Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
MURINE CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS: RESISTANCE IN RECONSTITUTED NUDE MICE AND SEVERAL F1 HYBRIDS INFECTED WITH LEISHMANIA TROPICA MAJOR

After cutaneous injection of promastigotes of an isolate of the intramacrophage protozoan parasite, Leishmania tropica major, mouse strains develop chronic cutaneous lesions or show a resolving pattern of disease. On this basis, they can be classified as resistant (e.g. CBA/H and C57BL/6) or susceptible (e.g. BALB/c, BALB/c.H‐2b and BALB/c.H‐2k). Hypothymic nude (nu/nu) mice of either BALB/c, CBA/H or C57BL/6 genotype are susceptible to chronic disease. However, nude mice of these genotypes, including BALB/c, are resistant to chronic cutaneous leishmaniasis when injected at the time of parasite challenge with small numbers of H‐2 compatible lymphoid cells from normal mice. Nude mice remain susceptible when injected with fully H‐2 incompatible cells. Using cells from H‐2 mutant mice for reconstitution of resistance in C57BL/6.nu/nu mice, evidence was obtained that I region compatibility is necessary for cells to mediate host‐protective effects. Cells from chronically‐diseased BALB/c mice do not have protective effects in BALB/c.nu/nu mice at any cell dose and will abrogate the resistance‐promoting effect of lymphoid cell populations from chronically‐diseased BALB/c.H‐2k and BALB/c.H‐2b mice can be demonstrated when assayed at certain cell doses in H‐2 compatible CBA/H.nu/nu and C57BL/6.nu/nu mice, respectively. The data suggest that chronically‐diseased (genetically‐susceptible) mice contain a mixture of resistance‐promoting and disease‐promoting T cells in their peripheral lymphoid organs and that expression of the resistance‐promoting subset can occur in nude mice of resistant genotype. Previous data have indicated that Lyl+2− T cells are efficient mediators of both T cell‐dependent activities. No evidence for the operation of disease‐promoting or resistance‐promoting antibodies in perpetuation or resolution of disease has been obtained in extensive serum transfer experiments. Some discrepancies exist in the literature on the question of the dominance of susceptibility or resistance in F1 hybrid mice. A re‐examination of susceptibility/resistance in F1 hybrids between BALB/c and several other parental strains was undertaken using cloned pathogenic promastigotes derived from a heterogeneous L. t. major isolate in order to reduce effects of parasite heterogeneity in the analysis. Resistance was dominant in some but not all F1 hybrids, with most showing a delayed healing pattern of disease relative to the resistant parental strain. Despite the use of genetically‐homogeneous parasites, the analysis was complicated by variability within groups of F1 hybrid mice as well as between males and females and between F1 hybrids of reciprocal crosses. A hypothesis based on antigen and H‐2 expression on infected macrophages is advanced to account for the balance between the effects of resistance‐promoting and disease‐promoting Lyl+2− T cells in mice of various genotypes.
A 62.8 mW 4×4 MIMO-OFDM modem with one-symbol-locked timing recovery, frequency-dependent I/Q mismatch estimation and adaptive equalization

A 4×4 multi-input multi-output (MIMO) orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) modem with one-symbol-locked timing recovery, anti-I/Q mismatch frequency recovery, frequency-dependent I/Q mismatch estimation and adaptive equalization is implemented in 0.13-μm CMOS library. This chip occupies 4.6×4.6 mm2 and consumes 62.8 mW at 1.2 V.
On the birth and fate of bacterial division sites

Thanks to genetics, to the study of protein–protein interactions and to direct viewing of subcellular structures by the use of immunofluorescence and green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusions, the organization of the constriction apparatus of walled bacteria is gradually coming to light. The tubulin‐like protein FtsZ assembles as a ring around the site of constriction and operates as an organizer and activator of septum‐shaping proteins. Much less is known about the factors specifying the location of FtsZ rings. Circumstantial evidence favours the presence at future ring positions of fixed elements, the potential division sites (PDS), before FtsZ assembles. FtsZ polymerization is initiated from a point on a PDS, the nucleation site, still to be identified, and proceeds bidirectionally around the cell. We hypothesize that new PDS are specified in a manner that depends on the functioning of an active chromosome partition apparatus. This view is supported by the fact that formation of mid‐cell PDS requires initiation of DNA replication, and by recent studies supporting the existence of a specialized partition apparatus in a variety of microorganisms. Although PDS may be specified directly by the partition apparatus, indirect localization linked to compartmentalized gene expression during chromosome segregation is also possible. Once created, PDS are used in a regulated manner, and several mechanisms normally operate to direct constriction to selected PDS at the correct time. One, dedicated to the permanent suppression of polar PDS, rests on the minicell suppression system and involves a protein that is able to discriminate between polar and non‐polar sites. Another is involved in asymmetric site selection at the early stages of sporulation in Bacillus subtilis. Finally, a mechanism observed only in certain multinucleated cells appears to favour division at non‐polar PDS related to the most ancient replication/DNA segregation events.
Does the electrocardiographic presence of Q waves influence the survival of patients with acute myocardial infarction?

AIMS To compare the outcome of short- and long-term survival of patients with Q wave vs non-Q wave myocardial infarction. METHODS A total of 6676 patients with acute myocardial infarction were enrolled on the TRAndolapril Cardiac Evaluation (TRACE) register between 1990 and 1992. Medical history, electrocardiographic diagnosis of Q wave and non-Q wave myocardial infarction, echocardiographic estimation of left ventricular systolic function determined as wall motion index, infarct complications, and survival were documented. The factors influencing the postmyocardial infarction outcome of these patients were studied after 30 days and after 8 years of follow-up, respectively. RESULTS Cox proportional-hazard models demonstrated that the electrocardiographic Q waves had significant influence on survival during the first 30 days [risk ratio 1.4 (95% confidence limits 1.2-1.7)] but no influence thereafter [1.0 (0.9-1.1)]. The result was the same in univariate and multivariate analyses. Subgroup analysis defined by age, sex, wall motion index, presence of congestive heart failure, diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, subsequent myocardial infarctions and use of thrombolytic therapy did not disclose importance of Q waves on mortality. CONCLUSION The electrocardiographic presence of Q waves is associated with increased mortality during the initial 30 days after a myocardial infarction, but has no influence thereafter.
Hybrid system combining expert-TDNNs and HMMs for continuous speech recognition

Hybrid systems, using neural networks (NNs) and hidden Markov models (HMMs) are designed to take advantage of both methods; the pattern classification power of NNs and the temporal modelling structure of HMMs. This paper describes the use of expert sub-network modules of the type time delay neural network (TDNN) for phone recognition of continuous speech. The originality of the hybrid system developed is in combining the probabilities of the modular TDNN architecture with those of CDHMMs during the recognition phase. On three speakers of the DARPA RM speaker-dependent task, we show that these small TDNNs trained on phone ambiguities can improve word recognition performance of state-of-the-art CDHMMs. The TDNN implementation achieved a word error rate reduction of 15%. We discuss strategies for extending this approach from the DARPA RM speaker-dependent database to the larger DARPA RM speaker-independent database. <<ETX>>
Structural and Functional Analysis of a C3b-specific Antibody That Selectively Inhibits the Alternative Pathway of Complement*

Amplification of the complement cascade through the alternative pathway can lead to excessive inflammation. Targeting C3b, a component central to the alternative pathway of complement, provides a powerful approach to inhibit complement-mediated immune responses and tissue injury. In the present study, phage display technology was employed to generate an antibody that selectively recognizes C3b but not the non-activated molecule C3. The crystal structure of C3b in complex with a Fab fragment of this antibody (S77) illustrates the structural basis for this selectivity. Cleavage of C3 to C3b results in a plethora of structural changes within C3, including the rearrangement of macroglobulin domain 6 enabling binding of S77 to the adjacent macroglobulin domain 7 domain. S77 blocks binding of factor B to C3b inhibiting the first step in the formation of the alternative pathway C3 convertase. In addition, S77 inhibits C5 binding to C3b. This results in significantly reduced formations of anaphylatoxins and membrane-attack complexes. This study for the first time demonstrates the structural basis for complement inhibition by a C3b-selective antibody and provides insights into the molecular mechanisms of alternative pathway complement activation.
The Caenorhabditis elegans Distal‐less ortholog ceh‐43 is required for development of the anterior hypodermis

Homeobox genes of the Distal‐less (Dll) class are expressed in developing appendages as well as in the central nervous system in invertebrates and vertebrates. Mutant analyses in mice and Drosophila have implicated these genes in outgrowth of structures, cell adhesion, cell migration, and cell fate decisions. We have investigated the expression and function of ceh‐43, the Dll ortholog from the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, by using gfp reporter constructs and double‐stranded RNA‐mediated interference (RNAi). Our results show that, as in the fly, the C. elegans Dll ortholog seems to play a role in cell adhesion. An antibody against the butterfly Distal‐less homeodomain stains the nervous system of C. elegans embryos (Panganiban et al. [ 1997 ] Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 94:5162–5166). GFP expression under the control of the ceh‐43 promoter looks similar, although strong expression is primarily confined to the head hypodermis and to neuronal support cells. ceh‐43(RNAi) results in 100% lethality at embryonic or early larval stages. At the beginning of morphogenesis, ceh‐43(RNAi) embryos start to lose cells through a hole in the head hypodermis. They either rupture anteriorly as elongation proceeds, or they elongate normally to threefold egg length with the pharynx not connected to the mouth. Elongated ceh‐43(RNAi) animals die before or soon after hatching with a fluid‐filled pseudocoel and large vacuoles. These phenotypes suggest a role for ceh‐43 in development of adhesive properties in the head hypodermis that connects the epithelia of the skin and the digestive tract. Furthermore, possible defects in the excretory system may result at least in part from a requirement for ceh‐43 in the CAN neurons where ceh‐43:gfp is also expressed. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Protein phosphatase PP4 is involved in NHEJ-mediated repair of DNA double-strand breaks

Reversible phosphorylation is an essential posttranslational modification to turn on/off a protein function and to regulate many cellular activities, including DNA repair. A DNA double-strand break (DSB) is the most lethal form of DNA damage and is mainly fixed by the error-prone nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ)-mediated repair and by the high-fidelity homology recombination (HR)-mediated repair. We found previously that protein phosphatase PP4 is required for HR-mediated DSB repair. In this report, we showed that depletion of PP4C by siRNA compromised NHEJ-mediated repair of DSBs induced by the nuclease I-SceI. Both PP4C and its regulatory subunit PP4R2 physically interacted with the chromatin condensation factor KAP1 (KRAB-associated protein 1). Depletion of PP4C led to sustained phosphorylation of KAP1 at Ser824. Conversely, overexpression of PP4C resulted in a decrease of KAP1 phosphorylation. PP4 dephosphorylated pKAP1 in vitro. Inhibition of KAP1 expression resulted in a defect on NHEJ-mediated DSB repair, and co-depletion of PP4c and KAP1 did not have significant synergistic effect on NHEJ-mediated DSB repair. Taken together, our results suggest that PP4C and KAP1 are in the same epistasis group, and PP4 is involved in NHEJ-mediated DSB repair, possibly through regulating the phosphorylation status of KAP1.
Characterization of a slotted circular patch resonator for adjustable dual-mode dual-band bandpass filters

A slotted circular patch resonator is proposed to design a dual-mode dual-band bandpass filter in this work. Three sets of slots are etched into a circular patch. First, four arc-oriented slots are etched to lower the TM01 mode resonant frequency. Then, four radial-oriented slots are etched from the edge of the circular patch to bring down the resonant frequency of the TM21 mode. By changing these two sets of slots, the TM01 and TM21 resonant modes are adjusted to make up the second dual-pole passband. Next, a slot is etched into the center of the circular patch to split the pair of TM11 degenerate modes, which forms the first dual-mode passband. Two high impedance transmission lines are connected to the resonator at a 90° angle along the patch. To increase the out-of-band rejection, two more transmission zeros are introduced by cross-coupling between the input and output feed lines. Two prototype dual-band filters are designed with different frequency ratios so as to verify the design principle. The measured results agree well with the simulated ones.
Carbon Nanotube / Gold nanoparticles Sensor for Detection of Hydrazine in the Pyrogallol Red Solution

An efficient multi-walled carbon nanotube/gold colloidal nanoparticle paste electrode (MWCNTs/ Au Nps PE) was prepared for detection of hydrazine in the presence of pyrogallol red as a mediator in the homogenous solution. The prepared MWCNTs/ Au Nps PE and multi-walled carbon nanotube paste electrode (MWCNTs PE) were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The MWCNTs/ Au Nps PE exhibited a very large decrease in the over potential (0.3V to 0.0V) and significant enhanced peak current response for detection of hydrazine in the presence of pyrogallol red as a mediator in the Na2CO3 KCl solution. The mass transfer of hydrazine on the surface of MWCNTs/Au Nps PE was controlled by adsorption process. The proposed method exhibits outstanding sensitivity (2.5 μA/μM) and low detection limit (0.4 μM) at 0.0V. All the results indicated a good potential application of this sensor in the detection of hydrazine. The use of MWCNTs/ Au Nps PE was demonstrated for detection of hydrazine in the drinking water samples. KeywordsGold colloidal nanoparticles, Hydrazine, Multi walled carbon nanotube paste electrode, Cyclic voltammetry, Linear sweep voltammetry Analytical & Bioanalytical Electrochemistry 2015 by CEE www.abechem. com Anal. Bioanal. Electrochem. , Vol. 7, No. 3, 2015, 277-290 278
The formation of ‘optimal’ vortex rings, and the efficiency of propulsion devices

The formation of an axisymmetric vortex ring by forcing uid impulsively through a pipe is examined. An idealized model of the circulation, impulse and energy provided by the injected plug is developed, and these quantities are equated to the corresponding properties of the class of rings with finite cores described by Norbury (1973). It is shown that, as the length-to-diameter aspect ratio L/D of the plug increases, the size of the core increases in comparison with all the fluid carried along with the ring, until the limiting case of Hill's spherical vortex is reached. For aspect ratios larger than a certain value it is not possible to produce a single ring while conserving circulation, impulse, volume and energy. This implies that the limiting vortex is ‘optimal’ in the sense that it has maximum impulse, circulation and volume for a given energy input. While this matching calculation makes the physical mechanism clear, the L/D ratio that can be achieved in practice is more appropriately taken from the direct experimental measurements of Gharib et al. (1998) who concluded that the limiting value is L/D = 4. This is close to the value found in our calculation.
A randomized, double-blinded comparison of Thymoglobulin versus Atgam for induction immunosuppressive therapy in adult renal transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of Thymoglobulin (a rabbit-derived polyclonal antibody) to Atgam (a horse-derived polyclonal antibody) for induction in adult renal transplant recipients. METHODS Transplant recipients (n=72) were randomized 2:1 in a double-blinded fashion to receive Thymoglobulin (n=48) at 1.5 mg/kg intravenously or Atgam (n=24) at 15 mg/kg intravenously, intraoperatively, then daily for at least 6 days. Recipients were observed for at least 1 year of follow-up. RESULTS By 1 year after transplantation, 4% of Thymoglobulin-treated patients experienced acute rejection compared with 25% of Atgam-treated patients (P=0.014). The rate of acute rejection was lower with Thymoglobulin than Atgam (relative risk=0.09; P=0.009). Rejection was less severe with Thymoglobulin than Atgam (P=0.02). No recurrent rejection occurred with Thymoglobulin compared with 33% with Atgam (P=NS). Patient survival was not different, but the composite end point of freedom from death, graft loss, or rejection, the "event-free survival," was superior with Thymoglobulin (94%) compared with Atgam (63%; P=0.0005). Fewer adverse events occurred with Thymoglobulin (P=0.013). Leukopenia was more common with Thymoglobulin than Atgam (56% vs. 4%; P<0.0001) during induction. The mean absolute lymphocyte count remained below baseline with Thymoglobulin throughout the study (P<0.007), but with Atgam, significant lymphocyte reductions occurred only at day 7. The incidence of cytomegalovirus disease was less with Thymoglobulin than Atgam at 6 months (10% vs. 33%; P=0.025). CONCLUSIONS Brief (7-day) induction with Thymoglobulin resulted in less frequent and less severe rejection, a better event-free survival, less cytomegalovirus disease, fewer serious adverse events, but more frequent early leukopenia than induction with Atgam. These results may in fact be explained by a more profound and durable beneficial lymphopenia.
A framework for non-homogeneous analysis on metric spaces, and the RBMO space of Tolsa

A new class of metric measure spaces is introduced and studied. This class generalises the well-established doubling metric measure spaces as well as the spaces (R, μ) with μ(B(x, r)) ≤ Cr, in which non-doubling harmonic analysis has recently been developed. It seems to be a promising framework for an abstract extension of this theory. Tolsa’s space of regularised BMO functions is defined in this new setting, and the John-Nirenberg inequality is proven.
Meta-Heuristic Algorithms to Solve Bi-Criteria Parallel Machines Scheduling Problem

Parallel machine scheduling problems are classified as NP-hard problems. The direct solutions for these problems are not available and meta-heuristic algorithms are required to be used to find near-optimal solutions. In this paper, the formulations of multi-objective Artificial Bee Colony algorithm by using combination of weighted objectives, secondary storage for managing possible solutions and Genetic algorithm have been developed and applied to schedule jobs on parallel machines optimizing bi-criteria namely maximum tardiness and weighted flow time. The results obtained indicate that proposed algorithm outperforms other multi-objective algorithms in optimizing bi-criteria scheduling problems on parallel machines. Further, the sequential optimization of bi-criteria using Early Due Date EDD followed by Genetic Algorithm GA has also been investigated. The efficiencies of the proposed algorithms have been verified by numerical illustrations and statistical tests.
Separation between Ownership and Control: Where Do We Stand?

Complex structure of ownership like cross-ownership, rings, and pyramids are common in Continental Europe, Eastern Europe, and in Asia. This paper aims at dissecting these complex features by a proper measurement of direct and indirect holdings. Building on Brioschi et al. (1989), we use the input-output matrix methodology and we add control considerations in the matrix calculations to derive a straightforward method of quantifying the separation between ownership and control for a firm or a shareholder, named the "separation ratio". After giving an overview of the full ownership structure of the listed Belgian companies, we present and apply our method to a database of more than 800 companies and individuals linked to the Belgian listed firms. Next, we replicate the approach with data from several European countries and the United States. These international comparisons allow evaluating the interactions between the economic environment of a country, and its corporate governance features.
Left caloric vestibular stimulation ameliorates right hemianesthesia

Background: Left caloric vestibular stimulation (CVS) transiently reduces impairments of right-brain-damaged patients with left unilateral neglect, including left hemianesthesia, contralateral to the side of the lesion (contralesional). Conversely, no effect on right contralesional hemianesthesia in left-brain-damaged patients is seen with right CVS. This discrepancy is unexplained. Methods: The authors explored the effect of CVS on right- and left-brain-damaged patients with hemianesthesia. One left-brain-damaged patient had an fMRI study during tactile stimulation before and after left CVS. The same fMRI touch study, without CVS, was performed in neurologically unimpaired subjects. Results: A transient remission of right hemianesthesia associated with left brain damage was observed, provided that cold CVS was administered to the left ear. In the left-brain-damaged patient studied with fMRI, left CVS modulated the neural response to right hand tactile stimuli of a portion of the secondary somatosensory area (SII) of the right hemisphere. In neurologically unimpaired subjects, fMRI scans showed that the same part of area SII in the right hemisphere was activated by ipsilateral right-sided touches and to a larger extent than area SII in the left hemisphere by left-sided touches. Conclusions: Left caloric vestibular stimulation is effective on both left and right hemianesthesia because it modulates the hemisphere that has a more complete representation of, or is capable to attend to, the whole somatosensory surface of the body. These results suggest a hardwired hemispheric asymmetry in hand representation, starting from a somatotopically organized brain region such as area SII.