Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Extracellular vesicles: important players in immune homeostasis.

Exosomes are nano-sized extracellular vesicles (EVs) released from cells that act as mechanisms of cellular communication both between the surrounding cells that make up the cellular mileu and cells at distant locations in the body (1). Not only do they play many different roles in normal physiology, exosomes have been shown to exacerbate the progression of numerous different pathologies (1), including playing dual roles in immune regulation (2). Exosomes activate immunity by way of transferring antigens and promoting activation of antigen presenting cells. They also have been shown to participate in immunosuppression under different circumstances (2). For example, exosomes released from intestinal epithelial cells have the ability to suppress global immune function and are critical players in immune evasion in tumor models. Additionally, exosomes released by mesenchymal stem cells suppress immune function in various animal models of disease and tissue damage when used for therapeutic cellular regeneration (2).
Immunogenicity of Fowlpox Virus Expressing the Avian Influenza Virus H5 Gene (TROVAC AIV-H5) in Cats

ABSTRACT Vaccination of cats with fowlpox virus expressing the avian influenza (AI) virus H5 hemagglutinin gene (TROVAC AI) resulted in detectable hemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody responses to the homologous A/Turkey/Ireland/1378/83 (H5N8) (A/tky/Ire/83) AI virus antigen. The HI antibody responses to heterologous A/Chicken/Indonesia/7/03 (H5N1) (A/ck/Indonesia/03) AI virus antigen were also detected in all vaccinated cats, but only after booster vaccinations. The vaccine described in this study and other poxvirus-vectored vaccines may be of value for the prophylaxis of AI virus-associated morbidity and mortality in mammals.
The Topological Asymptotic for the Helmholtz Equation with Dirichlet Condition on the Boundary of an Arbitrarily Shaped Hole

The aim of the topological sensitivity analysis is to obtain an asymptotic expansion of a design functional with respect to the creation of a small hole in the domain. In this paper, such an expansion is obtained for the Helmholtz equation, in two and three space dimensions, with a Dirichlet condition on the boundary of an arbitrarily shaped hole. In this case, the main difficulty is related to the nonhomogeneous symbol of the Helmholtz operator. In the numerical part of this work, we will show that the topological sensitivity method is very promising for solving shape inverse problems in electromagnetic applications.
Numerical Modelling of Vortex Flow Instabilities and Interactions

Abstract : Evolution of vortices and their interactions are investigated in the Lagrangian context using the continuous vortex sheet method. Among the topics investigated are numerical Helmholtz instability on a circular vortex sheet, fractal-pattern instability on an expanding vortex spiral, interactions of vortices with shear layers, and other phenomena related to experimental observations in the laboratory and nature. The starting point is a two-dimensional vortex sheet along which the fluid velocity is discontinuous. A global characteristic of the vortex sheet evolution is stretching, implying that the vortex density (strength) of the sheet is a decreasing function of time. Locally, there may be short-lived contractions of the sheet in which strength increases sharply, preceding sudden qualitative changes such as the onset of roll-up and instabilities. The majority of present-day vortex methods have evolved from the point-vortex approximation by Rosenhead. The vortex particles, which are created at the solid boundary at each time step to satisfy the no-slip boundary condition, are freed in the subsequent time steps to move with the flow and diffuse. However, for the numerical simulation to be accurate, the particles must, to a certain degree, be uniformly distributed. This requires the use of techniques such as redistribution, splitting, and merging of particles. Results obtained in this way are equivalent to gridless solutions of the incompressible-flow Navier-Stokes equations. The continuous vortex sheet method employed in this paper is relatively simple in comparison, but does not have the capabilities of creating or diffusing vorticity. It does, however, model the jump discontinuity across thin vortex sheets, preserving discrete spiral structures of vortices similar to those observed in flow visualizations. (14 figures, 16 refs.)
Resource allocation for maximizing secrecy rate in presence of active eavesdropper

In this paper, we consider the problem of power allocation of OFDM user in the presence of an active attacker. The malicious user has the ability of either eavesdropping of ongoing connection or jamming it. However, it can not function as both the eavesdropper and jammer at the same time. The attacker's policy is to choose between eavesdropping and jamming such that the ultimate secrecy rate is minimized. Hence, the legitimate user considers the worst case at which the ultimate secrecy rate is assumed to be the minimum between the achievable rate of each case. Under the total transmit power constraint, the user distribute the transmit power over subcarrier such that the total secrecy rate is maximized. By simulation, we evaluate the efficiency of the proposed scheme.
High-Efficiency 60-GHz Printed Yagi Antenna Array

A low-cost and highly efficient printed Yagi antenna structure with high radiation efficiency is presented. The proposed prototype consists of two stacked planar layers. The first layer electromagnetically couples energy to the printed Yagi array parasitic elements located on the second layer. A reduced-size 60-GHz prototype (1.0687 × 0.8015 cm2) is designed to operate over the Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) band. The measured impedance bandwidth is more than 5 GHz with a gain of 10 dB measured at 60 GHz. With these features, this antenna achieves a low profile that makes it suitable for millimeter-wave monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) packaging as well as for short-range wireless communications and imaging applications.
Morbidly adherent placenta: the need for standardization

Morbidly adherent placenta (MAP) can be associated with major maternal morbidity, and is increasing in frequency. Determination of optimal management has not yet been satisfactory. We identify problems with lack of uniformity and the need for standardized nomenclature for the diagnosis, treatment and research of MAP. We suggest potential solutions and identify areas of future work.
RISKS AND COSTS OF INTERACTIONS BETWEEN PLANTS AND HUMMINGBIRDS

– Hummingbirds can act as mutualists by transporting pollen grains among flowers, but they may also act as vectors of several organisms which could affect the interaction with their plants. The transmission of such antagonists by hummingbirds searching for nectar rewards may end up in sexually transmitted diseases, pollen consumption and depletion of nectar rewards. Therefore, the supposedly harmonious, mutualistic interaction between plants and hummingbirds can be defeated by the transmission of antagonistic organisms along with pollen grains. The present paper is an attempt to contribute to this recent line of inquiry which focuses on the implications of third level species on the plant-hummingbird interaction. Accepted 5 January 2004. Keys words: Antagonists, hummingbird-plant interaction, flower mites, fungal pathogens, nectar thieves.
Interpreting surveys to estimate the size of the monarch butterfly population: Pitfalls and prospects

To assess the change in the size of the eastern North American monarch butterfly summer population, studies have used long-term data sets of counts of adult butterflies or eggs per milkweed stem. Despite the observed decline in the monarch population as measured at overwintering sites in Mexico, these studies found no decline in summer counts in the Midwest, the core of the summer breeding range, leading to a suggestion that the cause of the monarch population decline is not the loss of Midwest agricultural milkweeds but increased mortality during the fall migration. Using these counts to estimate population size, however, does not account for the shift of monarch activity from agricultural fields to non-agricultural sites over the past 20 years, as a result of the loss of agricultural milkweeds due to the near-ubiquitous use of glyphosate herbicides. We present the counter-hypotheses that the proportion of the monarch population present in non-agricultural habitats, where counts are made, has increased and that counts reflect both population size and the proportion of the population observed. We use data on the historical change in the proportion of milkweeds, and thus monarch activity, in agricultural fields and non-agricultural habitats to show why using counts can produce misleading conclusions about population size. We then separate out the shifting proportion effect from the counts to estimate the population size and show that these corrected summer monarch counts show a decline over time and are correlated with the size of the overwintering population. In addition, we present evidence against the hypothesis of increased mortality during migration. The milkweed limitation hypothesis for monarch decline remains supported and conservation efforts focusing on adding milkweeds to the landscape in the summer breeding region have a sound scientific basis.
Regioselectivity-reversed asymmetric aldol reaction of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds.

Reverse regioselectivity: The first catalytic asymmetric C-1 functionalization of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds by an aldol reaction is described, which regioselectively affords 6-hydroxyhexane-2,4-dione derivatives as the only product with high optical purity of up to 93 % ee. Furthermore, this method provides a facile access to enantioenriched oxygen-containing spirooxindoles and spirobutyrolactones from simple commercial available starting materials (see scheme).
Recurrence and survival outcomes after anatomic segmentectomy versus lobectomy for clinical stage I non-small-cell lung cancer: a propensity-matched analysis.

PURPOSE Although anatomic segmentectomy has been considered a compromised procedure by many surgeons, recent retrospective, single-institution series have demonstrated tumor recurrence and patient survival rates that approximate those achieved by lobectomy. The primary objective of this study was to use propensity score matching to compare outcomes after these anatomic resection approaches for stage I non-small-cell lung cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS A retrospective data set including 392 segmentectomy patients and 800 lobectomy patients was used to identify matched segmentectomy and lobectomy cohorts (n = 312 patients per group) using a propensity score matching algorithm that accounted for confounding effects of preoperative patient variables. Primary outcome variables included freedom from recurrence and overall survival. Factors affecting survival were assessed by Cox regression analysis and Kaplan-Meier estimates. RESULTS Perioperative mortality was 1.2% in the segmentectomy group and 2.5% in the lobectomy group (P = .38). At a mean follow-up of 5.4 years, comparing segmentectomy with lobectomy, no differences were noted in locoregional (5.5% v 5.1%, respectively; P = 1.00), distant (14.8% v 11.6%, respectively; P = .29), or overall recurrence rates (20.2% v 16.7%, respectively; P = .30). Furthermore, when comparing segmentectomy with lobectomy, no significant differences were noted in 5-year freedom from recurrence (70% v 71%, respectively; P = .467) or 5-year survival (54% v 60%, respectively; P = .258). Segmentectomy was not found to be an independent predictor of recurrence (hazard ratio, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.87 to 1.40) or overall survival (hazard ratio, 1.17; 95% CI, 0.89 to 1.52). CONCLUSION In this large propensity-matched comparison, lobectomy was associated with modestly increased freedom from recurrence and overall survival, but the differences were not statistically significant. These results will need further validation by prospective, randomized trials (eg, Cancer and Leukemia Group B 140503 trial).
Regulation of Late-Stage Flower Development by Downstream Genes of the Homeotic Protein AGAMOUS

The genes and pathways AG regulates in late-stage flower development are largely unknown. Several putative downstream genes of AG involved in anther dehiscence were identified, including DAD1, MYB26, OPR3, COI1, and RBR1, through a bioinformatics approach. A 35S::AG-GR inducible line was constructed for timed-induction expression analysis of anther dehiscence versus indehiscence, which revealed the likely direct induction of DAD1 by AG. Mutated AG binding sites of DAD1 and MYB26 were linked to the β-glucuronidase reporter gene; the plasmid constructs were transformed into plants for GUS staining to test in vivo site activity. Results support the hypothesis that AG is continually functional and controls late-stage flower development by regulation of downstream genes.
HdmX stimulates Hdm2-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of p53

The RING finger proteins HdmX and Hdm2 share significant structural and functional similarity. Hdm2 is a member of the RING finger family of ubiquitin-protein ligases E3 and targets the tumor suppressor protein p53 for degradation. Although HdmX also binds to p53, HdmX does not induce p53 degradation. Moreover, HdmX has been reported to interfere with p53 degradation in overexpression experiments. To obtain insight into the mechanism by which HdmX interferes with p53 degradation, we studied the effect of HdmX on the E3 activity of Hdm2 in vitro. Surprisingly, this revealed that HdmX stimulates Hdm2-mediated ubiquitination of p53 and that HdmX facilitates ubiquitination of Hdm2 and vice versa. In addition, down-regulation of HdmX expression within cells results in the accumulation of both p53 and Hdm2. Because HdmX alone does not have appreciable E3 activity, these data indicate that HdmX acts as a stimulator, rather than as an inhibitor, of the E3 activity of Hdm2 and that, at least under certain conditions, HdmX is actively involved in the degradation of both p53 and Hdm2.
Risques prénataux de l'acide valproïque et stratégies de traitement de la femme épileptique ou bipolaire en âge de procréer en France

L'acide valproique, medicament tres utilise et a l'efficacite indeniable, est l'antiepileptique et le thymoregulateur le plus toxique sur le developpement prenatal. D'importants risques de malformations congenitales et de troubles cognitifs et neurocomportementaux y sont associes et il est raisonnable de s'interroger sur sa place dans la strategie de prise en charge therapeutique de la femme en âge de procreer. En cours de reevaluation pour les troubles bipolaires, son efficacite le rend indispensable dans l'epilepsie. En France, sa prescription est restreinte a l'absence d'autres alternatives et son utilisation tres encadree. Cette these decrit les donnees connues a ce jour sur les risques prenataux de l'acide valproique a l'aide d'une revue de la litterature ainsi que les modalites de traitement et de gestion des risques actuellement en vigueur en France.
Thermal dependence of the signal to noise ratio of self-mixing sensors based on multimode VCSELs

We investigate experimentally the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the self-mixing signal from a Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser (VCSEL) based sensor as a function of laser driving current and the ambient temperature. The maximum SNR in the current-temperature space can be well approximated by the model related to the temperature dependence of the threshold current for individual VCSEL transverse modes.
Possibility that certain hypnotics might cause cancer in skin

Fifteen epidemiologic studies have associated hypnotic drugs with excess mortality, especially excess cancer deaths. Until recently, insufficient controlled trials were available to demonstrate whether hypnotics actually cause any cancers. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Approval History and Documents were accessed for zaleplon, eszopiclone and ramelteon. Since zolpidem was used as a comparison drug in zaleplon trials, some zolpidem data were also available. Incident cancers occurring during randomized hypnotics administration or placebo administration were tabulated. Combining controlled trials for the four drugs, there were 6190 participants given hypnotics and 2535 given placebo in parallel. There were eight mentions of incident non‐melanoma skin cancers among participants receiving hypnotics but no comparable mentions of cancers among those receiving placebo (P = 0.064, one‐tailed). There were also four mentions of incident tumors of uncertain malignancy among those receiving hypnotics but none among those receiving placebo, so combining uncertain and definite malignancies yielded a more significant contrast (P = 0.016). FDA files revealed that all four of the new hypnotics were associated with cancers in rodents. Three had been shown to be clastogenic. Together with the epidemiologic data and laboratory studies, the available evidence signals that new hypnotics may increase cancer risk. Due to limitations in available data, confirmatory research is needed.
Hepatic transmethylation reactions in micropigs with alcoholic liver disease

Alcoholic liver disease is associated with abnormal hepatic methionine metabolism, including increased levels of homocysteine and S‐adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) and reduced levels of S‐adenosylmethionine (SAM) and glutathione (GSH). The concept that abnormal methionine metabolism is involved in the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease was strengthened by our previous findings in a micropig model where combining dietary folate deficiency with chronic ethanol feeding produced maximal changes in these metabolites together with early onset of microscopic steatohepatitis and an eightfold increase in plasma aspartate aminotransferase. The goal of the present study was to determine potential mechanisms for abnormal levels of these methionine metabolites by analyzing the transcripts and activities of transmethylation enzymes in the livers of the same micropigs. Ethanol feeding or folate deficiency, separately or in combination, decreased transcript levels of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), methionine adenosyltransferase (MAT1A), glycine‐N‐methyltransferase (GNMT) and S‐adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase (SAHH). Ethanol feeding alone reduced the activities of methionine synthase (MS) and MATIII and increased the activity of GNMT. Each diet, separately or in combination, decreased the activities of MTHFR and SAHH. In conclusion, the observed abnormal levels of methionine metabolites in this animal model of accelerated alcoholic liver injury can be ascribed to specific effects of ethanol with or without folate deficiency on the expressions and activities of hepatic enzymes that regulate transmethylation reactions. These novel effects on transmethylation reactions may be implicated in the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease. (HEPATOLOGY 2004;39:1303–1310.)
Gain enhancement of pattern diversity antenna by improving phase uniformity

A pattern diversity antenna, loaded with dielectric phase correcting structure is investigated. Antenna system is fed through monopole, which is surrounded by reconfigurable frequency selective reflector (RFSR). Each RFSR is connected to ground plane via switch. In ON state of switch corresponding RFSR behaves as reflecting surface, whereas it'll become transparent for the OFF state of switch. Thus beam steering can be achieved along the entire azimuth plane by configuring the switching states. Dielectric phase correcting structure (PCS) is incorporated in the direction of beam for transforming non-uniform phase distribution of vertically polarized electric field to nearly uniform phase distribution, which in turn enhances the gain of unloaded antenna by 1.5–2.0 dBi. The simulation has been carried out for ISM band (fr=2.45 GHz) using CST Microwave studio software.
Narrow Substrate Specificity and Sensitivity toward Ligand-binding Site Mutations of Human T-cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 Protease*

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is associated with a number of human diseases; therefore, its protease is a potential target for chemotherapy. To compare the specificity of HTLV-1 protease with that of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) protease, oligopeptides representing naturally occurring cleavage sites in various retroviruses were tested. The number of hydrolyzed peptides as well as the specificity constants suggested a substantially broader specificity of the HIV protease. Amino acid residues of HTLV-1 protease substrate-binding sites were replaced by equivalent ones of HIV-1 protease. Most of the single and multiple mutants had altered specificity and a dramatically reduced folding and catalytic capability, suggesting that mutations are not well tolerated in HTLV-1 protease. The catalytically most efficient mutant was that with the flap residues of HIV-1 protease. The inhibition profile of the mutants was also determined for five inhibitors used in clinical practice and inhibitor analogs of HTLV-1 cleavage sites. Except for indinavir, the HIV-1 protease inhibitors did not inhibit wild type and most of the mutant HTLV-1 proteases. The wild type HTLV-1 protease was inhibited by the reduced peptide bond-containing substrate analogs, whereas the mutants showed various degrees of weakened binding capability. Most interesting, the enzyme with HIV-1-like residues in the flap region was the most sensitive to the HIV-1 protease inhibitors and least sensitive to the HTLV-1 protease inhibitors, indicating that the flap plays an important role in defining the specificity differences of retroviral proteases.
Solution Structures of Micelle-bound Amyloid b-( 1-40 ) and b-( 1-42 ) Peptides of Alzheimer ' s Disease

Department of Chemistry Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland OH 44106, USA The amyloid b-peptide is the major protein constituent of neuritic plaques in Alzheimer's disease. The b-peptide varies slightly in length and exists in two predominant forms: (1) the shorter, 40 residue b-(1-40), found mainly in cerebrovascular amyloid; and (2) the longer, 42 residue b-(1-42), which is the major component in amyloid plaque core deposits. We report here that the sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) micelle, a membrane-mimicking system for biophysical studies, prevents aggregation of the b-(1-40) and the b-(1-42) into the neurotoxic amyloid-like, b-pleated sheet structure, and instead encourages folding into predominantly a-helical structures at pH 7.2. Analysis of the nuclear Overhauser enhancement (NOE) and the aH NMR chemical shift data revealed no signi®cant structural differences between the b-(1-40) and the b-(1-42). The NMR-derived, three-dimensional structure of the b-(1-42) consists of an extended chain (Asp1-Gly9), two a-helices (Tyr10-Val24 and Lys28Ala42), and a looped region (Gly25-Ser26-Asn27). The most stable a-helical regions reside at Gln15-Val24 and Lys28-Val36. The majority of the amide (NH) temperature coef®cients were less than 5, indicative of predominately strong NH backbone bonding. The lack of a persistent region with consistently low NH coef®cients, together with the rapid NH exchange rates in deuterated water and spin-labeled studies, suggests that the b-peptide is located at the lipid-water interface of the micelle and does not become inbedded within the hydrophobic interior. This result has implications for the circulation of membrane-bound b-peptide in biological ̄uids, and may also facilitate the design of amyloid inhibitors to prevent an a-helix! b-sheet conversion in Alzheimer's disease. # 1999 Academic Press