Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Selective Detection of NADPH Oxidase in Polymorphonuclear Cells by Means of NAD(P)H-Based Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging

NADPH oxidase (NOX2) is a multisubunit membrane-bound enzyme complex that, upon assembly in activated cells, catalyses the reduction of free oxygen to its superoxide anion, which further leads to reactive oxygen species (ROS) that are toxic to invading pathogens, for example, the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. Polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) employ both nonoxidative and oxidative mechanisms to clear this fungus from the lung. The oxidative mechanisms mainly depend on the proper assembly and function of NOX2. We identified for the first time the NAD(P)H-dependent enzymes involved in such oxidative mechanisms by means of biexponential NAD(P)H-fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM). A specific fluorescence lifetime of 3670±140 picoseconds as compared to 1870 picoseconds for NAD(P)H bound to mitochondrial enzymes could be associated with NADPH bound to oxidative enzymes in activated PMNs. Due to its predominance in PMNs and due to the use of selective activators and inhibitors, we strongly believe that this specific lifetime mainly originates from NOX2. Our experiments also revealed the high site specificity of the NOX2 assembly and, thus, of the ROS production as well as the dynamic nature of these phenomena. On the example of NADPH oxidase, we demonstrate the potential of NAD(P)H-based FLIM in selectively investigating enzymes during their cellular function.
Gene expression networks in COPD: microRNA and mRNA regulation

Background The mechanisms underlying chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remain unclear. MicroRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) are small non-coding RNA molecules that modulate the levels of specific genes and proteins. Identifying expression patterns of miRNAs in COPD may enhance our understanding of the mechanisms of disease. A study was undertaken to determine if miRNAs are differentially expressed in the lungs of smokers with and without COPD. miRNA and mRNA expression were compared to enrich for biological networks relevant to the pathogenesis of COPD. Methods Lung tissue from smokers with no evidence of obstructive lung disease (n=9) and smokers with COPD (n=26) was examined for miRNA and mRNA expression followed by validation. We then examined both miRNA and mRNA expression to enrich for relevant biological pathways. Results 70 miRNAs and 2667 mRNAs were differentially expressed between lung tissue from subjects with COPD and smokers without COPD. miRNA and mRNA expression profiles enriched for biological pathways that may be relevant to the pathogenesis of COPD including the transforming growth factor β, Wnt and focal adhesion pathways. miR-223 and miR-1274a were the most affected miRNAs in subjects with COPD compared with smokers without obstruction. miR-15b was increased in COPD samples compared with smokers without obstruction and localised to both areas of emphysema and fibrosis. miR-15b was differentially expressed within GOLD classes of COPD. Expression of SMAD7, which was validated as a target for miR-15b, was decreased in bronchial epithelial cells in COPD. Conclusions miRNA and mRNA are differentially expressed in individuals with COPD compared with smokers without obstruction. Investigating these relationships may further our understanding of the mechanisms of disease.
Estimating fire severity and carbon emissions over Australian tropical savannahs based on passive microwave satellite observations

ABSTRACT We investigated the use of a recently developed satellite-based vegetation optical depth (VOD) data set to estimate fire severity and carbon emission over Australian tropical savannahs. VOD is sensitive to the dynamics of all aboveground vegetation and available nearly every two days. For areas burned during 2003–2010, we calculated the VOD change (ΔVOD) pre- and post-fire and the associated loss in the above ground biomass carbon. ΔVOD agreed well with the Normalized Burn Ratio change (ΔNBR) which is the metric used to estimate fire severity and carbon loss compared well with modelled emissions from the Global Fire Emissions Database (GFED). We found that the ΔVOD and ΔNBR are generally linearly related. The Pearson correlation coefficients (r) between VOD- and GFED-based fire carbon emissions for monthly and annual total estimates are very high, 0.92 and 0.96, respectively. A key feature of fire carbon emissions is the strong inter-annual variation, ranging from 21.1 Mt in 2010 to 84.3 Mt in 2004. This study demonstrates that a reasonable estimate of fire severity and carbon emissions can be achieved in a timely manner based on multiple satellite observations over Australian tropical savannahs, which can be complementary to the currently used approaches.
Piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers with increased coupling coefficient via series transduction

This work demonstrates a new electrode configuration for piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers (PMUTs) with increased electromechanical coupling coefficient (kt2). The electrodes, a center electrode surrounded by a ring electrode, are identical to those used in differential PMUTs. Unlike a differential PMUT, where the two top electrodes (TEs) are referenced to a common ground electrode, here only the two TEs are used, effectively putting the two piezoelectric transducers in series. The benefit of series readout is that the transducer's electrical capacitance is halved, doubling the receive sensitivity and electromechanical coupling coefficient kt2.
Efficient Logarithmic Converters for Digital Signal Processing Applications

The hardware computation of the logarithm function is required in a multitude of applications. This brief investigates logarithmic converters based on piecewise linear approximations. This brief presents a rigorous technique, based on mixed-integer linear programming, to obtain optimal coefficients' values, which minimize the maximum relative approximation error while using a reduced number of nonzero bits for the coefficients. The proposed method results in a sensible reduction of the relative approximation error, as compared with previously published results. The hardware implementation realizes the multiplication by a few shifts and additions, avoiding the use of full multipliers. Implementation details and synthesis results in a 90-nm CMOS technology are also described in this brief.
B Cells Regulate Neutrophilia during Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection and BCG Vaccination by Modulating the Interleukin-17 Response

We have previously demonstrated that B cells can shape the immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, including the level of neutrophil infiltration and granulomatous inflammation at the site of infection. The present study examined the mechanisms by which B cells regulate the host neutrophilic response upon exposure to mycobacteria and how neutrophilia may influence vaccine efficacy. To address these questions, a murine aerosol infection tuberculosis (TB) model and an intradermal (ID) ear BCG immunization mouse model, involving both the μMT strain and B cell-depleted C57BL/6 mice, were used. IL (interleukin)-17 neutralization and neutrophil depletion experiments using these systems provide evidence that B cells can regulate neutrophilia by modulating the IL-17 response during M. tuberculosis infection and BCG immunization. Exuberant neutrophilia at the site of immunization in B cell-deficient mice adversely affects dendritic cell (DC) migration to the draining lymph nodes and attenuates the development of the vaccine-induced Th1 response. The results suggest that B cells are required for the development of optimal protective anti-TB immunity upon BCG vaccination by regulating the IL-17/neutrophilic response. Administration of sera derived from M. tuberculosis-infected C57BL/6 wild-type mice reverses the lung neutrophilia phenotype in tuberculous μMT mice. Together, these observations provide insight into the mechanisms by which B cells and humoral immunity modulate vaccine-induced Th1 response and regulate neutrophila during M. tuberculosis infection and BCG immunization.
Lenalidomide induces degradation of IKZF1 and IKZF3

Lenalidomide and its analogs, thalidomide and pomalidomide, specifically inhibit growth of mature B-cell lymphomas, including multiple myeloma, and induce interleukin-2 (IL-2) release from T cells. We recently found that this results from activation of the CRBN-CRL4 E3 ubiquitin ligase to degrade the lymphoid transcription factors IKZF1 (Ikaros) and IKZF3 (Aiolos).
Federal Reserve Bank of New York Staff Reports The Incentive Effects of Higher Education Subsidies on Student Effort

This paper uses a game-theoretic model to analyze the disincentive effects of low-tuition policies on student effort. The model of parent and student responses to tuition subsidies is then calibrated using information from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 and the High School and Beyond Sophomore Cohort: 1980-92. I find that although subsidizing tuition increases enrollment rates, it reduces student effort. This follows from the fact that a highsubsidy, low-tuition policy causes an increase in the percentage of less able and less highly motivated college graduates. Additionally—and potentially more important—all students, even the more highly motivated ones, respond to lower tuition levels by decreasing their effort levels. This study adds to the literature on the enrollment effects of low-tuition policies by demonstrating how high-subsidy, low-tuition policies have both disincentive effects on students’ study time and adverse affects on human capital accumulation. Şahin: Research and Market Analysis Group, Federal Reserve Bank of New York (e-mail: aysegul.sahin@ny.frb.org). The author thanks Mark Bils for his encouragement and most valuable suggestions, and Elizabeth Caucutt, Krishna Kumar, Toshihiko Mukoyama, and Bruce Weinberg for highly beneficial discussions. The author also thanks Atila Abdulkadiroğlu, Jack Barron, William Blankenau, Gabriele Camera, Gordon Dahl, Jeremy Greenwood, Fatih Güvenen, Hugo Hopenhayn, Per Krusell, John Laitner, Bahar Leventoğlu, Lance Lochner, and Josef Perktold for very helpful discussions and comments. In addition, this study benefited from comments by seminar participants at Clemson University, Concordia University, Koç University, Sabanci University, the State University of New York at Buffalo, the University of Rochester, the University of Southern California, York University, and the participants in the 2002 Society for Economic Dynamics Annual Meeting. The author thanks Brian Roberson for excellent research assistance. Any errors are the responsibility of the author. The views expressed in the paper are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or the Federal Reserve System.
The Two-Component Sensor Protein CovS Affects Penicilling Susceptibility by Modulation of Cell-Wall Synthesis in Streptococcus pyogenes

In Streptococcus pyogenes, we have described the two-component signal transduction sensor and regulatory systems, CovR/S affect the antimicrobial susceptibility including penicillin G before. But the mechanism how two-component sensor protein CovS modulates penicillin G susceptibility has not been elucidated till date. This study aimed to determine how the CovS affected penicillin G susceptibility in Streptococcus pyogenes by northern blot analysis. At first, we investigated the covS mRNA expression under penicillin G induction. We found that the decrease of covS mRNA expression under Penicillin G stimulation. Next we investigated the expression of cell wall synthesis gene, pbp2a and glmM with use of covS knockout mutants from emm1 Streptococcus pyogenes strain 1529. We found that the cell-wall synthesis gene expression of the ? covS mutant strain were lower than that of the wild-type strain. Furthermore the expression of glmM mRNA gene was lower than the expression of pbp2a mRNA gene in the ? covS mutant strain. The covS-complemented strain almost restored the mRNA expression compared to covS mutant strain. The two-component sensor protein CovS affects the susceptibility to penicillin G in Streptococcus pyogenes by modulation of cell-wall synthesis.
Seismic Studies of Superstructure and Substructure Connections for Accelerated Bridge Construction

Accelerated bridge construction (ABC) refers to a bridge construction method that incorporates innovative techniques and materials to efficiently reduce construction time and traffic disruption. Prefabrication of bridge components is one of a highly effective ABC method. The prefabricated elements must be connected to form a well-integrated bridge system. Connections of prefabricated elements are particularly critical in moderate and high seismic zones. The prefabrication may be done at both the superstructure and substructure levels. This study focused on two types of connections: superstructure connections (deck to girder), and substructure connections (column to footing). An experimental study on superstructure connections was carried out to evaluate the shear, pullout strength, and stiffness of the selected headed anchors for deck to girder connections. Various parameters such as group effect of anchor, types of grout, and head area of the anchors were also studied. The results indicated that the type of grout and head area of the anchors had an insignificant effect on the shear and pullout capacity of the anchor. It was concluded that the current provisions in the AASHTO LRFD Specifications for the ultimate shear strength of studs in CIP construction may be used for anchors in precast R/C panels. Two types of substructure connections, grouted sleeve and grouted duct connections, were studied utilizing bar sizes that are used in the field. A half-scale column model utilizing GS couplers at column-to-footing joints was constructed and tested under cyclic loads. It was observed that the damage in the column incorporating
Eye-head coordination in cats.

Gaze is the position of the visual axis in space and is the sum of the eye movement relative to the head plus head movement relative to space. In monkeys, a gaze shift is programmed with a single saccade that will, by itself, take the eye to a target, irrespective of whether the head moves. If the head turns simultaneously, the saccade is correctly reduced in size (to prevent gaze overshoot) by the vestibuloocular reflex (VOR). Cats have an oculomotor range (OMR) of only about +/- 25 degrees, but their field of view extends to about +/- 70 degrees. The use of the monkey's motor strategy to acquire targets lying beyond +/- 25 degrees requires the programming of saccades that cannot be physically made. We have studied, in cats, rapid horizontal gaze shifts to visual targets within and beyond the OMR. Heads were either totally unrestrained or attached to an apparatus that permitted short unexpected perturbations of the head trajectory. Qualitatively, similar rapid gaze shifts of all sizes up to at least 70 degrees could be accomplished with the classic single-eye saccade and a saccade-like head movement. For gaze shifts greater than 30 degrees, this classic pattern frequently was not observed, and gaze shifts were accomplished with a series of rapid eye movements whose time separation decreased, frequently until they blended into each other, as head velocity increased. Between discrete rapid eye movements, gaze continued in constant velocity ramps, controlled by signals added to the VOR-induced compensatory phase that followed a saccade. When the head was braked just prior to its onset in a 10 degrees gaze shift, the eye attained the target. This motor strategy is the same as that reported for monkeys. However, for larger target eccentricities (e.g., 50 degrees), the gaze shift was interrupted by the brake and the average saccade amplitude was 12-15 degrees, well short of the target and the OMR. Gaze shifts were completed by vestibularly driven eye movements when the head was released. Braking the head during either quick phases driven by passive head displacements or visually triggered saccades resulted in an acceleration of the eye, thereby implying interaction between the VOR and these rapid-eye-movement signals. Head movements possessed a characteristic but task-dependent relationship between maximum velocity and amplitude. Head movements terminated with the head on target. The eye saccade usually lagged the head displacement. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Variability of a bacterial surface protein and disease expression in a possible mouse model of systemic Lyme borreliosis

During persistent infection of scid mice with Borrelia turicatae, an agent of relapsing fever and neuroborreliosis, there was variation in the surface proteins the bacteria expressed and in disease manifestations over time. Two serotypes, A and B, were isolated from the mice, cloned by limiting dilution, and further characterized. The only discernible difference between the two variants was in the size of the major surface protein they expressed: serotype A had a variable major protein (Vmp) of 23,000, and serotype B had a Vmp of 20,000. When other scid mice were inoculated with clonal populations of A and B, the infections were similar with respect to onset and degree of spirochetemia, involvement of the eye and heart, and occurrence of a peripheral vestibular disorder. However, there were differences between the serotypes in other respects: (a) serotype B but not A caused reddened and significantly enlarged joints, markedly impaired performance on a walking bar, and severe arthritis by histologic examination; (b) serotype A but not B invaded the central nervous system during early infection; and (c) serotype A penetrated monolayers of human umbilical vein endothelial cells more readily than did serotype B. The combination of arthritis, myocarditis, and neurologic disease resembled human Lyme borreliosis. The findings indicate that differences in disease expression are determined by variable surface proteins of the bacterium and that scid mouse infections with B. turicatae provide a model for the study of the pathogenesis of Lyme borreliosis and other persistent spirochetal diseases.
Situational analysis for diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer in mainland Tanzania.

OBJECTIVE To determine factors influencing early diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer in Tanzania women. DESIGN A cross-sectional study. SETTING Forty primary health care facilities, twenty district/regional and four referral (tertiary) hospitals in mainland Tanzania. RESULTS The most basic equipment for cytology-based cervical cancer were available at all health care facilities. However, screening against cervical cancer was appallingly inadequate at all levels of health care delivery system. Apart from medical doctors at tertiary level, other medical personnel including nurses were poorly or hardly utilised for cervical cancer screening. Treatment facilities for pre-cancerous lesions in most district, regional and even tertiary hospitals were inadequate or non-existent despite being very simple, cheap and yet very effective. There was total lack of organised institutional or national policy guidelines on cervical cancer screening in Tanzania. CONCLUSION There is an urgent need to introduce systematic screening against cervical cancer and treatment of precursor lesions at all levels of health care delivery system in Tanzania. A national policy guideline should be urgently drawn addressing specifically frequency of screening and at what age to start screening.
An adaptive spatial fuzzy clustering algorithm for 3-D MR image segmentation

An adaptive spatial fuzzy c-means clustering algorithm is presented in this paper for the segmentation of three-dimensional (3-D) magnetic resonance (MR) images. The input images may be corrupted by noise and intensity nonuniformity (INU) artifact. The proposed algorithm takes into account the spatial continuity constraints by using a dissimilarity index that allows spatial interactions between image voxels. The local spatial continuity constraint reduces the noise effect and the classification ambiguity. The INU artifact is formulated as a multiplicative bias field affecting the true MR imaging signal. By modeling the log bias field as a stack of smoothing B-spline surfaces, with continuity enforced across slices, the computation of the 3-D bias field reduces to that of finding the B-spline coefficients, which can be obtained using a computationally efficient two-stage algorithm. The efficacy of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated by extensive segmentation experiments using both simulated and real MR images and by comparison with other published algorithms.
Energy balance and cancer: the role of insulin and insulin-like growth factor-I

Recent theories propose that a Western lifestyle may increase cancer risk through alterations in the metabolism of insulin and insulin-like growth factors (IGF; McKeown-Eyssen, 1994; Giovannucci, 1995; Kaaks, 1996; Werner & LeRoith, 1996). Insulin regulates energy metabolism, and increases the bioactivity of IGF-I, by enhancing its synthesis, and by decreasing several of its binding proteins (IGFBP; IGFBP-1 and -2). Insulin and IGF-I both stimulate anabolic processes as a function of available energy and elementary substrates (e.g. amino acids). The anabolic signals by insulin or IGF-I can promote tumour development by inhibiting apoptosis, and by stimulating cell proliferation. Furthermore, both insulin and IGF-I stimulate the synthesis of sex steroids, and inhibit the synthesis of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), a binding protein that regulates the bioavailability of circulating sex steroids to tissues. The present paper reviews epidemiological findings relating the risk of cancers of the colo-rectum, pancreas, breast, endometrium and prostate to body size (obesity, height) and physical activity, and discusses the relationships between obesity and physical activity and plasma levels of insulin, IGF-I and IGFBP. Subsequent sections review epidemiological findings relating cancer risk to indices of chronic hyperinsulinaemia, and to plasma levels of IGF-I and IGFBP. Conclusions are that chronic hyperinsulinaemia may be a cause of cancers of the colon, pancreas and endometrium, and also possibly of the breast. On the other hand, elevated plasma IGF-I, as total concentrations or relative to levels of IGFBP-3, appears to be related to an increased risk of prostate cancer, breast cancer in young women, and possibly colo-rectal cancer. For cancers of the endometrium, breast and prostate, these findings are discussed in the context of relationships between insulin and IGF-I and levels of bioavailable sex steroids.
Improved algorithms for topic distillation in a hyperlinked environment

This paper addresses the problem of topic distillation on the World Wide Web, namely, given a typical user query to find quality documents related to the query topic. Connectivity analysis has been shown to be useful in identifying high quality pages within a topic specific graph of hyperlinked documents. The essence of our approach is to augment a previous connectivity analysis based algorithm with content analysis. We identify three problems with the existing approach and devise algorithms to tackle them. The results of a user evaluation are reported that show an improvement of precision at 10 documents by at least 45% over pure connectivity analysis.