Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Polymorphisms in HLA Class I Genes Associated with both Favorable Prognosis of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Type 1 Infection and Positive Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Responses to ALVAC-HIV Recombinant Canarypox Vaccines

ABSTRACT Carriers of certain human leukocyte antigen class I alleles show favorable prognosis of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection, presumably due to effective CD8+ cytotoxic T-lymphocyte responses, but close relationships between class I variants mediating such responses to natural and to vaccine HIV-1 antigen have not been established. During 6 to 30 months of administration and follow-up in trials of ALVAC-HIV recombinant canarypox vaccines, cells from 42% of 291 HIV-1-negative vaccinated subjects typed at class I loci responded to an HIV-1 protein in a lytic bulk CD8+ cytotoxic T-lymphocyte assay. By 2 weeks after the second dose, higher proportions of vaccinees carrying one of two alleles consistently associated with slower progression of natural HIV-1 infection reacted at least once: B∗27 carriers reacted to Gag (64%; odds ratio [OR] = 10.3, P = 0.001) and Env (36%; OR = 4.6, P = 0.04), and B∗57 carriers reacted to Env (44%; OR = 6.6, P < 0.05). By 2 weeks after the third or fourth dose, B∗27 carriers had responded (two or more reactions) to Gag (33%; OR = 4.4, P< 0.05) and B∗57 carriers had responded to both Gag (39%; OR = 5.3, P = 0.013) and Env (39%; OR = 9.5,P = 0.002). Homozygosity at class I loci, although conferring an unfavorable prognosis following natural infection, showed no such disadvantage for vaccine response. Individual class I alleles have not previously demonstrated such clear and consistent relationship with both the clinical course of an infection and cellular immunity to a vaccine against the infectious agent. This proof of principle that class I an alleles modulate both processes has implications for development of HIV-1 and presumably other vaccines.
Antigenic variation in Babesia rodhaini demonstrated by immunization with irradiated parasites

SUMMARY 1 Populations of Babesia rodhaini were isolated which were ‘putative’ variants of a reference population. 2. They were shown to have some antigenic dissimilarity to the reference population by comparing the response of rats immunized with irradiated parasites of the reference population, to challenge with either the reference population or with the variant populations. To the homologous challenge the immunized rats were strongly resistant. After a heterologous challenge, however, for the first 3 or 4 days the immunized rats showed no resistance but thereafter rapidly controlled the infection. 3. Five ‘variation’ populations were tested and all were shown to have some antigenic dissimilarity to the reference population. Two variant populations were compared and were not found to be identical with each other. There appeared, however, to be less dissimilarity between them and any one variant and the reference population. Mrs J. Page and her successor Miss D. Leader, gave technical assistance. I thank my colleagues for helpful criticism of the manuscript.
A New Class of P(VdF-HFP)-CeO2-LiClO4-Based Composite Microporous Membrane Electrolytes for Li-Ion Batteries

Composite microporous membranes based on Poly (vinylidene fluoride–co-hexafluoro propylene) P(VdF-co-HFP)-CeO2 were prepared by phase inversion and preferential polymer dissolution process. It was then immersed in 1M LiClO4-EC/DMC (v/v=1:1) electrolyte solution to obtain their corresponding composite microporous membrane electrolytes. For comparison, composite membrane electrolytes were also prepared by conventional phase inversion method. The surface morphology of composite membranes obtained by both methods was examined by FE-SEM analysis, and their thermal behaviour was investigated by DSC analysis. It was observed that the preferential polymer dissolution composite membrane electrolytes (PDCMEs) had better properties, such as higher porosity, electrolyte uptake (216 wt%), ionic conductivity (3.84 mS⋅cm−1) and good electrochemical stability (4.9 V), than the phase inversion composite membrane electrolytes (PICMEs). As a result, a cell fabricated with PDCME in between mesocarbon microbead (MCMB) anode and LiCoO2 cathode had better cycling performance than a cell fabricated with PICME.
Noncoherent space-time equalization

In this paper, noncoherent equalization is combined with multiple receive antennas. The resulting noncoherent space-time equalization (NSTE) schemes are analyzed and compared with the corresponding coherent receivers. In particular, noncoherent linear equalization (NLE) and noncoherent decision-feedback equalization (NDFE) are considered. For both NLE and NDFE novel approximations for the signal-to-distortion ratio (SDR) are given and verified by simulations. It is shown that NSTE can suppress interfering users and exploit diversity as effectively as coherent STE. However, NSTE is more robust against channel phase variations than coherent STE combined with synchronization.
Evaluation of changes in sympathetic nerve activity and heart rate in essential hypertensive patients induced by amlodipine and nifedipine

Objective To compare the effects of amlodipine and nifedipine on heart rate and parameters of sympathetic nerve activity during the acute and chronic treatment periods in order to elucidate their influence on cardiovascular outcome. Design A randomized and single-blind study. Methods We performed 24 h ambulatory electrocardiography and blood pressure monitoring of 45 essential hypertensive inpatients. Plasma and urinary catecholamine levels were measured during the control (pretreatment) period, on the first day (acute period) and after 4 weeks (chronic period) of administration of amlodipine and of short-acting nifedipine or its slow-releasing formulation. The low-frequency and high-frequency power spectral densities and low-frequency: high-frequency ratio were obtained by heart rate power spectral analysis. Results Blood pressure was significantly and similarly reduced by administrations of amlodipine, short-acting nifedipine and slow-releasing nifedipine during the chronic period. The total QRS count per 24 h, which remained constant during the chronic period of administration of slow-releasing nifedipine and was increased by administration of nifedipine, was decreased by 2.8% by administration of amlodipine. Administration of amlodipine decreased the plasma and urinary norepinephrine levels during the chronic period, whereas the levels were significantly increased by administration of short-acting nifedipine and not changed by administration of slow-release nifedipine. Although low-frequency: high-frequency ratio was increased significantly by administration of short-acting nifedipine and slightly by administration of slow-releasing nifedipine, administration of amlodipine reduced it during the acute and chronic periods. Conclusions Administration of amlodipine did not induce an increase in sympathetic nerve activity in essential hypertensive patients during the chronic period, suggesting that beneficial effects on essential hypertension can be expected after its long-term administration. Administration of slow-releasing nifedipine induces milder reflex sympathetic activation than does that of short-acting nifedipine.
M1/M2 Macrophage Polarity in Normal and Complicated Pregnancy

Tissue macrophages play an important role in all stages of pregnancy, including uterine stromal remodeling (decidualization) before embryo implantation, parturition, and post-partum uterine involution. The activation state and function of utero-placental macrophages are largely dependent on the local tissue microenvironment. Thus, macrophages are involved in a variety of activities such as regulation of immune cell activities, placental cell invasion, angiogenesis, and tissue remodeling. Disruption of the uterine microenvironment, particularly during the early stages of pregnancy (decidualization, implantation, and placentation) can have profound effects on macrophage activity and subsequently impact pregnancy outcome. In this review, we will provide an overview of the temporal and spatial regulation of utero-placental macrophage activation during normal pregnancy in human beings and rodents with a focus on more recent findings. We will also discuss the role of M1/M2 dysregulation within the intrauterine environment during adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Polymorphisms of Toll-Like Receptors and Their Pathways in Viral Hepatitis

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are an important part of the innate immune response to a variety of pathogens including hepatic viral infections. Activation of TLRs stimulates a complex intracellular signalling cascade that results in production of proinflammatory cytokines and interferons important for antiviral responses as well as induction of the adaptive arm of the immune system. There is substantial evidence for an important role for TLRs and TLR-mediated signalling in the pathogenesis and outcomes of hepatitis B and C in particular, but it might also influence responses to other viral hepatitis infections. Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of TLRs, relevant adaptor molecules and cytokines mediated by TLR signalling have been described that alter innate immune responses and have been implicated in a variety of human diseases including viral and other infections. There is now significant evidence that a number of TLR SNPs can affect various clinical outcomes in Caucasian patients with chronic HCV. However, the role of these polymorphisms in acute and other chronic hepatitis infections, including HBV as well as in non-Caucasian populations, has not been elucidated. In addition, results for SNPs downstream of TLR activation, such as in relevant cytokines, are inconsistent and their influence requires further investigation to determine the clinical significance of genetic variations in these mediators.
Adalimumab and methotrexate is more effective than adalimumab alone in patients with established rheumatoid arthritis: results from a 6-month longitudinal, observational, multicentre study

Objectives: To compare the effectiveness of adalimumab monotherapy and adalimumab and methotrexate (MTX) combination therapy in patients with established rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: Data from an ongoing longitudinal observational study in Norway were used to compare response to treatment with two different adalimumab regimens (monotherapy, n = 84; combination with MTX, n = 99). Patients were assessed with measures of disease activity, health status and utility scores. Within-group changes were analysed from baseline to follow-up at 3 and 6 months and the changes were compared between groups after adjustment for the propensity score. The groups were also compared for the proportions of patients achieving European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) good response, Disease Activity Score (DAS)28 remission and treatment terminations. Results: The improvement from baseline was significant for all measures in the adalimumab and MTX group, but only for DAS28, joint counts, two Short-form Health Survey with 36 questions (SF-36) dimensions and patient’s and investigator’s global assessment in the monotherapy group. All between-group differences were numerically in favour of combination therapy and significant for C reactive protein, joint counts, DAS28, Modified Health Assessment Questionnaire, investigator’s global assessment, four SF-36 dimensions and Short Form 6D at 6 months. More patients in the combination therapy group reached EULAR good response (p<0.001) and remission (p = 0.07). At 6 months, 80.8% of the patients in the combination therapy group and 59.5% in the monotherapy group remained on treatment (p = 0.002). More withdrawals in the monotherapy group were due to adverse events. Conclusions: Our results were consistent across several categories of end points and suggest that adalimumab combined with MTX is effective in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated in daily clinical practice and is superior to adalimumab monotherapy.
Differential Effects of Epidermal Growth Factor and Hydrocortisone in Human Fetal Colon

The influence of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and hydrocortisone on the functional development of human fetal colon was studied in organ cultures. Fetal colon (14 to 17 weeks gestation) was cultured for 5 days at 37°C in serum-free Leibovitz L-15 medium alone or supplemented with 1, 10, and 100 ng of EGF/ml or with 50 ng of hydrocortisone/ml of culture medium. The overall morphology of the colonic explants was not altered by the hormonal addition. In the continuous presence of EGF (1, 10, and 100 ng/ml) for 5 days, a significant decrease of [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA was observed. At the brush border level, the addition of EGF induced a significant drop in sucrase, maltase, and alkaline phos-phatase activities. These enzymic modifications occurred between the third and fifth day of culture, whereas variation in DNA synthesis was already evident within 24 h. The addition of hydrocortisone at a dose affecting the small intestine (50 ng/ml) did not significantly influence colonic DNA synthesis nor the digestive enzymic activities. These observations show for the first time that EGF, but not hydrocortisone, influences the proliferation and differentiation of human fetal colonic mucosa.
Interruptions of antiretroviral therapy in children and adolescents with HIV infection in clinical practice: a retrospective cohort study in the USA

Changes in combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) throughout childhood challenge the continuity of paediatric HIV treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of treatment interruption (TI), including lamivudine (3TC) monotherapy, and the relationship of TI to virologic and immunologic parameters in HIV‐infected paediatric patients.
Contribution of diet to the composition of the human gut microbiota

In the human gut, millions of bacteria contribute to the microbiota, whose composition is specific for every individual. Although we are just at the very beginning of understanding the microbiota concept, we already know that the composition of the microbiota has a profound impact on human health. A key factor in determining gut microbiota composition is diet. Preliminary evidence suggests that dietary patterns are associated with distinct combinations of bacteria in the intestine, also called enterotypes. Western diets result in significantly different microbiota compositions than traditional diets. It is currently unknown which food constituents specifically promote growth and functionality of beneficial bacteria in the intestine. The aim of this review is to summarize the recently published evidence from human in vivo studies on the gut microbiota-modulating effects of diet. It includes sections on dietary patterns (e.g. Western diet), whole foods, food constituents, as wells as food-associated microbes and their influence on the composition of human gut microbiota. The conclusions highlight the problems faced by scientists in this fast-developing field of research, and the need for high-quality, large-scale human dietary intervention studies.
Reduced graphene oxide for room-temperature gas sensors

We demonstrated high-performance gas sensors based on graphene oxide (GO) sheets partially reduced via low-temperature thermal treatments. Hydrophilic graphene oxide sheets uniformly suspended in water were first dispersed onto gold interdigitated electrodes. The partial reduction of the GO sheets was then achieved through low-temperature, multi-step annealing (100, 200, and 300 °C) or one-step heating (200 °C) of the device in argon flow at atmospheric pressure. The electrical conductance of GO was measured after each heating cycle to interpret the level of reduction. The thermally-reduced GO showed p-type semiconducting behavior in ambient conditions and was responsive to low-concentration NO2 and NH3 gases diluted in air at room temperature. The sensitivity can be attributed mainly to the electron transfer between the reduced GO and adsorbed gaseous molecules (NO2/NH3). Additionally, the contact between GO and the Au electrode is likely to contribute to the overall sensing response because of the adsorbates-induced Schottky barrier variation. A simplified model is used to explain the experimental observations.
Field programmable gate arrays implementations of low complexity soft-input soft-output low-density parity-check decoders

Low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes are very efficient error control codes that are being considered for use in many next-generation communication systems. In this study low complexity soft-input, soft-output (SISO) field programmable gate arrays (FPGA) implementations of a novel logarithmic sum-product (LogSP) iterative LDPC decoder and a recently proposed simplified soft Euclidean distance (SSD) iterative LDPC decoder are presented, and their complexities and performance are compared. These implementations operate over any choice of parity check matrix (including those randomly generated, structurally generated and either systematic or non-systematic) and can be parametrically adapted for any code rate. The proposed implementations are both of very low complexity, because they operate using only sums, subtractions, comparisons and look-up tables, which makes them particularly suitable for FPGA realisation. The SSD decoder has a lower implementation complexity than the LogSP LDPC decoder and it also offers the advantage of not requiring knowledge of the channel signal-to-noise ratio, unlike most other LDPC decoders.
Voltage Noise in Multi-Core Processors: Empirical Characterization and Optimization Opportunities

Voltage noise characterization is an essential aspect of optimizing the shipped voltage of high-end processor based systems. Voltage noise, i.e. Variations in the supply voltage due to transient fluctuations on current, can negatively affect the robustness of the design if it is not properly characterized. Modeling and estimation of voltage noise in a pre-silicon setting is typically inadequate because it is difficult to model the chip/system packaging and power distribution network (PDN) parameters very precisely. Therefore, a systematic, direct measurement-based characterization of voltage noise in a post-silicon setting is mandatory in validating the robustness of the design. In this paper, we present a direct measurement-based voltage noise characterization of a state-of-the-art mainframe class multicoreprocessor. We develop a systematic methodology to generate noise stress marks. We study the sensitivity of noise in relation to the different parameters involved in noise generation: (a) stimulus sequence frequency, (b) supply current delta, (c) number of noise events and, (d) degree of alignment or synchronization of events in a multi-core context. By sensing per-core noise in a multi-core chip, we characterize the noise propagation across the cores. This insight opens up new opportunities for noise mitigation via workload mappings and dynamic voltage guard banding.
Etiopathogenesis of Otosclerosis

Otosclerosis is a frequent cause of nonsyndromic hearing loss which affects exclusively the human temporal bone. Various etiopathogenetic hypotheses have been proposed. The major hypotheses considered are genetic factors, immunologic factors and viral infection. Since the familial incidence of otosclerosis is known a recent genetic analysis has given evidence of three otosclerosis genes (OTSC1–3). Mutations in the collagen gene COL1A1 have been found in one large family with several cases of otosclerosis. Concerning an immunologic etiopathogenetic process, the presence of serum antibodies against collagen II and IX in patients with otosclerosis confirms the hypothesis of a collagen autoimmune mechanism. Finally as a possible cause of this chronic inflammatory disease morphologic and biochemical investigations have revealed a measles virus association. In conclusion, various etiopathogenetic factors may contribute to the genesis of otosclerosis.
Long-term outcomes of obsessive–compulsive disorder: follow-up of 142 children and adolescents

Background Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) often starts in childhood and adolescence and can be a chronic disorder with high persistence rates. There are few prospective long-term follow-up studies. Aims To follow up young people with OCD to clarify persistence rates and relevant predictors, presence of other psychiatric disorders, functional impairment, service utilisation and perceived treatment needs. Method All young people with OCD assessed over 9 years at the National and Specialist Paediatric OCD clinic, Maudsley Hospital, London, were included. Sixty-one per cent (142 of 222) of all contactable young people and parents completed computerised diagnostic interviews and questionnaires. Results We found a persistence rate of OCD of 41%; 40% of participants had a psychiatric diagnosis other than OCD at follow-up. The main predictor for persistent OCD was duration of illness at assessment. High levels of baseline psychopathology predicted other psychiatric disorders at follow-up. Functional impairment and quality of life were mildly to moderately affected. Approximately 50% of participants were still receiving treatment and about 50% felt a need for further treatment. Conclusions This study confirms that paediatric OCD can be a chronic condition that persists into adulthood. Early recognition and treatment might prevent chronicity. Important challenges for services are ensuring adequate treatment and a smooth transition from child to adult services.
Export of Cellubrevin from the Endoplasmic Reticulum Is Controlled by BAP31

Cellubrevin is a ubiquitously expressed membrane protein that is localized to endosomes throughout the endocytotic pathway and functions in constitutive exocytosis. We report that cellubrevin binds with high specificity to BAP31, a representative of a highly conserved family of integral membrane proteins that has recently been discovered to be binding proteins of membrane immunoglobulins. The interaction between BAP31 and cellubrevin is sensitive to high ionic strength and appears to require the transmembrane regions of both proteins. No other proteins of liver membrane extracts copurified with BAP31 on immobilized recombinant cellubrevin, demonstrating that the interaction is specific. Synaptobrevin I bound to BAP31 with comparable affinity, whereas only weak binding was detectable with synaptobrevin II. Furthermore, a fraction of BAP31 and cellubrevin was complexed when each of them was quantitatively immunoprecipitated from detergent extracts of fibroblasts (BHK 21 cells). During purification of clathrin-coated vesicles or early endosomes, BAP31 did not cofractionate with cellubrevin. Rather, the protein was enriched in ER-containing fractions. When BHK cells were analyzed by immunocytochemistry, BAP31 did not overlap with cellubrevin, but rather colocalized with resident proteins of the ER. In addition, immunoreactive vesicles were clustered in a paranuclear region close to the microtubule organizing center, but different from the Golgi apparatus. When microtubules were depolymerized with nocodazole, this accumulation disappeared and BAP31 was confined to the ER. Truncation of the cytoplasmic tail of BAP31 prevented export of cellubrevin, but not of the transferrin receptor from the ER. We conclude that BAP31 represents a novel class of sorting proteins that controls anterograde transport of certain membrane proteins from the ER to the Golgi complex.