Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Basophils: new players in the cytokine network.

Basophils belong to a myeloid cell population that has been ignored for more than a century, mainly because of its paucity, its lack of specific markers, and the absence of experimental models. Given that in mice, even the mere existence of basophils was contested, they were alluded to as "histamine-producing cells" or "non-T non-B cells" in initial studies. It is now widely acknowledged that basophils respond to various IgE-dependent or -independent stimuli, and are engaged in a complex cross talk with a number of immunocompetent cells (T or B lymphocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells, endothelial cells…). Indeed, on the one hand they are critically involved during the onset, the effector phase and exacerbation of T(H)2 responses through their capacity to generate large amounts of cytokines with pro-T(H)2 functions (IL-4, IL-13 TSLP, IL-25), on the other hand, they contribute to immunoglobulin synthesis and class switching, angiogenesis, autoimmunity, tumor immunity and hematopoiesis by producing cytokines such as IL-6, VEGF, GM-CSF and IL-3. Finally, it has been established that they can present antigens to CD4+ or CD8+ T cells in an MHC class II- or class I-dependent manner, respectively. Taken together, these activities confer important immunoregulatory functions upon basophils, both in innate and adaptive immunity.
Air pollution and airway disease

Epidemiological and toxicological research continues to support a link between urban air pollution and an increased incidence and/or severity of airway disease. Detrimental effects of ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM), as well as traffic‐related pollution as a whole, on respiratory symptoms and function are well documented. Not only do we have strong epidemiological evidence of a relationship between air pollution and exacerbation of asthma and respiratory morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but recent studies, particularly in urban areas, have suggested a role for pollutants in the development of both asthma and COPD. Similarly, while prevalence and severity of atopic conditions appear to be more common in urban compared with rural communities, evidence is emerging that traffic‐related pollutants may contribute to the development of allergy. Furthermore, numerous epidemiological and experimental studies suggest an association between exposure to NO2, O3, PM and combustion products of biomass fuels and an increased susceptibility to and morbidity from respiratory infection. Given the considerable contribution that traffic emissions make to urban air pollution researchers have sought to characterize the relative toxicity of traffic‐related PM pollutants. Recent advances in mechanisms implicated in the association of air pollutants and airway disease include epigenetic alteration of genes by combustion‐related pollutants and how polymorphisms in genes involved in antioxidant pathways and airway inflammation can modify responses to air pollution exposures. Other interesting epidemiological observations related to increased host susceptibility include a possible link between chronic PM exposure during childhood and vulnerability to COPD in adulthood, and that infants subjected to higher prenatal levels of air pollution may be at greater risk of developing respiratory conditions. While the characterization of pollutant components and sources promise to guide pollution control strategies, the identification of susceptible subpopulations will be necessary if targeted therapy/prevention of pollution‐induced respiratory diseases is to be developed.
Roles of the Mdm10, Tom7, Mdm12, and Mmm1 Proteins in the Assembly of Mitochondrial Outer Membrane Proteins in Neurospora crassa

Mdm10, Mdm12, and Mmm1 are implicated in several mitochondrial functions. We show that loss of any of these proteins in Neurospora crassa results in the formation of large mitochondrial tubules and reduces assembly of porin and Tom40. The effects of mutations affecting Tom7 and Mdm10 are additive with respect to the assembly of Tom40 and porin.
Kinetic model of hydrocortisone 1‐en‐dehydrogenation by Arthrobacter globiformis

A kinetic model of the hydrocortisone‐to‐prednisolone transformation by Arthrobacter globiformis is constructed using the experimental data obtained in studies of this process. Besides adequately describing experimental data, the model allows one to determine the relation between hydrocortisone oxidation and the level of endogenous substrates in bacterial cells, and the relation between the saturating concentration of hydrocortisone in the enzymic system of bacteria and the content of endogenous substrates in their cells, as well as the regulation of the transmembrane potential and the activation by the uncouplers.
Dietary l‐carnitine prevents histopathological changes in tilapia (Oreochromis Niloticus) exposed to cylindrospermopsin

Cylindrospermopsin (CYN) is a cytotoxin highly water‐soluble, which is easily taken up by several aquatic organisms. CYN acts as a potent protein and glutathione synthesis inhibitor, as well as inducing genotoxicity, oxidative stress, and histopathological alterations. This is the first study reporting the protective effect of a l‐carnitine (LC) pretreatment (400 or 880 mg LC/kg bw fish/day, for 21 days) on the histopathological alterations induced by pure CYN or Aphanizomenon ovalisporum lyophilized cells (400 µg CYN/kg bw fish) in liver, kidney, heart, intestines, and gills of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) acutely exposed to the toxin by oral route. The main histopathological changes induced by CYN were disorganized parenchyma with presence of glycogen and lipids in the cytoplasm (liver), glomerulonephritis, glomerular atrophy, and dilatation of Bowman's capsule (kidney), myofibrolysis, loss of myofibrils, with edema and hemorrhage (heart), intestinal villi with necrotic enterocytes and partial loss of microvilli (gastrointestinal tract), and hyperemia and hemorrhage (gills). LC pretreatment was able to totally prevent those CYN‐induced alterations from 400 mg LC/kg bw fish/day in almost all organs, except in the heart, where 880 mg LC/kg bw fish/day were needed. In addition, the morphometric study indicated that LC managed to recover totally the affectation in the cross sections of the proximal and distal convoluted tubules in CYN‐exposed fish. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 32: 241–254, 2017.
Informed Consent and the Misattributed Paternity Problem in Genetic Counseling

When misattributed paternity is discovered in the course of genetic testing, a genetic counselor is presented with a dilemma concerning whether to reveal this information to the clients. She is committed to treating the clients equally and enabling informed decision making, but disclosing the information may carry consequences for the woman that the counselor cannot judge in advance. A frequent suggestion aimed at avoiding this problem is to include the risk of discovering nonpaternity in the informed consent process for counseling. In this paper I argue that such a move does not resolve the problem, because the conflict hinges on the interpretation of equality on which the counselor operates. Given the principles of genetic counseling, neither construal of equality yields a satisfactory solution to the conflict. In fact, I conclude that including nonpaternity in informed consent is not endorsed by either view, and we are still left with the question of what to do should nonpaternity be discovered. I suggest a compromise position concerning disclosure, involving revealing relevant genetic information but withholding nonpaternity when possible.
Power and agency.

Dans cet article, l'A fait part de ses reflexions concernant les notions de pouvoir , de liberte et de responsabilite et leur signification sociale au sein de nos societes contemporaines. L'A discute ici des ecrits de Clarissa Hawyard a propos du concept d'autorite au sein de l'institution scolaire
Properties of proteins MPB64, MPB70, and MPB80 of Mycobacterium bovis BCG

The immunogenic proteins MPB64 and MPB80 of Mycobacterium bovis BCG were purified to homogeneity and compared with MPB70. MPB70 and MPB80 showed a similar distribution in substrains of BCG, both being present in high concentrations in culture fluids of BCG substrain Tokyo, BCG Moreau, BCG Russia, and BCG Sweden and in only very small amounts in BCG Glaxo, BCG Tice, BCG Copenhagen, and BCG Pasteur. In various physicochemical properties MPB70 and MPB80 were closely similar, but MPB80 had a distinctly lower pI value. The N-terminal amino acid sequence was identical for the first 30 residues. In reactions with anti-MPB70 antibodies and delayed-type hypersensitivity skin reactions, MPB70 and MPB80 also had very similar properties. These results show that MPB70 and MPB80 are two closely similar forms of the same gene product, and postsynthetic changes probably explain the observed differences. By contrast, MPB64 had a higher molecular weight. The N-terminal amino acid sequence showed no homology with MPB70, and these two proteins showed no immunologic similarity. MPB64 and MPB70 showed only very restricted cross-reactivity with other species of mycobacteria but cross-reacted with Nocardia asteroides. The similar occurrence in eight different substrains of BCG indicated that the two proteins are influenced by similar control mechanisms, but in contrast to MPB70, MPB64 occurred in sufficient concentration in two strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to give a distinct spot in two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of their culture fluids.
Avaliação do potencial de Frações hemicelulósicas obtido de Sabugo de Milho e de Girassol para a Produção de Xilanases por Fungo da Microbiota Sergipana

As enzimas e um dos mercados em crescimento, face as diversas aplicacoes industriais. Porem, o alto custo de producao representa uma limitacao para seu uso em larga escala, estimulando assim pesquisas para melhorar o processo de producao de enzimas. Uma maneira de reduzir custos na sua producao para aplicacao comercial e o uso de substratos de baixo custo, como residuos agricolas, ricos em lignocelulose ( e.g. caule de girassol, sabugo de milho), gerados e descartados apos a colheita de sementes destes plantios. Portanto, esses residuos in natura constituem fontes de carbono com vista a reduzir custo de producao de enzima atraves de processos microbianos. Assim, utilizando-se a fermentacao submersa (100 min -1 /96 h, a 30, 40 e 50°C) no meio de SR contendo 1% desses residuos lignocelulosicos in natura , como fonte de carbono, levou a uma producao de xilanase maior que obtida quando usada a xilana padrao. A maior producao da enzima foi obtida na fermentacao a 40oC, tanto para o caule de girassol (593,07 U/mL) como para o sabugo de milho de milho (488,57 U/mL), em comparacao a producao com xilana padrao de 358,17 U/mL. Portanto, caule de girassol e sabugo de milho in natura apresentam potencial para o processo de sintese xilanases usando o fungo Aspergillus sp. coletado em Sergipe, Brasil.
Factors affecting the concentration of faecal bacteria in land-drainage water.

Summary: The rate of discharge and the concentration of faecal bacteria in the water from a subsurface field drain were monitored, initially for one winter without application of animal excrement to the pasture, and, subsequently, for two winters when pig excrement was sprayed over the pasture. The concentrations of Escherichia coli and enterococci in the water were found to be affected by three main factors: the flow rate of the drain discharge; the number of bacteria in or on the soil and vegetation; and the application to the land of large volumes of semiliquid animal excrement over short periods of time. In the absence of excrement application, the concentration of faecal bacteria in the water was related to the flow rate and to time by an equation of the form: log bacterial concentration=a+b log flow rate-c days, where a, b and c are constants. The concentrations of bacteria in the water declined with time, the 90 % reduction times being 57 days for E. coli and 96 days for enterococci. The spraying of pig excrement over the pasture resulted in a 30- to 900-fold increase in the concentrations of faecal bacteria in the drain discharge within 2 h of the start of the spraying. The concentrations of faecal bacteria returned to their normal levels over a period of 2 to 3 days.
Narrowing Support Searching Range in Maintaining Arc Consistency for Solving Constraint Satisfaction Problems

Arc consistency is the most popular filtering technique for solving constraint satisfaction problems. Constraint check plays a central role in establishing arc consistency. In this paper, we propose a method to save constraint checks in maintaining coarse-grained arc consistency during backtracking search for solving the constraint satisfaction problems. We reduce the support searching range by utilizing the information generated by an AC3.1 algorithm at preprocessing step. Compared with the existing maintaining arc consistency (MAC) algorithms, the proposed MAC<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$3_{be}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> algorithm saves constraint checks without maintaining additional data structures at each search tree node. Our experimental results show that MAC<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$3_{be}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> saves both constraint checks and CPU time while solving some benchmark problems.
The Future Challenge of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in Hypertension: From Bench to Bed Side

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) act as signaling molecules that control physiological processes, including cell adaptation to stress. Redox signaling via ROS has quite recently become the focus of much attention in numerous pathological contexts, including neurodegenerative diseases, kidney and cardiovascular disease. Imbalance in ROS formation and degradation has also been implicated in essential hypertension. Essential hypertension is characterized by multiple genetic and environmental factors which do not completely explain its associated risk factors. Thereby, even if advances in therapy have led to a significant reduction in hypertension-associated complications, to interfere with the unbalance of redox signals might represent an additional therapeutic challenge. The decrease of nitric oxide (NO) levels, the antioxidant activity commonly found in preclinical models of hypertension and the ability of antioxidant approaches to reduce ROS levels have spurred clinicians to investigate the contribution of ROS in humans. Indeed, particular effort has recently been devoted to understanding how redox signaling may contribute to vascular pathobiology in human hypertension. However, although biomarkers of oxidative stress have been found to positively correlate with blood pressure in preclinical model of hypertension, human data are less convincing. We herein provide an overview of the most relevant mechanisms via which oxidative stress might contribute to the pathophysiology of essential hypertension. Moreover, alternative approaches, which are directed towards improving antioxidant machinery and/or interfering with ROS production, are also discussed.
Production of Type I IFN Sensitizes Macrophages to Cell Death Induced by Listeria monocytogenes1

Type I IFNs (IFN-α/β) modulate innate immune responses. Here we show activation of transcription factor IFN regulatory factor 3, the synthesis of large amounts of IFN-β mRNA, and type I IFN signal transduction in macrophages infected with Listeria monocytogenes. Expression of the bacterial virulence protein listeriolysin O was necessary, but not sufficient, for efficient IFN-β production. Signaling through a pathway involving the type I IFN receptor and Stat1 sensitized macrophages to L. monocytogenes-induced cell death in a manner not requiring inducible NO synthase (nitric oxide synthase 2) or protein kinase R, potential effectors of type I IFN action during microbial infections. The data stress the importance of type I IFN for the course of infections with intracellular bacteria and suggest that factors other than listeriolysin O contribute to macrophage death during Listeria infection.
Characterization of bacterial flora in persistent apical periodontitis lesions.

INTRODUCTION Microorganisms are able to survive and induce persistent infection in periapical tissues. The aim of this study was to investigate the composition of the microflora of persistent apical periodontitis lesions. METHODS Twenty apical lesion samples were obtained from 20 patients with chronic apical periodontitis by root end surgery and processed using aerobic or anaerobic culture techniques. All isolated strains were identified by 16S ribosomal DNA sequence analysis. RESULTS Seventy-four strains were isolated, belonging to 31 bacterial species obtained from the 20 apical lesions that were isolated. The majority of the strains were facultative anaerobes (51.6%). Propionibacterium acnes, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Fusobacterium nucleatum were isolated from 16.2, 9.5, 6.8 and 5.4% of the samples, respectively. Fifteen samples harboured more than one species. The predominant association was P. acnes, S. epidermidis and F. nucleatum. CONCLUSION The microbiota of persistent apical periodontitis lesions is composed by diverse types of microorganisms with biofilm-forming capacity, including P. acnes, S. epidermidis and F. nucleatum.
Routage haut-débit et filtrage de DDOS avec DPDK et Packet Journey

La technologie DPDK (Data Plane Development Kit) a ete developpee initialement par Intel et est mainte-nant geree collaborativement par la Linux Foundation. Elle permet de remonter le traitement des paquets en mode utilisateur plutot que dans la pile reseau du noyau. On atteint ainsi des performances considerables en nombre de paquets par seconde sur des processeurs standards. L'application Packet Journey basee sur DPDK, est un routeur logiciel libre developpe entre autres par Gandi. Packet Journey permet de faire tourner un demon de routage traditionnel, par exemple le logiciel libre bird pour BGP et OSPF, et d'utiliser la table de routage produite pour decider de l'acheminement des paquets. Packet Journey fournit aussi une gestion de filtres et de limitation de debit. Il est donc possible d'envisager d'utiliser du materiel serveur standard et du logiciel libre pour les fonctions routages et pare-feu haute performance plutot que du materiel reseau specialise. L'association Tetaneutral.net, fournisseur d'acces internet et hebergeur de donnees, dispose a Toulouse de plus de 20 Gb/s d'interconnexions avec l'internet. Certains sites et services heberges etant soumis a des attaques de deni de service distribue, nous evaluons une solution de protection basee sur la technologie DPDK et Packet Journey pour assurer le routage. Cet article presente les technologies utilisees et la plate-forme de routage en cours de mise en place sur le reseau de l'association, ainsi que les tests qui ont ete realises pour valider cette approche.
Spin waves in the antiferromagnet perovskite LaMnO3: A neutron-scattering study.

As part of a general work on doped manganese perovskites, we have carried out detailed neutron-scattering experiments on powder and single crystals of the othorhombic phase of undoped LaMn${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$. The temperature dependence of the sublattice magnetization has been determined in the antiferromagnetic phase (${T}_{N}=139.5$ K), and the critical exponent is $\ensuremath{\beta}=0.28$, well below that corresponding to a pure three-dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnet. We have measured the dispersion of the spin waves propagating in the highest symmetry directions solving the problems related to twinning. The whole spin wave spectrum is well accounted for with a Heisenberg Hamiltonian and a single ion anisotropy term responsible for the easy magnetization direction (b axis). This term induces a gap of 2.7 meV at low temperature in the spin wave dispersion curve. An important result is that the ferromagnetic exchange integral (${J}_{1}\ensuremath{\approx}0.83$ meV), coupling the spins within the ferromagnetic basal plane (a,b), is larger by a factor 1.4 than the antiferromagnetic exchange integral (${J}_{2}\ensuremath{\approx}\ensuremath{-}0.58$ meV) coupling spins belonging to adjacent Mn${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ planes along c.
Ceramic hollow fiber-supported PDMS composite membranes for oxygen enrichment from air

Oxygen-enriched air has attracted increasing attention owing to its potential industrial application. In this work, ceramic hollow fiber-supported polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composite membranes were applied in separation of oxygen from air. The influence of PDMS layer thickness, pressure difference, temperature, and feed concentration on the oxygen-enriching performance was systematically investigated. The results indicated that the membrane (with the optimal PDMS layer thickness of 25 µm) achieved oxygen permeance of 104 GPU (1 GPU = 10−6 cm3 standard temperature and pressure (STP)/cm2 s cmHg) with O2/N2 ideal selectivity of 2.0 at room temperature and 0.1 MPa difference pressure. Over 10 days continuous operation, this enrichment performance kept stable, in which the oxygen concentration enriched from air can maintain about 30% by single-stage separation through the membrane. Our work demonstrated that the ceramic hollow fiber-supported PDMS composite membrane could be a competitive oxygen enrichment membrane for industry application. © 2016 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Bile duct anastomotic stricture after adult‐to‐adult right lobe living donor liver transplantation

Duct‐to‐duct anastomosis (DDA) and hepaticojejunostomy (HJ) are options for biliary reconstruction in patients undergoing adult‐to‐adult right lobe living donor liver transplantation (ARLDLT), after which biliary anastomotic stricture (BAS) is common as a complication. The risk factors for BAS are not clearly defined. We aimed to determine the rate of post‐ARLDLT BAS in our center and its associated factors. In 265 ARLDLT recipients, 55 (20.8%) developed postoperative BAS. The diagnosis was based on clinical, biochemical, histological, and radiological results. The BAS rates were 21.4% (43/201) for recipients undergoing DDA during transplantation, 18.9% (10/53) for recipients undergoing HJ, and 18.2% (2/11) for recipients undergoing both procedures. BAS and non‐BAS patients had comparable demographics. The number of graft bile duct openings (P = 0.516) and the size of the graft's smallest bile duct (5 versus 5 mm, P = 0.4) were not significantly different between BAS and non‐BAS patients. Univariate analysis showed that the factors associated with postoperative BAS were the recipient warm ischemia time (55 versus 51 minutes, P = 0.026), graft cold ischemia time (120 versus 108 minutes, P = 0.046), stent use (21.8% versus 7.1%, P = 0.001), postoperative acute cellular rejection (29.1% versus 11.0%, P = 0.001), and University of Wisconsin solution use (21.8% versus 7.1%, P = 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that the cold ischemia time (odds ratio = 1.012, 95% confidence interval = 1.002‐1.023, P = 0.014) and acute rejection (odds ratio = 3.180, 95% confidence interval = 1.606‐6.853, P = 0.002) were significant factors. The graft survival rates of BAS and non‐BAS patients were comparable. One patient required retransplantation for secondary biliary cirrhosis. In conclusion, BAS remains common after ARLDLT regardless of DDA or HJ. The graft cold ischemia time and postoperative acute cellular rejection are significantly associated with postoperative BAS. Liver Transpl 17:47–52, 2011. © 2011 AASLD.