Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nef-Specific CD8+ T Cell Responses Contribute to HIV-1 Immune Control

Recent studies in the SIV-macaque model of HIV infection suggest that Nef-specific CD8+ T-cell responses may mediate highly effective immune control of viraemia. In HIV infection Nef recognition dominates in acute infection, but in large cohort studies of chronically infected subjects, breadth of T cell responses to Nef has not been correlated with significant viraemic control. Improved disease outcomes have instead been associated with targeting Gag and, in some cases, Pol. However analyses of the breadth of Nef-specific T cell responses have been confounded by the extreme immunogenicity and multiple epitope overlap within the central regions of Nef, making discrimination of distinct responses impossible via IFN-gamma ELISPOT assays. Thus an alternative approach to assess Nef as an immune target is needed. Here, we show in a cohort of >700 individuals with chronic C-clade infection that >50% of HLA-B-selected polymorphisms within Nef are associated with a predicted fitness cost to the virus, and that HLA-B alleles that successfully drive selection within Nef are those linked with lower viral loads. Furthermore, the specific CD8+ T cell epitopes that are restricted by protective HLA Class I alleles correspond substantially to effective SIV-specific epitopes in Nef. Distinguishing such individual HIV-specific responses within Nef requires specific peptide-MHC I tetramers. Overall, these data suggest that CD8+ T cell targeting of certain specific Nef epitopes contributes to HIV suppression. These data suggest that a re-evaluation of the potential use of Nef in HIV T-cell vaccine candidates would be justified.
The Unique Endosomal/Lysosomal System of Giardia lamblia

Endocytosis, which is important for the internalization of nutrients from the plasma membrane as well as extracellular fluids, has been extensively described in mammalian cells and yeast. The protozoan parasite Giardia lamblia (syn. Giardia intestinalis, Giardia duodenalis) is an early branching eukaryote that possesses a reduced membrane network with highly polarized vesicles, denominated peripheral vacuoles (PVs), neighboring the plasma membrane (reviewed by Adam, 2001; Faso and Hehl, 2011; Touz, 2011). This is an important zone of interaction between the parasite and its environment (the host intestine in vivo or the culture medium in vitro), and was shown to be the place involved in fluid-phase and receptor-mediated endocytosis (Gaechter et al., 2008; Rivero et al., 2010). Another characteristic of these PVs is that they contain hydrolytic activity resembling the function performed by lysosomes. These vacuoles have a high lytic capacity and a low luminal pH, both properties of mature lysosomes (Ward et al., 1997; Touz et al., 2002b).
Soft matter: rubber and networks

Rubber networks are important and form the basis for materials with properties ranging from rubber tires to super absorbents and contact lenses. The development of the entropy ideas of rubber deformation thermodynamics provides a powerful framework from which to understand and to use these materials. In addition, swelling of the rubber in the presence of small molecule liquids or solvents leads to materials that are very soft and ‘gel’ like in nature. The review covers the thermodynamics of polymer networks and gels from the perspective of the thermodynamics and mechanics of the strain energy density function. Important relationships are presented and experimental results show that the continuum ideas contained in the phenomenological thermodynamics are valid, but that the molecular bases for some of them remain to be fully elucidated. This is particularly so in the case of the entropic gels or swollen networks. The review is concluded with some perspectives on other networks, ranging from entropic polymer networks such as thermoplastic elastomers to physical gels in which cross-link points are formed by glassy or crystalline domains. A discussion is provided for other physical gels in which the network forms a spinodal-like decomposition, both in thermoplastic polymers that form a glassy network upon phase separation and for colloidal gels that seem to have a similar behavior.
Effect of dietary Spirulina (Arthrospira) platensis on the growth performance, antioxidant enzyme activity, nutrient digestibility, cecal microflora, excreta noxious gas emission, and breast meat quality of broiler chickens

ABSTRACT This study examined the effects of dietary Spirulina (Arthrospira) platensis supplementation on growth performance, antioxidant enzyme activity, nutrient digestibility, cecal microflora, excreta noxious gas emission, organ weight and breast meat quality in broiler chickens. In total, 800 Ross 308 male broiler chickens (1‐d‐old) were randomly divided into 5 dietary treatments with 10 replicate cages (16 birds/replicate) per treatment for 5 wk. The dietary treatments were a control basal diet without Spirulina or with 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, or 1.0% Spirulina. Body weight gain, feed conversion, and/or European production efficiency index improved linearly with supplementation of Spirulina during d 8 to 21, 22 to 35, and overall d 1 to 35 (P < 0.05). Dietary Spirulina supplementation caused a significant increase in the serum enzyme activity of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase (linear, P < 0.05). Apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter and nitrogen showed a linear increase in Spirulina supplementation (P < 0.05). Cecal Lactobacillus count linearly increased and excreta ammonia gas emission linearly decreased, as dietary Spirulina supplementation increased (P < 0.05). There were no significant effects on relative organ weight and breast meat quality of broilers fed with Spirulina diets; however, 7 d drip loss linearly decreased in treatment groups fed with Spirulina (P < 0.05). These results indicate that adding Spirulina to the diet of broilers can improve antioxidant enzyme activity, dry matter and nitrogen digestibility, cecal Lactobacillus population, excreta ammonia gas emission, and 7 d drip loss of breast meat. In addition, dietary inclusion of 1.0% Spirulina powder might provide a good alternative to improve broiler chicken production.
Improved quasi-static twin-fiber transverse compression of several high-performance fibers

The method of determining the quasi-static transverse compressive response of several high-performance polymer fibers was improved upon from a previous twin-fiber transverse compression setup in order to detect small initial high compliance signals while maintaining consistent diametral compression. Two fibers were laid parallel between two polished tool steel platens, and the fibers were subsequently compressed using a piezo-electric actuator at quasi-static rates. The new experimental setup ensures that the compression cycle begins when extremely small load signals are detected so that initial elastic transverse moduli may be more accurately measured. Nominal stress–strain curves were obtained for several types of high-performance fibers. The results show good agreement with previously obtained measurements. S-glass fibers exhibited a vastly different mechanical response compared to the polymer fibers.
Core foundations of abstract geometry

Human adults from diverse cultures share intuitions about the points, lines, and figures of Euclidean geometry. Do children develop these intuitions by drawing on phylogenetically ancient and developmentally precocious geometric representations that guide their navigation and their analysis of object shape? In what way might these early-arising representations support later-developing Euclidean intuitions? To approach these questions, we investigated the relations among young children’s use of geometry in tasks assessing: navigation; visual form analysis; and the interpretation of symbolic, purely geometric maps. Children’s navigation depended on the distance and directional relations of the surface layout and predicted their use of a symbolic map with targets designated by surface distances. In contrast, children’s analysis of visual forms depended on the size-invariant shape relations of objects and predicted their use of the same map but with targets designated by corner angles. Even though the two map tasks used identical instructions and map displays, children’s performance on these tasks showed no evidence of integrated representations of distance and angle. Instead, young children flexibly recruited geometric representations of either navigable layouts or objects to interpret the same spatial symbols. These findings reveal a link between the early-arising geometric representations that humans share with diverse animals and the flexible geometric intuitions that give rise to human knowledge at its highest reaches. Although young children do not appear to integrate core geometric representations, children’s use of the abstract geometry in spatial symbols such as maps may provide the earliest clues to the later construction of Euclidean geometry.
Hemopressin an Inverse Agonist of Cb1 Cannabinoid Receptors Reverses Mechanical Sensitivity on Diabetes-Induced Neuropathy in Mice

Peripheral neuropathy is one of the most common complications of diabetes affecting about 50% of patients with the disease. The most prominent symptoms involve the extremities and occur as both an exaggerated response to noxious stimuli (hyperalgesia), mild or non-painful stimuli (allodynia). Hemopressin (Hp) is a non apeptide first found in rat brain extracts, which selectively binds CB1 cannabinoid receptors (CB1R) and exerts antinociceptive actions in experimental inflammatory and neuropathic pain models. However there is no data about its efficacy in neuropathic metabolic-related disease, like diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Hp on mechanical and thermal sensitivity of mice submitted to an experimental model of type 1 diabetes mellitus-induced neuropathy. Mechanical allodynia and thermal sensibility were assessed by von Frey filaments or plantar test, respectively, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after streptozotocine injection (STZ; 200 mg/kg). Body weight and blood glucose were monitored once a week. Hp was administered orally, once a day (2.5 mg/kg) for 28 days. Hp reversed mechanical allodynia in diabetic mice without changing blood glucose levels or body weight. No effects were observed for thermal sensitivity. These results make hemopressin an attractive approach for the development of cannabinoid-based therapies for the treatment diabetic neuropathic pain.
Inferring genetic connectivity in real populations, exemplified by coastal and oceanic Atlantic cod

Significance Estimates of migration are important for understanding the dynamics of natural populations. A statistic known as FST is often used to measure levels of genetic differentiation among natural populations. Equations that translate FST into estimates of migration are based on “ideal” populations, which are subject to many simplifying assumptions compared with real populations. Therefore, theoretical estimates of migration might not be realistic. We modeled populations of Atlantic cod in the North Sea and the adjacent Skagerrak region to compare how migration is related to the complexities of real populations, and how actual migration compares with predictions based on theory. Results are intended to help apply population genetic theory to practical situations. Genetic data are commonly used to estimate connectivity between putative populations, but translating them to demographic dispersal rates is complicated. Theoretical equations that infer a migration rate based on the genetic estimator FST, such as Wright’s equation, FST ≈ 1/(4Nem + 1), make assumptions that do not apply to most real populations. How complexities inherent to real populations affect migration was exemplified by Atlantic cod in the North Sea and Skagerrak and was examined within an age-structured model that incorporated genetic markers. Migration was determined under various scenarios by varying the number of simulated migrants until the mean simulated level of genetic differentiation matched a fixed level of genetic differentiation equal to empirical estimates. Parameters that decreased the Ne/Nt ratio (where Ne is the effective and Nt is the total population size), such as high fishing mortality and high fishing gear selectivity, increased the number of migrants required to achieve empirical levels of genetic differentiation. Higher maturity-at-age and lower selectivity increased Ne/Nt and decreased migration when genetic differentiation was fixed. Changes in natural mortality, fishing gear selectivity, and maturity-at-age within expected limits had a moderate effect on migration when genetic differentiation was held constant. Changes in population size had the greatest effect on the number of migrants to achieve fixed levels of FST, particularly when genetic differentiation was low, FST ≈ 10−3. Highly variable migration patterns, compared with constant migration, resulted in higher variance in genetic differentiation and higher extreme values. Results are compared with and provide insight into the use of theoretical equations to estimate migration among real populations.
Adherence between steel bars and lightweight concrete with EPS beads

Resumo This paper describes the adherence behavior of a structural lightweight concrete with EPS beads (SLCEB) in a monotonic loading, based in a bibliographic review and in pull-out tests. The results of these SLCEB tests were compared with those of an ordinary concrete (OC) and with the values based in indications of the Brazilian code ABNT NBR 6118:2014 – Design of concrete structures. The pull-out tests of two batches of SLCEB and one of OC were analyzed, in a total of 60 tests. Mechanical characteristics were determined too, such as: compressive strength and tensile strength in split cylinder test. The calculated results according to the above mentioned standard were very different from those obtained in the tests, indicating that the theoretical values are more conservative than the experimental ones. It was also verified that it is possible to use SLCEB in structures with respect to the adequate adherence of reinforcement in the concrete.
The Impact of Terrorism on Financial Markets: An Empirical Study

The main focus of this paper is to study empirically the impact of terrorism on the behavior of stock, bond and commodity markets. We consider terrorist events that took place in 25 countries over an 11-year time period and implement our analysis using different methods: an event-study approach, a non-parametric methodology, and a filtered GARCH-EVT approach. In addition, we compare the effect of terrorist attacks on financial markets with the impact of other extreme events such as financial crashes and natural catastrophes. The results of our analysis show that a non-parametric approach is the most appropriate method among the three for analyzing the impact of terrorism on financial markets. We demonstrate the robustness of this method when interest rates, equity market integration, spillover and contemporaneous effects are controlled. We show how the results of this approach can be used for investors' portfolio diversification strategies against terrorism risk.
Mean-square consistency of statistical-function estimators for generalized almost-cyclostationary processes

In this paper, the problem of estimating second-order statistical functions for generalized almost-cyclostationary (GACS) processes is addressed. The class of such nonstationary processes includes, as a special case, the almost-cyclostationary (ACS) processes. ACS processes filtered by some linear time-variant channels are further examples. It is shown that, for GACS processes, the cyclic correlogram is a mean-square consistent estimator of the cyclic autocorrelation function. Moreover, well-known consistency results for ACS processes can be obtained by specializing the results of this paper.
Stability Analysis of an SIRI Epidemic Model with Distributed Latent Period

In this paper, we investigate the global asymptotic stability of the possible equilibria for an SIRI epidemic model with a distributed latent period and a general incidence function. By using the method of Lyapunov functions and the LaSalle invariance principle, we show that the global asymptotic stability is completely determined by the basic reproduction number R0. The originality of this work is to have a basic reproduction number R0 which depends on the distribution of the latent period. Finally, we use a nonstandard discretization method of Mickens to illustrate numerically our theoretical results.
Influence of standard recommendations for the calculation of the column-base connection by socket according to ABNT NBR 9062 : 2006

Resumo This work studies the column-base connection by external socket in precast structures. A parametric study of the geometric characteristics of the external socket base with smooth interface is presented. In this parametric study, the consumption of concrete and steel are analyzed. The column cross section, the embedded length of the column in the socket base and the thickness of the wall of the socket base were the variables considered in this study. It was observed that with the increase of the embedded length, the minimum cross section of the main horizontal reinforcement reduces. With this modification, the walls of the socket base that are perpendicular to the direction of the applied loads presented a reduction of their stiffness. Besides the parametric study, this paper presents a verification model. This part of the study shows the possibility to generate abacuses that simplifies the project of the socket base foundation. Moreover, a comparative analysis becomes easier to be accomplished.
Median fin function in bluegill sunfish Lepomis macrochirus: streamwise vortex structure during steady swimming

SUMMARY Fishes have an enormous diversity of body shapes and fin morphologies. From a hydrodynamic standpoint, the functional significance of this diversity is poorly understood, largely because the three-dimensional flow around swimming fish is almost completely unknown. Fully three-dimensional volumetric flow measurements are not currently feasible, but measurements in multiple transverse planes along the body can illuminate many of the important flow features. In this study, I analyze flow in the transverse plane at a range of positions around bluegill sunfish Lepomis macrochirus, from the trailing edges of the dorsal and anal fins to the near wake. Simultaneous particle image velocimetry and kinematic measurements were performed during swimming at 1.2 body lengths s–1 to describe the streamwise vortex structure, to quantify the contributions of each fin to the vortex wake, and to assess the importance of three-dimensional flow effects in swimming. Sunfish produce streamwise vortices from at least eight distinct places, including both the dorsal and ventral margins of the soft dorsal and anal fins, and the tips and central notched region of the caudal fin. I propose a three-dimensional structure of the vortex wake in which these vortices from the caudal notch are elongated by the dorso-ventral cupping motion of the tail, producing a structure like a hairpin vortex in the caudal fin vortex ring. Vortices from the dorsal and anal fin persist into the wake, probably linking up with the caudal fin vortices. These dorsal and anal fin vortices do not differ significantly in circulation from the two caudal fin tip vortices. Because the circulations are equal and the length of the trailing edge of the caudal fin is approximately equal to the combined trailing edge length of the dorsal and anal fins, I argue that the two anterior median fins produce a total force that is comparable to that of the caudal fin. To provide additional detail on how different positions contribute to total force along the posterior body, the change in vortex circulation as flow passes down the body is also analyzed. The posterior half of the caudal fin and the dorsal and anal fins add vortex circulation to the flow, but circulation appears to decrease around the peduncle and anterior caudal fin. Kinematic measurements indicate that the tail is angled correctly to enhance thrust through this interaction. Finally, the degree to which the caudal fin acts like a idealized two-dimensional plate is examined: approximately 25% of the flow near the tail is accelerated up and down, rather than laterally, producing wasted momentum, a loss not present in ideal two-dimensional theories.
Exosome Therapy for Stroke

Nearly, all cells generate and eject vesicles, and these vesicles constitute major vehicles for intercellular communication. Exosomes, as nanosized vesicles (≈30–100 nm in diameter1), target cell function by delivering proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Exosomes are emerging as a valuable source for disease stage–specific information and as fingerprints of disease progression and as potential biomarkers in different pathophysiological states.2–5 However, because exosomes provide a major medium of intercellular communication,6 they likely also impact the treatment of diseases.7,8 Recent reports have highlighted the critical application of exosomes as personalized targeted drug delivery vehicles.6,9 Exosomes harvested from multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) mediate the restorative therapeutic effects of MSCs for stroke.10 Here, we review the biogenesis of exosomes and their molecular composition and role as messengers of intercellular communication and describe using exosomes for treatment of stroke. We also focus on therapeutic effects and underlying mechanisms of action of exosomes as therapeutic vectors for stroke11 but do not discuss the role of exosomes as disease or injury biomarkers. Capitalizing on the function of exosomes as vehicles for intercellular communication in physiological and pathophysiological conditions such as stroke provides a paradigm shift and enormous potential for safe and effective therapeutic approaches for stroke and for other diseases/injury. Exosomes are highly conserved among most eukaryotic organisms, from microorganisms up to mammals.12 Exosomes originate from the endocytic route and are formed by the inward budding of the plasma membrane. The membrane of late endosomes invaginates and forms small vesicles that are pinched off into the endosomal space. The internal intraluminal vesicles with their cargo secreted into the extracellular space are exosomes.13 Exosomes contain conserved proteins, such as CD81, CD63 (membrane-associated proteins like LAMP-3 [lysosome-associated membrane protein 3]), and CD9; Alix …
Equilibrium conformational dynamics in an RNA tetraloop from massively parallel molecular dynamics

Conformational equilibrium within the ubiquitous GNRA tetraloop motif was simulated at the ensemble level, including 10 000 independent all-atom molecular dynamics trajectories totaling over 110 micros of simulation time. This robust sampling reveals a highly dynamic structure comprised of 15 conformational microstates. We assemble a Markov model that includes transitions ranging from the nanosecond to microsecond timescales and is dominated by six key loop conformations that contribute to fluctuations around the native state. Mining of the Protein Data Bank provides an abundance of structures in which GNRA tetraloops participate in tertiary contact formation. Most predominantly observed in the experimental data are interactions of the native loop structure within the minor groove of adjacent helical regions. Additionally, a second trend is observed in which the tetraloop assumes non-native conformations while participating in multiple tertiary contacts, in some cases involving multiple possible loop conformations. This tetraloop flexibility can act to counterbalance the energetic penalty associated with assuming non-native loop structures in forming tertiary contacts. The GNRA motif has thus evolved not only to readily participate in simple tertiary interactions involving native loop structure, but also to easily adapt tetraloop secondary conformation in order to participate in larger, more complex tertiary interactions.