Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Role of steroid synthesis in the process of ovulation.

The state of our knowledge of the cellular events connecting the LH stimulus to ovulation with rupture has been reviewed. The evidence indicates, with varying degrees of certainty, that the follicular reaction to the LH-receptor complex has a minimum of two discrete steps: the stimulation of steroid synthesis by the LH, and the activation of an ovulatory enzyme by the steroid released. The sequence of events leading to steroid synthesis involves the activation of adenyl cyclase by the LH-receptor complex, perhaps through the local action of a prostaglandin, which results in increased tissue levels of cyclic AMP. Cyclic AMP then induces protein synthetic process essential to increased synthesis of progesterone. Thus, stimulation occurs between cholesterol and progesterone and is correlated with an increase in 3i9-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity. The progesterone stimulates protein synthetic activity, involving both transcription and translation, essential to the elaboration of an enzyme which weakens the collagen framework of the theca extema. Suggestions are offered for further studies to corroborate or refute these observations and to determine more precisely the nature, timing, and site of these cellular events. For nearly four decades it has been known that steroid hormones are capable of inducing ovulation. The early studies were done in amphibia and for this class there has developed a substantial body of information about the various types of steroids capable of inducing ovulation or inhibiting it in vivo or in vitro, with or without an assist from gonadotropic hormones (Shapiro, 1936; Zwarenstein, 1937). Amphibia are good subjects for in vitro studies of ovulation, for mature ovaries can be maintained in simple salt solutions at room temperature and can be induced to ovulate by the addition of crude extracts of homologous or heterologous pituitary glands or purified gonadotropins. The availability of this simple and positive test system produced many studies of agents, particularly steroidal agents, capable of inducing ovulation in this class. These studies, together with his own, led Wright (1961) to postulate that the role of gonadotropins in the ovulation process is simply to induce the synthesis of ovarian steroids, probably specifically progesterone, which, in turn, is responsible for follicular rupture and the extrusion of the ovum. In spite of the many similarities between mammalian and amphibian ovulation and the fact that this hypothesis was derived from and consistent with a host of observations, this body of literature and its ideas went largely unnoticed by mammalian ovulationists.
Different wound healing properties of dermis, adipose, and gingiva mesenchymal stromal cells

Oral wounds heal faster and with better scar quality than skin wounds. Deep skin wounds where adipose tissue is exposed, have a greater risk of forming hypertrophic scars. Differences in wound healing and final scar quality might be related to differences in mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) and their ability to respond to intrinsic (autocrine) and extrinsic signals, such as human salivary histatin, epidermal growth factor, and transforming growth factor beta1. Dermis‐, adipose‐, and gingiva‐derived MSC were compared for their regenerative potential with regards to proliferation, migration, and matrix contraction. Proliferation was assessed by cell counting and migration using a scratch wound assay. Matrix contraction and alpha smooth muscle actin was assessed in MSC populated collagen gels, and also in skin and gingival full thickness tissue engineered equivalents (reconstructed epithelium on MSC populated matrix). Compared to skin‐derived MSC, gingiva MSC showed greater proliferation and migration capacity, and less matrix contraction in full thickness tissue equivalents, which may partly explain the superior oral wound healing. Epidermal keratinocytes were required for enhanced adipose MSC matrix contraction and alpha smooth muscle actin expression, and may therefore contribute to adverse scarring in deep cutaneous wounds. Histatin enhanced migration without influencing proliferation or matrix contraction in all three MSC, indicating that salivary peptides may have a beneficial effect on wound closure in general. Transforming growth factor beta1 enhanced contraction and alpha smooth muscle actin expression in all three MSC types when incorporated into collagen gels. Understanding the mechanisms responsible for the superior oral wound healing will aid us to develop advanced strategies for optimal skin regeneration, wound healing and scar formation.
SU-8 hollow cantilevers for AFM cell adhesion studies

A novel fabrication method was established to produce flexible, transparent, and robust tipless hollow atomic force microscopy (AFM) cantilevers made entirely from SU-8. Channels of 3 μm thickness and several millimeters length were integrated into 12 μm thick and 40 μm wide cantilevers. Connected to a pressure controller, the devices showed high sealing performance with no leakage up to 6 bars. Changing the cantilever lengths from 100 μm to 500 μm among the same wafer allowed the targeting of various spring constants ranging from 0.5 to 80 N m−1 within a single fabrication run. These hollow polymeric AFM cantilevers were operated in the optical beam deflection configuration. To demonstrate the performance of the device, single-cell force spectroscopy experiments were performed with a single probe detaching in a serial protocol more than 100 Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells from plain glass and glass coated with polydopamine while measuring adhesion forces in the sub-nanoNewton range. SU-8 now offers a new alternative to conventional silicon-based hollow cantilevers with more flexibility in terms of complex geometric design and surface chemistry modification.
Cutting Edge: A Possible Role for CD4+ Thymic Macrophages as Professional Scavengers of Apoptotic Thymocytes 1

A vast majority of thymocytes are eliminated during T cell development by apoptosis. However, apoptotic thymocytes are not usually found in the thymus, indicating that apoptotic thymocytes must be eliminated rapidly by scavengers. Although macrophages and dendritic cells are believed to play such role, little is known about scavengers in the thymus. We found that CD4+/CD11b+/CD11c− cells were present in the thymus and that they expressed costimulatory molecules for T cell selection and possessed Ag-presenting activity. Moreover, these CD4+/CD11b+ cells phagocytosed apoptotic thymocytes much more efficiently than thymic CD4−/CD11b+ cells as well as activated peritoneal macrophages. CD4+/CD11b+ cells became larger along with thymus development, while no such change was observed in CD4−/CD11b+ cells. Finally, engulfed nuclei were frequently found in CD4+/CD11b+ cells. These results strongly suggest that thymic CD4+/CD11b+ cells are major scavengers of apoptotic thymocytes.
Theoretical and experimental analysis of cellular adhesion to polymer surfaces.

An exact discrete numerical solution to the Grabowski model for predicting cell adhesion to polymer surfaces is discussed. The solution technique allows the possibility of taking into account cell-cell interactions within the flow situation and the multistep process involved in thrombus formation. The proposed solution also allows modification of the wall reaction rate model into a two species reaction rate which distinguishes between the kinetics of contact adhesion and irreversible adhesion. The solution allows determination of effective diffusivity (De) and surface reaction rate (k) constants. Use of the model to examine available experimental data results in the following conclusions: (1) static or dynamic cell adhesion cannot be considered to be diffusion limited; (2) for flow conditions De is a monotonically increasing function of shear rate; (3) under static, i.e., zero flow conditions, De appears to be markedly larger than for flow conditions.
Validation of Multisociety Combined Task Force Definitions of Abnormal Disk Morphology

Fifty-four patients underwent classification of lumbar disk herniations during preoperative MRI and surgery using the new multisociety classification. Disagreement as to classification based on MRI studies occurred in only 1 instance and agreement of preoperative classification with operative findings was 70%. The authors believe that though this level of agreement is reasonable, differences exist between what neuroradiologists see on imaging and what surgeons encounter. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The multisociety task force descriptively defined abnormal lumbar disk morphology. We aimed to use their definitions to provide a higher level of evidence for the validation of MR imaging in the evaluation of this pathology in patients who have undergone diskectomy by retrospectively classifying their preoperative MRI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective, institutional review board–approved study included 54 of 86 consecutive patients (47 men; average age, 44 years) enrolled in an ongoing prospective trial of surgically treated lumbar disk herniation who had preoperative MRI and documented intraoperative classification of the abnormal disk as protrusion, extrusion, or sequestration by the treating surgeon. Preoperative MRI was classified by 2 blinded radiologists; discrepancies were resolved by a third reader. Statistical analysis of interobserver agreement and imaging compared with surgical findings was performed. RESULTS: The readers disagreed on only 1 of the 54 cases. The third reader resolved the disagreement. Eight protrusions and 46 extrusions were found on imaging, with no sequestrations. At surgery, there were 13 protrusions and 40 extrusions, with 2 of the extrusions also containing sequestrations; the remaining case had only sequestration. There were 16 discrepancies between imaging and surgery, resulting in 70% agreement. CONCLUSIONS: This study, which was intended to validate the multisociety combined task force definitions of abnormal disk morphology by using MR imaging with a surgical criterion standard, found 70% agreement between imaging diagnosis and surgical findings. Although reasonable, this finding highlights differences that often exist between intraoperative and preoperative imaging findings of lumbar disk herniation.
Identification of Genes Required for Chronic Persistence of Brucella abortus in Mice

ABSTRACT The genetic basis for chronic persistence of Brucella abortus in lymphoid organs of mice, cows, and humans is currently unknown. We identified B. abortus genes involved in chronic infection, by assessing the ability of 178 signature-tagged mutants to establish and maintain persistent infection in mice. Each mutant was screened for its ability to colonize the spleens of mice at 2 and 8 weeks after inoculation. Comparison of the results from both time points identified two groups of mutants attenuated for chronic infection in mice. The first group was not recovered at either 2 or 8 weeks postinfection and was therefore defective in establishing infection. Mutants in this group carried transposon insertions in genes involved in lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis (wbkA), in aromatic amino acid biosynthesis, and in type IV secretion (virB1 and virB10). The second group, which was recovered at wild-type levels 2 weeks postinfection but not 8 weeks postinfection was able to establish infection but was unable to maintain chronic infection. One mutant in this group carried a transposon insertion in a gene with homology to gcvB ofMycobacterium tuberculosis, encoding glycine dehydrogenase, an enzyme whose activity is increased during the state of nonreplicating persistence. These results suggest that some mechanisms for long-term persistence may be shared among chronic intracellular pathogens. Furthermore, identification of two groups of genes, those required for initiating infection and those required only for long-term persistence, suggests that B. abortus uses distinct sets of virulence determinants to establish and maintain chronic infection in mice.
The Relation Between Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) and Coronary Artery Disease Severity and Risk Factors: An Angiographic Study

BACKGROUND The current study aims to determine the relation between ankle–brachial index (ABI) and angiographic findings and major cardiovascular risk factors in patients with suspected coronary artery diseases (CAD) in Isfahan. METHODS In this cross-sectional descriptive-analytic research, patients with suspected CAD were studied. Characteristics of studied subjects including demographics, familial history, past medical history and atherosclerotic risk factors such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and smoking were obtained using a standard questionnaire. ABI was measured in all studied patients. ABI≤0.9 (ABI+) was considered as peripheral vessel disease and ABI>0.9 (ABI-) was considered as normal. Then, all studied patients underwent coronary artery angiography. The results of the questionnaire and angiographic findings were compared in ABI+ and ABI- groups. Data were analyzed by SPSS 15 using ANOVA, t-test, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, and discriminant analysis. RESULTS In this study, 125 patients were investigated. ABI≤0.9 was seen in 25 patients (20%). The prevalence of ABI+ among men and women was 25.9% and 7.5%, respectively (P=0.01). The prevalence of atherosclerotic risk factors was significantly higher in ABI+ patients than in ABI- ones (P<0.05). ABI+ patients had more significant stenosis than ABI- ones. The mean of occlusion was significantly higher in ABI+ patients with left main artery (LMA), right coronary artery (RCA), left anterior descending artery (LAD), diagonal artery 1 (D1) and left circumflex artery (LCX) involvements (P<0.05). CONCLUSION The findings of this research indicated that ABI could be a useful method in assessing both the atherosclerotic risk factors and the degree of coronary involvements in suspected patients. However, in order to make more accurate decisions for using this method in diagnosing and preventing CAD, we should plan further studies in large sample sizes of general population.
Correlation of clinical findings, collision parameters, and psychological factors in the outcome of whiplash associated disorders

Objective: To determine prognostic factors for the duration and severity of acute symptoms in subjects with grade 1 or 2 whiplash injuries. Methods: Collision victims presenting to a trauma centre with spinal pain or stiffness were assessed clinically (including a visual analogue scale (VAS)), radiologically, and psychologically (short form 36 (SF36), everyday life quality (EDLQ), pain control questionnaire (FSR)). Collision type and estimated ΔV (change in velocity of the occupant’s vehicle) were also assessed. Assessment at six months involved VAS symptom rating, SF36, EDLQ, depression scale (CES-D), and impact of event scale (IES). Results: 43 consecutive collision victims (22 male, 21 female; mean age 29 years (range 19 to 72) with grade 1 or 2 whiplash associated disorders were assessed. Mean ΔV, available for 36 of 43 collisions, was 13.9 (5 to 30) km/h. Thirty two (74%) of the subjects were available for follow up at six months. The mean duration of symptoms was 28 (1 to 180) days in this group. No correlation was found between severity and duration of symptoms and the ΔV of collision or other collision parameters. Patients with initial pain VAS >5 or with duration of symptoms more than 28 days had significant changes in SF36, EDLQ, CES-D, and IES scores at six months, and had initial scores that were predictive of these outcomes. Conclusions: Psychological factors were found to be more relevant than collision severity in predicting the duration and severity of symptoms in collision victims with grade 1 or 2 whiplash associated disorders.
Exploring software engineering practices in small and medium-sized organizations

Small organizations have been claimed to manage their requirements in ways that bear no relation to what the textbooks say, and what is taught in undergraduate courses. This paper explores software engineering (SE) practices in five small and medium-sized organizations in order to gain a deeper understanding on how cooperative and human aspects of the SE-related practices differ in small organizations compared to the larger ones. The paper illustrates, in detail, the central role of human collaboration in small organizations and the challenges an organization meets when it begins to grow and lose opportunities for face-to-face collaboration. The findings of this study suggest that studies on using social media are a valuable addition to software engineering research agenda.
Meiotic Chromosome Structure and Function in Plants

Chromosome structure is important for many meiotic processes. Here, we outline 3 main determinants of chromosome structure and their effects on meiotic processes in plants. Cohesins are necessary to hold sister chromatids together until the first meiotic division, ensuring that homologous chromosomes and not sister chromatids separate during anaphase I. During meiosis in maize, Arabidopsis, and rice, cohesins are needed for establishing early prophase chromosome structure and recombination and for aligning bivalents at the metaphase plate. Condensin complexes play pivotal roles in controlling the packaging of chromatin into chromosomes through chromatin compaction and chromosome individualization. In animals and fungi, these complexes establish a meiotic chromosome structure that allows for proper recombination, pairing, and synapsis of homologous chromosomes. In plants, information on the role of condensins in meiosis is limited, but they are known to be required for successful completion of reproductive development. Therefore, we speculate that they play roles similar to animal and fungal condensins during meiosis. Plants generally have large and complex genomes due to frequent polyploidy events, and likely, condensins and cohesins organize chromosomes in such a way as to ensure genome stability. Hexaploid wheat has evolved a unique mechanism using a Ph1 locus-controlled chromosome organization to ensure proper chromosome pairing in meiosis. Altogether, studies on meiotic chromosome structure indicate that chromosome organization is not only important for chromatin packaging but also fulfills specific functions in facilitating chromosome interactions during meiosis, including pairing and recombination.
Applying the Freeman-Durden decomposition tocompact polarimetric SAR Interferometry

In this paper we apply PolInSAR decomposition techniques to compact-pol SAR Interferometry. The complex cross-correlation matrix of single-baseline polarimetric SAR Interferometry is decomposed into three 2 × 2 scattering matrices corresponding to surface scattering, double scattering and random volume scattering. A numerical method is applied to solve the system of nonlinear equations involved in the decomposition procedure. According to the above decomposition procedure, the power contribution and vertical displacement may be obtained for each of the three scattering mechanisms, from compact-PolInSAR data. Finally we compare the compact-PolInSAR target decomposition results with those of quad-PolInSAR, to assess the ability and accuracy of compact-PolInSAR target decomposition.
Internet Banking user acceptance : Evidence from Greece and Bulgaria

Up to now, research studies in Greece and Bulgaria have not paid sufficient attention in exploring the reasons affecting the acceptance of Internet Banking services in those countries. Using the decomposed Theory of Planned Behaviour (decomposed TPB) and based on data collected from a sample of 247 respondents of both countries – 118 from Bulgaria and 129 from Greece, we found, in general, an overall good fit of the sample while the hypotheses acceptance varied from country to country. Overall, we showed that in both countries, subjective norm, along with attitude and perceived behavioral control, were able to explain adequately the users’ behavioral intention.
Interhemispheric Correlation of Late Pleistocene Glacial Events

A radiocarbon chronology shows that piedmont glacier lobes in the Chilean Andes achieved maxima during the last glaciation at 13,900 to 14,890, 21,000, 23,060, 26,940, 29,600, and ≥33,500 carbon-14 years before present (14C yr B.P.) in a cold and wet Subantarctic Parkland environment. The last glaciation ended with massive collapse of ice lobes close to 14,00014C yr B.P., accompanied by an influx of North Patagonian Rain Forest species. In the Southern Alps of New Zealand, additional glacial maxima are registered at 17,72014C yr B.P., and at the beginning of the Younger Dryas at 11,050 14C yr B. P. These glacial maxima in mid-latitude mountains rimming the South Pacific were coeval with ice-rafting pulses in the North Atlantic Ocean. Furthermore, the last termination began suddenly and simultaneously in both polar hemispheres before the resumption of the modern mode of deep-water production in the Nordic Seas. Such interhemispheric coupling implies a global atmospheric signal rather than regional climatic changes caused by North Atlantic thermohaline switches or Laurentide ice surges.
Is there an association between postural balance and pulmonary function in adults with asthma?

OBJECTIVE: Asthma may cause systemic repercussions due to its severity and the effects of treatment. Our objective was to compare posture, balance, functional capacity, and quality of life (QOL) according to the severity of disease, as assessed by pulmonary function levels. METHOD: This cross-sectional study evaluated fifty individuals with asthma. We compared two groups of adult individuals who were divided according to the median of the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) as follows: group A = FEV1>74% predicted; group B = FEV1<74% predicted. All patients underwent the following tests: spirometry, whole-body plethysmography, diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLco), respiratory muscle strength, posture assessment, stabilometry, six-minute walking distance (6MWD), and QOL. RESULTS: All pulmonary function variables exhibited statistically significant differences between the two groups, except for the DLco. The maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximal expiratory pressure (MEP), and 6MWD were lower in group B. The maximal mediolateral velocity and the mediolateral displacement were significantly different, while the postural changes and QOL were similar between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: In adult individuals with asthma, the pulmonary function is associated with balance control in the mediolateral direction but does not influence the postural changes or QOL.
Sexing the midlife: women's experiences across same-sex and different-sex couples

This paper examines the experiences of women navigating sex amidst midlife transitions within same-sex and different sex long term couples. Data from in-depth interviews with women in 18 same-sex and 18 different-sex couples were analyzed to reveal how transitions related to caregiving, health and aging work to change women’s intraand interpersonal experiences of sex and sexuality. I extend theories of gender and sexual scripts to examine how women framed and made sense of their changing sex lives in light of larger cultural schemas of gender and sexuality. For example, lesbian women negotiated their discordance from heterosexual scripts by framing their changing sex lives as either similar to those of heterosexual long term couples or too different to be understood through such scripts. Whereas straight women cited their alignment with the script of sexless long term heterosexual marriages, lesbian women negotiated stigmatized heterosexist scripts of lesbian asexuality. I introduce the term of lesbian “bed work” to describe the sense of responsibility and work undertaken to keep up sexual relationships discussed by lesbian women.