Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
α- MSH Plays Anti-inflammatory and Anti-fungal Role in Aspergillus Fumigatus Keratitis

ABSTRACT Purpose To investigate the anti-inflammatory and antifungal role of α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) in Aspergillus Fumigatus (A. fumigatus) keratitis. Method Corneas of C57BL/6 mice were infected with A. Fumigatus. α-MSH (5 ul, 1×10−4 mmol/ml) was given by subconjunctival injection from day 1 to day 3 post infection (p.i.). After 3 days p.i. , clinical score was recorded and HE staining was tested. Fungal load in mice corneas was observed by plate counting. Proinflammatory mediators and pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) were detected. The number of neutrophils and macrophages was tested by immunofluorescence staining. The role of α-MSH in RAW264.7 cells after A. fumigatus stimulation were evaluated by PCR and Western blot, and MPKA protein levels including total-JNK (T-JNK), phosphorylated-JNK (P-JNK), total-ERK (T-ERK), and phosphorylated-ERK (P-ERK) were tested via Western blot with or without α-MSH treatment. Results Compared with PBS control group, α-MSH treatment alleviated disease response and decreased clinical score at 3 days p.i. HE staining showed less infiltration in corneal tissue after α-MSH treatment. Plate counting experiment showed that number of viable fungus in corneas of α-MSH treated group was less than control group. mRNA levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, MIP-2, LOX-1, Dectin-1, and iNOS were decreased. Protein levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, and Dectin-1 were decreased. α-MSH treatment also decreased the infiltrating neutrophils and macrophages. The levels of proinflammatory cytokines, Dectin-1 and LOX-1 stimulated by A. fumigatus, were also suppressed by pretreatment of α-MSH in RAW264.7 cells. The ratio of P-JNK/T-JNK and P-ERK/T-ERK was downregulated in α-MSH group compared with PBS control group. Conclusion α-MSH alleviates the severity and decreases fungal load of A. fumigatus keratitis in mice. Migration of neutrophils and macrophages are restrained. α-MSH downregulates the expression of dectin-1 and the ratio of P-JNK/T-JNK and P-ERK/T-ERK in A. fumigatus infection.
Modelling the cocktail party: a binaural model for speech intelligibility in noise

We often listen to speech in an imperfect environment, with noise and reverberation; there will be voices around us, in complex acoustics. In this “cocktail-party” situation (Cherry 1953) listeners are helped by two binaural processes to segregate the desired voice from the competing noise: Better-Ear listening (BE) and Binaural Unmasking (BU). The aim of this thesis was to develop a model capable of efficiently predicting the benefits of BE and BU from Binaural Room Impulse Responses (BRIR). The developed model is a computationally efficient version of that created by Lavandier & Culling (2010) that predicts speech reception thresholds which include the benefit of binaural-unmasking, as explained by Equalization-Cancellation theory (Durlach 1963, 1972), and the benefit of better-ear listening, through Target-to-Interferer ratio analysis. The model accurately predicted a number of appropriate data sets from the literature that measure speech reception thresholds as a function of target and interferer source locations. Application of the model to a number of novel situations allowed environmental factors affecting intelligibility to be predicted and explored. In most situations, the effect of reverberation is to reduce the level of BE and BU, except when the listener is close to the interfering source, but this is when the benefits are needed the most. Depending on the spatial separation and source distances, the inclusion of multiple interferers again reduces the benefits in the majority of situations. To examine the benefits of head orientation a number of configurations were tested, whilst rotating the listener relative to the sound field. Benefits exceeding 12 dB can be achieved through modest rotations, particularly showing the benefits of BE. According to the model, the current literature on the benefits of bilateral cochlear implantation has underestimated that benefit by employing sub-optimal spatial configurations; using optimum orientations the model predicts an extra 6 dB of benefit being available to the listener. In a simulated restaurant situation, the model predicts that orientation of a table can affect the ability of a listener by up to 5 dB.
Stapled Liposomes Enhance Cross‐Priming of Radio‐Immunotherapy

The release of tumor‐associated antigens (TAAs) and their cross‐presentation in dendritic cells (DCs) are crucial for radio‐immunotherapy. However, the irradiation resistance of tumor cells usually results in limited TAA generation and release. Importantly, TAAs internalized by DCs are easily degraded in lysosomes, resulting in unsatisfactory extent of TAA cross‐presentation. Herein, an antigen‐capturing stapled liposome (ACSL) with a robust structure and bioactive surface is developed. The ACSLs capture and transport TAAs from lysosomes to the cytoplasm in DCs, thereby enhancing TAA cross‐presentation. l‐arginine encapsulated in ACSLs induces robust T cell‐dependent antitumor response and immune memory in 4T1 tumor‐bearing mice after local irradiation, resulting in significant tumor suppression and an abscopal effect. Replacing l‐arginine with radiosensitizers, photosensitizers, and photothermal agents may make ACSL a universal platform for the rapid development of various combinations of anticancer therapies.
Select-service hotels : a guide to understanding the lodging industry and one of its most attractive segments

This thesis serves as a pedagogical guide to the hospitality industry, and presents a broad overview of the unique issues that arise through the development, ownership and management of select-service franchised hotels. It attempts to answer the following four questions:  How is the lodging industry organized?  How has the industry changed over time, and where is the industry headed?  What hotel product type is particularly attractive from a development, investment and operational standpoint?  What are the issues to be aware of when developing this particular product? To answer the first two questions, Section One of this paper offers a full discussion of the industry evolution and focuses on three major innovations that have been gaining momentum in the lodging industry. These innovations are the trends toward franchising, market segmentation, and the “life-style” brand. The study will describe how franchise and management relationships have gained strength in the lodging industry since their introduction in the mid-twentieth century. The study will then explore the intricacies of the on-going process of market segmentation. Through market segmentation, hotel firms have been able to create and introduce greater operationally efficient hotel typologies, one of which is the selectservice hotel. Finally, this section of the thesis will explain how the third innovation--that of the "life-style" brand hotel--combined with the ideas of franchising and of operationally efficient product types, has borne into the hotel market a new and exciting product, the select-service franchised life-style hotel called Aloft. Section Two of the study will address the third and fourth questions by presenting a broad overview of the development process for a hotel of this type, as well as highlight the most pertinent issues and requirements that are associated with such a development. Additionally, this section will explore the relationships associated with owning and operating a franchised hotel, and the advantages and pitfalls of owning and building an asset under such an arrangement. Thesis Supervisor: Brian Anthony Ciochetti Title: Professor of the Practice of Real Estate Brandon B. Berger and Donald J. Chiofaro Jr.
Practical Software Metrics for Project Management and Process Improvement

At last! New experiences and lessons from one of the authors who brought you Software Metrics: Establishing a Company-Wide Program. This exciting book has over 70 charts and graphs from real projects that will help you to manage software projects and process improvements more effectively. Project managers: Learn through practical examples what to measure and track, which will help you more effectively manage your projects throughout the life cycle. Learn how to measure and present progress. Most importantly, learn why you need to measure and how important it is for you to tie your measurements to visible, agreed-upon project goals. People responsible for process improvement: Learn a useful model for understanding organizational limitations. Explore the relationship between tools and the potential for achieving improvements. Examine some of the potential problems you might face and see examples of how some of them have been avoided. Finally, discover how metrics can be rolled up into useful, balanced organizational indicators. This book emphasizes proven practices and results.These include: *Which software development "rules" are supported by measured evidence *How measurement should be tightly linked to organizational strategies *How the metrics that engineers find useful help project managers as well *What people feel about metrics and what approaches you can take to gain their support *How metrics are used to achieve continuous process improvement *Which measures are meaningful for a large organization
Anti-HIV antibody development up to 1 year after antiretroviral therapy initiation in acute HIV infection

Early initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in acute HIV infection (AHI) is effective at limiting seeding of the HIV viral reservoir, but little is known about how the resultant decreased antigen load affects long-term Ab development after ART. We report here that Env-specific plasma antibody (Ab) levels and Ab-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) increased during the first 24 weeks of ART and correlated with Ab levels persisting after 48 weeks of ART. Participants treated in AHI stage 1 had lower Env-specific Ab levels and ADCC activity on ART than did those treated later. Importantly, participants who initiated ART after peak viremia in AHI developed elevated cross-clade ADCC responses that were detectable 1 year after ART initiation, even though clinically undetectable viremia was reached by 24 weeks. These data suggest that there is more germinal center (GC) activity in the later stages of AHI and that Ab development continues in the absence of detectable viremia during the first year of suppressive ART. The development of therapeutic interventions that can enhance earlier development of GCs in AHI and Abs after ART initiation could provide important protection against the viral reservoir that is seeded in individuals treated early in the disease.
Investigating predictors of self-care behavior among homebound older adults: The role of self-efficacy, eHealth literacy, and perceived social support.

PURPOSE This study aimed to investigate the predictors of self-care behavior among homebound older adults using the Health Empowerment theory as a framework. DESIGN This was a cross-sectional, predictive correlational study. METHODS Sixty-eight participants were randomly selected from five Hong Kong community centers from May 21, 2020 through July 20, 2020. Self-care behaviors were assessed using the Chinese version of Partners in Health. Self-efficacy, eHealth literacy, and perceived social support were assessed as potential predictors of self-care behaviors. A multiple linear regression analysis was adopted to examine the predictive effects. RESULTS The age of the sample ranged from 61 to 85 years (mean = 71.7, SD = 6.0). Participants who reported having sufficient or more than sufficient financial resources had better self-care behaviors than those who claimed to have insufficient financial resources (F = 5.08, p = 0.009). Statistically significant correlations were found between the participants' eHealth literacy (r = 0.54, p < 0.001), perceived social support (r = 0.60, p < 0.001), and self-care behaviors. eHealth literacy (β = 0.13, p = 0.007) and perceived social support (β = 0.13, p < 0.001) were significant predictors of self-care behaviors. Collectively, the three variables accounted for 41% of the variances in self-care behaviors. CONCLUSIONS The findings in this study suggest that eHealth literacy and perceived social support are two key factors that predicted the self-care behaviors of this vulnerable population. CLINICAL RELEVANCE In this technological era, the use of eHealth, together with enhanced social support, can lead to better self-care among older adults, particularly those who are homebound.
A Study in Flow Control and Screening Methods for Aircraft Laser Turrets

Abstract : Technical issues regarding the aerodynamics and optics of aircraft turrets are of critical importance to the Air Force Weapons Laboratory. Of specific interest are the optical properties of the separated flow over aircraft turrets. Turbulence generated by flow separation imparts significant distortion on laser beams. Control of flow separation from the turret and the resultant development of the turret wake will result in improved energy propagation at aft targets. The paper describes a survey of high-lift airfoil flow-control technology and its application to separation control on aircraft turrets. A flow-control concept screening methodology is developed and applied to conceptual designs. The effectiveness of wind and water tunnel testing for screening flow-control concepts has been evaluated. Flow parameters have been bracketed and the simulation quality of the mechanisms of flow control established for each facility. Water channels are recommended for screening tests for many of the conceptual designs.
Association of dietary patterns, number of daily meals and anthropometric measures in women in age of menopause

ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate the association of dietary patterns, number of daily meals and anthropometric measures among women in age of menopause. Subjects and methods: This was a transversal study with 320 women over 50 years old from Caxias do Sul, Brazil. The outcomes were body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC). Multiple linear regression was performed. Results: Three dietary patterns: regional, fruits and vegetables, and common Brazilian was identified by Principal Component Analysis. After adjustment, higher adoption of the regional dietary pattern was associated with increased BMI (β = 0.56 [CI95% = 0.03-1.08], p = 0.037) and WC (β = 1.28 [CI95% = 0.17-2,55], p = 0.047). The highest number of meals per day (>=5/day) was associated with reduced BMI (β = -1.18 [CI95% = -2.30 to -0.05], p = 0.041) and WC (β = -2.77 [CI95% = -5.41 to -0.13], p = 0.039), and a mid-afternoon snack BMI (β = -2.16 [CI95% = -3.66 to -0.65], p = 0.005) and WC (β = -5.76 [CI95% = -9.29 to -2.23], p = 0,001). The regional dietary pattern was inversely associated with have five or more meals per day (β = -0.51 [CI95% = -0.84 to -0.18], p = 0.002) and have a mid-afternoon snack (β = -0.63 [CI95% = -1.07 to -0.18], p = 0.006). The fruit and vegetables dietary pattern was positively associated with have five or more meals per day (β = 0.35 [CI95% = 0.02-0.69], p = 0.034). Conclusion: The regional dietary pattern has resulted in higher BMI and WC measures and contributes to decreased meals per day, behavior associated with higher anthropometric measures.
Immunophenotype of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in minorities‐ analysis from the SEER database

Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) is a malignancy that originates from immature lymphoid cells and is clinically established with flow cytometry through disease‐specific markers. Variation between ethnic groups is an epidemiological aspect of ALL. Higher incidence rates have been observed in Latin American patients and ALL in Latinos carries a dismal prognosis. The cell of origin in ALL is derived from immature cells of either the B or T lineage. Most reported data among Latinos either exclusively looks at B cell precursor ALL or do not distinguish between subtypes. We used the National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to delineate the differences in incidence rates of B‐ALL and T‐ALL across ethnic groups in the United States. Data from SEER‐18 was used to compare incidence rates of T‐ALL and B‐ALL. Due to the utilization of cytogenetics and subsequent changes in ICD coding over the years examined the most recent data reported from 2002 to 2017. We compared rates in Non‐Hispanic Whites (NHWs), Latinos, Blacks and Asian‐Pacific Islanders (API). Age‐adjusted incidence rates per 100,000 person‐years were calculated. The incidence rate of B‐ALL in the Latino population was consistently higher than other race/ethnicities throughout the years, ranging from 1.0 per 100,000 in 2002 to 2.5 per 100,000 in 2017. Blacks had the lowest age adjusted incidence rate (AAIR) of B‐ALL overall, with rates approximately one third of those found in Latinos and the highest AAIR of T‐ALL with an AAIR of 0.5 per 100,000.
Lost in hyperspace: Linearity versus exploration in the design of multimedia for independent learners

We are developing multimedia tutorials for independent learners based on a generic software shell. In doing so, one of the pedagogic issues we are addressing relates to navigation. This is a key factor in the effectiveness of multimedia teaching, since it affects how easy students find it to extract and integrate information. Multimedia tutorials tend to be either highly structured, with materials presented in a relatively linear fashion, or an encyclopedia-style explorative resource. The former is restrictive and provides the student with little freedom to study the materials in the order they choose; the latter makes systematic study difficult and students can easily become ‘lost’. Disorientation in explorative-style packages is a particular problem for Field Dependent people (Witkin et al., 1971). We have incorporated the best features of both linear and explorative packages in our shell and our tutorials, with the aim of supporting Field Dependent people as much as possible, while not denying those students who prefer to work in an explorative way the freedom to do so.
Integrated stress response restricts macrophage necroptosis

Stress inhibits necroptosis in a PERK-dependent manner via reduced RIPK1-RIPK3-MLKL signaling, showing an integral mechanistic connection between stress responses and programmed cell death. The integrated stress response (ISR) regulates cellular homeostasis and cell survival following exposure to stressors. Cell death processes such as apoptosis and pyroptosis are known to be modulated by stress responses, but the role of the ISR in necroptosis is poorly understood. Necroptosis is an inflammatory, lytic form of cell death driven by the RIPK3-MLKL signaling axis. Here, we show that macrophages that have induced the ISR are protected from subsequent necroptosis. Consistent with a reduction in necroptosis, phosphorylation of RIPK1, RIPK3, and MLKL is reduced in macrophages pre-treated with ISR-inducing agents that are challenged with necroptosis-inducing triggers. The stress granule component DDX3X, which is involved in ISR-mediated regulation of pyroptosis, is not required for protecting ISR-treated cells from necroptosis. Disruption of stress granule assembly or knockdown of Perk restored necroptosis in pre-stressed cells. Together, these findings identify a critical role for the ISR in limiting necroptosis in macrophages.
Misretrieval but not misrepresentation: A feature misbinding account of post-interpretive effects in number attraction

Attraction effects in comprehension have reliably shown a grammaticality asymmetry in which mismatching plural attractors confer facilitatory interference for ungrammatical verbs, but no processing cost for grammatical verbs. While this has favoured cue-based retrieval accounts of attraction phenomena in comprehension, Patson and Husband offered offline evidence suggesting that comprehenders systematically misrepresent number information in attraction phrases, leaving open the possibility for faulty noun phrase (NP) representations later in processing. The current study employs two self-paced reading discourse experiments to test for number attraction misrepresentations in real time. Specifically, the attraction phrases occurred as embedded direct object phrases, allowing for a direct test of the role of attractor noun number in head noun number misrepresentation (i.e., no number cue from verb). Although no online evidence for misrepresentation was found, a third single-sentence rapid serial visual presentation experiment showed error rates to offline probes corroborating the post-interpretive findings from Patson and Husband, suggesting that a search in memory for associative features may not employ the same processes as the formation of dependencies in discourse comprehension. The findings are discussed in the framework of feature misbinding in memory in line with recent post-interpretive accounts of offline comprehension errors.
Hot‐carrier instability in IGFET’s

Injection of hot carriers from the channel region into the gate insulator of an IGFET imposes design constraints on the device dimensions and operating voltages. A fraction of the injected charge is trapped in the gate dielectric, and an undesirable shift in the operating characteristics results. The magnitude of the shift is related to the device dimensions, operating voltages, and gate dielectric.
Techniques for Improving the Control of Bulk Power Transfers on Interconnected Systems

Criteria for achieving area net interchange and system frequency schedules with net interchange tie-line bias control in all areas of an interconnected system are briefly reviewed. Equations defining deviations from schedules, as well as consequent inadvertent interchange and time error accumulations when these criteria are not fulfilled, are derived. These lead to suggested control techniques based on adding, on a system wide basis, coordinated inadvertent interchange and time error correction factors to area control error computations. It is believed that such techniques would improve the control of bulk power transfers.
Polymeric optical waveguide switch using the thermooptic effect

An all-polymeric optical waveguide switch which uses total internal reflection from a thermally induced index barrier is discussed. Very large effective index changes Delta N=2*10/sup -2/ were found in the polymeric waveguide. The temperature under the evaporated stripe heater was measured from the change in its resistance. The effective index change due to the temperature increase agrees well with values calculated from the deflection angles. The operation of the switch is, apart from a small waveguide dispersion effect, polarization-insensitive. Switching times of about 10 ms were measured. It should be possible to reduce them to a few milliseconds in optimized thermal designs and with regulated power dissipation in the heater. >