Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CXCR7 Controls Competition for Recruitment of β-Arrestin 2 in Cells Expressing Both CXCR4 and CXCR7

Chemokine CXCL12 promotes growth and metastasis of more than 20 different human cancers, as well as pathogenesis of other common diseases. CXCL12 binds two different receptors, CXCR4 and CXCR7, both of which recruit and signal through the cytosolic adapter protein β-arrestin 2. Differences in CXCL12-dependent recruitment of β-arrestin 2 in cells expressing one or both receptors remain poorly defined. To quantitatively investigate parameters controlling association of β-arrestin 2 with CXCR4 or CXCR7 in cells co-expressing both receptors, we used a systems biology approach combining real-time, multi-spectral luciferase complementation imaging with computational modeling. Cells expressing only CXCR4 maintain low basal association with β-arrestin 2, and CXCL12 induces a rapid, transient increase in this interaction. In contrast, cells expressing only CXCR7 have higher basal association with β-arrestin 2 and exhibit more gradual, prolonged recruitment of β-arrestin 2 in response to CXCL12. We developed and fit a data-driven computational model for association of either CXCR4 or CXCR7 with β-arrestin 2 in cells expressing only one type of receptor. We then experimentally validated model predictions that co-expression of CXCR4 and CXCR7 on the same cell substantially decreases both the magnitude and duration of CXCL12-regulated recruitment of β-arrestin 2 to CXCR4. Co-expression of both receptors on the same cell only minimally alters recruitment of β-arrestin 2 to CXCR7. In silico experiments also identified β-arrestin 2 as a limiting factor in cells expressing both receptors, establishing that CXCR7 wins the “competition” with CXCR4 for CXCL12 and recruitment of β-arrestin 2. These results reveal how competition for β-arrestin 2 controls integrated responses to CXCL12 in cells expressing both CXCR4 and CXCR7. These results advance understanding of normal and pathologic functions of CXCL12, which is critical for developing effective strategies to target these pathways therapeutically.
Repeated confocal imaging of individual dendritic spines in the living hippocampal slice: evidence for changes in length and orientation associated with chemically induced LTP

Using confocal microscopy in conjunction with microdrop application of Dil, we have imaged and measured individual dendritic spines of living hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons in acute brain slices, before and approximately 3 hr after induction of long-term potentiation by chemical means. Statistical analysis of changes in the length of individual spines, and comparison with results of Monte Carlo simulations, suggests that two forms of structural change occur in chemically induced long-term potentiation: growth of a subpopulation of small spines, and angular displacement of spines. These changes could provide a structural basis for the expression of long-term potentiation.
Evaluation of an automated quantitative latex immunoturbidimetric non‐treponemal assay for diagnosis and follow‐up of syphilis: a prospective cohort study

Purpose. We evaluated the Sekure rapid plasma reagin (RPR‐S) (Sekisui Diagnostics) automated quantitative latex immunoturbidimetric assay performed on the SK500 clinical chemistry system for clinical appropriateness. Methodology. Syphilis‐infected individuals and controls were recruited into a prospective cohort study conducted at a sexually transmitted infection clinic in Antwerp, Belgium. Sera collected at diagnosis (baseline) and at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months post‐treatment were tested with RPR‐S and Macro‐Vue RPR card (RPR‐C) (Becton Dickinson) assays; RPR‐C was considered the reference test. IgG/IgM enzyme immunoassay and Treponema pallidum polA serum PCR results were consulted by discordancy at baseline. Categorical analyses were performed and correlations were assessed with (non)‐linear regression. Post‐treatment longitudinal serological evolution was evaluated. Results. A total of 463 samples from 120 new syphilis cases from a variety of clinical stages and 30 syphilis‐negative controls were tested. Initially, there was a weak correlation between quantitative RPR‐C/S (r=0.15). In 70 samples there was a strong suspicion of hook effect. Of these, 57/70 sera were retested with an extra dilution step, resulting in an average 12‐fold increase in quantitative RPR‐S results. After the extra dilution, the overall qualitative RPR‐C/S agreement was 78.89%, (&kgr;‐coefficient: 0.484). Of the 92 discordant samples, 9 were from the baseline visit (RPR‐C titre: 1‐8), which could have led to possible missed diagnoses using the RPR‐S. Conclusions. The sensitivity and accuracy of the RPR‐S test requires improvement before it can be used to diagnose syphilis and evaluate treatment efficacy in clinical practice.
About the relationship between eyebrow movements and Fo variations

Speech production is always accompanied by facial and gestural activity. The study is part of a broader research project on how head movements and facial expressions are related to voice variations in different speech situations. Ten normal subjects were recorded while reading aloud answering yes/no questions, and dialoguing with an interviewer. Rapid rising-falling eyebrow movements produced by the subjects as they spoke were associated with Fo rises in only 71% of the cases. This suggests that eyebrow movements and fundamental frequency changes are not automatically linked (i.e., they are not the result of muscular synergy), but are more a consequence of linguistic and communicational choices. Note also that 38% of the eyebrow movements were produced while the subject was not speaking. Thus, eyebrow movements may also serve as back-channel signals or play a role in turn-taking during conversation.
Measurements on rough surface scattering in terahertz band

Results on the rough surface scattering measurements at the terahertz band (0.1 - 10 THz) are reported. The measurements were made with terahertz time domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS), providing extremely high bandwidth measurement capability with frequencies ranging from 60 GHz to around 4 THz. The measurement setup consist gold plated mirror acting as a perfect reflector and a variety of sandpapers of multiple roughnesses acting as rough surfaces. Using mirror below the sandpaper samples ensures minimum external scattering loss besides the sandpaper itself. We show the non-line-of-sight (NLoS) communications is perfectly possible in the reflected paths. Also, at short distances the diffuse scattering field theoretically allows communication. The material roughness has a clear effect on the diffuse scattering field with smooth surfaces having only a small impact on the scattering. However, the diffuse scattering field has very little energy compared with the reflected components.
Elevated plasma levels of TIMP-1 in patients with rotator cuff tear

Background and purpose Extracellular matrix remodeling is altered in rotator cuff tears, partly due to altered expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their inhibitors. It is unclear whether this altered expression can be traced as changes in plasma protein levels. We measured the plasma levels of MMPs and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) in patients with rotator cuff tears and related changes in the pattern of MMP and TIMP levels to the extent of the rotator cuff tear. Methods Blood samples were collected from 17 patients, median age 61 (39–77) years, with sonographically verified rotator cuff tears (partial- or full-thickness). These were compared with 16 age- and sex-matched control individuals with sonographically intact rotator cuffs. Plasma levels of MMPs and TIMPs were measured simultaneously using Luminex technology and ELISA. Results The plasma levels of TIMP-1 were elevated in patients with rotator cuff tears, especially in those with full-thickness tears. The levels of TIMP-1, TIMP-3, and MMP-9 were higher in patients with full-thickness tears than in those with partial-thickness tears, but only the TIMP-1 levels were significantly different from those in the controls. Interpretation The observed elevation of TIMP-1 in plasma might reflect local pathological processes in or around the rotator cuff, or a genetic predisposition in these patients. That the levels of TIMP-1 and of certain MMPs were found to differ significantly between partial and full-thickness tears may reflect the extent of the lesion or different etiology and pathomechanisms.
A zinc finger protein that regulates oligodendrocyte specification, migration and myelination in zebrafish

Precise control of oligodendrocyte migration and development is crucial for myelination of axons in the central nervous system (CNS), but important questions remain unanswered about the mechanisms controlling these processes. In a zebrafish screen for myelination mutants, we identified a mutation in zinc finger protein 16-like (znf16l). znf16l mutant larvae have reduced myelin basic protein (mbp) expression and reduced CNS myelin. Marker, time-lapse and ultrastructural studies indicated that oligodendrocyte specification, migration and myelination are disrupted in znf16l mutants. Transgenic studies indicated that znf16l acts autonomously in oligodendrocytes. Expression of Zfp488 from mouse rescued mbp expression in znf16l mutants, indicating that these homologs have overlapping functions. Our results defined the function of a new zinc finger protein with specific function in oligodendrocyte specification, migration and myelination in the developing CNS. Summary: A genetic screen uncovers a role for zinc finger protein 16-like as an important regulator of the oligodendrocyte lineage in zebrafish embryos.
Carotid Plaque Hemorrhage on Magnetic Resonance Imaging Strongly Predicts Recurrent Ischemia and Stroke

There is a recognized need to improve selection of patients with carotid artery stenosis for carotid endarterectomy (CEA). We assessed the value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)‐defined carotid plaque hemorrhage (MRIPH) to predict recurrent ipsilateral cerebral ischemic events, and stroke in symptomatic carotid stenosis.
Failure of physicians to consider the diagnosis of pertussis in children.

To determine the ability of physicians to make a diagnosis of pertussis and factors associated with improved diagnosis, 8,235 children from 88 child care centers and 14 elementary schools from Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, were evaluated by using a questionnaire completed by parents and a medical record review. Children must have consulted a physician to be included in the evaluation. There were 558 children meeting the surveillance case definition and 416 meeting a modified World Health Organization case definition who consulted a physician. A diagnosis of pertussis was considered in 24%-26% of children meeting either case definition, made in 12%-14%, and reported for 6%. Pertussis diagnosis was significantly associated with having a history of pertussis exposure (P < or = .003), four pertussis-related symptoms (P < .001), and a cough for > or = 5 weeks (P < or = .05) and consulting in a hospital setting (P < or = .03). The proportion of cases of pertussis diagnosed and reported is low even when children present with classical symptoms.
Developing simulation components for supply chain modelling

Modeling supply chains is a pre-requisite for any supply chain improvement initiative. However, modeling supply chains is generally a complex and time consuming task. One way of working around this issue is to have re-usable pre-defined components that represent typical activities in supply chains. The paper presents the application of this principle to the modeling of e-business processes and analyses how the approach can be extended to supply chains. A new methodological approach is presented for the development of static (templates) and dynamic (components) re-usable simulation models. The research contributes to the knowledge of components and re-use theory in simulation and gives practitioners mapping guidelines and offers a way of breaking the barrier for the use of simulation
Hierarchical and Shared Access Control

Access control ensures that only the authorized users of a system are allowed to access certain resources or tasks. Usually, according to their roles and responsibilities, users are organized in hierarchies formed by a certain number of disjoint classes. Such hierarchies are implemented by assigning a key to each class, so that the keys for descendant classes can be efficiently derived from classes higher in the hierarchy. However, pure hierarchical access may represent a limitation in many real-world cases. In fact, sometimes it is necessary to ensure access to a resource or task by considering both its directly responsible user and a group of users possessing certain credentials. In this paper, we first propose a novel model that generalizes the conventional hierarchical access control paradigm, by extending it to certain additional sets of qualified users. Afterward, we propose two constructions for hierarchical key assignment schemes in this new model, which are provably secure with respect to key indistinguishability. In particular, the former construction relies on both symmetric encryption and perfect secret sharing, whereas, the latter is based on public-key threshold broadcast encryption.
Fabrication of Atomic-Scale Structures on Si(001) Surfaces

The scanning tunneling microscope has been used to define regular crystalline structures at room temperature by removing atoms from the silicon (001) surface. A single atomic layer can be removed to define features one atom deep and create trenches with ordered floors. Segments of individual dimer rows can be removed to create structures with atomically straight edges and with lateral features as small as one dimer wide. Conditions under which such removal is possible are defined, and a mechanism is proposed.
A New Small Molecule C5a Receptor Antagonist Inhibits the Reverse-Passive Arthus Reaction and Endotoxic Shock in Rats1

C5a is implicated as a pathogenic factor in a wide range of immunoinflammatory diseases, including sepsis and immune complex disease. Agents that antagonize the effects of C5a could be useful in these diseases. We have developed some novel C5a antagonists and have determined the acute anti-inflammatory properties of a new small molecule C5a receptor antagonist against C5a- and LPS-induced neutrophil adhesion and cytokine expression, as well as against some hallmarks of the reverse Arthus reaction in rats. We found that a single i.v. dose (1 mg/kg) of this antagonist inhibited both C5a- and LPS-induced neutropenia and elevated levels of circulating TNF-α, as well as polymorphonuclear leukocyte migration, increased TNF-α levels and vascular leakage at the site of immune complex deposition. These results indicate potent anti-inflammatory activities of a new C5a receptor antagonist and provide more evidence for a key early role for C5a in sepsis and the reverse Arthus reaction. The results support a role for antagonists of C5a receptors in the therapeutic intervention of immunoinflammatory disease states such as sepsis and immune complex disease.
Risk and Recurrence of Serious Adverse Outcomes in the First and Second Pregnancies of Women With Preexisting Diabetes

OBJECTIVE Women with preexisting (type 1 or type 2) diabetes experience an increased risk of serious adverse pregnancy outcomes. It is not known, however, how these risks change between the first and second pregnancy and whether there is an increased risk of recurrence. This study describes the absolute risks and recurrence of serious adverse pregnancy outcomes in 220 women with preexisting diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A total of 440 pregnancies occurring in 220 women with preexisting diabetes who delivered successive singleton pregnancies in the North of England during 1996–2008 were identified from the Northern Diabetes in Pregnancy Survey (NorDIP). Predictors of serious adverse outcome were estimated by competing-risks regression. RESULTS Sixty-seven first pregnancies (30.5%) ended in serious adverse outcome, including 14 (6.4%) with congenital anomalies and 53 (24.1%) additional fetal or infant deaths. Thirty-seven second pregnancies (16.8%) ended in serious adverse outcome—half the rate among first pregnancies (P = 0.0004)—including 21 (9.5%) with congenital anomalies and 16 (7.3%) additional fetal or infant deaths. Serious adverse outcomes in the second pregnancy occurred twice as frequently in women who experienced a previous adverse outcome than in those who did not (26.9% vs. 12.4%, P = 0.004), but previous adverse outcome was not associated with preparation for the following pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS Serious adverse outcomes are less common in the second pregnancies of women with preexisting diabetes, although the risk is comparable in those whose first pregnancy ends in adverse outcome. Reducing the risk of recurrence may require more support in the immediate period after an adverse pregnancy outcome.
Dynamic Properties of Human Brain Structure: Learning-Related Changes in Cortical Areas and Associated Fiber Connections

Recent findings in neuroscience suggest that adult brain structure changes in response to environmental alterations and skill learning. Whereas much is known about structural changes after intensive practice for several months, little is known about the effects of single practice sessions on macroscopic brain structure and about progressive (dynamic) morphological alterations relative to improved task proficiency during learning for several weeks. Using T1-weighted and diffusion tensor imaging in humans, we demonstrate significant gray matter volume increases in frontal and parietal brain areas following only two sessions of practice in a complex whole-body balancing task. Gray matter volume increase in the prefrontal cortex correlated positively with subject's performance improvements during a 6 week learning period. Furthermore, we found that microstructural changes of fractional anisotropy in corresponding white matter regions followed the same temporal dynamic in relation to task performance. The results make clear how marginal alterations in our ever changing environment affect adult brain structure and elucidate the interrelated reorganization in cortical areas and associated fiber connections in correlation with improvements in task performance.
An Equilibrium Model of Institutional Demand and Asset Prices

We develop an asset pricing model with rich heterogeneity in asset demand across investors, designed to match institutional holdings. The equilibrium price vector is uniquely determined by market clearing across institutional investors and households. We relate the model to Euler equations, mean-variance portfolio choice, factor models, and cross-sectional regressions on characteristics. We propose an instrumental variables estimator for the asset demand system to address the endogeneity of institutional demand and asset prices. Using U.S. stock market data, we illustrate how our approach could be used to understand the role of institutions in asset market movements, volatility, and predictability.
An inwardly directed electrogenic sodium‐bicarbonate co‐transport in leech glial cells.

1. We have used double‐barrelled ion‐sensitive microelectrodes to measure the intracellular pH, pHi, the intracellular Na+ activity, aiNa, and the membrane potential in identified glial cells of the central nervous system of the leech Hirudo medicinalis to study the effect of CO2‐HCO3‐. 2. When a HEPES‐buffered saline was exchanged for a saline buffered with 2% CO2 + 11 mM‐HCO3‐, keeping the pH constant at 7.4, the mean steady‐state pHi of the glial cells increased from 6.85 +/‐ 0.06 to 7.18 +/‐ 0.13 (mean +/‐ S.D., n = 25). 3. This CO2‐HCO3‐ ‐dependent alkalinization was inhibited in the absence of external Na+ (exchanged by N‐methyl‐D‐glucamine), but was unaffected by the inhibitor of Na+‐H+ exchange, amiloride (2 mM). 4. The aiNa of the glial cells increased by 2‐4 mM from a mean steady state of 7.2 +/‐ 2 mM (mean +/‐ S.D., n = 6) upon introduction of CO2‐HCO3‐ ‐buffered saline. This CO2‐HCO3‐ ‐dependent rise in aiNa increased to about double when the pHi had been decreased by acid loading the cells (addition and subsequent removal of NH4+). 5. The CO2‐HCO3‐ ‐dependent increases of pHi and aiNa were inhibited by the stilbene 4,4‐diisothiocyanostilbene‐2,2'‐disulphonic acid (DIDS, 0.5‐1.0 mM). 6. Removal of external Cl‐ and depletion of intracellular Cl‐ did not inhibit the CO2‐HCO3‐ ‐dependent alkalinization. 7. The CO2‐HCO3‐ ‐dependent alkalinization was unaffected by inhibitors of the carbonic anhydrase, acetazolamide (0.2 mM) or ethoxzolamide (2 microM). 8. The membrane potential became more negative by 3‐20 mV upon addition of CO2‐HCO3‐. This hyperpolarization was even further enlarged in the presence of Ba2+ (which reduces the K+ permeability) or at increased external K+ concentration (which depolarizes the membrane and brings the membrane potential to the K+ equilibrium potential). The CO2‐HCO3‐ ‐induced membrane hyperpolarization was inhibited in Na+‐free saline and in the presence of DIDS. Ouabain (0.5 mM) sometimes reduced, but never abolished, the hyperpolarization. 9. The stoichiometry of the co‐transport is suggested to be 2 HCO3‐:1 Na+ with an equilibrium potential of ‐90 mV calculated for this coupling ratio in the steady state. 10. It is concluded that in the presence of CO2‐HCO3‐ an inwardly directed electrogenic Na+‐HCO3‐ co‐transport is stimulated across the glial membrane, which greatly determines the pHi and thereby affects the intracellular buffering power of the glial cells.
Synthesis of textured thin piezoelectric AlN films with a nonzero C-axis mean tilt for the fabrication of shear mode resonators

A method for the deposition of thin piezo-electric aluminum nitride (AlN) films with a nonzero c-axis mean tilt has been developed. The deposition is done in a standard reactive magnetron sputter deposition system without any hardware modifications. In essence, the method consists of a two-stage deposition process. The resulting film has a distinct tilted texture with the mean tilt of the c-axis varying roughly in the interval 28 to 32 degrees over the radius of the wafer excluding a small exclusion zone at the center of the latter. The mean tilt angle distribution over the wafer has a circular symmetry. A membrane-type shear mode thickness-excited thin film bulk acoustic resonator together with a micro-fluidic transport system has been subsequently fabricated using the two stage AlN de-position as well as standard bulk micro machining of Si. The resonator consisted of a 2-mum-thick AlN film with 200-nm-thick Al top and bottom electrodes. The resonator was characterized with a network analyzer when operating in both air and water. The shear mode resonance frequency was about 1.6 GHz, the extracted device Q around 350, and the electromechanical coupling kt 2 2% when the resonator was operated in air, whereas the latter two dropped down to 150 and 1.8%, respectively, when the resonator was operated in pure water