Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
This information is current as Responses by Effects on Dendritic Cells T Cell + Compensate for Dysfunctional CD 8 Plasmid DNA Encoding CCR 7 Ligands

؉ T cells upon HSV infection and readily succumb to herpes encephalitis. Such mice do develop apparently normal peptide-specific CD8 ؉ T cell responses, as measured by MHC class I tetramer staining, but the majority of cells fail to become cytotoxic or express peptide-induced IFN-␥ production. In the present study, we demonstrate that functional defects of CD8 ؉ T cells in LT␣ ؊/؊ mice can be largely rectified by the administration of plasmid DNA encoding CCR7 ligands before HSV infection. Treated mutant mice developed increased peptide-specific cytotoxic responses, enhanced numbers of CD8 ؉ T cells capable of producing IFN-␥, as well as improved resistance to HSV challenge. The corrective effect of chemokine treatment appeared to result from improved dendritic cell-mediated Ag presentation. Thus, a major consequence of the treatment was an increase in splenic dendritic cell number in CCR7 ligand-treated LT␣ ؊/؊ mice with such splenocyte populations showing improved APC activity in vitro. Our results document that functional defects of CD8 ؉ T cells can be corrected, and indicate the value of plasmid vector encoding appropriate chemokines to achieve such immunotherapy. C D8 ϩ T cells act as important effectors in defense against several viruses and certain tumors. Recently, with the development of multiple assays to detect and quantify CD8 ϩ T cells, it has become evident that such cells may be functionally heterogeneous. Several examples have now been described in which cells detectable by novel sensitive assays such as avidin-linked MHC tetramers show incomplete activation markers and lack one or more functions responsible for effector activity (1–3). Examples have been described for persistent virus infections , especially under circumstances in which animals have some form of immune suppression (4 – 6). One of the earliest reports came from the Ahmed (5) laboratory, which observed that the minor specificity of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus-specific CD8 ϩ T cells in persistently infected helper cell-deficient mice failed to express cytotoxicity or to produce IFN-␥. Such cells were termed " Sisyphean " to describe their effector cell futility. Other examples of effector cell dysfunction were observed in SIV infection in macaques (6, 7) and in the brains of mice infected with coronavirus (8). In the cancer field, too, CD8 ϩ T cells may be detectable by MHC class I tetramer-binding assays, yet such cells lack effector function (9). In all instances in which dysfunctional CD8 ϩ T cell effectors were noted, no attempts were …
Edinburgh Research Explorer Next-Generation Global Biomonitoring

We foresee a new global-scale, ecological approach to biomonitoring emerging within the next decade that can detect ecosystem change accurately, cheaply, and generically. Next-generation sequencing of DNA sampled from the Earth ’ s environments would provide data for the relative abundance of operational taxonomic units or ecological functions. Machine-learning methods would then be used to reconstruct the ecological networks of interactions implicit in the raw NGS data. Ultimately, we envision the development of autonomous sam-plers that would sample nucleic acids and upload NGS sequence data to the cloud for network reconstruction. Large numbers of these samplers, in a global array, would allow sensitive automated biomonitoring of the Earth ’ s major ecosystems at high spatial and temporal resolution, revolutionising our understanding of ecosystem change.
Kobe University Repository : Kernel タイトル Tit le Heat t ransfer characterist ics of Taylor vortex flow with shear-thinning fluids 著者

1 This study numerically investigates the heat transfer characteristics, including the 2 fluid flow, of a Taylor vortex flow system with shear-thinning fluids. Governing equations 3 were solved using OpenFOAM 4.0 code. The Carreau model was utilized as the 4 rheological model. The parameter (n) in the Carreau model, which describes the slope of 5 a decrease in viscosity with an increase in shear-rate, was varied from 1 to 0.3. The local 6 Nusselt number (NuL) decreased with the increase in shear-thinning property. 7 Furthermore, a correlation equation between the effective Reynolds number (Reeff) and a 8 global Nusselt number (NuG) was proposed. Using this equation, NuG was evaluated 9 within a ±10% error in the case of n = 1, 0.7, 0.5, and within a ±20% error in the case of 10 n = 0.3. The size of the Taylor vortices became axially larger with an increase in the shear11 thinning property. Furthermore, the thickness of the boundary layer of velocity and 12 temperature increased with an increase in shear-thinning property. The ratio of the 13 thickness of velocity boundary layer to the temperature boundary layer monotonically 14 decreased with an increase in Reeff. 15 16
SYSTEMS OF DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS THAT ARE COMPETITIVE OR COOPERATIVE II: CONVERGENCE ALMOST EVERYWHERE*

A vector field in n-space determines a competitive (or cooperative) system of differential equations provided all of the off-diagonal terms of its Jacobian matrix are nonpositive (or nonnegative). The main results in this article are the following. A cooperative system cannot have nonconstant attracting periodic solutions. In a cooperative system whose Jacobian matrices are irreducible the forward orbit converges for almost every point having compact forward orbit closure. In a cooperative system in 2 dimensions, every solution is eventually monotone. Applications are made to generalizations of positive feedback loops.
CIRCADIAN RHYTHM OF METABOLISM INDICATORS IN HEALTHY PEOPLE

In recent years, the concept of functional-metabolic continuum (FMС) has been formulated, which indicates the relatively constant nature of metabolism and its parameters in the intercellular environment. Thus, in its turn, is closely and adequately connected to the functional activity of organs and cells, thus forming a single system – the continuum. In addition, the functional activity of key low molecular weight antioxidants in the tissues and biological fluids of the body may, to a large extent, indicate the adaptive abilities and reactions at the level of the entire organism. One of the possible approaches to FMC study, depending on the physiological activity of the body, is to determine the parameters of metabolism and regulatory molecules relative to the daily rhythm, i.e., their comparison in the morning and in the evening, when the changes in the body over the day are observed, in other words, when there is an overall load. The aim of this research was to examine the circadian rhythm of FMC in healthy people according to saliva study findings. Thus, the obtained results, firstly, represent the existence of daily changes in FMC, and secondly, constitute a possible information channel that can be used to study these changes, to determine and compare indicators in the morning and evening about the functional activity of the body involving the regulatory systems.
FunctionOxide-Mediated Regulation of Mast Cell Mast Cells: A Plausible Pathway in Nitric Protein Tyrosine Nitration of Aldolase in

NO is a short-lived free radical that plays a critical role in the regulation of cellular signaling. Mast cell (MC)-derived NO and exogenous NO regulate MC activities, including the inhibition of MC degranulation. At a molecular level, NO acts to modify protein structure and function through several mechanisms, including protein tyrosine nitration. To begin to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of NO in MCs, we investigated protein tyrosine nitration in human MC lines HMC-1 and LAD2 treated with the NO donor S-nitrosoglutathione. Using two-dimensional gel Western blot analysis with an anti-nitrotyrosine Ab, together with mass spectrometry, we identiﬁed aldolase A, an enzyme of the glycolytic pathway, as a target for tyrosine nitration in MCs. The nitration of aldolase A was associated with a reduction in the maximum velocity of aldolase in HMC-1 and LAD2. Nuclear magnetic resonance analysis showed that despite these changes in the activity of a critical enzyme in glycolysis, there was no signiﬁcant change in total cellular ATP content, although the AMP/ATP ratio was altered. Elevated levels of lactate and pyruvate suggested that S-nitrosoglutathione treatment enhanced glycolysis. Reduced aldolase activity was associated with increased intracellular levels of its substrate, fructose 1,6-bisphosphate. Interestingly, fructose 1,6-bisphosphate inhibited IgE-mediated MC degranulation in LAD2 cells. Thus, for the ﬁrst time we report evidence of protein tyrosine nitration in human MC lines and identify aldolase A as a prominent target. This posttranslational nitration of aldolase A may be an important pathway that regulates MC phenotype and function. The Journal of Immunology , 2010, 185: 000–000.
What drives violence against civilians in civil war? Evidence from Guatemala’s conflict archives

Dominant theories of mass violence hold that strategic concerns in civil war drive the deliberate targeting of civilians. However, the causal mechanisms that link strategic objectives to large-scale violence against civilians remain underspecified, and as such the causal logics that underpin each remain blurred. In this article, we identify and explicate four plausible mechanisms that explain why armed groups would target, for strategic purposes, civilians in war. We then turn to the peak period of violence during the Guatemalan armed conflict to assess which mechanisms were most prevalent. Specifically, we leverage unique archival data: 359 pages of military files from Operation Sofía, a month-long counterinsurgent campaign waged in the northwestern Ixil region. Through process tracing of real-time internal communications, we find that state actors most commonly described the civilian population as loyal to rebel forces; violence against civilians was a means to weaken the insurgency. Troops on the ground also depicted the Ixil population as ‘winnable’, which suggests that security forces used violence in this period to shape civilian behavior. These findings are most consistent with the idea that mass violence in this case and period was a coercive instrument to defeat insurgents by punishing civilians for collaboration. The evidence from this period is less consistent with a logic of genocide, in which the purpose of violence would be to destroy ‘unwinnable’ civilian groups. Our analysis illustrates how a mechanism-centered approach based on process tracing of conflict archives can help uncover logics underlying civilian killing.
COMPARISON BETWEEN CONE-BEAM COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY AND INTRAORAL RADIOGRAPHY TO DIAGNOSE PERIODONTAL-BONE DEFECT AND TREATMENT RESPONSE

The purpose of this study was to explore the diagnostic value of CBCT in the determination of periodontal bone loss of infrabony defects. Twenty-one non-smoking adult subjects with a total of 38, periodontal bone defects were evaluated. To be eligible to participate in the study, patients had to have: at least one infrabony defect (distance between alveolar crest and base of the defect) with interproximal probing ≥ 5mm, attachment loss ≥3mm and intraoral periapical radiographs were taken to confirm the presence of suitable bony defects to be included in the study. Direct digital intraoral radiography (RVG) and CBCT were taken at the site of the bone defect. Periodontal bone defect will be measured from the cemento-enamel junction (CEJ) to the alveolar crest (AC) and from the cement-enamel junction (CEJ) to the bottom of the defect. Patients were instructed in self-performed plaque control measures, three weeks before surgery, full mouth supra-gingival and sub-gingival debridement and root planning of all quadrants were performed. Two weeks following initial cause-related therapy, periodontal reevaluation was performed to confirm those sits indicated for periodontal surgery. Periodontal flap surgery was performed for the patients. Periodontal bone defect from the cemento-enamel junction (CEJ) to the alveolar crest (AC) and from the cement-enamel junction (CEJ) to the bottom of the defect was measured as the gold standard by Williams probe (Hu-Friedy, Chicago, USA). After measurements, bone restorative steps were done if necessary and measurement were repeated after 6 months of treatment. The findings of the present investigation demonstrated a statistically significant difference between cone-beam computed tomography and intraoral radiography. In addition, a statistically significant difference between intraoral radiography and intra-surgical measurements of bone defects was detected. However, cone-beam computed tomography and intra-surgical measurements did not record the difference statistically significant difference. Furthermore, there was a high degree of correlation between intra-surgical and CBCT measurements of bone defects.
University of Birmingham Blood biomarkers role in acute ischemic stroke patients

Background: Thrombolytic therapy (TT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) can provoke bleeding ’ s complication depending on the ischemic lesion (IL) dimension. Inflammation involved in the setting of acute ischaemic stroke, is associated with infarct size. We aimed to study the independent correlation and association between clinical panel of routinely identified biomarkers, including inflammatory parameters, and cerebral IL dimension and site. Results: We evaluated eleven biomarkers in 105 unrelated patients during their hospitalization after acute stroke event. Our data indicate a significant association of: a) confluent IL size with 4th quartile of Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) (OR = 5.250; 95% CI, 1.002 to 27.514) and an independent correlation with sex; b) confluent IL size with 3rd quartile of fibrinogen (OR = 5.5; 95% CI, 1.027 to 29.451); c) confluent IL size with 3rd quartile of platelets (OR= 0.059; 95% CI, 0.003 to 1.175) and independent correlation with sex; d) smaller IL size (OR = 5.25; 95% CI, 1.351 to 20.396) with 3rd quartile of albumin levels and nodular and parenchimal IL size with 2nd (OR = 0.227; 95% CI, 0.053 to 0.981), 3rd (OR = 0.164; 95% CI, 0.038 to 0.711) and 4th (OR = 0.205; 95% CI, 0.048 to 0.870) quartiles albumin levels; e) smaller IL size with 3rd quartile triglycerides (TG) levels (OR = 9; 95% CI, 2.487 to 32.567) and an independent correlation with anterior location. Smaller IL size, anterior AIS turned out to be independently correlated with high serum albumin levels. Finally, high INR and PTT values were associated with worse NIHSS clinical outcomes in contrast to that observed with higher albumin level. Conclusions: We provide evidence of routine biomarkers levels correlation with acute IL size, independently of age and sex. In addition, we highlight the importance of differentiation of biomarkers normal interval levels for further improvement not only of the clinical decision making but also in post-acute clinical outcome management.
Measurement of Health-Related Quality of Life Among Colorectal Cancer Patients Using the Vietnamese Value Set of the EQ-5D-5L

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is an important construct in clinical settings, and it is crucial that it should be properly measured. As the EuroQol-5-dimen-sions-5 levels (EQ-5D-5L) and higher prevalence of anxiety/depression and pain/discomfort. Older age and high educational attainment predicted high HRQoL. This study provides information on CRC patients’ health utility based on various patient characteristics, which can be used in future economic evaluations.
Early Massive Galaxy Formation by Cold Streams Through Hot Haloes

The massive galaxies in the young universe, ten billion years ago, formed stars at surprising intensities. 1,2 While this was commonly attributed to violent mergers, many of these galaxies seem to be extended rotating discs incompatible with mergers. 3,2,4 In order to uncover the origin of this phenomenon, we use a state-of-the-art cosmological simulation 5 and clustering theory 6,7 to explore how these galaxies acquired their gas. We ﬁnd that these are “Stream-Fed Galaxies”, growing via steady, narrow, cold gas streams, which penetrate eﬀectively through the shock-heated media of dark-matter haloes as massive as the Milky Way’s. This conﬁrms an earlier conjecture. 8 Half the stream mass is in clumps leading to mergers of mass ratio 1:10 or higher, and half is in smoother ﬂows. Since the merger duty cycle is 0.1, three-quarters of the galaxies forming stars at a given rate are fed by smooth streams. Unlike major the smoother ﬂows can keep the discs intact, though thick and perturbed.
Pelleting Vineyard Pruning at Low Cost with a Mobile Technology

The goal of this work was to test a patented pruning harvester and a mobile pelleting system specifically designed for the vineyard agripellet chain. Biomass was characterized before and after storage and after the pelleting stage. The performance, the fuel consumption, and the work quality of the harvester were assessed together with the productivity and the power consumption of the mobile pelleting system. Production costs of pellet were estimated for the whole logistic chain, considering two scenarios: Storage and pelleting directly at the farm site or at a dedicated location at variable distance from the fields. For comparison, the direct production of chips without pelleting was considered. Results indicate that harvester performance was quite good and comparable with commercial solutions; the chips produced exhibited excellent storage performance, allowing direct pelleting without forced drying; the pellet quality was good comparable with that produced from forestry biomass. From an economic point of view, in-field pelleting was the most cost-effective solution, with a good margin of profit up to 57€ t−1; on the other hand, when transport to an intermediate storage center is necessary, profit margin reduces gradually and fades off at an average 50 km distance from the fields.
Loss of Aldehyde Dehydrogenase in an Escherichia coli Mutant Selected for Growth on the Rare Sugar L-Galactose

Escherichia coli K-12 converts L-fucose to dihydroxyacetone phosphate (C-1 to C-3) and L-lactaldehyde (C-4 to C-6) by a pathway specified by thefuc regulon. Aerobically, L-lactaldehyde serves as a carbon and energy source by the action of an aldehyde dehydrogenase of broad specificity; the product, L-lactate, is then converted to pyruvate. Anaerobically, L-lactaldehyde serves as an electron acceptor to regenerate NAD from NADH by the action of an oxidoreductase; the reduced product, L-1,2-propanediol, is excreted. A strain selected for growth on L-galactose (a structural analog of L-fucose) acquired a broadened inducer specificity because of an altered fucR gene encoding the activator protein for thefuc regulon (Y. Zhu and E. C. C. Lin, J. Mol. Evol. 23:259-266, 1986). In this study, a second mutation that abolished aldehyde dehydrogenase activity was discovered. The L-fucose pathway converts L-galactose to dihydroxyacetone phosphate and L-glyceraldehyde. Aldehyde dehydrogenase then converts L-glyceraldehyde to L-glycerate, which is toxic. Loss of the dehydrogenase averts the toxicity during growth on L-galactose, but reduces by one-half the aerobic growth yield on L-fucose. When mutant cells induced in the L-fucose
Network Complexity Models for Automated Cyber Range Security Capability Evaluations Relating Network Complexity to Defensive Difficulty to Enable Comprehensive Evaluation

—For any organization to maintain a strong cyber security posture, it is important to test readiness and capabilities of cyber security teams and the tools that they use. In order to design and conduct experiments to assess performance of defensive cyber security teams and tools, it is crucial to either ensure the test range accurately represents the real environment in which the defensive teams or tools normally would operate or to ensure that testing is conducted across a suite of test ranges that provides comprehensive coverage of the potential real-life network environments. In this paper, we present a novel network complexity scoring framework that is designed to capture the set of the network attributes that have the principal impact on the performance of defenders and defensive tools and to differentiate networks according to defensive difficulty.
Assessing primary health care readiness for electronic health record

Numerous challenges face healthcare systems in developing countries, which makes the implementation of Information and Communications Technologies difficult. The main objective of the current study is assessing healthcare providers' readiness to electronic health record implementation at primary health care centers in Riyadh through identifying the capacity for successful implementation and identifying the correlation between the capacity for successful implementation of the electronic health record in primary health care centers in Riyadh. This study utilized a cross-sectional descriptive correlational designed. The study was conducted in a Saudi college of nursing. The sample of the study consisted of 100 nursing personnel working at primary health care centers in (Riyadh) Saudi Arabia. The results of the study showed that the capacity to successfully implement the electronic health record at the primary health care centers in Riyadh was medium. There was no direct correlation between the capacity for successful implementation of the electronic health record in primary health care centers in Riyadh and any demographic variables.
Glucocorticoids Prolong Ca 2 (cid:1) Transients in Hippocampal-Derived H19-7 Neurons by Repressing the Plasma Membrane Ca 2 (cid:1) -ATPase-1

Calcium ions (Ca 2 (cid:1) ) play an important role in me-diating an array of structural and functional responses in cells. In hippocampal neurons, elevated glucocorticoid (GC) levels, as seen during stress, perturb calcium homeostasis and result in altered neuronal excitability and viability. Ligand- and volt-age-gated calcium channels have been the pre-sumed targets of hormonal regulation; however, circumstantial evidence has suggested the possi-bility that calcium extrusion might be an important target of GC regulation. Here we demonstrate that GC-induced repression of the plasma membrane Ca 2 (cid:1) -ATPase-1 (PMCA1) is an essential determi-nant of intracellular Ca 2 (cid:1) levels ([Ca 2 (cid:1) ] i ) in cultured hippocampal H19-7 cells. In particular, GC treatment caused a prolongation of agonist-evoked elevation of [Ca 2 (cid:1) ] i that was prevented by the expression of exogenous PMCA1. Furthermore, selective inhibition of PMCA1 using the RNA interference technique caused prolongation of Ca 2 (cid:1) transients in the absence of GC treatment. Taken together, these observations suggest that GC-me-diated repression of PMCA1 is both necessary and sufficient to increase agonist-evoked Ca