Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Race, military service, and marital timing: Evidence from the NLSY-79

I use data from the 1979 National Longitudinal Study of Youth to examine the relationship between military service and marital timing for white men and black men during the 1980s. I use information about active-duty and reserve-duty service as well as veteran status to implement strong controls for selectivity. I find that active-duty military service increases the probability of first marriage for both whites and blacks. In part, this relationship is due to positive selectivity into the military and, for whites, to greater income and economic stability. Above and beyond the effects of selectivity, income, and economic stability, the effect of active-duty military service is particularly strong for black men.
Caspase 6 Regulates B Cell Activation and Differentiation into Plasma Cells1

Caspase (Casp) family proteases regulate not only lymphocyte apoptosis but also lymphocyte activation and development. In this study, we show that Casp6 regulates B cell activation and differentiation into plasma cells by modifying cell cycle entry. B cells from Casp6 knockout (Casp6 KO) mice examined ex vivo have more cells in G1 than wild-type B cells, and mitogen-induced G1 entry of Casp6 KO B cells is much faster than that of wild-type B cells. Even so, S phase entry and proliferation are not increased in Casp6 KO B cells. Rather than proliferating, activated Casp6 KO B cells preferentially differentiate into syndecan-1+ plasma cells and produce Abs. In Casp6 KO mice compared with WT mice, serum levels of IgG1, IgG2a, and IgG2b are increased and Ag-specific Ab responses are also enhanced along with increased percentages of syndecan-1+ plasma cells. Casp6 may regulate both B cell activation and differentiation by modifying requirements for G0 B cells to enter G1.
Orig inal Art ic les Results of Coronary Artery Stenting in Women versus Men : A Single Center Experience

Background: Prior studies have suggested that women are at higher risk for morbidity and mortality during coronary angioplasty, although long-term prognosis is similar after successful procedures. Objectives: To examine the role of gender in coronary stenting, including immediate procedural success as well as early and late outcomes. Methods: The study group comprised 560 consecutive patients (119 women and 441 men) who had undergone stenting over a 3 year period. Results: The indications for coronary stenting were similar among women and men, and stents were successfully deployed at similar rates without complications (92 vs. 90% respectively). Cardiac death or myocardial infarction within 30 days of the procedure was observed in 5% of women and men, whereas none of the women, compared to 1.4% of men, had early revascularization. Bleeding complications occurred in 4% of women and 2% of men. During 10 + 2.8 months of follow-up, 58% of women and men underwent repeat cardiac catheterization, revealing similar rates of restenosis, 36 vs. 32% respectively. During the study period, 3.3% of women as compared to 0.9% of men had a cardiac death (not significant). Cardiac death or myocardial infarction was observed in 7% of women and 8% of men, and the combined endpoint of death, myocardial infarction or revascularization, was noted in 24% and 26% respectively. Multivariate Cox analyses of the clinical, angiographic and procedural characteristics revealed that multiple stent deployment was the only predictor of major adverse cardiac event among men, whereas none of these characteristics predicted outcome in women. Conclusion: Coronary stenting is performed with similar success rates among women and men, with similar restenosis rates as well as early and late major adverse cardiac events.
Chemerin as an independent predictor of cardiovascular event risk

Currently, coronary artery disease (CAD) is considered a major ailment in humans with widespread prevalence. CAD also accounts for high mortality rates around the world that involves several known risk factors. Chemerin is a novel adipokinine that is associated with inflammation and adipogenesis. Furthermore, experimental and clinical data indicate that localized as well as circulating chemerin expression and activation are elevated in numerous metabolic and inflammatory diseases including psoriasis, obesity, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. Chemerin is accepted as being a strong marker because the serum chemerin levels are increased in a CAD condition. However, the chimeric characteristics of chemerin have not been fully investigated. Although chemerin is known to be responsible for CAD development among other factors, authors still investigate it at the marker level. This review focuses on chemerin expression, processing, biological function and relevance to human diseases, and on the role of chemerin in the maintenance of a cardiovascular disease.
The role of hippocampus and frontal cortex in age‐ related memory changes: a PET study

THE purpose of this study was to examine the neuroanatomical correlates of explicit retrieval of episodic memories in older and young adults. We used an experimental paradigm that allowed us to separate the effort involved in attempting to retrieve a recently studied word from the actual recollection of the item. Both older and younger adults showed hippocampal blood flow increases in association with recollection of a studied word. In contrast, younger but not older adults showed bilateral blood flow increases in anterior prefrontal cortex during retrieval attempts: older adults showed more posterior frontal lobe activations during attempted retrieval. We conclude that the hippocampus activations may reflect a commonality in the way that older and younger adults remember past events, whereas differences in frontal activation may reflect age-related changes in their retrieval strategies.
Interferon Antagonism as a Common Virulence Factor of Hemorrhagic Fever Viruses

Abstract : We examined the ability of viruses in the Hantavirus and Nairovirus genera of the family Bunyaviridae to interfere with host signaling pathways involved in innate immunity. For the nairovirus, Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), we found that the viral polymerase gene contains a predicted ovarian tumor (OTU) protease domain that functions to deconjugate ubiquitin and interferon stimulated gene product 15 (ISG15) from host proteins. Both ubiquitin and ISG15 reversibly conjugate to proteins via a conserved LRLRGG C-terminal motif, mediating important innate antiviral responses. We showed that the OTU domain-containing protease of CCHFV hydrolyzes ubiquitin and ISG15 from many cellular target proteins. This broad activity contrasts with the target specificity of known mammalian OTU domaincontaining proteins. The biological significance of this activity of viral OTU domain-containing proteases was evidenced by their capacity to inhibit nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) dependent signaling and to antagonize the antiviral effects of ISG15. The deconjugating activity of viral OTU proteases represents a novel viral immune evasion mechanism that inhibits ubiquitin- and ISG15-dependent antiviral pathways. For the hantavirus, Hantaan virus (HTNV), we found that the nucleocapsid protein was able to inhibit tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha)-induced activation of NF-kB as measured by a reporter assay and activation of endogenous p65, a NF-kB subunit. We showed an interaction between HTNV N protein and importin-alpha, a nuclear import molecule responsible for shuttling NF-kB to the nucleus. These data suggest that HTNV N protein can sequester NF-kB in the cytoplasm, thus inhibiting its activity.
EBV-related disease following haematopoietic stem cell transplantation with reduced intensity conditioning

The use of reduced intensity regimens has decreased early mortality following stem cell transplantation. However, the increased immunosuppression following these protocols results in profound and often prolonged lymphopenia, resulting in an increased incidence of viral reactivation. We and others have observed a high incidence of EBV viraemia and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) following reduced-intensity conditioning regimens, reflecting the delayed recovery of EBV-specific immunity after such transplants. The clinical and histological features at presentation are similar to that seen after conventional intensity conditioning. Given the increasing use of reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) transplants, we review the risk factors for EBV related disease following transplantation with RIC, the potential for pre-emptive therapy of PTLD based on monitoring EBV viraemia and management options in such patients.
The interplay of central and peripheral factors in limiting maximal O2 consumption in man after prolonged bed rest

1 The effects of bed rest on the cardiovascular and muscular parameters which affect maximal O2 consumption (VO2,max) were studied. The fractional limitation of VO2,max imposed by these parameters after bed rest was analysed. 2 The VO2,max, by standard procedure, and the maximal cardiac output (Q̇max), by the pulse contour method, were measured during graded cyclo‐ergometric exercise on seven subjects before and after a 42‐day head‐down tilt bed rest. Blood haemoglobin concentration ([Hb]) and arterialized blood gas analysis were determined at the highest work load. 3 Muscle fibre types, oxidative enzyme activities, and capillary and mitochondrial densities were measured on biopsy samples from the vastus lateralis muscle before and at the end of bed rest. The measure of muscle cross‐sectional area (CSA) by NMR imaging at the level of biopsy site allowed computation of muscle oxidative capacity and capillary length. 4 The VO2max was reduced after bed rest (−16.6%). The concomitant decreases in Q̇max (−30.8%), essentially due to a change in stroke volume, and in [Hb] led to a huge decrease in O2 delivery (−39.7%). 5 Fibre type distribution was unaffected by bed rest. The decrease in fibre area corresponded to the significant reduction in muscle CSA (−17%). The volume density of mitochondria was reduced after bed rest (−16.6%), as were the oxidative enzyme activities (−11%). The total mitochondrial volume was reduced by 28.5%. Capillary density was unchanged. Total capillary length was 22.2% lower after bed rest, due to muscle atrophy. 6 The interaction between these muscular and cardiovascular changes led to a smaller reduction in VO2max than in cardiovascular O2 transport. Yet the latter appears to play the greatest role in limiting VO2max after bed rest (>70% of overall limitation), the remaining fraction being shared between peripheral O2 diffusion and utilization.
Clearance of Rh-positive red cells by low concentrations of Rh antibody.

Ten previously untransfused Rh(D)-negative subjects were given an intravenous injection of approximately 0.3 ml of Rh(D)-positive red cells and at about the same time, or 24–48 hours previously, were given an intramuscular injection of 1–1000 μg of anti-D. Following the injection of the red cells there was a variable period before the onset of red cell destruction; when the antibody was injected at the same time as the red cells the delay was due partly to the time taken for the antibody to reach the circulation; when the antibody was injected at least 24 hours before the red cells there was still some delay due to the time required for the antibody to be taken up by the red cells; the delay before the onset of a maximum rate of red cell destruction varied from about 0.2 hours following the injection of 1000 μg of antibody to approximately 100 hours following the injection of 1 μg. The maximum rate of red cell destruction was calculated to be approximately proportional to the square root of the amount of antibody on the cells. After the injection of the smallest amount of antibody (1 μg) the amount on the red cells was calculated to be about 0.03 μg/ml corresponding to about ten molecules of antibody per cell. This dose produced clearance with a T½ of the order of 100 hours. The significance of these observations in relation to protection against Rh-immunization is briefly discussed.
Advances in measuring rotation with MEMS accelerometers

Model space, sensor frequency bandwidth, and sensor inventory limitations create challenges in capturing both the dynamic and static response of specimens in physical modeling. Micro-Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) based accelerometers are an attractive choice in centrifuge testing because of their small sensor size, robustness, and simplification of the sensor reference frame. In addition to capturing dynamic accelerations, MEMS at steady state measure the static component of centrifuge acceleration (an). Therefore, the change in an is directly related to the residual angle of the MEMS sensor after shaking. The process for combining MEMS inclination and acceleration measurements to obtain dynamic and static rotation is outlined. Results from two centrifuge tests are presented where MEMS were designed to capture rotations during foundation lateral slow cyclic testing, and post-event residual rotations of rocking structures. This method will help improve result accuracy while simplifying sensor configuration in centrifuge testing. an instrumentation rack. This paper will compare the static and dynamic performance of MEMS with the standard practice of using an LP sensor pair to capture rotation. 2 SENSOR DESCRIPTION Selected sensors are described in Table 1 and shown in Figure 1. 2.1 Acceleration measured by MEMS The full measurement content of the MEMS accelerometer, ameas, can be broken into multiple components as described in Equation 1: a g a meas n h n cross sin c a os (1) where n is defined in Figure 2 and ah is the horizontal acceleration of the MEMS normal to the g-vector, across is the additional acceleration component due to cross-axis sensitivity of the sensor (shown in Table 1), and g is the resultant of earth’s gravity, ge, and the centripetal acceleration at the sensor which can be written as a function of radius by Equation 2:
Relationship of obesity with osteoporosis.

CONTEXT The relationship between obesity and osteoporosis has been widely studied, and epidemiological evidence shows that obesity is correlated with increased bone mass. Previous analyses, however, did not control for the mechanical loading effects of total body weight on bone mass and may have generated a confounded or even biased relationship between obesity and osteoporosis. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to reevaluate the relationship between obesity and osteoporosis by accounting for the mechanical loading effects of total body weight on bone mass. METHODS We measured whole body fat mass, lean mass, percentage fat mass, body mass index, and bone mass in two large samples of different ethnicity: 1988 unrelated Chinese subjects and 4489 Caucasian subjects from 512 pedigrees. We first evaluated the Pearson correlations among different phenotypes. We then dissected the phenotypic correlations into genetic and environmental components with bone mass unadjusted or adjusted for body weight. This allowed us to compare the results with and without controlling for mechanical loading effects of body weight on bone mass. RESULTS In both Chinese and Caucasian subjects, when the mechanical loading effect of body weight on bone mass was adjusted for, the phenotypic correlation (including its genetic and environmental components) between fat mass (or percentage fat mass) and bone mass was negative. Further multivariate analyses in subjects stratified by body weight confirmed the inverse relationship between bone mass and fat mass, after mechanical loading effects due to total body weight were controlled. CONCLUSIONS Increasing fat mass may not have a beneficial effect on bone mass.
Evaluation of the nutritional status of patients over 60-year admitted in a hematology department using the mininutritional assessment (MNA). A single centre study of 120 cases.

BACKGROUND The nutritional status of older persons suffering from various medical or surgical conditions has been well reported. However, studies focusing on hematology patients are very rare. OBJECTIVE Our aim was to obtain a photographic picture of the nutritional profile of a sample population treated for miscellaneous blood disorders, to compare our results with those obtained in other types of diseases and to isolate risk-factors for undernutrition. DESIGN One hundred-twenty free living hematology patients aged over 60-year were prospectively and randomly tested the day of their admission to either our out- or inpatient clinic (department of clinical hematology from a French general hospital) using the mininutritional assessment (MNA). We compared our data with those from the literature and the role of various risk-factors was evaluated using the chi-square or the Fisher exact test. RESULTS The sex ratio was 1 and the median age 74 (range: 60-97). The majority of this population suffered from malignant disorders (101 cases, 84%) and fifty-three of them received chemotherapy. Eighty individuals (66%) were tested at the outpatient unit. The mean MNA score was 22.8 (range: 7.5-30). Sixteen patients (13%) were categorized as in poor nutritional status (MNA< 17). In this subgroup, more than 3 drugs intake (p < 0.01) and recent weight loss (p = 0.015) were the most important MNA parameters predicting malnutrition (age, sex, disease type or duration being no significant risk-factors). Our MNA results compared favorably with those obtained in other medical or surgical specialties. CONCLUSION Undernutrition does not appear more prevalent in the elderly hematology population in comparison with patients suffering from other diseases. However, because nutritional status may influence the outcome, especially in case of blood neoplasms, MNA (or other more sophisticated biological tools) should be included in the evaluation of this population.
ACCRETION RATE AND THE PHYSICAL NATURE OF UNOBSCURED ACTIVE GALAXIES

We show how accretion rate governs the physical properties of a sample of unobscured broad-line, narrow-line, and lineless active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We avoid the systematic errors plaguing previous studies of AGN accretion rates by using accurate intrinsic accretion luminosities (Lint) from well-sampled multiwavelength spectral energy distributions from the Cosmic Evolution Survey, and accurate black hole masses derived from virial scaling relations (for broad-line AGNs) or host–AGN relations (for narrow-line and lineless AGNs). In general, broad emission lines are present only at the highest accretion rates (Lint/LEdd > 10−2), and these rapidly accreting AGNs are observed as broad-line AGNs or possibly as obscured narrow-line AGNs. Narrow-line and lineless AGNs at lower specific accretion rates (Lint/LEdd < 10−2) are unobscured and yet lack a broad-line region. The disappearance of the broad emission lines is caused by an expanding radiatively inefficient accretion flow (RIAF) at the inner radius of the accretion disk. The presence of the RIAF also drives Lint/LEdd < 10−2 narrow-line and lineless AGNs to have ratios of radio-to-optical/UV emission that are 10 times higher than Lint/LEdd > 10−2 broad-line AGNs, since the unbound nature of the RIAF means it is easier to form a radio outflow. The IR torus signature also tends to become weaker or disappear from Lint/LEdd < 10−2 AGNs, although there may be additional mid-IR synchrotron emission associated with the RIAF. Together, these results suggest that specific accretion rate is an important physical “axis” of AGN unification, as described by a simple model.
Turbulent complex flows reconstruction via data assimilation in large eddy models

Data assimilation as a tool for fluid mechanics has grown exponentially over the last few decades. The ability to combine accurate but partial measurements with a complete dynamical model is invaluable and has numerous applications to fields ranging from aerodynamics, geophysics, and internal ventilation. However, its utility remains limited due to the restrictive requirements for performing data assimilation in the form of computing power, memory, and prior information. This thesis attempts at redressing various limitations of the assimilation procedure in order to facilitate its wider use in fluid mechanics. A major roadblock for data assimilation is the computational cost which is restrictive for all but the simplest of flows. Following along the lines of Joseph Smagorinsky, turbulence modelling through large-eddy simulation is incorporated in to the assimilation procedure to significantly reduce computing power and time required. The requirement for prior volumetric information for assimilation is tackled using a novel reconstruction methodology developed and assessed in this thesis. The snapshot optimisation algorithm reconstructs 3D fields from 2D cross- planar observations by exploiting directional homogeneity. The method and its variants work well with synthetic and experimental data-sets providing accurate reconstructions. The reconstruction methodology also provides the means to estimate the background covariance matrix which is essential for an efficient assimilation algorithm. All the ingredients are combined to perform variational data assimilation of a turbulent wake flow around a cylinder successfully at a transitional Reynolds number. The assimilation algorithm is validated with synthetic volumetric observation and assessed on 2D cross-planar observations emulating experimental data.
JQ1, a BET Inhibitor, Synergizes with Cisplatin and Induces Apoptosis in Highly Chemoresistant Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Cells.

BACKGROUND Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MPM) is an asbestos-associated tumor with poor prognosis and few therapeutic options. JQ1, a selective antagonist of BRD4, modulates transcription of oncogenes, including MPM chemoresistance-associated c-Myc and Fra-1. OBJECTIVE We investigated if JQ1 could enhance the efficacy of cisplatin against MPM. METHODS The antiproliferative activity of cisplatin in combination with JQ1 was assessed on MPM cell lines representative of the cellular phenotypes of this tumor (epithelioid, sarcomatoid and biphasic), and on one cisplatin resistant sub-line. The combination schedule was optimized adopting a 3Dspheroid model. Drug combination effects were correlated with cell cycle distribution and senescence- associated β-galactosidase positive cells. The expression of c-Myc and Fra-1 proteins and some apoptosis markers was assessed by immunoblotting and RT-qPCR. DNA damage and repair were evaluated by means of alkaline comet assay. RESULTS JQ1 in combination with cisplatin elicited additive or synergistic (superadditive) antiproliferative effects on MPM cells, depending on the cell line. The combination showed tumor regression on the 3D-spheroid model. It induced increased apoptosis, along with decreased c-Myc and, sometimes, Fra-1 expression. JQ1 decreased cisplatin-induced DNA breaks in all MPM cells and increased senescence even in less proficient cells, thus enhancing the DNA Damage Response (DDR). CONCLUSION The superadditive effect is due to c-Myc repression. The consequent DDR enhancement triggers to apoptosis induction and/or permanent growth arrest (senescence), depending on the MPM cellular context, leading to tumor regression. Thus, the pharmacological modulation of BET activity could represent a promising tool for future MPM therapy.