a σ channel phenomenon combined with a resonance-like behavior in the total cross section. The latter points to the formation of an isoscalar dibaryonic resonance, which couples to the pn channel as well as to a ΔΔ intermediate state.
SUMMARY OF THE 10-TH INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON MESON PRODUCTION, PROPERTIES AND INTERACTION IN KRAKÓW, POLAND
2009-01-30

This is a summary of the MESON2008 workshop in Kraków. The original powerpoint summary with all the figures can be found on the conference webpage and in the proceedings of the original talks in this volume. These Proceedings of the summary will therefore not contain the original figures which can be looked up at the two locations mentioned.
Signals in bacterial β-barrel proteins are functional in eukaryotic cells for targeting to and assembly in mitochondria
2009-01-31

The outer membranes of Gram-negative bacteria, mitochondria, and chloroplasts harbor β-barrel proteins. The signals that allow precursors of such proteins to be targeted to mitochondria were not characterized so far. To better understand the mechanism by which β-barrel precursor proteins are recognized and sorted within eukaryotic cells, we expressed the bacterial β-barrel proteins PhoE, OmpA, Omp85, and OmpC in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and demonstrated that they were imported into mitochondria. A detailed investigation of the import pathway of PhoE revealed that it is shared with mitochondrial β-barrel proteins. PhoE interacts initially with surface import receptors, and its further sorting depends on components of the TOB/SAM complex. The bacterial Omp85 and PhoE integrated into the mitochondrial outer membrane as native-like oligomers. For the latter protein this assembly depended on the C-terminal Phe residue, which is important also for the correct assembly of PhoE into the bacterial outer membrane. Collectively, it appears that mitochondrial β-barrel proteins have not evolved eukaryotic-specific signals to ensure their import into mitochondria. Furthermore, the signal for assembly of β-barrel proteins into the bacterial outer membrane is functional in mitochondria.