Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of a Commercial Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay with Hemagglutination Inhibition Assay for Serodiagnosis of Swine Influenza Virus (H1N1) Infection

A commercial indirect swine influenza virus (SIV) H1N1 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was compared with the hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay by testing 72 samples from experimentally infected pigs and 780 field samples of undefined SIV status. The HI assay was performed using SIV isolates A/Swine/IA/73 for H1N1 and A/Swine/IA/8548–1/98 for H3N2. The ELISA used an SIV isolated in 1988. The results showed that HI and ELISA detected an antibody in 11 and 6, respectively, of 72 serum samples collected from pigs experimentally infected with a 1992 SIV isolate (A/Swine/IA/40776/92). The presence of antibodies in these experimental samples was confirmed by HI tests in which all 72 samples were positive against the homologous virus, a more recent H1N1 SIV isolate (A/Swine/NVSL/01) supplied by National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Ames, Iowa, and a 1999 H1N1 isolate currently used in a commercial vaccine. On testing 780 field samples, an overall agreement of 85.5% was generated between the HI and ELISA. This study demonstrated that the ELISA is a useful serodiagnostic screening test at herd level for detecting swine antibodies against SIV. However, a new SIV isolate representing current SIV strains circulating in the field is needed to replace the older isolates used in the HI and ELISA to increase the test accuracy for serodiagnosis of SIV.
Bovine tuberculosis in southern African wildlife: a multi-species host–pathogen system

SUMMARY This review examines the current situation of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in southern African savannah systems, and uses theory on multi-species host–pathogen systems to suggest possible options for future research and management. In southern Africa, the buffalo (Syncerus caffer) and the Kafue lechwe [Marsh antelope] (Kobus leche) have been found to be maintenance hosts for this disease, but the importance of other host species is becoming apparent. The role of other host species in the maintenance and spread of the disease varies, depending on the spatial distribution and resource utilization patterns of the species, disease susceptibility, transmission modes and the ecology of both host(s) and vector(s). Future research needs to identify the pathogenicity of bTB in each of the host species, and the mechanisms and rates of inter- and intra-specific transmission among different species, in order to develop multi-host models to understand the development and spread of the disease.
Chlamydia Pneumoniae Induces T Cell Apoptosis through Glutathione Redox Imbalance and Secretion of TNF-α

Chlamydia pneumoniae persistent infection has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several chronic inflammatory diseases including atherosclerosis, and we hypothesized that modulation of the apoptosis of macrophages and/or T cells by C. pneumoniae infection may contribute to the development of such diseases. We therefore evaluated apoptosis, cytokine response, and redox status in human primary T cells and macrophages infected with C. pneumoniae. In addition, co-cultures of T cells and macrophages infected with C. pneumoniae were also carried out. Apoptosis, and levels of glutathione (GSH), glutathione disulfide (GSSG), and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α were measured by flow cytometry, high performance liquid chromatography and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. C. pneumoniae induced apoptosis in T cells as well as in co-cultures of T cells and infected macrophages by marked decrease in GSH/GSSG ratio and increased production of TNF-α, respectively. The results demonstrate that interaction of C. pneumoniae with T cells and/or macrophages characterized by interference with redox status, and secretion of tumour necrosis factor TNF-α culminates in the induction of T cell apoptosis and survival of infected macrophages. In conclusion, the inappropriate T cell response against C. pneumoniae and survival of infected macrophages could explain the persistence of this intracellular obligate pathogen in the host-organism; it may contribute to the development of chronic inflammatory diseases, although further studies are needed to clarify such a complex mechanism.
Expression of chemokine receptor CXCR3 on T cells affects the balance between effector and memory CD8 T-cell generation

Generation of a robust immunological memory response is essential for protection on subsequent encounters with the same pathogen. The magnitude and quality of the memory CD8 T-cell population are shaped and influenced by the strength and duration of the initial antigenic stimulus as well as by inflammatory cytokines. Although chemokine receptors have been established to play a role in recruitment of effector CD8 T cells to sites of inflammation, their contribution to determination of T-cell fate and shaping of the long-lived memory T-cell population is not fully understood. Here, we investigated whether reduced access to antigen and inflammation through alterations in expression of inflammatory and homeostatic chemokine receptors has an impact on generation of effector and memory CD8 T cells. We found that in mice infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, colocalization of virus-specific CD8 T cells with antigen in spleen is dependent on expression of the inflammatory chemokine receptor, CXCR3. In addition, absence of CXCR3 expression on CD8 T cells leads to formation of fewer short-lived effector cells and more memory precursor cells. Furthermore, the memory CD8 T-cell population derived from CXCR3-deficient cells has fewer cells of the effector memory phenotype and exhibits a recall response of greater magnitude than that of WT cells. These data demonstrate that CD8 T-cell positioning relative to antigen and inflammatory cytokines in secondary lymphoid organs affects the balance of effector and memory T-cell formation and has both a quantitative and qualitative impact on the long-lived memory CD8 T-cell population.
Les enseignements écologiques de la variation de l'épaisseur du cerne chez le pin d'Alep

L'etude de la croissance en diametre du pin d'Alep, couplee a une etude de la croissance en longueur des pousses et des aiguilles de ce meme pin au cours de trois annees consecutives a permis de definir le calendrier de ces differentes manifestations de la croissance. La relation de chacune des etapes distinguees dans la mise en place du cerne avec les precipitations et les temperatures contemporaines de ces differentes etapes et anterieures a elles a permis d'etablir que le pin d'Alep est particulierement sensible aux temperatures hivernales (janvier et surtout fevrier) et aux precipitations de toute la periode qui precede la secheresse estivale.
Ease of use analysis of in-game interface design in DotA 2 for beginners using SAW method

There are so many games exist today, and one of them is Defense of the Ancients 2 or DOTA 2 in short. DOTA 2 is a tower defense game that can be played by ten people simultaneously and has many elements such as the status of both active and passive, the movement of enemies on the minimap, vision affected by the day and night, and many more. That is why the design of the in-game interface design on DOTA 2 should be considered carefully. We want to analyze the interface design of DOTA 2 for the beginner players by using one of the design principles, ease of use. This analysis will use SAW method. Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) is a method of decision-making with the basic concept of searching for a weighted sum of performance level on each of all attributes alternatives. The criteria will be used are the number of kills, death, assists, gold per minute, creep killed, and creep denied when the game ends. The beginners' result will be compared with the average results of regulars. To get a more accurate analysis results, beginner players will play on medium difficulty level with AI, while regular players' data will be taken from random match in MatchMaking Rating (MMR). The results of this analysis can be considered for the beginner players to assess the ease of use level of the game DOTA 2.
Procedural Learning in Broca's Aphasia: Dissociation between the Implicit Acquisition of Spatio-Motor and Phoneme Sequences

Procedural learning of spatio-motor and phoneme sequences was investigated in patients with Broca's and Wernick's aphasia and age-matched controls. In Experiment 1, participants performed a standard serial reaction task (SRT) in which they manually responded to a repeating sequence of stimulus locations. Both Broca's and Wernick's aphasics showed intact sequence learning, as indicated by a reliable response time (RT) cost when the repeating sequence was swithched to a random sequence. In Experiment 2, Broca's aphasics and controls performed a new serial search task (SST), which allowed us to investigate the learning of a spatio-motor sequence and a phoneme sequence independently from each other. On each trial, four letters were presented visually, followed by a single auditorily presented letter. Participants had to press one of four response keys to indicate the location of the auditory letter in the visual display. The arrangement of the visual letters was changed from trial to trial such that either the key-presses or the auditory letters followed a repeating pattern, while the other sequence was random. While controls learned both the key-press and the phoneme sequences, Broca's aphasics were selectively impaired in learning the phoneme sequence. This dissociation between learning of spatio-motor and phoneme sequences supports the assumption that partially separable brain systems are involved in proceedural learning of differenct types of sequential structures.
JMJ24 targets CHROMOMETHYLASE3 for proteasomal degradation in Arabidopsis

Deng et al. show that an Arabidopsis JmjC domain protein, JMJ24, possesses ubiquitin E3 ligase activity. JMJ24 directly targets a DNA methyltransferase CMT3 for proteasomal degradation to initiate destabilization of the heterochromatic state of endogenous silenced loci.
HuMoD - A versatile and open database for the investigation, modeling and simulation of human motion dynamics on actuation level

Collecting high-quality biomechanical measurement data for investigating human motion dynamics with muscle driven actuation, i.e., joint trajectories, ground reaction forces and muscle activities, usually requires experienced examiners, expensive measurement equipment and sophisticated processing. Several published databases offer biomechanical measurement data of various human motions. However, most of these databases are not primarily intended for modeling, simulation and validation of human motion dynamics with muscle driven actuation and do not include ground reaction forces together with muscle activities and detailed anthropometric parameters of the subjects. In this paper, the HuMoD Database, a versatile and quite unique combination of comprehensive biomechanical measurement data and anthropometric parameters with a focus on lower limbs, is introduced. The provided datasets allow to create and validate biomechanical models of the human locomotor system on actuation level and to investigate and simulate human motion dynamics including muscle driven actuation. Besides investigations in biomechanics, the database can be of value especially for the design and development of musculoskeletal humanoid robots and for better understanding and benchmarking human-like robot locomotion. The database contains raw and processed biomechanical measurement data from a three-dimensional motion capture system, an instrumented treadmill and an electromyographical measurement system for eight different motion tasks performed by a healthy female and male subject as well as anthropometric parameters for both subjects. The biomechanical measurement data, anthropometric parameters and source code of the applied computational scripts are open and can be obtained free of charge from the HuMoD Database website.
Endomyocardial infiltration by B and NK cells foreshadows the recurrence of cardiac allograft rejection

Heart allograft outcome is unpredictable and acute rejection episodes still occur despite the improvement of immunosuppressive regimens. We therefore investigated whether the immunopathological profile of endomyocardial biopsies might underlie the variations in the clinical course of a graft. Biopsies from transplanted patients were analysed by histology, immunohistochemistry (associated with digital image analysis), confocal and electron microscopy to determine the type and the functional state of leukocytes infiltrating the myocardium, together with their ultrastructural features and those of the graft itself. In comparison with biopsies with grade 0R or grade 1R rejection, those from patients with grade 2R rejection displayed significant infiltration of macrophages, T lymphocytes, and CD83+ and DC‐SIGN+ dendritic cells. Fifty‐seven per cent were invaded by CD20+B lymphocytes, most of which expressed CD69 activation marker and cooperated in interleukin‐12 production, and by CD69+CD94+NK cells expressing interferon‐γ. Ultrastructural signs of myocyte degeneration and microvessel rupture by NK cells were frequent. These patients developed recurrent episodes of acute allograft rejection. Endomyocardial B and NK infiltrates are involved in the dynamics of allograft rejection and are associated with a high risk of its recurrence. Immunopathological assessment of endomyocardial biopsies may thus serve to forecast the probable outcome of a heart allograft. Copyright © 2006 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Incomplete Activation of CD4 T Cells by Antigen-Presenting Transitional Immature B Cells: Implications for Peripheral B and T Cell Responsiveness1

B cells leave the bone marrow as transitional B cells. Transitional B cells represent a target of negative selection and peripheral tolerance, both of which are abrogated in vitro by mediators of T cell help. In vitro, transitional and mature B cells differ in their responses to B cell receptor ligation. Whereas mature B cells up-regulate the T cell costimulatory molecule CD86 (B7.2) and are activated, transitional B cells do not and undergo apoptosis. The ability of transitional B cells to process and present Ag to CD4 T cells and to elicit protective signals in the absence of CD86 up-regulation was investigated. We report that transitional B cells can process and present Ag as peptide:MHC class II complexes. However, their ability to activate T cells and elicit help signals from CD4-expressing Th cells was compromised compared with mature B cells, unless exogenous T cell costimulation was provided. A stringent requirement for CD28 costimulation was not evident in interactions between transitional B cells and preactivated CD4-expressing T cells, indicating that T cells involved in vivo in an ongoing immune response might rescue Ag-specific transitional B cells from negative selection. These data suggest that during an immune response, immature B cells may be able to sustain the responses of preactivated CD4+ T cells, while being unable to initiate activation of naive T cells. Furthermore, the ability of preactivated, but not naive T cells to provide survival signals to B cell receptor-engaged transitional immature B cells argues that these B cells may be directed toward activation rather than negative selection when encountering Ag in the context of a pre-existing immune response.
Left Ventricular Mass Index Is an Independent Determinant of Diastolic Dysfunction in Patients on Chronic Hemodialysis: A Tissue Doppler Imaging Study

Background: Diastolic heart failure is the most common clinical form of heart failure. Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) is often used to quantitate left ventricular (LV) diastolic function. The purpose of this study was to identify the determinant(s) of diastolic dysfunction in patients with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis (HD), using the TDI method. Methods: The study subjects were 53 patients with end-stage renal disease and preserved LV systolic function on maintenance HD. LV function was assessed by conventional echocardiography. The ratio of early trans-mitral flow velocity to early mitral annular velocity (E/e′) was measured by TDI. Patients were stratified into two groups based on E/e′ value (≤15 and >15 groups). Arterial stiffness was evaluated by pulse wave velocity and cardio-ankle vascular index. Results: Patients of the E/e′ >15 group were older (p = 0.025). There were no significant differences in blood pressure, ejection fraction, E/A, deceleration time, and pulse wave velocity between the E/e′ >15 and E/e′ ≤15 groups. However, there were significant differences in LV mass index (LVMI; p < 0.001) and cardio-ankle vascular index (p = 0.048) between the two groups. Multiple regression analysis identified that LVMI was an independent determinant of E/e′ (p = 0.003). Conclusions:Our findings suggest that LVMI is an independent determinant of LV diastolic dysfunction in patients on HD.
Nitric oxide control of the dorsal aorta and the intestinal vein of the Australian short-finned eel Anguilla australis

SUMMARY This study investigated the mechanisms by which nitric oxide (NO) regulates the dorsal aorta and the intestinal vein of the Australian short-finned eel Anguilla australis. NADPH diaphorase histochemistry and immunohistochemistry using a mammalian endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS) antibody could not demonstrate NOS in the endothelium of either blood vessel; however, NOS could be readily demonstrated in the endothelium of the rat aorta that was used as a control. Both blood vessels contained NADPH diaphorase positive nerve fibres and nerve bundles, and immunohistochemistry using a neural NOS antibody showed a similar distribution of neural NOS immunoreactivity in the perivascular nerves. In vitro organ bath physiology showed that a NO/soluble guanylyl cyclase (GC) system is present in the dorsal aorta and the intestinal vein, since the soluble GC inhibitor oxadiazole quinoxalin-1 (ODQ; 10–5 mol l–1) completely abolished the vasodilatory effect of the NO donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP; 10–4 mol l–1). In addition, nicotine (3×10–4 mol l–1) mediated a vasodilation that was not affected by removal of the endothelium. The nicotine-mediated dilation was blocked by the NOS inhibitor, Nω-nitro-l-arginine (l-NNA; 10–4 mol l–1), and ODQ (10–5 mol l–1). More specifically, the neural NOS inhibitor, Nω-propyl-l-arginine (10–5 mol l–1), significantly decreased the dilation induced by nicotine (3×10–4 mol l–1). Furthermore, indomethacin (10–5 mol l–1) did not affect the nicotine-mediated dilation, suggesting that prostaglandins are not involved in the response. Finally, the calcium ionophore A23187 (3×10–6 mol l–1) caused an endothelium-dependent dilation that was abolished in the presence of indomethacin. We propose the absence of an endothelial NO system in eel vasculature and suggest that neurally derived NO contributes to the maintenance of vascular tone in this species. In addition, we suggest that prostaglandins may act as endothelially derived relaxing factors in A. australis.
Polarization of the Immune Response to the Single Immunodominant Epitope of p38, a Major Schistosoma mansoni Egg Antigen, Generates Th1- or Th2-Type Cytokines and Granulomas

ABSTRACT In schistosomiasis mansoni, helminth eggs secrete soluble egg antigens (SEA) that induce T-cell-mediated granulomatous tissue responses. The cloned 38-kDa peptide (p38) of SEA was shown to induce and elicit Th1-type responsiveness in H-2kmice. Subsequently, the immunodominant T-cell epitope (P4) of p38 was shown to elicit pulmonary granuloma formation and Th1-type cytokine production in sensitized or infected mice. Here, we report that the immune response to p38 or P4 can be polarized to a Th1 or Th2 profile when the peptides are presented intraperitoneally in soluble recombinant interleukin-12 (IL-12) or alum adjuvant, respectively. The Th1 or Th2 profile was verified by cytokine secretion, enzyme-linked spot assay, and antibody isotype characterization. Importantly, the polarized immune response generated two types of pulmonary granulomas around injected P4-coated beads. The type 1 granulomas were smaller and contained mononuclear cells and occasional thin strands of deposited collagen. In contrast, the type 2 lesions were larger and contained mononuclear cells, large numbers of eosinophils, and several thick bands of deposited collagen. By reverse transcription-PCR cytokine, message in the type 1 granuloma-bearing lungs was found for gamma interferon, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and inducible nitric oxide synthase but not for IL-4 or IL-5. Conversely, lungs with type 2 granulomas had message only for IL-4 and IL-5. These results show that in the proper cytokine environment, the response to a strong Th1 inducer peptide can be deviated to a Th2 profile.
Treemaps: Visualizing Hierarchical and Categorical Data

Treemaps are a graphical method for the visualization of hierarchical and categorical data sets. Treemap presentations of data shift mental workload from the cognitive to the perceptual systems, taking advantage of the human visual processing system to increase the bandwidth of the human-computer interface. Efficient use of display space allows for the simultaneous presentation of thousands of data records, as well as facilitating the presentation of semantic information. Treemaps let users see the forest and the trees by providing local detail in the context of a global overview, providing a visually engaging environment in which to analyze, search, explore and manipulate large data sets. The treemap method of hierarchical visualization, at its core, is based on the property of containment. This property of containment is a fundamental idea which powerfully encapsulates many of our reasons for constructing information hierarchies. All members of the treemap family of algorithms partition multi-dimensional display spaces based on weighted hierarchical data sets. In addition to generating treemaps and standard traditional hierarchical diagrams, the treemap algorithms extend non-hierarchical techniques such as bar and pie charts into the domain of hierarchical presentation. Treemap algorithms can be used to generate bar charts, outlines, traditional 2-D node and link diagrams, pie charts, cone trees, cam trees, drum trees, etc. Generating existing diagrams via treemap transformations is an exercise meant to show the power, ease, and generality with which alternative presentations can be generated from the basic treemap algorithms. Two controlled experiments with novice treemap users and real data highlight the strengths of treemaps. The first experiment with 12 subjects compares the Macintosh TreeViz$\sp{TM}$ implementation of treemaps with the UNIX command line for questions dealing with a 530 node file hierarchy. Treemaps are shown to significantly reduce user performance times for global file comparison tasks. A second experiment with 40 subjects compares treemaps with dynamic outlines for questions dealing with the allocation funds in the 1992 US Budget (357 node budget hierarchy). Treemap users are 50% faster overall and as much as 8 times faster for specific questions.