Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cigarette smoke increases susceptibility to tuberculosis--evidence from in vivo and in vitro models.

BACKGROUND Cigarette smoke (CS) exposure is an epidemiological risk factor for tuberculosis, although the biological basis has not been elucidated. METHODS We exposed C57BL/6 mice to CS for 14 weeks and examined their ability to control an aerosol infection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Erdman. RESULTS CS-exposed mice had more M. tuberculosis isolated from the lungs and spleens after 14 and 30 d, compared with control mice. The CS-exposed mice had worse lung lesions and less lung and splenic macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs) producing interleukin12 and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α). There were significantly more interleukin 10-producing macrophages and DCs in the spleens of infected CS-exposed mice than in non-CS-exposed controls. CS-exposed mice also showed a diminished influx of interferon γ-producing and TNF-α-producing CD4(+) and CD8(+) effector and memory T cells into the lungs and spleens. There was a trend toward an increased number of viable intracellular M. tuberculosis in macrophages isolated from humans who smoke compared with nonsmokers. THP-1 human macrophages and primary human alveolar macrophages exposed to CS extract, nicotine, or acrolein showed an increased burden of intracellular M. tuberculosis. CONCLUSION CS suppresses the protective immune response to M. tuberculosis in mice, human THP-1 cells, and primary human alveolar macrophages.
What Language Change can Tell us About the Mental Organization of Linguistic Competence

Basic Assumptions and Purpose On a theoretical level, this presentation – which is based on my 2004 monograph Selfish Sounds and Linguistic Evolution – sketches and defends an approach to human linguistic competence that views it as a system of neural link patterns embodying schematic instructions for communicative behavior that are transmitted faithfully enough to qualify as mental or cultural replicators in the sense of Dawkins 1989. It is assumed that linguistic competences are replicator systems and best explained in terms of evolutionary theory, while the assumption of speakers as extra-systemic agents that control language acquisition and communicative behavioral is bound to confuse matters from the start. The approach differs in this respect from most established theories of language, because they assume such agents either explicitly (such as semiotic, functionalist theories, e.g. Dressler 1985), or implicitly (such as formalist approaches in the Chomskyan tradition). On the other hand it is compatible with the assumptions underlying much of contemporary cognitive science, and in particular with connectionist approaches to linguistic competence modeling (e.g. McClelland, Rumelhart et al. 1986), with evolutionary psychology (e.g. Plotkin 1998), with theories of cognition as a complex adaptive system (e.g. Hawkins & Gell-Mann (Eds.)1992), or with generalized Darwinian approaches to human cognition and culture (e.g. Dawkins 1989 or Hofstadter et al. 1995). What this presentation attempts to show is how the evidence of historical linguistic change can be made relevant to the question of how linguistic competence is implemented in, and transmitted among human mind/brains.
A novel method to reduce the effects of space harmonics in alternating current machines

Only constructional changes can be used to reduce the negative effects of space harmonics in an electrical machine. In this paper it is shown that eliminating space harmonics by designing a phase winding placed in various shapes of slots and teeth is possible. The analysis is performed for two poles and the results can be extended to any number of poles by converting the angle from geometric to electrical. The principles involved, including wave form analysis, numerical optimization, numerical results, comparison of harmonic spectra and winding factor are presented for any number of slots which can all be optimized. A comparison is made between the standard motor and the motor with the novel stator design in terms of winding quantities and ampere-turn values.
Verb sense disambiguation in Machine Translation

We describe experiments in Machine Translation using word sense disambiguation (WSD) information. This work focuses on WSD in verbs, based on two different approaches – verbal patterns based on corpus pattern analysis and verbal word senses from valency frames. We evaluate several options of using verb senses in the source-language sentences as an additional factor for the Moses statistical machine translation system. Our results show a statistically significant translation quality improvement in terms of the BLEU metric for the valency frames approach, but in manual evaluation, both WSD methods bring improvements.
CENTRAL AND CENTRAL- EASTERN MALAYO-POLYNESIAN

Malayo-Polynesian (CEMP). CEMP, encompassing all of the approximately 600 Austronesian languages of eastern Indonesia and the Pacific apart from Palauan, Chamorro, and possibly Yapese, is justified by a set of phonological, lexical, morphosyntactic, and semantic innovations that distinguish these languages from the reconstructed ancestor of the Austronesian family as a whole (Proto-Austronesian), and from the putative immediate ancestor of all non-Formosan Austronesian languages (Proto-Malayo-Polynesian). CMP, encompassing over 100 languages in the Lesser Sunda and Moluccan islands of eastern Indonesia, is justified by a set of phonological, lexical, and morphosyntactic innovations that often fail to include all members of the proposed group. These overlapping distributions of innovated features in CMP languages are interpreted as evidence for a rapid spread of Austronesian speakers through eastern Indonesia from a primary dispersal point in the Northern Moluccas soon after the separation of the ancestral CMP and EMP language communities. Within CMP, it is found that several languages of the Bomberai Peninsula on the southwest coast of New Guinea, including at least Sekar, Onin, and Uruangnirin, subgroup closely with Yamdena of the Tanimbar archipelago some 300 miles distant in the southern Moluccas. It is concluded that the Bomberai languages reached their historical locations through a back-migration from the southern Moluccas well after the initial Austronesian settlement of eastern Indonesia.
Neuroprotection by Cell Permeable TAT-mGluR1 Peptide in Ischemia: Synergy between Carrier and Cargo Sequences

Overactivation of glutamate receptors is a critical mechanism for neuronal death in ischemic stroke. Previously, we reported that overactivation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)—type glutamate receptor induced calpain-mediated truncation of metabotropic glutamate receptor mGluR1α, resulting in suppression of its neuroprotective signaling pathway. A fusion peptide containing the transactivating regulatory protein (TAT) protein transduction domain (PTD) and the mGluR1α sequence spanning the calpain cleavage site effectively blocked mGluR1α truncation and protected neurons against NMDA-induced neuronal toxicity. We recently evaluated the role of this mechanism in ischemia-induced cell death. We found that mGluR1α was truncated in both in vitro and in vivo models of stroke and that this truncation was accompanied by the typical calpain-mediated proteolysis of spectrin. The TAT-mGluR1 fusion peptide produced robust neuroprotective effect in the in vitro model of stroke. In addition, we found that the TAT protein transduction domain peptide itself altered the function of membrane channels through some unknown mechanisms and showed some mild neuroprotective effects. Together, these experiments indicated a synergistic relationship between the TAT carrier sequence and the mGluR1α peptide cargo sequence, and this synergy might account for the neuroprotective properties of the TAT-mGluR1 peptide. NEUROSCIENTIST 14(5):409—414, 2008. DOI: 10.1177/1073858407309762
Putting Students at the Centre of Classroom L2 Writing Assessment

In many educational contexts, L2 writing assessment tends to emphasize its summative functions (i.e., assessment of learning – AoL) more than its formative potential (i.e., assessment for – AfL). While the teacher plays a dominant role in AoL, central to AfL is the role of the students, alongside that of the teacher and peers. A student-centred approach to L2 writing assessment involves learners actively in setting goals, monitoring their progress, and deciding how to address the gaps in their learning. Such a focus, also referred to as assessment as learning (AaL), puts students at the centre of classroom assessment. In the L2 writing literature, however, descriptions and explanations about how AaL can be implemented in the writing classroom are scant. This article attempts to provide a clear understanding of AaL and how a student-centred approach to classroom assessment can be applied in the L2 writing classroom, thus contributing new knowledge to the existing literature on classroom L2 writing assessment.Dans de nombreux contextes éducationnels, l’évaluation de l’écrit en L2 est exploitée davantage pour ses aspects globaux (évaluation de l’apprentissage) que pour son potentiel formateur (évaluation pour l’apprentis-sage, c’est-à-dire apprentissage par l’évaluation). Si l’enseignant joue un rôle déterminant dans le premier cas, c’est le rôle de l’élève, parallèlement à celui de l’enseignant et des pairs, qui est central dans le second. Dans une approche de l’évaluation de l’écrit en L2 centrée sur l’étudiant, les apprenants s’occupent activement d’établir les objectifs, de faire le suivi et de décider des moyens de combler les lacunes de leur apprentissage. Cette orientation, que l’on appelle aussi « évaluation pour l’apprentissage », place l’apprenant au centre de l’évaluation. Mais les descriptions et explications concernant l’implantation en classe de l’évaluation pour l’apprentissage en L2 sont rares. Afin d’ajouter à nos connaissances sur ce sujet, cet article s’efforce de définir clairement l’évaluation pour l’apprentissage, et les moyens d’exploiter les approches de l’évaluation centrée sur l’élève dans les cours d’écriture en L2.
Selective amygdalohippocampectomy for hippocampal sclerosis: postoperative MR appearance.

PURPOSE To analyze the anatomic consequences of selective amygdalohippocampectomy (AH) in patients with hippocampal sclerosis and to correlate the clinical outcome with the MR appearance. METHODS Seventeen patients were examined with clinical and neuropsychologic examination and cranial MR after AH (7 transcortical AH, 10 trans-Sylvian AH). The clinical and neuropsychologic outcomes after AH were compared with those of anterior lobectomy (ATL). RESULTS There was no significant difference in seizure cure between transcortical or trans-Sylvian AH and ATL. However, patients with left AH fared significantly better in terms of verbal IQ and nonverbal memory when compared with those with left ATL. Verbal memory and cognition were not significantly different in the two AH groups. Variable amounts of hippocampal and amygdala remnants were found in both AH groups and did not correlate with seizure cure. White matter change consistent with gliosis probably secondary to wallerian degeneration was demonstrated in the anterior temporal lobe to a mean distance of 4.5 cm after transcortical AH and to a lesser degree as a consequence of trans-Sylvian AH. Nine patients (53%) (4 transcortical All, 5 trans-Sylvian AH) demonstrated wallerian degeneration in the optic radiations after surgery. All had incomplete contralateral quadrantanopia. CONCLUSIONS There is more secondary damage to the temporal lobe after AH than was previously recognized. The extent of hippocampal and amygdala resection in AH do not seem to be directly related to seizure cure. Visual field defects are common in AH because of the anterior but variable course of the optic radiations
Application-specific protocols for user-level shared memory

Recent distributed shared memory (DSM) systems and proposed shared-memory machines have implemented some or all of their cache coherence protocols in software. One way to exploit the flexibility of this software is to tailor a coherence protocol to match an application's communication patterns and memory semantics. This paper presents evidence that this approach can lead to large performance improvements. It shows that application-specific protocols substantially improved the performance of three application programs-appbt, em3d, and barnes-over carefully tuned transparent shared memory implementations. The speed-ups were obtained on Blizzard, a fine-grained DSM system running on a 32-node Thinking Machines CM-5. <<ETX>>
Classical databases and knowledge organization: A case for boolean retrieval and human decision‐making during searches

This paper considers classical bibliographic databases based on the Boolean retrieval model (such as MEDLINE and PsycInfo). This model is challenged by modern search engines and information retrieval (IR) researchers, who often consider Boolean retrieval a less efficient approach. The paper examines this claim and argues for the continued value of Boolean systems, and suggests two further considerations: (a) the important role of human expertise in searching (expert searchers and “information literate” users) and (b) the role of library and information science and knowledge organization (KO) in the design and use of classical databases. An underlying issue is the kind of retrieval system for which one should aim. Warner's (2010) differentiation between the computer science traditions and an older library‐oriented tradition seems important; the former aim to transform queries automatically into (ranked) sets of relevant documents, whereas the latter aims to increase the “selection power” of users. The Boolean retrieval model is valuable in providing users with the power to make informed searches and have full control over what is found and what is not. These issues may have significant implications for the maintenance of information science and KO as research fields as well as for the information profession as a profession in its own right.
Melatonin potentiates the anti‐tumour effect of pravastatin in rat mammary gland carcinoma model

Previous studies in the field of cancer research have suggested a possible role for statins in the reduction of risk in certain malignancies. The purpose of these studies was to examine the chemopreventive effects of pravastatin alone and in combination with pineal hormone melatonin in the N‐methyl‐N‐nitrosourea‐induced mammary carcinogenesis model. Pravastatin was given orally (1 00 mg/kg) and melatonin was added to the water (20 μg/ml). Chemoprevention began seven days prior to carcinogen administration and subsequently continued for 15 weeks until autopsy. At autopsy, mammary tumours were removed and prepared for histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis. Parameters of experimental carcinogenesis, mechanism of action (biomarkers of apoptosis, angiogenesis and proliferation) and side effects after long‐term treatment in animals were assessed. Pravastatin alone suppressed tumour frequency by 20.5% and average tumour volume by 15% compared with controls. Combined administration of the drugs decreased tumour frequency by 69% and lengthened tumour latency by nine days compared with control animals. The ration between high and low grade carcinomas was apparently reduced in both treated groups. The analysis of carcinoma cells showed significant expression increase in caspase‐3 and caspase‐7 after pravastatin treatment; however, combined treatment even more pronounced increase in the expression of both caspases. Regarding VEGFR‐2 expression, a small effect in carcinomas of both treated groups was found. In plasma metabolism evaluation, pravastatin alone significantly decreased levels of glucose and triacylglycerols. Our results suggest a mild anti‐neoplastic effect of pravastatin in this rat mammary gland carcinoma model. Statins co‐administered with other suitable drug (e.g. melatonin) should be further evaluated for tumour‐preventive properties.
Imparting chemical specificity to nanometer-spaced electrodes

In this paper we are demonstrating an electrochemically driven self-assembling approach to achieve the space-resolved chemical functionalization of nanoelectrodes. After forming a self-assembled monolayer of electroactive quinones on a pair of nano-spaced (<100 nm) electrodes, we enabled the binding of ssDNA exclusively on a single nanoelectrode by controlling the oxidation state at each modified electrode. This procedure attained the chemical differentiation of otherwise identical nanoelectrodes as the immobilized ssDNA retained its hybridization ability. Furthermore, we established that Kelvin probe force microscopy is a suitable space-resolved analytical technique for detecting this chemical functionalization at the nanoscale. The reported approach, enabling the space-selective patterning of (bio)molecules on nanoelectrode surfaces, can find application in complex nanosensor structure and molecular electronics implementations.
The evolution of ageing and longevity

Ageing is not adaptive since it reduces reproductive potential, and the argument that it evolved to provide offspring with living space is hard to sustain for most species. An alternative theory is based on the recognition that the force of natural selection declines with age, since in most environments individuals die from predation, disease or starvation. Ageing could therefore be the combined result of late-expressed deleterious genes which are beyond the reach of effective negative selection. However, this argument is circular, since the concept of ‘late expression’ itself implies the prior existence of adult age-related physiological processes. Organisms that do not age are essentially in a steady state in which chronologically young and old individuals are physiologically the same. In this situation the synthesis of macromolecules must be sufficiently accurate to prevent error feedback and the development of lethal ‘error catastrophes’. This involves the expenditure of energy, which is required for both kinetic proof-reading and other accuracy promoting devices. It may be selectively advantageous for higher organisms to adopt an energy saving strategy of reduced accuracy in somatic cells to accelerate development and reproduction, but the consequence will be eventual deterioration and death. This ‘disposable soma’ theory of the evolution of ageing also proposes that a high level of accuracy is maintained in immortal germ line cells, or alternatively, that any defective germ cells are eliminated. The evolution of an increase in longevity in mammals may be due to a concomitant reduction in the rates of growth and reproduction and an increase in the accuracy of synthesis of macromolecules. The theory can be tested by measuring accuracy in germ line and somatic cells and also by comparing somatic cells from mammals with different longevities.
Influence of Vagus Nerve Stimulation parameters on chronotropism and inotropism in heart failure

Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) has been shown to be useful in heart failure patients, including antiarrhythmic effects, improvement of cardiac function and reduction of the mortality. However, the optimal configuration of VNS can be a difficult task, since there are several adjustable parameters, such as current amplitude (mA), pulse width (ms), burst frequency (Hz), number of pulses and, in the case of cardiac-triggered VNS, the delay (ms) between the R-wave and the beginning of the stimulation. The objective of this paper is to analyse the effect of these parameters, and their interaction, on the chronotropic and inotropic responses to vagal stimulation. 306 VNS sequences were tested on 12 sheep with induced heart failure. Autonomic markers of the chronotropic (changes in RR interval) and inotropic (changes in dP/dtmax) effects were extracted from the observed data. In order to analyse the influence of stimulation parameters on these markers, a sensitivity analysis method was applied. Results illustrate the strong interaction between the delay and the others parameters. The number of pulses, the current and the frequency seem to be particularly influent on chronotropism and inotropism although the effect of the frequency is highly non-linear or it depends on other parameters.
Effects of circuit-based exercise programs on the body composition of elderly obese women

Aim The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of circuit-based exercise on the body composition in obese older women by focusing on physical exercise and body weight (BW) gain control in older people. Methods Seventy older women (>60 years old) voluntarily took part in the study. Participants were randomized into six different groups according to body mass index (BMI): appropriate weight (AW) control (AWC) and trained (AWT) groups, overweight (OW) control (OWC) and trained (OWT) groups, and obesity (O) control (OC) and trained (OT) groups. The exercise program consisted of 50 minutes of exercise three times per week for 12 weeks. The exercises were alternated between upper and lower body using rest between sets for 40 seconds with intensity controlled by heart rate (70% of work). The contraction time established was 5 seconds to eccentric and concentric muscular action phase. The following anthropometric parameters were evaluated: height (m), body weight (BW, kg), body fat (BF, %), fat mass (FM, kg), lean mass (LM, kg), and BMI (kg/m2). Results The values (mean ± standard deviation [SD]) of relative changes to BW (−8.0% ± 0.8%), BF (−21.4% ± 2.1%), LM (3.0% ± 0.3%), and FM (−31.2% ± 3.0%) to the OT group were higher (P < 0.05) than in the AWT (BW: −2.0% ± 1.1%; BF: −4.6% ± 1.8%; FM: −7.0% ± 2.8%; LM: 0.2% ± 1.1%) and OWT (BW: −4.5% ± 1.0%; BF: −11.0% ± 2.2%; FM: −16.1% ± 3.2%; LM: −0.2% ± 1.0%) groups; additionally, no differences were found for C groups. While reduction (P < 0.03) in BMI according to absolute values was observed for all trained groups (AWT: 22 ± 1 versus 21 ± 1; OWT: 27 ± 1 versus 25 ± 1, OT: 34 ± 1 versus 30 ± 1) after training, no differences were found for C groups. Conclusion In summary, circuit-based exercise is an effective method for promoting reduction in anthropometrics parameters in obese older women.