Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Constitutive Interferon-Inducible Protein 16-Inflammasome Activation during Epstein-Barr Virus Latency I, II, and III in B and Epithelial Cells

ABSTRACT Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), etiologically linked with human B-cell malignancies and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), establishes three types of latency that facilitate its episomal genome persistence and evasion of host immune responses. The innate inflammasome responses recognize the pathogen-associated molecular patterns which lead into the association of a cytoplasmic sensor such as NLRP3 and AIM2 proteins or nuclear interferon-inducible protein 16 (IFI16) with adaptor ASC protein (apoptosis-associated speck-like protein with a caspase recruitment domain) and effector procaspase-1, resulting in active caspase-1 formation which cleaves the proforms of inflammatory interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-18, and IL-33 cytokines. Whether inflammasome responses recognize and respond to EBV genome in the nuclei was not known. We observed evidence of inflammasome activation, such as the activation of caspase-1 and cleavage of pro-IL-1β, -IL-18, and -IL-33, in EBV latency I Raji cells, latency II NPC C666-1 cells, and latency III lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL). Interaction between ASC with IFI16 but not with AIM2 or NLRP3 was detected in all three latencies and during EBV infection of primary human B cells. IFI16 and cleaved caspase-1, IL-1β, IL-18, and IL-33 were detected in the exosomes from Raji cells and LCL. Though EBV nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) and EBV-encoded small RNAs (EBERs) are common to all forms of EBV latency, caspase-1 cleavage was not detected in cells expressing EBNA1 alone, and blocking EBER transcription did not inhibit caspase-1 cleavage. In fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis, IFI16 colocalized with the EBV genome in LCL and Raji cell nuclei. These studies demonstrated that constant sensing of latent EBV genome by IFI16 in all types of latency results in the constitutive induction of the inflammasome and IL-1β, IL-18, and IL-33 maturation.
Use and productivity in personal computing

This document focuses on four ways IT organizations can reduce PC-related energy consumption and CO2 emissions: • Replace older PCs with new, more energy-efficient systems. • Take advantage of PC power management. • Use hardware-enhanced PC management to reduce IT dispatches and vehicle emissions. • Enable telework by deploying mobile platforms with hardware-enhanced management. PC Practices to Save Energy and Increase Productivity Solution Brief Intel® vProTM Technology Energy Savings
Torsional oscillations of the Sun

A series of digitized synoptic observations of solar magnetic and velocity fields has been carried out at the Mount Wilson Observatory since 1967. In recent studies (Howard and LaBonte, 1980; LaBonte and Howard, 1981), the existence of slow, large-scale torsional (toroidal) oscillations of the Sun has been demonstrated. Two modes have been identified. The first is a travelling wave, symmetric about the equator, with wave number 2 per hemisphere. The pattern-alternately slower and faster than the average rotation-starts at the poles and drifts to the equator in an interval of 22 years. At any one latitude on the Sun, the period of the oscillation is 11 years, and the amplitude is 3 m s-1. The magnetic flux emergence that is seen as the solar cycle occurs on average at the latitude of one shear zone of this oscillation. The amplitude of the shear is quite constant from the polar latitudes to the equator. The other mode of torsional oscillation, superposed on the first mode, is a wave number 1 per hemisphere pattern consisting of faster than average rotation at high latitudes around solar maximum and faster than average rotation at low latitudes near solar minimum. The amplitude of the effect is about 5 m s-1. For the first mode, the close relationship in latitude between the activity-related magnetic flux eruption and the torsional shear zone suggests strongly that there is a close connection between these motions and the cycle mechanism. It has been suggested (Yoshimura, 1981; Schüssler, 1981) that the effect is caused by a subsurface Lorentz force wave resulting from the dynamo action of magnetic flux ropes. But, this seems unlikely because of the high latitudes at which the shear wave is seen to originate and the constancy of the magnitude of the shear throughout the life time of the wave.
[Expression of STAT3 and P-STAT3 in laryngeal carcinoma and its clinical significance].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the expression of STAT3 and P-STAT3 and the relationship between P-STAT3 and various clinical pathological characteristics in human laryngeal carcinoma. METHOD The expression of STAT3 and its activated form P-STAT3 in tumor tissues from 50 radically resected specimens of laryngeal carcinoma and 10 normal laryngeal tissues was detected by immunohistochemical staining. RESULT The rate of protein expression of STAT3 and P-STAT3 in laryngeal carcinoma were 36/50 (72.0%) and 29/50 (58.0%) respectively, which were significantly higher than that in normal group (P < 0.01). The positive rate of P-STAT3 was closely related to the clinical stage and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05). The expression STAT3 in laryngeal carcinoma was located in the cytoplasm of carcinoma cells, while P-STAT3 was located in the cell nucleus. CONCLUSION STAT3 and PSTAT3 were overexpressed in human laryngeal carcinoma. Activation of STAT3 was significantly related to the clinical stage and lymph node metastasis. The expression of STAT3 can be used as a significant parameter in predicting the biological behaviour of laryngeal carcinoma.
Effect of flow regime on the architecture of a Pseudomonas fluorescens biofilm.

A comparison of the effects of laminar versus turbulent flow regime on the characteristics of a single-species biofilm is presented. The study was carried out by growing Pseudomonas fluorescens biofilms in a flow cell and studying the different layers of the biological matrix with a confocal laser-scanning microscope. The following conclusions were obtained: i) a higher concentration of cells was found in the upper layers of the microbial films than in their inner layers, regardless of the flow regime; ii) the fraction of cells in the overall biofilm mass decreased with time as the film grew; and iii) under laminar flow the total number of cells was higher than in biofilms formed under turbulent flow, but the latter had a higher number of cells per unit volume. Such conclusions, together with the fact that the biofilms were more dense and stable when formed in contact with turbulent flows, favor the design of more compact and efficient biofilm reactors operating in turbulent conditions.
Endobiliary Stents for Palliation in Patients With Malignant Obstructive Jaundice

Background: Endobiliary drainage for malignant obstructive jaundice presents a viable palliative alternative. Its role and efficacy depend on factors related to the stent, procedure, and patient. Goals: To review the evidence in the literature in which settings plastic or metal stents are cost-effective, and whether adjuvant measures or patient-related factors affect duration of stent patency. Study: Using databases a literature search was performed for papers published from 1979 to April 2004. All retrieved papers reporting experimental or clinical observations were rated according to strength of evidence, and carefully analyzed. Results and Conclusions: Metal stents (Wallstent) stay patent longer than plastic stents (large-bore polyethylene with side-holes), overall median 250 and 110 days, respectively, and seem cost-effective in patients with longer than about 6 months survival, which cannot be accurately predicted. Antibiotics or choleretic agents do not prolong stent patency in clinical settings. In case of stent occlusion, indicated stent exchanges and insertion of a plastic stent, respectively, seem cost-effective in patients initially treated with plastic and metal stents.
Nanoparticle Based Curve Arrays for Multirecognition Flexible Electronics

Assembly of nanoparticles into controllable micro or nanocurve circuits by a feasible strategy is demonstrated. The curves, with various tortuosity morphologies, have tunable resistive strain sensitivity, which can be integrated into a multi-analysis flexible sensor. The curve-based sensor can run complicated facial expression recognition, and may contribute practical applications on auxiliary apparatus for skin micromotion manipulation for paraplegics.
The surface chemistry of the erythrocyte and thrombocyte membrane.

The electrokinetic procedures used for investigation of the nature and distribution of cellular surface charge groups are outlined. The application of ion binding studies, the action of enzymes, and the effects of specific functional group reagents are illustrated by discussion of the results obtained for erythrocytes and thrombocytes. The human erythrocyte has been shown to be a macropolyanion possessing about 107 charged groups per cell of which more than 60% are the carboxyl group of N-acetylneuraminic acids; some of the remaining groups at least are the α-carboxyl groups of protein-bound amino acids. The electrokinetic constitution of the human blood platelet is more complex and includes sialic acid carboxyl groups and phosphate groups and at least one other species of unidentified anionogenic groups as well as amino groups. Lastly the effects of neutral and charged polymer adsorption on the electrokinetic properties of blood cells are briefly considered.
Update on genetic evidence for rupture-prone compared with rupture-resistant intracranial saccular aneurysms.

OBJECT Anecdotal evidence exists for at least two subpopulations of intracranial saccular aneurysms; those that form rapidly and rupture when small and those that enlarge slowly and are particularly prone to rupture when they are 10 mm or more in diameter. The goal in this study was to determine if there was genetic evidence to support the classification of intracranial saccular aneurysms as 'rupture-prone' or 'rupture-resistant' lesions. METHODS The authors prospectively obtained and analyzed clinical and genetic data in a cohort of 197 individuals composed of 58 patients with ruptured intracranial saccular aneurysms, 49 with unruptured aneurysms, and 90 healthy community volunteers. Based on recent studies supporting an increasingly relevant role for the critical vasomodulatory protein endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in aneurysm pathobiology, the authors assayed blood from all 197 participants to determine and compare their eNOS genotypes. The eNOS gene intron 4 27-base pair variable-number tandem-repeat polymorphism was significantly overrepresented in persons with ruptured intracranial saccular aneurysms compared with community volunteers (p < 0.002). When comparing eNOS genotypes among patients with ruptured or unruptured aneurysms, an approximately 10-fold increase in the odds of presenting with brain aneurysm rupture was found among individuals with multiple variant eNOS alleles (p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS Uniquely, the authors have identified a set of eNOS gene variations whose presence indicates patients with intracranial saccular aneurysms that are more prone to rupture. The authors conclude that if these findings are reproducible in the setting of a large multicenter study, then in addition to known anatomical factors, a rapid and costeffective genetic screening tool will become available to clinicians as an aid to predicting rupture risks in patients presenting with unruptured intracranial aneurysms.
Clinical features of endomyocardial fibrosis of the right ventricle.

Endomyocardial fibrosis was first described from Uganda as a pathological entity distinct from other forms of heart disease by Davies (1948). The characteristic lesion of the disorder is a fibrosis of the endocardium and subendocardial tissues of the ventricles, which may involve the papillary muscles and cause valvular incompetence (Fig. 1). The incidence of endomyocardial fibrosis at the Mulago Hospital Cardiac Clinic has been estimated at approximately 12 per cent of all cardiac diseases, excluding hypertensive heart disease (Somers and D'Arbela, 1964). The aetiology of endomyocardial fibrosis is obscure. Van der Geld et al. (1966) have demonstrated a predisposition to auto-immune reactivity to the heart in endomyocardial fibrosis. A recent pathological study of 16 necropsy specimens, using histochemical techniques, suggests that the fibrotic scarring is preceded by changes in the cardiac ground substance and that the initial insult may be upon this structure rather than upon the cells themselves (Connor et al., 1967, 1968). The early clinical description of endomyocardial fibrosis from Mulago Hospital was by Ball, Williams, and Davies (1954). They described the basic clinical features of 20 cases, proven at necropsy, of which 5 probably had predominant involvement of the right ventricle. Shillingford and Somers (1961) studied 15 patients with endomyocardial fibrosis by right heart catheterization. One-third of them probably had a predominantly right ventricular lesion but all the others had a moderate or severe pulmonary hypertension, suggesting considerable left ventricular disease. The clinical features of the right ventricular disease as it is seen in Nigeria have been reviewed by Abrahams (1962), and a tentative outline for the possible natural history of
[Effects of prosodic patterns on syntactic resolution in word comprehension].

Resume ; Une experience comparant des enonces francais et anglais entendus avec une intonation normale ou avec une prosodie en conflit avec la structure syntaxique sous-jacente montre que, lorsque la compression de la parole augmente, l'intelligibilite decroit. Aux taux eleves de compression, les phrases entendues avec une intonation normale resistent significativement mieux que celles entendues avec une intonation anormale. Une analyse des erreurs suggere que le traitement de l'intonation est une etape critique dans le traitement perceptif de la parole, dont la fonction est de fournir, dans les deux langues, des indices supplementaires pour determiner la structure syntaxique.
Alemtuzumab for Cytolytic Induction of Immunosuppression in Heart Transplant Recipients

Objective To review available evidence about the safety and efficacy of alemtuzumab for induction of immunosuppression in heart transplant recipients. Data sources Searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were conducted. Key search terms included alemtuzumab, Campath-1H, CD52, lymphocyte, cytolytic, induction, immunosuppression, rejection, and cardiac transplantation. Additional pertinent data were identified through a search of abstracts from major transplant meetings. Study Selection and Data Extraction All English-language articles and abstracts identified from the data sources were evaluated. All primary data were eligible for inclusion if they evaluated the safety or efficacy of alemtuzumab for induction of immunosuppression in heart transplant patients. One retrospective cohort, 1 case series, 1 case-control series, and 1 open-label trial were identified and included for review. Data Synthesis Acute cellular rejection occurs in 40% to 70% of heart transplant recipients within the first 6 months after transplant and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Depleting and nondepleting antibodies have displayed positive outcomes in inducing immunosuppression; however, the ideal induction strategy that balances efficacy and toxicity remains elusive. Alemtuzumab, a cytolytic anti-CD52 antibody, has been used to induce immunosuppression in kidney, pancreas, liver, intestine, and lung transplant recipients, and its use in heart transplant has been investigated. Studies of use of alemtuzumab to induce immunosuppression in heart transplant patients have shown low rates of rejection; however, it has not been directly compared with other immunosuppression-inducing agents and safety data are limited. Conclusions Although alemtuzumab may be a practical option for inducing immunosuppression, data are insufficient to recommend its routine use in deference to more established agents. Large, randomized clinical trials with extended durations of follow-up must be conducted to characterize its efficacy and safety further.
Blood-letting punctures at twelve Jing-Well points of the hand can treat cerebral ischemia in a similar manner to mannitol

A rat model of middle cerebral artery permanent occlusion was established using the modified Longa method. Successfully established model animals were treated by blood-letting puncture at twelve Jing-Well points of the hand, and/or by injecting mannitol into the caudal vein twice daily. Brain tissue was collected at 24, 48 and 72 hours after modeling, and blood was collected through the retinal vein before Evans blue was injected, approximately 1 hour prior to harvesting of brain tissue. Results showed that Evans blue leakage into brain tissue and serum nitric oxide synthase activity were significantly increased in model rats. Treatment with blood-letting punctures at twelve Jing-Well points of the hand and/or injection of mannitol into the caudal vein reduced the amount of Evans blue leakage into the brain tissue and serum nitric oxide synthase activity to varying degrees. There was no significant difference between single treatment and combined treatment. Experimental findings indicate that blood-letting punctures at twelve Jing-Well points of the hand can decrease blood-brain barrier permeability and serum nitric oxide synthase activity in rats following middle cerebral artery occlusion, and its effect is similar to that of mannitol injection alone and Jing-Well points plus mannitol injection.
Prenatal alcohol exposure and interhemispheric transfer of tactile information: Detroit and Cape Town findings.

BACKGROUND Previous research has demonstrated that heavy prenatal alcohol exposure affects the size and shape of the corpus callosum (CC) and compromises interhemispheric transfer of information. The aim of this study was to confirm the previous reports of poorer performance on a finger localization test (FLT) of interhemispheric transfer in a cohort of heavily exposed children and to extend these findings to a cohort of moderately exposed young adults. METHODS In Study 1, the FLT was administered to 40 heavily exposed and 23 nonexposed children from the Cape Coloured community of Cape Town, South Africa, who were evaluated for fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) dysmorphology and growth. Anatomical images of the CC were obtained using structural MRI on a subset of these children. In Study 2, the FLT was administered to a cohort of 85 moderate-to-heavily exposed young adults participating in a 19-year follow-up assessment of the Detroit Prenatal Alcohol Exposure cohort, whose alcohol exposure had been ascertained prospectively during gestation. RESULTS In Study 1, children with FAS showed more transfer-related errors than controls after adjustment for confounding, and increased transfer-related errors were associated with volume reductions in the isthmus and splenium of the CC. In Study 2, transfer-related errors were associated with quantity of alcohol consumed per occasion during pregnancy. More errors were made if the mother reported binge drinking (> or =5 standard drinks) during pregnancy than if she drank regularly (M > or = 1 drink/day) without binge drinking. CONCLUSIONS These findings confirm a previous report of impaired interhemispheric transfer of tactile information in children heavily exposed to alcohol in utero and extend these findings to show that these deficits are also seen in more moderately exposed individuals, particularly those exposed to binge-like pregnancy drinking.
Non-alcoholic fatty pancreas disease

Obesity is a growing problem worldwide and disorders associated with excess body fat including the metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), cardiovascular disease and malignant neoplasms are becoming a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Over the past decade, a vast amount of research has furthered our understanding of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; however, only recently pancreatic fat infiltration is coming to the forefront of investigation. Termed non-alcoholic fatty pancreas disease (NAFPD), it is becoming evident that it has important associations with other diseases of obesity. It appears to arise as obesity progresses and after an initial phase of pancreatic hypertrophy and hyperplasia, fatty infiltration becomes apparent. Various studies have demonstrated that NAFPD may exacerbate the severity of acute pancreatitis, promote pancreatic dysfunction associated with insulin resistance and T2DM, and even have links to the development of pancreatic carcinoma, and therefore, it must be investigated in further detail.
Structural Transition in Large-Lattice-Mismatch Heteroepitaxy.

The mechanisms of island nucleation, growth, and dislocation formation in large lattice-mismatch heteroepitaxy are analyzed theoretically. It is shown that 2D platelets tend to transform to 3D islands as they exceed a certain critical size. During island growth, the increase of the strain concentration at the island edge makes it increasingly difficult for adatoms to reach the island, which leads to the formation of homogeneously sized islands. The high strain concentration at the island edge is eventually relieved by growing-in of misfit dislocations.
Semantic types for class-based objects

We investigate semantics-based type assignment for classbased object-oriented programming. Our motivation is developing a theoretical basis for practical, e xpr ssive, type-based analysis of the functional behaviour of object-oriented programs. We focus our resear ch using Featherweight Java, studying two notions of type assignment:one using i tersectiontypes, the other a ‘logical’ restriction of recursive types. We extend to the object-oriented setting some existing resu lts for intersection type systems. In doing so, we contribute to the study of denotational semantics for object-oriented languages. We define a model for Featherweight Java based on approximation, which we relate to our intersection type system via an Approximation Result, proved using a notion of reduct ion on typing derivations that we show to be strongly normalising. We consider restrictions of our system for which type assignment is decidable, observing that the implicit recursion present in the c lass mechanism is a limiting factor in making practical use of the expressive power of intersection types . To overcome this, we consider type assignment based on recur sive types. Such types traditionally suffer from the inability to characterise convergence, a key ele m nt of our approach. To obtain a semantic system of recursive types for Featherweight Java we s tudy Nakano’s systems, whose key feature is an approximation modality which leads to a ‘logical’ syst em expressing both functional behaviour and convergence. For Nakano’s system, we consider the open p roblem of type inference. We introduce insertionvariables (similar to the expansion variables of Kfoury and Wells), which allow to infer when the approximation modality is required. We define a type infe rence procedure, and conjecture its soundness based on a technique of Cardone and Coppo. Finally, we co nsider how Nakano’s approach may be applied to Featherweight Java and discuss how intersection and logical recursive types may be brought together into a single system.