Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dietary inflammatory index and telomere length in subjects with a high cardiovascular disease risk from the PREDIMED-NAVARRA study: cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses over 5 y.

BACKGROUND Dietary factors can affect telomere length (TL), a biomarker of aging, through oxidation and inflammation-related mechanisms. A Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) could help to understand the effect of the inflammatory potential of the diet on telomere shortening. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to determine the association of the DII with TL and to examine whether diet-associated inflammation could modify the telomere attrition rate after a 5-y follow-up of a Mediterranean dietary intervention. DESIGN This was a prospective study of 520 participants at high cardiovascular disease risk (mean ± SD age: 67.0 ± 6.0 y, 45% males) from the PREDIMED-NAVARRA (PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea-NAVARRA) trial. Leukocyte TL was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction at baseline and after 5 y of follow-up. The DII was calculated from self-reported data by using a validated 137-item food-frequency questionnaire. RESULTS Longer telomeres at baseline were found in participants who had a more anti-inflammatory diet (lowest DII score) (P-trend = 0.012). Longitudinal analyses further showed that a greater anti-inflammatory potential of the diet (i.e., a decrease in the DII) could significantly slow down the rate of telomere shortening. Moreover, the multivariable-adjusted OR for short telomeres (z score ≤20th percentile) was 1.80 (95% CI: 1.03, 3.17) in a comparison between the highest (proinflammatory) and the lowest (anti-inflammatory) DII tertiles. Similarly, a greater DII (greatest proinflammatory values) after a 5-y follow-up was associated with almost a 2-fold higher risk of accelerated telomere attrition compared with the highest decrease in DII (greatest anti-inflammatory values) during this period (P-trend = 0.025). CONCLUSIONS This study showed both cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between the inflammatory potential of the diet and telomere shortening in subjects with a high cardiovascular disease risk. Our findings are consistent with, but do not show, a beneficial effect of adherence to an anti-inflammatory diet on aging and health by slowing down telomere shortening. These results suggest that diet might play a key role as a determinant of TL through proinflammatory or anti-inflammatory mechanisms. This trial was registered at controlled-trials.com as ISRCTN35739639.
Correlations between morphology and electrophysiology of pyramidal neurons in slices of rat visual cortex. II. Electrophysiology

The aim of this study was to determine whether the different morphological classes of pyramidal neurons in layers 2/3 and 5 of rat visual cortex (Larkman and Mason, 1990) have particular electrophysiological properties. Neurons in in vitro slices of rat visual cortex were impaled with glass micropipettes containing horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and studied using current-clamp techniques prior to pressure injection of HRP into the neurons. On morphological grounds, cells stained in layer 2/3 were placed into a single class whereas layer 5 cells were divided into 2 classes. Cells in one of these classes had thick apical dendrites which arborized in layer 1, whereas the apical dendrites of cells in the other class were thinner and did not reach layer 1 (Larkman and Mason, 1990). Despite variation between individual cells of a single class, significant differences were found in the time constants, current/voltage relations, and repetitive firing behaviors of the 3 classes. Burst firing responses to injected current pulses were confined to the layer 5 cells with thick apical dendrites. These results add to those from other areas of the brain demonstrating that the electrophysiological properties of pyramidal neurons are heterogeneous. Furthermore, we have shown that distinctive intrinsic membrane properties of pyramidal neurons in visual cortex are correlated with different morphologies.
Hepatitis B Immune Globulin in Liver Transplantation Prophylaxis: An Update

Context Liver transplantation is the best treatment option for end-stage liver disease following hepatitis B (HBV) infection. However, the high rate of recurrence of HBV infection following transplantation is a disadvantage of this option. Evidence Acquisition Over the past 2 decades, the gold standard of prophylactic treatment for the prevention of HBV re-infection following liver transplantation has been the administration of low- to high-dose hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIg) along with an antiviral agent to induce passive immunity. Results The effectiveness of HBIg in preventing the recurrence of HBV depends on the dosage, route of administration, and duration of HBIg treatment, and the viremic status at the time of transplantation. There is currently no consensus on a standardized recommendation for therapeutic options that include HBIg administration. Conclusion This review attempts to summarize the available data on the feasibility of such options. Most recent studies support the use of long-term combination therapy of HBIg and antiviral NAs (especially new agents).
Repository Citation This Work Is Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. a Deterministic Model Predicts the Properties of Stochastic Calcium Oscillations in Airway Smooth Muscle Cells

A deterministic model predicts the properties of stochastic calcium oscillations in airway smooth muscle cellsA deterministic model predicts the properties of stochastic calcium oscillations in airway smooth muscle cells" (2014). A deterministic model predicts the properties of stochastic calcium oscillations in airway smooth muscle cells Comments This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Abstract The inositol trisphosphate receptor (IP 3 R) is one of the most important cellular components responsible for oscillations in the cytoplasmic calcium concentration. Over the past decade, two major questions about the IP 3 R have arisen. Firstly, how best should the IP 3 R be modeled? In other words, what fundamental properties of the IP 3 R allow it to perform its function, and what are their quantitative properties? Secondly, although calcium oscillations are caused by the stochastic opening and closing of small numbers of IP 3 R, is it possible for a deterministic model to be a reliable predictor of calcium behavior? Here, we answer these two questions, using airway smooth muscle cells (ASMC) as a specific example. Firstly, we show that periodic calcium waves in ASMC, as well as the statistics of calcium puffs in other cell types, can be quantitatively reproduced by a two-state model of the IP 3 R, and thus the behavior of the IP 3 R is essentially determined by its modal structure. The structure within each mode is irrelevant for function. Secondly, we show that, although calcium waves in ASMC are generated by a stochastic mechanism, IP 3 R stochasticity is not essential for a qualitative prediction of how oscillation frequency depends on model parameters, and thus deterministic IP 3 R models demonstrate the same level of predictive capability as do stochastic models. We conclude that, firstly, calcium dynamics can be accurately modeled using simplified IP 3 R models, and, secondly, to obtain qualitative predictions of how oscillation frequency depends on parameters it is sufficient to use a deterministic model. Copyright: ß 2014 Cao et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Data Availability: The authors confirm that all data underlying the findings are fully …
Targeting Post-translational Modifications on Tau as a Therapeutic Strategy for Alzheimer's Disease

Abstract: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that causes early memory impairment, followed by profound progressive cognitive decline, and eventually death. Neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) are one of the histopathological hallmarks of AD. NFTs are deposits of insoluble aggregates of the microtubule-binding protein tau, left behind following neuronal loss. Intracellular aggregates of tau, either in soluble or insoluble forms, are thought to disrupt cellular machinery and synaptic function and ultimately lead to neuronal death. As the ultimate pathological endpoint in AD is neuronal loss, there is significant interest in understanding the causes of tau aggregation and deposition in the brain as a potential therapeutic avenue for AD. Post-translational modifications on tau are thought to be an important regulatory mechanism that may contribute to the propensity of tau to aggregate and form NFTs. In addition to phosphorylation, numerous other post-translational modifications have been observed on tau protein. The mechanisms that cause aggregation of tau are unknown, but it is likely that post-translational modifications other than phosphorylation also regulate this process. This review will discuss several post-translational modifications of tau and their roles in modulation of tau function and aggregation in AD.
Prognostic Significance of Activated Akt Expression in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Purpose: Akt is a serine/threonine kinase that plays a central role in tumorigenesis. Among the members of Akt family, Akt2 is associated with the development of human cancers. The present study was designed to clarify the prognostic significance of Akt2 and activated Akt expression in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In addition, activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) and the proliferation activity of tumor cells detected by Ki-67 immunohistochemistry were examined. Experimental Design: Immunohistochemical analysis was performed on paraffin-embedded specimens from 65 patients with PDAC; 36 males and 29 females with ages ranging from 48 to 79 years (median, 66 years) of age. Expression levels of Akt2, phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt), and phosphorylated ERK 1/2 (p-ERK 1/2) were categorized as either weaker (low intensity) or equal to stronger (high intensity) compared with those in the endothelial cells of the same specimens. For Ki-67 immunohistochemistry, cases were divided into two groups: level 1, Ki-67 labeling index (LI), <20%; level 2, Ki-67 LI, ≥20%. Results: Twenty-six (42.6%), 28 (45.9%), 39 (63.9%), and 46 (75.4%) of the tumors showed high intensity of Akt2, p-Akt, and p-ERK 1/2 expression, and Ki-67 LI level 2, respectively. A significant positive correlation was observed between Akt2 and p-Akt expression (P < 0.01). Multivariate analysis revealed that p-Akt expression, Ki-67 LI, and histological differentiation are independent prognosticators for PDAC. Conclusions: p-Akt expression is a significant prognostic indicator for PDAC. Inhibition of Akt is a possible molecular approach for treatment of PDAC.
Pilot-wave dynamics in a rotating frame: on the emergence of orbital quantization

Abstract We present the results of a theoretical investigation of droplets walking on a rotating vibrating fluid bath. The droplet’s trajectory is described in terms of an integro-differential equation that incorporates the influence of its propulsive wave force. Predictions for the dependence of the orbital radius on the bath’s rotation rate compare favourably with experimental data and capture the progression from continuous to quantized orbits as the vibrational acceleration is increased. The orbital quantization is rationalized by assessing the stability of the orbital solutions, and may be understood as resulting directly from the dynamic constraint imposed on the drop by its monochromatic guiding wave. The stability analysis also predicts the existence of wobbling orbital states reported in recent experiments, and the absence of stable orbits in the limit of large vibrational forcing.
HDL is the major lipoprotein carrier of plasma F2-isoprostanes This work was supported by grants from the National Heart Foundation of Australia and the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. Published, JLR Papers in Press, December 2, 2008.

Enhanced oxidative stress is implicated in the development of atherosclerosis in humans and animal models. F2-isoprostanes are formed in vivo via free radical peroxidation of arachidonic acid, and their quantification has allowed assessment of oxidative stress in vivo. F2-isoprostanes associate with lipids, although their distribution in human plasma lipoproteins is unknown. Our aim was to determine the distribution and levels of F2-isoprostanes in lipoproteins isolated from human plasma by ultracentrifugation and fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC). F2-isoprostanes were significantly higher in HDL compared with LDL or VLDL after isolation by ultracentrifugation or FPLC. Furthermore, HDL3 particles contained elevated levels of F2-isoprostanes compared with HDL2. Platelet activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH), which hydrolyses esterified F2-isoprostanes from phospholipids, was predominantly associated with LDL. Reduced F2-isoprostanes in LDL may be related to higher PAF-AH activity in LDL. Paraoxonase 1 (PON-1) activity was associated with HDL2 and may be a contributing factor to the lower F2-isoprostanes in HDL2 compared with HDL3. Further studies are required to establish the implications of these findings on HDL function.
Analytical prediction of moisture absorption/desorption in resin matrix composites exposed to aircraft environments

The moisture absorption/desorption behavior of resin matrix composites was mathematically modeled by classical diffusion theory using an effective diffusion coefficient. Good agreement was found between calculated moisture content and published data for T300/5208 graphite fiber reinforced epoxy matrix composite. Weather Bureau data for Langley Air Force Base and Norfolk, Va. , were used to calculate the amount of moisture a T300/5208 composite panel would contain if exposed outdoors. Results obtained by using average monthly weather data for several high aircraft usage locations around the world suggest that, except for desert areas, geographical locations should have only minimal effect on the moisture absorption level reached in composites. Solar radiation data together with cloud and wind information were included in the analysis to estimate an effective temperature of the composite panel during ground exposure.
Variable stars in nearby galaxies. vi. frequency-period distribution of cepheids in ic 1613 and other galaxies of the local group

The frequency{period distribution and other properties of Cepheids in IC 1613 are discussed and com- pared with those of stars in our Galaxy (Milky Way), LMC, SMC, M 31 and M 33. Taking into account the observational limitations and related incompleteness, it is concluded that the frequency{period distribution of Cepheids in IC 1613 is similar to that of SMC; we suspect that a much larger number of stars exist in IC 1613 with a period of less than 2 d that have not yet been detected. A discussion of the deciency of fundamental mode Cepheids with periods in the range 8{10 d in the Milky Way, M 31 and M 33 is reported. The present data are not sucient to verify if this is produced by a real bimodal frequency{period distribution or whether depends on the lack of pulsating stars in such a period range due to pulsational stability reasons. Some arguments are presented in favor of a bimodal distribution that is a function of the average metallicity. The Milky Way, M 31 and M 33 have the two maxima located at the same periods, about 5 and 13 d, respectively. A comment on very long period Cepheids is also given.
Channel Model and Capacity Analysis of Molecular Communication with Brownian Motion

In this paper, we analyze the capacity of a molecular communication channel in a one dimensional environment where information is represented with molecules that are released by a transmitter nanomachine, propagate via Brownian motion, degrade over time, and stochastically reach the receiver nanomachine. The channel is modeled as a time slotted binary channel, and two modulation schemes are proposed: a naive modulation scheme and an extended modulation scheme with a redundant number of molecules. Our analysis demonstrates that the channel capacity is largely affected by the life expectancy of molecules. Our analysis also indicates that the extended modulation scheme can achieve nearly one bit per slot at the expense of extra molecules under optimal conditions.
Polyamines of Anacystis nidulans and metabolism of exogenous spermidine and spermine

Several biochemical parameters, including that of polyamine content, accompanying the growth of the cyanobacterium Anacystis nidulans were studied. At all stages of growth under autotrophic conditions, the organisms were found to be rich in spermidine and lacking in spermine, as is typical of procaryotic organisms. The cells were quite low in putrescine, and no unusual polyamine was observed to be present as a major component. Conjugated polyamines were not detected in the cultures. At maximal culture density, the levels of spermidine, DNA, RNA, protein, and chlorophyll were also maximal. Shortly after the inception of the stationary phase, the spermidine content of the cells was the first parameter observed to decrease in cultures which were shortly to become yellow. Spermidine lost from the cells was not recovered in the medium in a free or conjugated form. This indication of degradation of spermidine was studied by the addition of polyamines to growing cultures. Exogenous spermidine and spermine were found to be metabolized rapidly by the organisms, of which diaminopropane was one product. Putrescine was found to be markedly toxic, whereas spermidine, some other triamines, and spermine were much less toxic.
Coplanar Polychlorinated Biphenyls Impair Glucose Homeostasis in Lean C57BL/6 Mice and Mitigate Beneficial Effects of Weight Loss on Glucose Homeostasis in Obese Mice

Background: Previous studies demonstrated that coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) promote proinflammatory gene expression in adipocytes. PCBs are highly lipophilic and accumulate in adipose tissue, a site of insulin resistance in persons with type 2 diabetes. Objectives: We investigated the in vitro and in vivo effects of coplanar PCBs on adipose expression of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and on glucose and insulin homeostasis in lean and obese mice. Methods: We quantified glucose and insulin tolerance, as well as TNF-α levels, in liver, muscle, and adipose tissue of male C57BL/6 mice administered vehicle, PCB-77, or PCB-126 and fed a low fat (LF) diet. Another group of mice administered vehicle or PCB-77 were fed a high fat (HF) diet for 12 weeks; the diet was then switched from HF to LF for 4 weeks to induce weight loss. We quantified glucose and insulin tolerance and adipose TNF-α expression in these mice. In addition, we used in vitro and in vivo studies to quantify aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-dependent effects of PCB-77 on parameters of glucose homeostasis. Results: Treatment with coplanar PCBs resulted in sustained impairment of glucose and insulin tolerance in mice fed the LF diet. In PCB-77–treated mice, TNF-α expression was increased in adipose tissue but not in liver or muscle. PCB-77 levels were strikingly higher in adipose tissue than in liver or serum. Antagonism of AhR abolished both in vitro and in vivo effects of PCB-77. In obese mice, PCB-77 had no effect on glucose homeostasis, but glucose homeostasis was impaired after weight loss. Conclusions: Coplanar PCBs impaired glucose homeostasis in lean mice and in obese mice following weight loss. Adipose-specific elevations in TNF-α expression by PCBs may contribute to impaired glucose homeostasis.
Levels of processing and picture memory: the physical superiority effect.

Six experiments studied the effect of physical orienting questions (e.g., "Is this angular? ") and semantic orienting questions (e.g., "Is this edible? ") on memory for unrelated pictures at stimulus durations ranging from 125-2,000 ms. Results ran contrary to the semantic superiority "rule of thumb," which is based primarily on verbal memory experiments. Physical questions were associated with better free recall and cued recall of a diverse set of visual scenes (Experiments 1, 2, and 4). This occurred both when general and highly specific semantic questions were used (Experiments 1 and 2). Similar results were obtained when more simplistic visual stimuli--photographs of single objects--were used (Experiments 5 and 6). As in the case of the semantic superiority effect with words, the physical superiority effect for pictures was eliminated or reversed when the same physical questions were repeated throughout the session (Experiments 4 and 6). Conflicts with results of previous levels of processing experiments with words and nonverbal stimuli (e.g., faces) are explained in terms of the sensory-semantic model (Nelson, Reed, & McEvoy, 1977). Implications for picture memory research and the levels of processing viewpoint are discussed.
Nonparametric estimation of state-price densities implicit in financial asset prices

Implicit in the prices of traded financial assets are Arrow-Debreu state prices or, in the continuous-state case, the state-price density (SPD) that may be used to price all assets, traded or non-traded. Using recently developed techniques in nonparametric analysis, we construct an estimator for the SPD implicit in financial asset prices and we derive an asymptotic sampling theory for this estimator to gauge its accuracy. We perform Monte Carlo simulation experiments to see whether the SPD estimator can be used successfully to price and hedge derivative securities, and we also provide several illustrative empirical examples using both hypothetical and actual options prices on S&P 500 index options.
Land Use and Hydrogeological Characteristics Influence Groundwater Invertebrate Communities

We examine the influence of land use and hydrogeological characteristics on the abundance, composition and structure of groundwater invertebrate communities in a loessic aquifer from Argentina. Seven wells, selected according to surrounding land use and hydrogeological characteristics, were sampled twice. Groundwater was characterized as sodium bicarbonate, bicarbonate sulfate or sulfate type. was detected in all samples. Land use in the area surrounding the well, unsaturated zone thickness and geochemical characteristics of groundwater influenced the abundance, composition and community structure of groundwater invertebrates. Copepoda, Oligochaeta, Cladocera, Ostracoda and Amphipoda were highly influenced by land use, particularly by point pollution sources that produced higher abundance and changes in taxonomic composition. The lowest invertebrate abundance was observed at the wells situated in areas with the thickest unsaturated zone. Groundwater salinity and geochemical type influenced the presence of certain species, particularly Stygonitocrella sp.