Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Regulation of Mouse NK Cell Development and Function by Cytokines

Natural Killer (NK) cells are innate lymphocytes with an important role in the early defense against intracellular pathogens and against tumors. Like other immune cells, almost every aspects of their biology are regulated by cytokines. Interleukin (IL)-15 is pivotal for their development, homeostasis, and activation. Moreover, numerous other activating or inhibitory cytokines such as IL-2, IL-4, IL-7, IL-10, IL-12, IL-18, IL-21, Transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) and type I interferons regulate their activation and their effector functions at different stages of the immune response. In this review we summarize the current understanding on the effect of these different cytokines on NK cell development, homeostasis, and functions during steady-state or upon infection by different pathogens. We try to delineate the cellular sources of these cytokines, the intracellular pathways they trigger and the transcription factors they regulate. We describe the known synergies or antagonisms between different cytokines and highlight outstanding questions in this field of investigation. Finally, we discuss how a better knowledge of cytokine action on NK cells could help improve strategies to manipulate NK cells in different clinical situations.
Racial Intermarriage and Household Production

In the United States do hours of household work vary by whether individuals are in different-race or same-race couples? American Time Use Survey data for years 2003-2009 are analyzed for samples of white and black male and female respondents. We find that white women married to black men devote 0.4 fewer hours per day to chores than their counterparts in all-white marriages, which is comparable to the effect of a child on their hours of chores. Findings for white men also indicate that they work less at housework when in couple with black women than when in all-white couples. Conversely, blacks appear to do more chores if they are in couple with whites than when in all-black couples. Results are sensitive to whether time use was measured on weekdays or weekends, couples were married or not, employment status, and alternative definitions of black. Racial intermarriage differentials in hours of household work seem to be more prevalent among the U.S.-born than the foreign-born.
Microbial Communities and Functional Genes Associated with Soil Arsenic Contamination and the Rhizosphere of the Arsenic-Hyperaccumulating Plant Pteris vittata L

ABSTRACT To understand how microbial communities and functional genes respond to arsenic contamination in the rhizosphere of Pteris vittata, five soil samples with different arsenic contamination levels were collected from the rhizosphere of P. vittata and nonrhizosphere areas and investigated by Biolog, geochemical, and functional gene microarray (GeoChip 3.0) analyses. Biolog analysis revealed that the uncontaminated soil harbored the greatest diversity of sole-carbon utilization abilities and that arsenic contamination decreased the metabolic diversity, while rhizosphere soils had higher metabolic diversities than did the nonrhizosphere soils. GeoChip 3.0 analysis showed low proportions of overlapping genes across the five soil samples (16.52% to 45.75%). The uncontaminated soil had a higher heterogeneity and more unique genes (48.09%) than did the arsenic-contaminated soils. Arsenic resistance, sulfur reduction, phosphorus utilization, and denitrification genes were remarkably distinct between P. vittata rhizosphere and nonrhizosphere soils, which provides evidence for a strong linkage among the level of arsenic contamination, the rhizosphere, and the functional gene distribution. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) revealed that arsenic is the main driver in reducing the soil functional gene diversity; however, organic matter and phosphorus also have significant effects on the soil microbial community structure. The results implied that rhizobacteria play an important role during soil arsenic uptake and hyperaccumulation processes of P. vittata.
Classroom Acoustics and Personal FM Technology in Management of Auditory Processing Disorder

Acoustical conditions in the classroom, home, and social environments are often barriers to listening and learning for students with auditory processing disorder (APD). The effective management of APD requires careful attention to classroom acoustics and the use of personal frequency modulated (FM) systems as strategies to improve the quality of the listening environment and the student's access to acoustic information. As members of the multidisciplinary team responsible for both auditory assessment and management, audiologists have the responsibility to guide the evaluation of the listening environment and make recommendations for modifications, as well as the selection, fitting, and monitoring of personal FM technologies. Demonstrating efficacy is an essential part of the management process. Audiologists are challenged to contribute to the research base by collecting data to support the use of personal FM systems as an efficacious management strategy.
A leakage-energy-reduction technique for cache memories in embedded processors

Power consumption is becoming one of the most important constraints for microprocessor design in nanometer-scale technologies. Especially, as the transistor supply voltage and threshold voltage are scaled down, leakage energy consumption is increased even when the transistor is not switching. This paper proposes a simple technique to reduce the static energy due to subthreshold leakage current. The key idea of our approach is to allow the ways within a cache to be accessed at different speeds and to place infrequently accessed data into the slow ways. We use dual-V_{t} technique to realize the non-uniform set-associative cache, and propose a simple replacement policy to reduce average access latency. Experimental results on 32-way set-associative caches demonstrate that any severe increase in clock cycles to execute application programs is not observed and significant static energy reduction can be achieved, resulting in the improvement of energy-delay^{2} product.
Defining the DNA uptake specificity of naturally competent Haemophilus influenzae cells

Some naturally competent bacteria exhibit both a strong preference for DNA fragments containing specific ‘uptake sequences’ and dramatic overrepresentation of these sequences in their genomes. Uptake sequences are often assumed to directly reflect the specificity of the DNA uptake machinery, but the actual specificity has not been well characterized for any bacterium. We produced a detailed analysis of Haemophilus influenzae’s uptake specificity, using Illumina sequencing of degenerate uptake sequences in fragments recovered from competent cells. This identified an uptake motif with the same consensus as the motif overrepresented in the genome, with a 9 bp core (AAGTGCGGT) and two short flanking T-rich tracts. Only four core bases (GCGG) were critical for uptake, suggesting that these make strong specific contacts with the uptake machinery. Other core bases had weaker roles when considered individually, as did the T-tracts, but interaction effects between these were also determinants of uptake. The properties of genomic uptake sequences are also constrained by mutational biases and selective forces acting on USSs with coding and termination functions. Our findings define constraints on gene transfer by natural transformation and suggest how the DNA uptake machinery overcomes the physical constraints imposed by stiff highly charged DNA molecules.
Mice Lacking Cathepsin K Maintain Bone Remodeling but Develop Bone Fragility Despite High Bone Mass

Bone microstructural and biomechanical properties were analyzed in mice genetically lacking cathepsin K (CatK). CatK deficiency (CatK−/−) produced mild osteopetrosis, elevated numbers of osteoclasts, regions of disorganized bone microstructure, and increased bone fragility, showing how chronic alteration of enzyme activity during skeletal development dramatically affects bone organization and function.
Impact of plug-in electric vehicles on the supply grid

This paper presents a case study describing the impact of charging process of plug in hybrid vehicles (PHEV) and all electrical vehicles (EV) on the supply grid. The paper shows the distortion produced in the grid by the simultaneous charge of a large fleet of vehicles and the corrective actions taken to guarantee the Electromagnetic Compatibility with other loads in the same grid. The goal of the investigation was to establish a design guide for parking facilities
LDoW-PaN

This work aimed to propose LDoW-PaN, a Linked Data presentation and navigation model focused on the average user. The LDoW-PaN model is an extension of the Dexter Hypertext Reference Model. Through the LDoW-PaN model, ordinary people—who have no experience with technologies that involve the Linked Data environment—can interact with the Web of Data (RDF) more closely related to how they interact with the Web of Documents (HTML). To evaluate the proposal, some tools were developed, including the following: (i) a Web Service, which implements the lower-level layers of the LDoW-PaN model; (ii) a client-side script library, which implements the presentation and navigation layer; and (iii) a browser extension, which uses these tools to provide Linked Data presentation and navigation to users browsing the Web. The browser extension was developed using user interface approaches that are well known, well accepted, and evaluated by the Web research community, such as faceted navigation and presentation through tooltips. Therefore, the prototype evaluation included: usability evaluation through two classical techniques; computational complexity measures; and an analysis of the performance of the operations provided by the proposed model.
Assessment of dissolved manganese (II) pollution in river water by differential pulse cathodic stripping voltammetry: A case study of River Boubo, Côte d'Ivoire

Boubo river and lagoon, south Cote d’Ivoire, are contaminated by manganese released in wastewater from manganese exploitation and from the soil of Grand-Lahou region in Cote d’Ivoire. So, there is a need to develop a simple method for the evaluation of manganese present in natural water. This work reports the utility of rapid and inexpensive method for determination of dissolved manganese (II) in natural water by cathodic stripping voltammetry using rotating carbon paste disk electrode. The experimental parameters for the determination of manganese (II) were optimized. Under the optimum conditions, the method was successfully applied to determination of free manganese in river and lagoon samples taken near the manganese exploitation in the area of Grand-Lahou, Cote d’Ivoire. Key words: Manganese, cathodic stripping voltammetry, carbon paste electrode, rotating disk electrode, river water, lagoon water.
Anionized and cationized hemeundecapeptides as probes for cell surface charge and permeability studies: differentiated labeling of endothelial plasmalemmal vesicles

To obtain small membrane markers easily accessible to the charged groups of the cell surface, we prepared, from hemeundecapeptide (HUP), three derivatives that maintain the peroxidatic activity: the anionized hemeundecapeptide, Mr 1,963, estimated diameter 1.68 nm, pl 3.5, for the detection of basic groups; and both a cationized hemeundecapeptide containing predominantly tertiary amino groups, Mr 2,215, estimated diameter 1.75 nm, pl 9.0, and a cationized hemeundecapeptide containing only primary amino groups, Mr 2,271, estimated diameter 1.75 nm, pl 10.6, for labeling acidic residues. The markers were perfused in situ in mice to label the luminal surface of fenestrated endothelium of pancreatic capillaries. Specimens were processed through the cytochemical reaction for peroxidatic activity and examined by electron microscopy. The anionized HUP and HUP (pl 4.85) marked the plasmalemma proper, the coated pits, and the membrane and diaphragms of plasmalemmal vesicles and transendothelial channels. The cationized HUP containing predominantly tertiary amino groups (pl 9.0) decorated all cell surface components with the exception of plasmalemmal vesicles and channels; the latter were, however, labeled by the cationized HUP containing only primary groups (pl 10.6), which suggests that these structures contain on their luminal surface very weak acidic residues of high pKa values. The fact that the membrane of plasmalemmal vesicles can discriminate against permeant cationic macromolecules only up to a pl of approximately 9.0 indicates that in the electrostatic restriction there is a charge limit. In the case of fenestrated capillary endothelium, the upper charge limit seems to be a pl of approximately 9.0. In these vessels, the charge discrimination is effective for molecules as small as 2 nm.
Explaining the Performance of Human Resource Management

List of figures List of tables Acknowledgements Preface Part I. HRM and Organisational Performance Today: 1. Crisis? What crisis? 2. Tracking the emergence of the human resource management-performance link paradigm Part II. Meta-Theorising the HRM-P Link: 3. The state of contemporary research on the HRM-performance link: a technical analysis 4. Scientism: the meta-theory underlying empirical research on the HRM-P link 5. Prediction, explanation and theory 6. Critical realism: a meta-theory for analyzing HRM and performance Part III. Reflexive Performance: 7. Putting critical realism to work Index.
Practical Considerations for the Pharmacotherapy of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a devastating disease. Before the 1990s, when pharmacologic treatment was finally approved, only supportive therapy was available, consisting of anticoagulation, digoxin, diuretics, and supplemental oxygen. Calcium channel blocker therapy was also an option, but only a small percentage of patients respond to it. However, starting with epoprostenol in 1996, the number of drugs approved to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension increased. Three distinct classes of drugs were developed based on the pathophysiology of the disease: the prostanoids, endothelin‐1 receptor antagonists, and phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors. The prostanoids are administered either parenterally or by inhalation to replace the lack of prostacyclin within the pulmonary arterial vasculature. The endothelin‐1 receptor antagonists were the first class of oral drugs to be developed, but drug interactions and adverse effects are prominent with this class. The phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors increase the second messenger cyclic guanosine monophosphate (GMP) that is induced by nitric oxide stimulation. All of the drugs within these three classes are distinct in and of themselves, and their clinical use requires in‐depth knowledge of pulmonary arterial hypertension and its pathophysiology. Because these drugs have different mechanisms of action, combination therapy has shown promise in patients with severe disease, although data are still lacking. This article should serve as a practical guide for clinicians who encounter patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension and the drugs used for the treatment of this devastating disease.
Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of Listeria monocytogenes Strains of the Two Major Lineages Reveals Differences in Virulence, Cell Wall, and Stress Response

ABSTRACT Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne, opportunistic, bacterial pathogen causing a wide spectrum of diseases, including meningitis, septicemia, abortion, and gastroenteritis, in humans and animals. Among the 13 L. monocytogenes serovars described, human listeriosis is mostly associated with strains of serovars 4b, 1/2b, and 1/2a. Within the species L. monocytogenes, three phylogenetic lineages are described. Serovar 1/2a belongs to phylogenetic lineage I, while serovars 4b and 1/2b group in phylogenetic lineage II. To explore the role of gene expression in the adaptation of L. monocytogenes strains of these two major lineages to different environments, as well as in virulence, we performed whole-genome expression profiling of six L. monocytogenes isolates of serovars 4b, 1/2b, and 1/2a of distinct origins, using a newly constructed Listeria multigenome DNA array. Comparison of the global gene expression profiles revealed differences among strains. The expression profiles of two strains having distinct 50% lethal doses, as assessed in the mouse model, were further analyzed. Gene ontology term enrichment analysis of the differentially expressed genes identified differences in protein-, nucleic acid-, carbon metabolism-, and virulence-related gene expression. Comparison of the expression profiles of the core genomes of all strains revealed differences between the two lineages with respect to cell wall synthesis, the stress-related sigma B regulon and virulence-related genes. These findings suggest different patterns of interaction with host cells and the environment, key factors for host colonization and survival in the environment.
Minimum latency scheduling for Multi-Regional Query in Wireless Sensor Networks

Query scheduling as one of the most important technologies used in query processing has been widely studied recently. Unfortunately, to the best of our knowledge, no previous work focuses on the Minimum Latency Multi-Regional Query Scheduling (ML-MRQS) problem. In this paper, we investigate the ML-MRQS problem in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), which aims to generate a scheduling plan with minimum latency for a more practical query model called Multi-Regional Query (MRQ). A MRQ targets at user interested data from multiple region-sofa WSN, where each region is a subarea of the WSN. We claim that the ML-MRQS problem is NP-hard. Therefore, we propose a heuristic scheduling algorithm Multi-Regional Query Scheduling Algorithm (MRQSA) to solve this problem. Theoretical analysis shows that the latency of MRQSA is upper bounded by 23A + B + C for a MRQ with m query regions R<sub>1</sub>, R<sub>2</sub>. , R<sub>m</sub>, where A = max<sub>i=1</sub><sup>m</sup> D<sub>i</sub><sup>left</sup>, B = max<sub>i=1</sub><sup>m</sup> {(23D<sub>i</sub>+5Δ+21)k<sub>i</sub>}, C = Σ<sub>i=1</sub><sup>m</sup> H<sub>i</sub>+5Δ-m+17, m is the number of regions, Δ is the maximum node degree in the WSN, A is the diameter of R<sub>i</sub>, k<sub>i</sub> is the maximum overlapped degree of sensor nodes in TU, Hi represents the distance of R<sub>i</sub> with respect to the sink, and D<sub>i</sub><sup>left</sup> is the diameter of the non-overlapped part of R<sub>i</sub>. Extensive simulations are conducted to verify the performance of our algorithm, which show that MRQSA significantly reduces the query latency when compared with the most recently published multi-query scheduling algorithm.
Managing Impressions and Relationships on Facebook

The merging of audiences in social media and the variety of participation structures they present, including different audience sizes and interaction targets, pose questions about how people respond to these new communication situations. This research examined self-presentational and relational concerns through the analysis of language styles on Facebook. The authors collected a corpus of status updates, wall posts, and private messages from 79 participants. These messages varied in certain characteristics of language style, revealing differences in underlying self-presentational and relational concerns based on the publicness and directedness of the interaction. Positive emotion words correlated with self-reported self-presentational concerns in status updates, suggesting a strategic use of sharing positive emotions in public and nondirected communication via status updates. Verbal immediacy correlated with partner familiarity in wall posts but not in private messages, suggesting that verbal immediacy cues serve as markers to differentiate between more and less familiar partners in public wall posts.
Network traffic data analysis

The desire to conceptualize network traffic in a prevailing communication network is a facet for many types of network research studies. In this research, real traffic traces collected over transPacific backbone links (the MAWI repository, providing publicly available anonymized traces) are analyzed to study the underlying traffic patterns. All data analysis and visualization is carried out using Matlab. At packet level, we first measure parameters such as distribution of packet lengths, distribution of protocol types, and then fit following analytical models. Next, the concept of flow is introduced and flow based analysis is studied. We consider flow related parameters such as top ports seen, duration of the flow, distribution of flow lengths, and number of flows with different timeout values and provide analytical models to fit the flow lengths. Further, we study the amount of data flowing between source-destination pairs. Finally, we focus on TCP-specific aspects of captured traces such as retransmissions and packet round-trip times. From the results obtained, we infer the Zipf-type nature of distribution for number of flows, heavy-tailness of flow sizes and the contribution of well-known ports at packet and flow level. Our study helps a network analyst to further the knowledge and optimize the network resources, while performing efficient traffic engineering.
Effectiveness of Virtual Reality Using Wii Gaming Technology in Stroke Rehabilitation: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial and Proof of Principle

Background and Purpose— Hemiparesis resulting in functional limitation of an upper extremity is common among stroke survivors. Although existing evidence suggests that increasing intensity of stroke rehabilitation therapy results in better motor recovery, limited evidence is available on the efficacy of virtual reality for stroke rehabilitation. Methods— In this pilot, randomized, single-blinded clinical trial with 2 parallel groups involving stroke patients within 2 months, we compared the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of virtual reality using the Nintendo Wii gaming system (VRWii) versus recreational therapy (playing cards, bingo, or “Jenga”) among those receiving standard rehabilitation to evaluate arm motor improvement. The primary feasibility outcome was the total time receiving the intervention. The primary safety outcome was the proportion of patients experiencing intervention-related adverse events during the study period. Efficacy, a secondary outcome measure, was evaluated with the Wolf Motor Function Test, Box and Block Test, and Stroke Impact Scale at 4 weeks after intervention. Results— Overall, 22 of 110 (20%) of screened patients were randomized. The mean age (range) was 61.3 (41 to 83) years. Two participants dropped out after a training session. The interventions were successfully delivered in 9 of 10 participants in the VRWii and 8 of 10 in the recreational therapy arm. The mean total session time was 388 minutes in the recreational therapy group compared with 364 minutes in the VRWii group (P=0.75). There were no serious adverse events in any group. Relative to the recreational therapy group, participants in the VRWii arm had a significant improvement in mean motor function of 7 seconds (Wolf Motor Function Test, 7.4 seconds; 95% CI, −14.5, −0.2) after adjustment for age, baseline functional status (Wolf Motor Function Test), and stroke severity. Conclusions— VRWii gaming technology represents a safe, feasible, and potentially effective alternative to facilitate rehabilitation therapy and promote motor recovery after stroke.