Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In vitro and in vivo effects of lymphokine-activated killer cells upon preattachment ovine conceptuses.

An investigation assessed the cytolytic effect of autologous ovine lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells upon preattachment ovine conceptuses. For an in vitro experiment, conceptuses were recovered from six ewes on each of days 14, 16, and 19 (estrus = day 0). Dissociated conceptus cells (5 x 10(4), considered target cells) were incubated with autologous LAK cells at varying E:T ratios (5:1-200:1) and cytotoxicity was assessed by 51Cr release. In vivo, control (saline), cultured PBL (1 x 10(7)) and LAK cells (1- and 4- x 10(7)) were infused into the lumen of the uterine horn ipsilateral to the corpus luteum of mated ewes on day 14. Conceptuses were recovered on day 19 and placed within one of three morphologic categories (intact, large fragments, or highly fragmented). The numbers of mononucleated and binucleated giant cells and remaining trophoblastic cells were then quantitated within sections of conceptus tissue. Mitotic activity was also recorded. At E:T ratios of 100:1 and 200:1, respectively, percent 51Cr release for LAK cell cultures was greater (p < 0.05) for day-16 and 19- than day-14 conceptus cells. The frequencies of highly fragmented conceptuses recovered from saline + cultured PBL and LAK cell-infused ewes were 0/10 and 8/13, respectively. Within tissue sections, the numbers of morphologically normal mononucleated giant and mitotic cells were less (p < 0.05) for LAK cell (4 x 10(7)) than for saline-infused ewes. Data from additional in vitro and in vivo experiments revealed that supernatants from LAK cell (4 x 10(7)) cultures failed (p > 0.05) to affect % 51Cr release from K-562 target cells, conceptus morphology, and numbers of conceptus cells. In conclusion, autologous LAK cells exerted in vitro and in vivo lytic damage upon preattachment ovine conceptuses. A temporal pattern was observed for the in vitro lytic responses.
An Accurate Lifetime Analysis Methodology Incorporating Governing NBTI Mechanisms in High-k/SiO2 Gate Stacks

Extraction of the intrinsic NBTI degradation rate in the high-k pMOSFETs was found to require correction of the measured threshold voltage shift (DeltaVTH) for the fast transient charging contribution caused by the charge trapping in pre-existing defects in high-k films. The proposed analysis methodology leads to a significantly lower estimated lifetime than that obtained by the generally used approach. It was determined that the interface state generation process contains a fast component most likely associated with the defects in the SiO2 interfacial layer induced by the overlaying high-k film. An intrinsic interface state generation rate obtained by subtracting the fast trapping component is found to be similar to that of the conventional SiO2 dielectric
GA-MAP: An Error Tolerant Address Mapping Method in Data Center Networks Based on Improved Genetic Algorithm

Address configuration is a key problem in data center networks. The core issue of automatic address configuration is assigning logical addresses to the physical network according to a blueprint, namely logical-to-device ID mapping, which can be formulated as a graph isomorphic problem and is hard. Recently years, some work has been proposed for this problem, such as DAC and ETAC. DAC adopts a sub-graph isomorphic algorithm. By leveraging the structure characteristic of data center network, DAC can finish the mapping process quickly when there is no malfunction. However, in the presence of any malfunctions, DAC need human effort to correct these malfunctions and thus is time-consuming. ETAC improves on DAC and can finish mapping even in the presence of malfunctions. However, ETAC also suffers from some robustness and efficiency problems. In this paper, we present GA-MAP, a data center networks address mapping algorithm based on genetic algorithm. By intelligently leveraging the structure characteristic of data center networks and the global search characteristic of genetic algorithm, GA-MAP can solve the address mapping problem quickly. Moreover, GA-MAP can even finish address mapping when physical network involved in malfunctions, making it more robust than ETAC. We evaluate GA-MAP via extensive simulation in several of aspects, including computation time, error-tolerance, convergence characteristic and the influence of population size. The simulation results demonstrate that GA-MAP is effective for data center addresses mapping. key words: data center networks, address mapping, graph isomorphic, genetic algorithm
Restriction Fragment Mapping of Nontypable Hoemophilus Influenzae: A New Tool to Study This Middle Ear Pathogen

Isolates of nontypable haemophilus influenzae (NTHI) recovered from paired nasopharyngeal (NP) and middle ear (ME) fluid cultures performed simultaneously on seven children with otitis media with effusion (OME) were studied by analysis of the restriction fragment patterns produced from total genomic DNA. This method provides a sensitive measure of the genetic similarities between strains. In the seven pairs examined, the NP and ME strains were indistinguishable from one another, whereas each pair was distinct from the other, except for two siblings in whom all four strains were identical. This information provides evidence that the pathogenesis of OME caused by NTHI involves spread of the bacteria from NP to the ME. Analysis of paired NP and ME isolates from three children with recurrent OME caused by NTHI indicated that the second episode was caused by the reinfection with a different strain rather than persistence and reemergence of the first strain. Finally, DNA analysis of strains from two siblings with concurrent OME suggested that person-to-person transmission of NTHI can occur among children. These findings suggest that at any one time the NTHI population in the NP is relatively homogenous, at least at the time of acute upper respiratory disease. Our observation that the strains present at the second episode of otitis media were different than the strains present in the first episode is consistent with strain replacement in the NP. Restriction fragment mapping analysis of genomic DNA of NTHI could provide a powerful tool for investigating the rate of turnover of the NTHI population in the NP.
Targeting the chromatin‐remodeling MSL complex of Drosophila to its sites of action on the X chromosome requires both acetyl transferase and ATPase activities

Dosage compensation in Drosophila is mediated by a multiprotein, RNA‐containing complex that associates with the X chromosome at multiple sites. We have investigated the role that the enzymatic activities of two complex components, the histone acetyltransferase activity of MOF and the ATPase activity of MLE, may have in the targeting and association of the complex with the X chromosome. Here we report that MLE and MOF activities are necessary for complexes to access the various X chromosome sites. The role that histone H4 acetylation plays in this process is supported by our observations that MOF overexpression leads to the ectopic association of the complex with autosomal sites.
The Transient Behavior of the M/M/s Queue, with Implications for Steady-State Simulation

Although the transient behavior of a queueing system is often of interest, available analytical results are usually quite restricted or are very complicated. We consider the M/M/s queue with an arbitrary number of customers present at time zero. We obtain probabilities in a relatively simple closed form that can be used to evaluate exactly several measures of system performance, including the expected delay in queue of each arriving customer. A numerical examination is carried out to see how the choice of initial condition affects the nature of convergence of the expected delays to their steady-state values. We also discuss the implications of these results for the initialization of steady-state simulations.
Análise de geradores síncronos de ímãs permanentes em sistemas hidrocinéticos

ANALYSIS OF PERMANENT MAGNET SYNCHRONOUS GENERATOR IN HYDROKINETIC SYSTEMS Author: Francis Arody Moreno Vásquez Supervisor: Taygoara Felamingo de Oliveira Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Mecânicas Brasília, August of 2014 In face of several advantages that permanent magnet generator have over other types of machines, an analysis of its performance and its influence on a hydrokinetic generation system was performed. For this purpose, in addition to modeling the turbine profile and the mechanical shaft with gearbox, a classical model of conventional synchronous generators connected to the grid, has been developed and modified to apply for permanent magnet generators, connected to isolated resistive and inductive loads. Additionally, it was obtained the value of the resistive load that must be connected to the generator, in order to maximize the hydrokinetic energy conversion in different operation conditions . In computer simulations, the hydrokinetic system was subjected to variations of resistive load, inductive load and current river, performing a parallel analysis with the controlled system. Finally, a comparison was made between the responses of turbines with different power profiles, in order to show the convenience of having a hydrokinetic turbine with certain ideal tip speed ratio, depending on the load connected to the generator. Moreover, it was verified the existence of instability points of the electromechanical system due to connection of inappropriated terminal loads.
Distribution of Flk-1 and Flt-1 receptors in neonatal and adult rat brains.

Double-fluorescence staining was combined with confocal laser scanning microscopy to localize fetal liver kinase-1 (Flk-1) and fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (Flt-1) in the neonatal rat brain. The results showed that Flk-1 and Flt-1 immunostaining was observed in the cells with neuron-specific enolase, a neuronal marker, and with factor VIII (F VIII), an endothelium marker, but not in cells with glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), a glial marker, of brain sections from rats on postnatal day 7 (P7). This indicates that both vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptors were distributed in the neurons and the vascular endothelium. A regional analysis showed that Flt-1 was distributed most densely in the hippocampus, followed by the retrosplenial agranular cortex and the striatum, and Flk-1 was evenly distributed throughout the brain. In a comparison of the density of immunopositive staining neurons, Flt-1 was much higher than Flk-1 in most of the brain regions. A time-course analysis showed that both Flt-1 and Flk-1 were highly expressed in the cerebral vessel of rats on P1, P7, and P14, and then declined in adults, consistent with the development of angiogenesis in neonates. In the neurons, Flt-1 was highest in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of P1-P14 rats, and then gradually decreased, whereas Flk-1 abruptly increased and reached its highest level in adults. The results suggest that Flt-1 and Flk-1 are expressed in the neurons with their individual time-dependent manners and regional distribution in the brain. However, the significance of the neuronal distribution of Flt-1 and Flk-1 remains to be determined.
Inflammatory signaling in skeletal muscle insulin resistance: green signal for nutritional intervention?

Purpose of reviewTo review the evidence implying a role of inflammatory signaling pathways, specifically nuclear factor-κB and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase, in fatty acid-induced skeletal muscle insulin resistance and to discuss the potential of dietary interventions to interfere with these processes. Recent findingsFatty acids can induce skeletal muscle insulin resistance via inflammatory signaling after binding Toll-like receptors at the cell membrane of muscle cells or after accumulating as intramyocellular lipid metabolites. In both processes, activation of intracellular inflammatory signaling is involved. The majority of literature addressing the causality of muscle nuclear factor-κB activation in skeletal muscle insulin resistance suggests that insulin resistance does not require muscle nuclear factor-κB activation. Recently, strong evidence was given that c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase signaling is an important inflammatory pathway involved in skeletal muscle insulin resistance. Furthermore, it is well established that proinflammatory cytokines originating from the enlarged adipose tissue or from activated adipose tissue macrophages can cause muscle insulin resistance. Recently, also macrophages resided in the muscle have been proposed to play an important role in muscle insulin resistance. Because of their anti-inflammatory characteristics, several dietary components like polyphenols may be interesting candidates for manipulating skeletal muscle insulin resistance. SummarySeveral dietary components, like polyphenols, have been reported to interfere with inflammatory signaling. To test whether these compounds can be used to prevent or reverse insulin resistance, well controlled human intervention studies have to be designed.
The Relationship of Socioeconomic Status and Obesity in Youth

by Rebecca Q. Eng, RN, BSN Washington State University April 2009 Chair: Ruth Bindler Childhood obesity has become epidemic in industrialized countries with increasing numbers of children considered overweight or obese. The heightened levels of obesity and obesity--related illness among children and adults have led to growing concern and governmental demand for preventative measures. Lower socioeconomic status has been linked to higher levels of obesity. Evidence has shown that specific social determinants can lead to vast inequities in health within society. The increase in scientific attention on the social determinants of health has led to an improved understanding of how sensitive health is to social environments. This paper reviews the relationship between socioeconomic status and childhood overweight and obesity. Further, it reviews and compares the impact of socioeconomic status on obesity/overweight levels between genders. Findings show that there is a relationship between socioeconomic status and overweight/obesity. There are differences between gender and the effect socioeconomic status has on weight patterns. In developing health care policy related to childhood overweight/obesity treatment studies are needed to further determine the benefits of early childhood environmental intervention.
Repression of AP-1 Function: A Mechanism for the Regulation of Blimp-1 Expression and B Lymphocyte Differentiation by the B Cell Lymphoma-6 Protooncogene1

The B cell lymphoma-6 (BCL-6) transcriptional repressor protein is an important regulator of B cell differentiation and is strongly implicated in the development of B cell lymphoma. Expression of the Blimp-1 transcription factor, which is critical for promoting B cell differentiation into plasma cells, is repressed by BCL-6. We have investigated the mechanism for how BCL-6 represses Blimp-1 transcription, and have found that BCL-6 regulates the Blimp-1 promoter through a novel mechanism involving AP-1 elements. Specifically, BCL-6 is a potent repressor of transcriptional activity mediated by AP-1 factors. We found that the zinc-finger region of BCL-6 interacts with c-Jun, JunB, and JunD proteins but does not bind c-Fos or Fra-2 proteins. An estrogen receptor ligand binding domain fusion with the BCL-6 zinc finger domain can act as a estrogen-inducible dominant negative protein and increase AP-1 activity in BCL-6+ cells but not in BCL-6− cells, indicating that endogenous BCL-6 represses AP-1 activity. Additionally, we have confirmed a specific interaction between c-Jun and the zinc finger domain of BCL-6 in vivo using a mammalian two-hybrid assay. Repression of AP-1 function by BCL-6 may be a key mechanism for how BCL-6 regulates gene expression to control inflammation, lymphocyte differentiation, and lymphomagenesis.
Only your eyes tell me what you like: Exploring the liking effect induced by other's gaze

Our preferences are sensitive to social influences. For instance, we like more the objects that are looked-at by others than non-looked-at objects. Here, we explored this liking effect, using a modified paradigm of attention cueing by gaze. First, we investigated if the liking effect induced by gaze relied on motoric representations of the target object by testing if the liking effect could be observed for non-manipulable (alphanumeric characters) as well as for manipulable items (common tools). We found a significant liking effect for the alphanumeric items. Second, we tested if another type of powerful social cue could also induce a liking effect. We used an equivalent paradigm but with pointing hands instead of gaze cues. Pointing hands elicited a robust attention-orienting effect, but they did not induce any significant liking effect. This study extends previous findings and reinforces the view of eye gaze as a special cue in human interactions.
Computational Investigation of the pH Dependence of Loop Flexibility and Catalytic Function in Glycoside Hydrolases*

Background: Solution pH affects cellulase enzyme activity. Results: We used simulation to predict pH-dependent behavior in cellulases, including pKa values for the catalytic machinery, ring distortion, and loop flexibility. Conclusion: pH increases active site tunnel flexibility and affects the −1 carbohydrate ring distortion, suggesting pH-dependent mechanisms for complexation and catalysis of cellulose chains. Significance: These results provide molecular-level understanding of pH effects on cellulases. Cellulase enzymes cleave glycosidic bonds in cellulose to produce cellobiose via either retaining or inverting hydrolysis mechanisms, which are significantly pH-dependent. Many fungal cellulases function optimally at pH ∼5, and their activities decrease dramatically at higher or lower pH. To understand the molecular-level implications of pH in cellulase structure, we use a hybrid, solvent-based, constant pH molecular dynamics method combined with pH-based replica exchange to determine the pKa values of titratable residues of a glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 6 cellobiohydrolase (Cel6A) and a GH family 7 cellobiohydrolase (Cel7A) from the fungus Hypocrea jecorina. For both enzymes, we demonstrate that a bound substrate significantly affects the pKa values of the acid residues at the catalytic center. The calculated pKa values of catalytic residues confirm their proposed roles from structural studies and are consistent with the experimentally measured apparent pKa values. Additionally, GHs are known to impart a strained pucker conformation in carbohydrate substrates in active sites for catalysis, and results from free energy calculations combined with constant pH molecular dynamics suggest that the correct ring pucker is stable near the optimal pH for both Cel6A and Cel7A. Much longer molecular dynamics simulations of Cel6A and Cel7A with fixed protonation states based on the calculated pKa values suggest that pH affects the flexibility of tunnel loops, which likely affects processivity and substrate complexation. Taken together, this work demonstrates several molecular-level effects of pH on GH enzymes important for cellulose turnover in the biosphere and relevant to biomass conversion processes.
NOVEL STRATEGIES TOWARD THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN EFFECTIVE VACCINE TO PREVENT HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS INFECTION OR ACQUIRED IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS*

The inexorable spread of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pandemic and the increasing deaths caused by acquired immununodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in developing countries underscore the urgency for an effective, safe, and inexpensive vaccine against HIV. Although many attempts have been made, a candidate vaccine of proven efficacy and safety in nonhuman primate models is not yet available. This is mostly due to HIV envelope (Env) variability and to the difficulty of eliciting high titers of longlasting neutralizing antibodies capable of blocking entry of different virus strains. Nevertheless, new strategies have been developed and new information is now available that can lead to new concepts and open new avenues to obtain an effective vaccine against HIV infection.
FEA tool based model of partly coupled coils used in domestic induction cookers

This paper proposes a computational model of an inductor system composed of two concentric coils connected each one to a half-bridge inverter. In the first step, the equivalent self-impedance of each coil and the equivalent coupling impedance between coils is obtained from numerical simulations performed by using a commercial FEA tool taking into account the frequency dependence exhibited by the induction heating system due to the presence of induced current in the system. Secondly, the frequency response for each impedance is modeled by means of an electrical network (consisting of three resistances and three inductances) suitable to model induction heating system. Then, the passive equivalent network is used in a computer aided electronic tool in order to perform accurate simulation including the half-bridge inverters and the two-coil inductor model. It is remarkable that the coil coupling implies interleaving between the output signals of the inverters, as a consequence, the control system becomes more complex. Finally, a complete induction system with a concentric double-coil inductor is simulated under different operational conditions. The numerical results are compared with experimental measurements to verify the model.
Persistent pulmonary consolidation treated with intrapulmonary percussive ventilation: A preliminary report

Intrapulmonary percussive ventilation (IPV) is a novel form of chest physiotherapy delivered by a percussive pneumatic device (IPV, Percussionaire, Sand Point, ID). There are few published reports about the use of IPV for diseases other than cystic fibrosis. We report our experience with three pediatric patients and one adult patient with persistent pulmonary consolidation refractory to conventional therapies. Three of the four patients had neuromuscular disease; one patient had segmental atelectasis due to aspiration. Three of the four patients showed clinical and radiographic improvement within 48 hours of starting IPV. The fourth patient experienced brief episodes of third‐degree atrioventricular block, hypoxemia, and bradycardia during two IPV treatments. IPV was safely restarted and he slowly improved. We conclude that while IPV requires further clinical evaluation, it appears to be a safe and effective therapy for selected patients. However, close observation is essential during and after IPV treatments, especially in patients who have difficulty mobilizing or expectorating sputum. Pediatr Pulmonol. 1996; 21: 246–249. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Partitioning semantics forentity resolution and linkrepairs in bibliographicknowledge bases

We propose a qualitative entity resolution approach to repair links in a bibliographic knowledge base. Our research question is: How to detect and repair erroneouslinks in a bibliographic knowledge base using qualitative methods? Theproposed approach is decomposed into two major parts. The first contribution consists in a partitioning semantics using symbolic criteria used in order to detecterroneous links. The second one consists in a repair algorithm restoring link quality. We implemented our approach and proposed qualitative and quantitative evaluation for the partitioning semantics as well as proving certain properties for the repairalgorithms.
Dynamic PMD Mitigation at 10 Gb/s Using Viterbi Equalization in DPSK Systems

Compensating dynamically changing polarization-mode dispersion (PMD) is important for optical fiber transmission systems. We present simulations of a Viterbi equalization for dynamic PMD mitigation in 10-Gb/s nonreturn-to-zero differential phase-shift keying systems. The equalizer can dynamically track fast varying differential group delay (DGD) and achieve similar performance to static DGD.