Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Widespread occurrence of the microorganism Wolbachia in ants

For more than 20 years, sex allocation in hymenopteran societies has been a major topic in insect sociobiology. A recurring idea was that relatedness asymmetries arising from their haplodiploid sex determination system would lead to various parent–offspring conflicts over optimal reproduction. A possible weakness of existing theory is that only interests of nuclear genes are properly accounted for. Yet, a diversity of maternally transmitted elements manipulate the reproduction of their host in many solitary arthropod groups. The bacterium Wolbachia is a striking example of such a selfish cytoplasmic element, with effects ranging from reproductive incompatibility between host strains, induction of parthenogenesis and feminization of males. This paper reports on a first PCR–based Wolbachia screening in ants. Out of 50 Indo–Australian species, 50% screened positive for an A–group strain. One of these species also harboured a B–group strain in a double infection. Various factors that might explain the unusually high incidence of Wolbachia in ants are discussed. In general, Wolbachia may represent a widespread and previously unrecognized party active in the conflicts of interest within social insect colonies.
Stability analysis of switched systems with stable and unstable subsystems: an average dwell time approach

We study the stability properties of linear switched systems consisting of both Hurwitz stable and unstable subsystems using an average dwell time approach. We show that if the average dwell time is chosen sufficiently large and the total activation time of unstable subsystems is relatively small compared with that of Hurwitz stable subsystems, then exponential stability of a desired degree is guaranteed. We also derive a piecewise Lyapunov function for the switched system subjected to the switching law and the average dwell time scheme under consideration, and we extend these results to the case for which nonlinear norm-bounded perturbations exist in the subsystems. We show that when the norms of the perturbations are small, we can modify the switching law appropriately to guarantee that the solutions of the switched system converge to the origin exponentially with large average dwell time.
Krabbe disease: One Hundred years from the bedside to the bench to the bedside

This Review summarizes the progress in understanding the pathogenesis and treatment of Krabbe disease from the description of five patients in by Knud Krabbe until 2016. To determine the cause of this genetic disease, pathological and chemical analyses of tissues from the nervous systems of patients were performed. It was determined that these patients had a pathological feature known as globoid cell in the brain and that this consisted partially of galactosylceramide, a major sphingolipid component of myelin. The finding that these patients had a deficiency of galactocerebrosidase (GALC) activity opened the way to relatively simple diagnostic testing with easily obtainable tissue samples, studies leading to the purification of GALC, and cloning of the GALC cDNA and gene. The availability of the gene sequence led to the identification of mutations in patients and to the current studies involving the use of viral vectors containing the GALC cDNA to treat experimentally naturally occurring animal models, such as twitcher mice. Currently, treatment of presymptomatic human patients is limited to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). With recent studies showing successful treatment of animal models with a combination of HSCT and viral gene therapy, it is hoped that more effective treatments will soon be available for human patients. For this Review, it is not possible to reference all of the articles contributing to our current state of knowledge about this disease; however, we have chosen those that have influenced our studies by suggesting research paths to pursue. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Perception of Speech in Noise: Neural Correlates

The presence of irrelevant auditory information (other talkers, environmental noises) presents a major challenge to listening to speech. The fundamental frequency (F0) of the target speaker is thought to provide an important cue for the extraction of the speaker's voice from background noise, but little is known about the relationship between speech-in-noise (SIN) perceptual ability and neural encoding of the F0. Motivated by recent findings that music and language experience enhance brainstem representation of sound, we examined the hypothesis that brainstem encoding of the F0 is diminished to a greater degree by background noise in people with poorer perceptual abilities in noise. To this end, we measured speech-evoked auditory brainstem responses to /da/ in quiet and two multitalker babble conditions (two-talker and six-talker) in native English-speaking young adults who ranged in their ability to perceive and recall SIN. Listeners who were poorer performers on a standardized SIN measure demonstrated greater susceptibility to the degradative effects of noise on the neural encoding of the F0. Particularly diminished was their phase-locked activity to the fundamental frequency in the portion of the syllable known to be most vulnerable to perceptual disruption (i.e., the formant transition period). Our findings suggest that the subcortical representation of the F0 in noise contributes to the perception of speech in noisy conditions.
'A bit like British Weather, I suppose': Design and Evaluation of the Temperature Calendar

In this paper we present the design and evaluation of the Temperature Calendar -- a visualization of temperature variation within a workplace over the course of the past week. This highlights deviation from organizational temperature policy, and aims to bring staff "into the loop" of understanding and managing heating, and so reduce energy waste. The display was deployed for three weeks in five public libraries. Analysis of interaction logs, questionnaires and interviews shows that staff used the displays to understand heating in their buildings, and took action reflecting this new understanding. Bringing together our results, we discuss design implications for workplace displays, and an analysis of carbon emissions generated in constructing and operating our design. More in general, the findings helped us to reflect on the role of policy on energy consumption, and the potential for the HCI community to engage with its application, as well as its definition or modification.
bcl-2 Transgene Expression Inhibits Apoptosis in the Germinal Center and Reveals Differences in the Selection of Memory B Cells and Bone Marrow Antibody-Forming Cells

Immunization with T cell–dependent antigens generates long-lived memory B cells and antibody-forming cells (AFCs). Both populations originate in germinal centers and, predominantly, produce antibodies with high affinity for antigen. The means by which germinal center B cells are recruited into these populations remains unclear. We have examined affinity maturation of antigen-specific B cells in mice expressing the cell death inhibitor bcl-2 as a transgene. Such mice had reduced apoptosis in germinal centers and an excessive number of memory B cells with a low frequency of V gene somatic mutation, including those mutations encoding amino acid exchanges known to enhance affinity. Despite the frequency of AFCs being increased in bcl-2–transgenic mice, the fraction secreting high-affinity antibody in the bone marrow at day 42 remained unchanged compared with controls. The inability of BCL-2 to alter selection of bone marrow AFCs is consistent with these cells being selected within the germinal center on the basis of their affinity being above some threshold rather than their survival being due to a selective competition for an antigen-based signal. Continuous competition for antigen does, however, explain formation of the memory compartment.
Measuring the Likelihood of Models for Network Evolution

Many researchers have hypothesised models which explain the evolution of the topology of a target network. The framework described in this paper gives the likelihood that the target network arose from the hypothesised model. This allows rival hypothesised models to be compared for their ability to explain the target network. A null model (of random evolution) is proposed as a baseline for comparison. The framework also considers models made from linear combinations of model components. A method is given for the automatic optimisation of component weights. The framework is tested on simulated networks with known parameters and also on real data.
Intrusion Detection System Based on Feature Selection and Support Vector Machine

Support vector machine (SVM) has been applied to intrusion detection system (IDS) for its abilities to perform classification and regression. But for large-scale network intrusion detection problem, since solving a support vector machine is a typical quadratic optimization problem, which is influenced by the dimension and quantity of examples, many problems arise. KDDCUP'99 was used as the experiment dataset in this paper. A feature selection technology based on Fisher score was presented and used to construct a reduced feature subset of KDDCUP'99 dataset. SVM was used as a classifier. Experiment was run. The experiment results show, using Fisher score combined with SVM to select the important features is an effective method to reduce the dimension of the example feature space, and the classification accuracy has not dramatically decreased comparing to the original feature space.
Clinical Features of Food Allergy during the 1st Year of Life: The ADAPAR Birth Cohort Study

Background: Although food allergies (FAs) occur most commonly during the 1st year of life, there is limited information available regarding the epidemiology of FAs. In this study, we investigated the incidence of FA and the associated risk factors during the 1st year of life in southeast Turkey. Methods: This study is a prospective evaluation of 1,377 infants born at the Balcalı Hospital (Çukurova University) and includes four routine follow-up assessments until the age of 1 year. At birth, a physical examination was performed, cord blood samples were taken, and parents completed a baseline questionnaire. Follow-up visits were scheduled at 3, 6 and 12 months and included the infants' physical examination and a follow-up questionnaire. A skin prick test (SPT) was performed and food-specific IgE levels were measured at 6 and 12 months. Telephone interviews were conducted when the infants were 9 months of age, and the questionnaire was administered. The diagnosis of FA was based on food-specific IgE levels, positive SPT results, associated clinical findings and an oral food challenge (OFC) test. Results: Patient histories, physical examinations and laboratory results indicated a possible FA in 90 infants (6.5%) during the 1st year of life. All of them underwent OFC testing with the suspected foods, and FA was confirmed in 33 cases (2.4%). Cow's milk allergy was the major cause of FA. Skin reactions were major clinical findings in FA. A family history of atopy was identified as the major risk factor for FA. Conclusions: The prevalence and risk factors of FA in our region are consistent with those reported in the literature.
Modeling Partial Monosomy for Human Chromosome 21q11.2-q21.1 Reveals Haploinsufficient Genes Influencing Behavior and Fat Deposition

Haploinsufficiency of part of human chromosome 21 results in a rare condition known as Monosomy 21. This disease displays a variety of clinical phenotypes, including intellectual disability, craniofacial dysmorphology, skeletal and cardiac abnormalities, and respiratory complications. To search for dosage-sensitive genes involved in this disorder, we used chromosome engineering to generate a mouse model carrying a deletion of the Lipi–Usp25 interval, syntenic with 21q11.2-q21.1 in humans. Haploinsufficiency for the 6 genes in this interval resulted in no gross morphological defects and behavioral analysis performed using an open field test, a test of anxiety, and tests for social interaction were normal in monosomic mice. Monosomic mice did, however, display impaired memory retention compared to control animals. Moreover, when fed a high-fat diet (HFD) monosomic mice exhibited a significant increase in fat mass/fat percentage estimate compared with controls, severe fatty changes in their livers, and thickened subcutaneous fat. Thus, genes within the Lipi–Usp25 interval may participate in memory retention and in the regulation of fat deposition.
Objective Assessment of Keloid Scars with Three-Dimensional Imaging: Quantifying Response to Intralesional Steroid Therapy

Background: Treatment of keloid scars poses a significant challenge. Assessment of treatment response and research in this area depend on the availability of objective, accurate, and reproducible outcome measures. At present, scars are assessed using subjective grading systems, or with cumbersome investigations such as direct casting. The authors assessed the feasibility of objectively monitoring response to intralesional steroid treatment in routine clinical practice with quantitative three-dimensional imaging. Methods: Scar volume was quantified using a validated three-dimensional speckle-pattern stereophotogrammetry before and for a minimum of 8 weeks after intralesional steroid therapy in 12 patients with keloid scars. Results: Mean scar volume at the start of treatment was 0.73 ± 0.701 cc (range, 0.12 to 2.15 cc); this was reduced to 0.14 ± 0.302 cc (range, 0.007 to 1.08 cc) after monthly intralesional injections of triamcinolone acetate (p < 0.001; analysis of variance). The majority of patients achieved a greater than 50 percent response within 8 weeks of the start of therapy, but poor treatment response was noted and quantified in a minority of patients. Conclusions: Three-dimensional stereophotogrammetry is a rapid and noninvasive method of scar volume assessment that could allow accurate and objective monitoring of treatment response to be incorporated into clinical practice. Therefore, it can be of considerable value in assessing treatment efficacy and evaluating new therapeutic strategies.
Current challenges and novel treatment strategies in double hit lymphomas

High-grade B-cell lymphomas with recurrent chromosomal break points have been termed ‘double hit lymphoma’ (DHL). The most commonly seen DHL is diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with t(14;18) and t(8;14) or t(8;22) resulting in overexpression of BCL2 and MYC, respectively. The increased proliferation due to MYC overexpression, without the ability for an apoptotic brake as a result of BCL2 overexpression, results in ‘the perfect storm of oncogenesis’. Thus this disease presents a number of diagnostic and therapeutic challenges for the hematologist. The first and foremost challenge is to recognize the DHL. As different morphological entities can be affected it is incumbent on pathologists and clinicians to maintain a high index of suspicion especially in disease that appears unusually aggressive or refractory to therapy. Diagnosis by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is a sensitive and specific method for detection of the disease but is time-consuming and expensive. While detection by immunohistochemistry (IHC) is sensitive and correlates with survival, standardized methods for this are not widely agreed upon. The second and equally important challenge in DHL is optimizing clinical outcome in a group of patients for whom the prognosis is widely regarded as poor. While improvements have been achieved by dose escalating standard chemotherapeutic regimens, many patients continue to do badly. Furthermore as a disease of aging many patients are unsuitable for dose-intensive chemotherapy regimens. There are now multiple novel targeted agents in various stages of clinical development that offer hope for better outcomes without undue toxicity. Among the most exciting of these developments include specific inhibitors of both BCL2 and MYC.
Studies on reverse transcriptase of RNA tumor viruses III. Properties of purified Moloney murine leukemia virus DNA polymerase and associated RNase H

DNA polymerase was purified from a cloned isolate of Moloney murine leukemia virus (M-MuLV). Purified M-MuLV DNA polymerase, upon analysis by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, showed one major polypeptide of mol wt 80,000. Estimation of molecular weight from the sedimentation rate of the purifed enzyme in a glycerol gradient was consistent with a structure containing one polypeptide. M-MuLV DNA polymerase could transcribe ribopolymers, deoxyribopolymers, and heteropolymers as efficiently as did purified DNA polymerase from avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV). M-MuLV DNA polymerase, however, transcribed native 70S viral RNA less efficiently than did AMV DNA polymerase. Addition of oligo(dT) enhanced five to tenfold the transcription of 70S viral RNA by M-MuLV DNA polymerase. Purified enzyme also exhibited nuclease activity (RNase H) that selectively degraded the RNA moiety of the RNA-DNA hybrid. It did not degrade single-stranded RNA, single-stranded DNA, double-stranded RNA, and double-stranded DNA. M-MuLV DNA polymerase-associated RNase H acted as a random exonuclease. When [3-H]poly(A)-poly(dT) was used as a substrate, the size of the M-MuLV DNA polymerase-associated RHase H digested product was larger than the size of the digestion products by AMV DNA polymerase. The oligonucleotide digestion products could be further digested to 5'-AMP by snake venom phosphodiesterase, indicating that the products were terminated by 3'-OH groups. Alkaline hydrolysis of the oligonucleotide digestion products generated pAp, suggesting that M-MuLV DNA polymerase-associated RNase H cleaves at the 3' side of the 3',5'-phosphodiester bond. The ratios of the rates of DNA polymerase activity and RNase H activity were not significantly different in the murine and avian enzymes.
Nutritional influences on some major enteric bacterial diseases of pig

Abstract There are several enteric bacterial diseases and conditions of pigs that require control to prevent overt disease, to reduce morbidity and mortality, and to improve the efficiency of production. Traditionally, veterinarians, feed manufacturers and producers have relied upon antibiotics and minerals (for example, ZnO, CuSO4) in diets for a large part of this control. However, recent trends, particularly in Europe, are to reduce antimicrobial use and seek alternative or replacement strategies for controlling enteric bacterial diseases. The majority of these strategies rely on ‘nutrition’, taken in its broadest sense, to reduce the susceptibility of pigs to these diseases. Evidence to date suggests that specific dietary interventions, for example feeding very highly-digestible diets based on cooked white rice, can reduce the proliferation of a number of specific enteric bacterial infections, such as post-weaning colibacillosis. No simple and universal way to reduce susceptibility to pathogens in the gastrointestinal tract has been identified, and the underlying basis for many of the reported positive effects of ‘nutrition’ on controlling enteric infections lacks robust, scientific understanding. This makes it difficult to recommend dietary guidelines to prevent or reduce enteric bacterial diseases. Furthermore, some diseases, such as porcine intestinal spirochaetosis caused by Brachyspira pilosicoli, are sometimes associated with other pathogens (co-infections). In such cases, each pathogen might have different nutrient requirements, ecological niches and patterns of metabolism for which a variety of dietary interventions are needed to ameliorate the disease. Greater understanding of how ‘nutrition’ influences gut epithelial biology and immunobiology, and their interactions with both commensal and pathogenic bacteria, holds promise as a means of tackling enteric disease without antimicrobial agents. In addition, it is important to consider the overall system (i.e. management, housing, welfare) of pig production in the context of controlling enteric bacterial diseases.
Children's Productions of Multi-Syllabic Lexical Stress Patterns in Different Prosodic Positions

Production of lexical stress patterns in biand tri-syllabic words by five-year-old children was investigated. Duration and amplitude, which are the primary acoustic correlates of lexical stress in American English, were examined in words produced in isolation, in utterance-initial and utterance-final positions. In all three prosodic environments, children and adults differentiated lexical stress patterns by varying relative rhyme durations in the words. The difference between children and adults was observed in amplitude patterns within each word type. The amplitude patterns of adults varied as a function of prosodic position, whereas children tended to have similar amplitude patterns in words produced in isolation and in utterance-final position. These results suggest that the position of a word in an utterance influences the inter-syllabic amplitude pattern in the word. Children may acquire amplitude patterns in utterance-final words later than in utterance-initial words, possibly due to a larger degree of pattern variation in the former rather than the latter position.
Conductive polymer foams with carbon nanofillers – Modeling percolation behavior

A new numerical model considering nanofiller random distribution in a porous polymeric matrix was developed to predict electrical percolation behavior in systems incorporating 1D-carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and/or 2D-graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs). The numerical model applies to porous systems with closed-cell morphology. The percolation threshold was found to decrease with increasing porosity due to filler repositioning as a result of foaming. CNTs were more efficient in forming a percolative network than GNPs. High-aspect ratio (AR) and randomly oriented fillers were more prone to form a network. Reduced percolation values were determined for misaligned fillers as they connect better in a network compared to aligned ones. Hybrid CNT-GNP fillers show synergistic effects in forming electrically conductive networks by comparison with single fillers.
Extracellular Vesicles, a Key Mediator to Link Environmental Microbiota to Airway Immunity

Asthma is considered the hallmark of chronic airway inflammation, in which several inflammatory cells of the innate and adaptive immune system act together. The disease is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors; however, precise mechanisms for airway inflammation remain unclear. The human microbiota provides an increasingly favored explanation for inflammatory diseases; an altered microbiota composition has been shown to regulate immune responses. However, given the complexity of the microbiota, additional research is needed to elucidate its role in the development of disease. One of the candidate molecules that link microbiota to disease is the extracellular vesicles (EVs). EVs are secreted by diverse cell types and they possess the pathophysiological function of delivering signals between bacteria and host. We discuss the role of the microbiota in the development of asthma through releasing EVs.