Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterization of the Interaction between Yersinia enterocolitica Biotype 1A and Phagocytes and Epithelial Cells In Vitro

ABSTRACT Yersinia enterocolitica strains of biotype 1A are increasingly being recognized as etiological agents of gastroenteritis. However, the mechanisms by which these bacteria cause disease differ from those of highly invasive, virulence plasmid-bearing Y. enterocolitica strains and are poorly understood. We have investigated several biotype 1A strains of diverse origin for their ability to resist killing by professional phagocytes. All strains were rapidly killed by polymorphonuclear leukocytes but persisted within macrophages (activated with gamma interferon) to a significantly greater extent (survival = 40.5% ± 17.4%) than didEscherichia coli HB101 (9.3% ± 0.7%; P= 0.0001). Strains isolated from symptomatic patients were significantly more resistant to killing by macrophages (survival = 48.9% ± 19.5%) than were strains obtained from food or the environment (survival = 32.1% ± 10.3%; P = 0.04). Some strains which had been ingested by macrophages or HEp-2 epithelial cells showed a tendency to reemerge into the tissue culture medium over a period lasting several hours. This phenomenon, which we termed “escape,” was observed in 14 of 15 strains of clinical origin but in only 3 of 12 nonclinical isolates (P = 0.001). The capacity of bacteria to escape from cells was not directly related to their invasive ability. To determine if escape was due to host cell lysis, we used a variety of techniques, including lactate dehydrogenase release, trypan blue exclusion, and examination of infected cells by light and electron microscopy, to measure cell viability and lysis. These studies established that biotype 1A Y. enterocolitica strains were able to escape from macrophages or epithelial cells without causing detectable cytolysis, suggesting that escape was achieved by a process resembling exocytosis. The observations that biotype 1A Y. enterocolitica strains of clinical origin are significantly more resistant to killing by macrophages and significantly more likely to escape from host cells than are strains of nonclinical origin suggest that these properties may account for the virulence of these bacteria.
Static assessment of plain/notched polylactide (PLA) 3D-printed with different infill levels: Equivalent homogenised material concept and Theory of Critical Distances

A novel approach based on the equivalent homogenised material concept and the theory of critical distances is formulated to perform static assessment of plain/notched objects of polylactide (PLA) when this polymer is additively manufactured with different infill levels. The key idea is that the internal net structure resulting from the 3D‐printing process can be modelled by keeping treating the material as linear elastic, continuum, homogenous, and isotropic, with the effect of the internal voids being taken into account in terms of change in mechanical/strength properties. This idea is initially used to assess the detrimental effect of the manufacturing voids on the static strength of the plain (ie, unnotched) material. This is done by addressing this problem in a Kitagawa‐Takahashi setting via the Theory of Critical Distances. Subsequently, this approach is extended to the static assessment of notched components of 3D‐printed PLA; ie, it is used to take into account simultaneously the effect of both manufacturing voids and macroscopic geometrical features. The accuracy and reliability of this design methodology were checked against a large number of experimental data generated by testing, under axial loading, plain specimens, as well as notched samples (including open notches) of PLA. These specimens were manufactured by making the infill level vary in the rage 10% to 90%. This validation exercise allowed us to demonstrate that the proposed approach is highly accurate, returning estimates falling within an error interval of ±20%. This remarkable level of accuracy strongly supports the idea that static assessment of 3D‐printed materials with complex geometries and manufactured with different infill levels can be performed by simply post‐processing conventional linear elastic finite element (FE) solid models, ie, without the need for modelling explicitly the detrimental effect of the manufacturing voids.
Gender differences in VLDL1 and VLDL2 triglyceride kinetics and fatty acid kinetics in obese postmenopausal women and obese men.

CONTEXT High plasma triglycerides (TG) have been shown to be independent and better predictors of cardiovascular disease than low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in women. This may be due to gender differences in very-low-density lipoprotein 1 (VLDL(1))- and VLDL(2)-TG and fatty acid kinetics. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to investigate whether there are differences in VLDL(1)- and VLDL(2)-TG and fatty acid kinetics in obese men and postmenopausal women, a high risk group for cardiovascular disease. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Stable isotopes techniques were used to measure fasting palmitate rate of appearance, metabolic clearance rate, oxidation rate, and nonoxidative disposal rate, VLDL(1)-TG and VLDL(2)-TG fractional catabolic rate (FCR) and production rate (PR). Whole-body fat distribution was measured by magnetic resonance imaging. PARTICIPANTS Participants included 10 postmenopausal obese women and eight obese men matched for age, body mass index, and fasting plasma TG. RESULTS The women had lower visceral fat and higher sc fat than the men (P < 0.001 and P < 0.002). Palmitate rate of appearance, metabolic clearance rate, nonoxidative disposal rate, and oxidation rate corrected for resting energy expenditure were greater in the women than the men (all P < 0.03). VLDL(2)-TG PR corrected for fat-free mass was higher in the women (P < 0.001). VLDL(2)-TG and VLDL(2)-cholesterol pools were higher in the women (P < 0.001 and P < 0.008). VLDL(1)-TG FCR and PR and VLDL(2)-TG FCR were not different between genders. CONCLUSION Fatty acid and VLDL(2)-TG flux is higher in postmenopausal obese women than in obese men matched for fasting plasma TG levels.
Microfinance Games

Microfinance has been heralded as an effective way to address imperfections in credit markets. But from a theoretical perspective, the success of microfinance contracts has puzzling elements. In particular, the group-based mechanisms often employed are vulnerable to free-riding and collusion, although they can also reduce moral hazard and improve selection. The authors created an experimental economics laboratory in a large urban market in Lima, Peru and over seven months conducted 11 different games that allow them to unpack microfinance mechanisms in a systematic way. They find that risk-taking broadly conforms to predicted patterns, but that behavior is safer than optimal. The results help to explain why pioneering microfinance institutions have been moving away from group-based contracts.
Logic synthesis and testability of D-reducible functions

In logic synthesis, the “regularity” of a Boolean function can be exploited with the purpose of decreasing the cost of the corresponding algebraic expression or its minimization time. In this paper we study the synthesis of a class of regular Boolean functions called D-reducible. We propose two compact and testable representations of D-reducible non completely specified functions, called DRedSOP and 2DRedSOP. The experimental results show that a large percentage (about 70%) of the benchmark functions have at least a D-reducible output. The gain in area of the synthesized networks for such functions is, on average, 27% for DRedSOPs and 28% for 2DRedSOPs.
Molecular Mimicry in Type 1 Diabetes

Abstract: Type 1 diabetes is caused by a T cell‐mediated autoimmune destruction of the pancreatic beta cells. Molecular mimicry between viral pathogens and beta cell protein has been a popular theory to explain loss of tolerance in type 1 diabetes. However, functional data in support of this hypothesis have been lacking, presumably because the homologies were defined on the basis of linear similarities in peptide sequences, which ignores the criteria of HLA versus T cell receptor contact residues in peptide epitopes required for T cell recognition. We applied a HLA‐binding dedicated peptide microarray analysis using autoreactive T cell clones specific for the autoantigen GAD65 to determine the algorithm of T cell recognition by this given T cell clone. The subsequent database search identified a 100% fit with cytomegalovirus peptide, which was subsequently shown to be recognized by these clonal T cells. However, T cell clones reactive with linear homologies previously described as putative candidates for T cell cross‐reactivity between GAD65 and Coxsackie virus peptide were unable to recognize the homologous counterparts.
The Ndc80 complex targets Bod1 to human mitotic kinetochores

Regulation of protein phosphatase activity by endogenous protein inhibitors is an important mechanism to control protein phosphorylation in cells. We recently identified Biorientation defective 1 (Bod1) as a small protein inhibitor of PP2A-B56. This phosphatase controls the amount of phosphorylation of mitotic kinetochore proteins and thus the establishment of load-bearing chromosome-spindle attachments in time for accurate separation of sister chromatids in mitosis. The PP2A-B56 regulatory protein Bod1 directly localises to mitotic kinetochores and is required for correct segregation of mitotic chromosomes. In this report, we have probed the spatio-temporal regulation of Bod1 during mitotic progression. Kinetochore localisation of Bod1 increases from nuclear envelope breakdown until metaphase. Phosphorylation of Bod1 at threonine 95 (T95), which increases Bod1’s binding and inhibition of PP2A-B56, peaks in prometaphase, when PP2A-B56 localisation to kinetochores is highest. Kinetochore targeting of Bod1 depends on the outer kinetochore protein Ndc80 and not PP2A-B56. Additionally, Bod1 depletion leads to a defect in the phosphorylation kinetics of Ndc80 at serine 55 (S55) within its N-terminus. Therefore, Ndc80 recruits a phosphatase inhibitor to kinetochores which directly feeds forward to regulate Ndc80 phosphorylation and the stability of the attachments of microtubules to kinetochores.
Software Comprehension - A Review & Research Direction

Comprehending computer programs is one of the core software engineering activities. Software comprehension is required when a programmer maintains, reuses, migrates, reengineers, or enhances software systems. Due to this, a large amount of research has been carried out, in an attempt to guide and support software engineers in this process.
UbiMI: ubiquitous mobile instrumentation

Thanks to the rapid development of mobile technologies, smartphones allow people to be reachable anywhere and anytime. In addition to the benefits for end users, researchers and developers can also benefit from the powerful devices that participants potentially carry on a daily basis. This minitrack workshop brings together researchers with an interest on using mobile devices as instruments to collect data and conduct mobile user studies, with a focus on understanding human-behavior, routines and gathering context.
A high-speed atomic force microscope for studying biological macromolecules.

The atomic force microscope (AFM) is a powerful tool for imaging individual biological molecules attached to a substrate and placed in aqueous solution. At present, however, it is limited by the speed at which it can successively record highly resolved images. We sought to increase markedly the scan speed of the AFM, so that in the future it can be used to study the dynamic behavior of biomolecules. For this purpose, we have developed a high-speed scanner, free of resonant vibrations up to 60 kHz, small cantilevers with high resonance frequencies (450-650 kHz) and small spring constants (150-280 pN/nm), an objective-lens type of deflection detection device, and several electronic devices of wide bandwidth. Integration of these various devices has produced an AFM that can capture a 100 x 100 pixel(2) image within 80 ms and therefore can generate a movie consisting of many successive images (80-ms intervals) of a sample in aqueous solution. This is demonstrated by imaging myosin V molecules moving on mica (see http://www.s.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/phys/biophys/bmv_movie.htm).
Comparative Effectiveness of ST-Segment–Elevation Myocardial Infarction Regionalization Strategies

Background—Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is more effective on average than fibrinolytic therapy in the treatment of ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction. Yet, most US hospitals are not equipped for PCI, and fibrinolytic therapy is still widely used. This study evaluated the comparative effectiveness of ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction regionalization strategies to increase the use of PCI against standard emergency transport and care. Methods and Results—We estimated incremental treatment costs and quality-adjusted life expectancies of 2000 patients with ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction who received PCI or fibrinolytic therapy in simulations of emergency care in a regional hospital system. To increase access to PCI across the system, we compared a base case strategy with 12 hospital-based strategies of building new PCI laboratories or extending the hours of existing laboratories and 1 emergency medical services–based strategy of transporting all patients with ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction to existing PCI-capable hospitals. The base case resulted in 609 (95% CI, 569–647) patients getting PCI. Hospital-based strategies increased the number of patients receiving PCI, the costs of care, and quality-adjusted life years saved and were cost-effective under a variety of conditions. An emergency medical services–based strategy of transporting every patient to an existing PCI facility was less costly and more effective than all hospital expansion options. Conclusion—Our results suggest that new construction and staffing of PCI laboratories may not be warranted if an emergency medical services strategy is both available and feasible.
The Effect of Immersed Heat Cured Acrylic Resin Denture Base in Chlorhexidin and Extract of Roselle Flower towards Color Stability

The most commonly used denture base material is heat cured acrylic resin. This material possesses chemical properties, such as color stability. Discoloration of the denture base can be caused by the use of disinfectant solution on daily basis. This is caused by the characteristic of acrylic resin which absorbs water over long contact times with solutions. The most common disinfectant solution used is chlorhexidine gluconate 0.2%. But, nowadays there are a lot of natural substances that could be used as alternatives to chemical substances such as roselle flower. This is a laboratory experimental study using cylinder shape sample with diameter of 50 ± 0.1mm and 0.5 ± 0.1 mm. The total of 60 samples is classified to 12 groups. The result shows significant result in discoloration with the usage of Chlorhexidine gluconate 0,2% in 1 year (92 hours), 2 years (183 hours), and 3 years (274 hours) with p=0.01 (p<0.05), p=0.001 (p<0.05), p=0.001 (p<0.05), and the roselle flower group in 3 years (183 hours) with p=0.021 (p<0.05). This study shows significant effect between time of usage to discoloration in acrylic resin groups that are soaked with the extract of roselle flower in 1 year (61 hours), 2 years (122 hours), and 3 years (183 hours) of contact with p = 0.025. Roselle’s extract of 40% can be used as natural disinfectant solution of heat cured
The herpes simplex virus 2 kb latency associated transcript (LAT) leader sequence allows efficient expression of downstream proteins which is enhanced in neuronal cells: possible function of LAT ORFs.

Herpes simplex viruses (HSV)-1 and -2 enter latency in peripheral ganglia during which time a number of latency associated transcripts (LATs) are produced. The most abundant (2 kb) LAT contains ORFs of significant size which could play a role in latency. We hypothesized that the leader sequence of the 2 kb LAT might regulate expression of the LAT ORFs in neurons and might thus enhance some aspect of the latency process. We show that constructs with the HSV-1 2 kb LAT leader sequence in front of a CAT gene are efficiently translated, with enhanced activity in cells of neuronal origin, but that from within a larger LAT-derived RNA from which 2 kb LATs are efficiently spliced, expression levels are low. Thus some further regulation of expression must occur if LAT ORFs are expressed in vivo. Experiments to test any regulatory function of the LAT ORFs in suppressing or stimulating immediate early (IE) gene expression during latency did not, however, show effects on IE promoters in co-transfection assays, nor on an early gene promoter which has recently been shown to be expressed early in reactivation.
A simple two-transistor 4D chaotic oscillator and its synchronization via active control

A new simple two-transistor four-dimensional (4D) chaotic oscillator is proposed using two sub-circuits, i.e. a modified single-transistor Colpitts oscillator, and another singletransistor sub-circuit for the fourth dimension. The circuit is much simpler than two existing two-transistor 4D chaotic circuits, as it has only nine electronic components, and only eleven algebraic terms in the state equation. The latter includes only three terms of nonlinearity. The circuit offers the largest Lyapunov exponent of 0.3232, which is much higher than those of the two existing two-transistor 4D chaotic circuits. The Lyapunov dimension is also identified at 3.0807. Synchronization through active control is demonstrated as a practical example of possible applications to chaos-based secure communications.
Dry sliding wear behaviour of ultrasonically-processed AA6061/SiCp nanocomposites

The present study focused on the wear performance of AA6061/ SiCp (1, 1.5 and 2 wt. %) of nanocomposites at dry sliding condition. The nanocomposite specimens were fabricated through ultrasonic assisted stir casting technique. The wear experiments were conducted under normal atmospheric conditions using a pin-on-disc apparatus. Three different applied normal loads on nanocomposite pin (10 N, 15 N, and 20 N); at various sliding velocities of (1 m/s, 1.5 m/s, and 2 m/s); and at sliding distances of (1000 m, 2000 m, and 3000 m) were considered. The influences of applied normal load on nanocomposite pin, wt. % of SiCp reinforcement particles, sliding velocity, and sliding distance on both friction coefficient and wear loss were studied. The changes of wear loss and friction coefficient with varying applied normal loads, sliding velocities, and sliding distances were plotted. It was observed that the wear loss increased linearly with increasing sliding distance and sliding velocity. This was due to the increase of oxidation layer on the pin surface. The average friction coefficient at sliding velocity 1 m/s for 1 wt. % of SiCp, 1.5 wt. % of SiCp, and 2 wt. % of SiCp reinforced nanocomposites at sliding distance 3000 m, at 20 N normal loads was 0.29, 0.43, and 0.46, respectively. The average friction coefficient at 2 m/s sliding velocity for the same load and sliding distance was 0.26, 0.27, and 0.28, respectively. The increase of SiCp reinforcement in the matrix increased the friction coefficient due to its cubic crystal structure. The increase of sliding velocity and sliding distances reduced the friction coefficient. The worn surfaces of the samples were examined using SEM and EDX analyses. SEM micrograph analysis of the wear surfaces of the nanocomposites exhibited the abrasion wear and oxidative wear with severe plastic deformation. The shallower scratches, circular grooves, and deeper grooves were identified at different conditions on the worn surfaces.
An Efficient Weather Forecasting System using Artificial Neural Network

Temperature warnings are important forecasts because they are used to protect life and property. Temperature forecasting is the application of science and technology to predict the state of the temperature for a future time and a given location. Temperature forecasts are made by collecting quantitative data about the current state of the atmosphere. In this paper, a neural network-based algorithm for predicting the temperature is presented. The Neural Networks package supports different types of training or learning algorithms. One such algorithm is Back Propagation Neural Network (BPN) technique. The main advantage of the BPN neural network method is that it can fairly approximate a large class of functions. This method is more efficient than numerical differentiation. The simple meaning of this term is that our model has potential to capture the complex relationships between many factors that contribute to certain temperature. The proposed idea is tested using the real time dataset. The results are compared with practical working of meteorological department and these results confirm that our model have the potential for successful application to temperature forecasting. Real time processing of weather data indicate that the BPN based weather forecast have shown improvement not only over guidance forecasts from numerical models, but over official local weather service forecasts as well. Index Terms—Multi layer perception, Temperature forecasting, Back propagation, Artificial Neural Network
Listen to me if you can: tracking user experience of mobile network on social media

Social media sites such as Twitter continue to grow at a fast pace. People of all generations use social media to exchange messages and share experiences of their life in a timely fashion. Most of these sites make their data available. An intriguing question is can we exploit this real-time and massive data-flow to improve business in a measurable way. In this paper, we are particularly interested in tweets (Twitter messages) that are relevant to mobile network performance. We compare tweets with a more traditional source of user experience, i.e., customer care tickets, and correlate both of them with a list of major network incidents. From our study, we have the following observations. First, Twitter users and users who call customer service tend to report different types of performance issues. Second, we observe that tweets typically appear more rapidly in response to network problems than customer tickets. They also appear to respond to a wider range of network issues. Third, significant spikes in the number of tweets appear to indicate short term performance impairments which are not reported in our current list of major network incidents. These observations together indicate that Twitter is an attractive, complementary source for monitoring service performance and its impact on user experience.