Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Thrombin Induces Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor Release and Upregulation in Urothelium: A Possible Contribution to Bladder Inflammation

Purpose Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine expressed by urothelial cells that mediates bladder inflammation. We investigated the effect of stimulation with thrombin, a Protease Activated Receptor-1 (PAR1) agonist, on MIF release and MIF mRNA upregulation in urothelial cells. Materials and Methods MIF and PAR1 expression was examined in normal human immortalized urothelial cells (UROtsa) using real-time RT-PCR, Western blotting and dual immunostaining. MIF and PAR1 immunostaining was also examined in rat urothelium. The effect of thrombin stimulation (100 nM) on urothelial MIF release was examined in UROtsa cells (in vitro) and in rats (in vivo). UROtsa cells were stimulated with thrombin, culture media were collected at different time points and MIF amounts were determined by ELISA. Pentobarbital anesthetized rats received intravesical saline (control), thrombin, or thrombin +2% lidocaine (to block nerve activity) for 1 hr, intraluminal fluid was collected and MIF amounts determined by ELISA. Bladder or UROtsa MIF mRNA was measured using real time RT-PCR. Results UROtsa cells constitutively express MIF and PAR1 and immunostaining for both was observed in these cells and in the basal and intermediate layers of rat urothelium. Thrombin stimulation of urothelial cells resulted in a concentration- and time-dependent increase in MIF release both in vitro (UROtsa; 2.8-fold increase at 1 hr) and in vivo (rat; 4.5-fold) while heat-inactivated thrombin had no effect. In rats, thrombin-induced MIF release was reduced but not abolished by intravesical lidocaine treatment. Thrombin also upregulated MIF mRNA in UROtsa cells (3.3-fold increase) and in the rat bladder (2-fold increase) where the effect was reduced (1.4-fold) by lidocaine treatment. Conclusions Urothelial cells express both MIF and PAR1. Activation of urothelial PAR1 receptors, either by locally generated thrombin or proteases present in the urine, may mediate bladder inflammation by inducing urothelial MIF release and upregulating urothelial MIF expression.
Relation Between Lung Volume and Pulmonary Vascular Resistance

Ten experiments were conducted on anesthetized dogs ventilated with a Starling pump and breathing oxygen. While tidal volume, respiratory rate, and arterial pH and pCO2 were kept constant, lung volume was varied by using either a negative, zero, or positive end-expiratory pressure, leading to average changes in lung volume of −32, 0, and +75 per cent. Pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) increased with either decreased or increased lung volume, indicating that the relationship between resistance and lung volume is a U-shaped curve. Since the transmural distending pressures of large pulmonary vessels either increased or remained unchanged during these procedures, changes in PVR cannot be ascribed to changes in systemic circulatory dynamics, such as cardiac output. It was noted that cardiac output increased with negative end-expiratory pressure (effectively, negative-pressure breathing) and decreased with positive end-expiratory pressures (effective, positive-pressure breathing), as previously reported. A hypothesis is presented for explaining the U-shaped curve relating resistance and lung volume.
Physical Exercise and Time of Day: Influences on Spontaneous Motor Tempo

To identify whether spontaneous motor rhythm is influenced by external or internal events and whether this rhythm fluctuates across the day in parallel with heart rate diurnal variations, we simultaneously recorded heart rate and spontaneous motor rate before and after a pedaling task performed five times a day by 10 healthy human subjects. Each subject performed a Spontaneous Motor Tempo, i.e., a finger-tapping task, at a comfortable and spontaneous cadence. Pre- and postexercise Spontaneous Motor Tempo was measured as well as heart rate. There were diurnal variations in Spontaneous Motor Tempo. Both measures increased significantly after pedaling, suggesting that cardiac and spontaneous rhythms are influenced simultaneously after a moderate exercise. Also, finger-taps occurred most frequently around the initiation of the heart systole. These results suggest that a putative internal clock might regulate Spontaneous Motor Tempo and that cardiac rhythm might influence this tempo
Effect of the early intensive multifactorial therapy on the cardiovascular risk in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes: an observational, prospective study

Background and aims We assessed if early intensive interventions improve the glycemic control and the modifiable cardiovascular diseases risk factors in Romanian patients with newly diagnosed type-2 diabetes during the first year follow-up period. Patients and methods This was an observational, prospective study: 69 subjects were included in the analysis; each of them received intensive multi-factorial pharmacologic treatment and therapeutic education targeting hyperglycemia, weight, hypertension and dyslipidemia. Disease monitoring was done at months 0, 1, 3, 6 and 12 by assessment of anthropometric measurements, arterial blood pressure and biochemical parameters. The cardiovascular diseases risk factors were calculated using the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study Risk Engine. Results The mean age at diagnosis was 53.61±10.66 years. All anthropometric variables (body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, visceral fat area, percentage of body fat), except for skeletal muscle mass, significantly decreased overtime. The majority of the biochemical parameters significantly decreased overtime. The non-fatal/fatal coronary heart disease risk significantly decreased at month 12 (9.74 [p<0.05] and 4.84 [p<0.05], respectively) compared to month 0 (19.66 and 11.10, respectively); a similar trend of the non-fatal/fatal stroke (risk at month 12, 8.30 [p<0.05] and 1.04 [p<0.05], respectively, while at month 0, 7.89 and 1.38, respectively) was recorded. Conclusions Early multi-factorial treatment and intensive lifestyle interventions in patients newly diagnosed with type-2 diabetes could decrease with approximately 50% the rate of cardiovascular disease risk.
3rdf: Storing and Querying RDF Data on Top of the 3nuts Overlay Network

In current research Peer-to-Peer (p2p) based Semantic Web systems mainly use distributed hash table (DHT) based networks. These networks provide good load balancing by applying uniform hash functions with the drawback that they destroy possible semantic relations between data elements. But mapping the data semantics on the network structure could improve the routing time in the network and consequently the RDF query latency on application layer. In this paper, we present 3rdf, a distributed RDF system for storing and querying RDF data. The 3rdf system has been built on top of the 3nuts p2p network. The 3nuts network improves on reducing the query response time and bandwidth usage in our system by adapting the network structure to the semantics of the RDF data. In addition, we study how the evaluation of SPARQL BASIC graph patterns in existing distributed RDF repositories can be extended for other graph patterns such as OPTIONAL and UNION in our 3rdf system.
Lithium during the AGB evolution in young open clusters of the Large Magellanic Cloud

We present the results of mid-resolution spectroscopy in the LiI 6708 A spectral region of Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars belonging to young open clusters of the Large Magellanic Cloud. Most stars belong to the clusters NGC 1866 and NGC 2031, which have an age of � 150 Myr. Lithium lines of different strength are detected in the spectra of stars evolving along the AGB, in agreement with theoretical predictions. According to stellar evolutionary models, at the start of the AGB the stars should all show a low residual lithium abundance as a consequence of dilution during the previous evolutionary phases. The most luminous and cooler thermally pulsating AGB stars, if they are massive enough, once in the AGB go first through a phase of Li destruction, which is followed by a phase of strong lithium production and further destruction. The production of lithium on the AGB is in particular explained by the onset of the "Hot Bottom Burning" (HBB) process. Our most conclusive results are obtained for the populous cluster NGC 1866 where: the "early-AGB" stars show a weak Li line, which can be attributed to the dilution of the initial abundance; one of the two luminous stars seem to have completely depleted lithium, as no line is detected; the second one shows a deep lithium line, whose strength can be explained by lithium production. The bolometric magnitude of these stars are consistent with the values predicted by the theory, for the mass evolving on the AGB of NGC 1866, at which lithium is first destroyed and then produced (Mbol �− 6). We also analyze the infrared luminosities (ISOCAM data) of these stars, to discuss if their evolutionary phase precedes or follows the lithium production stage. More intriguing and less clear results are obtained for the most luminous stars in NGC 2031: the brightest star seems as well to have destroyed lithium, while the second one shows a strong lithium line. However its bolometric luminosity - derived from the near-IR photometry, is much lower (Mbol �− 5.2 ± 0.15) than that expected from HBB models. Although low luminosity lithium rich AGB stars are also known, whose appearance is attributed to non-canonical mixing processes, it is not clear why two almost coeval clusters show such a different behaviour. It is also possible that this star does not belong to NGC 2031. Finally we suggest the observational tests that could shed further light on this matter.
Inhibin, gonadotrophins and sex steroids in dogs with Sertoli cell tumours.

Inhibin bioactivity and mRNA for inhibin subunits were measured in four dog Sertoli cell tumours and in the testes of five normal control dogs. The tumours contained increased levels of inhibin (P less than 0.05) and mRNA for the alpha and beta B subunits when compared with controls, whereas the mRNA for the beta A subunit was not detected in tumours or control testes. The inhibin bioactivity was associated with a 32 kDa molecule in both Sertoli cell tumours and normal dog testes; no higher molecular weight forms were found after sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Peripheral levels of immunoassayable inhibin in dogs with Sertoli cell tumours were higher than those in the controls (P = 0.01), indicating that it might be possible to use this parameter as a marker for Sertoli cell tumours. Other testicular tumours, however, might also secrete immunoactive inhibin. The increased inhibin concentrations are likely to be the cause of the suppressed peripheral levels of FSH (P less than 0.02). However, peripheral levels of LH (P less than 0.02) and testosterone (P less than 0.01) were also suppressed in the dogs with Sertoli cell tumours, whereas the concentrations of oestradiol in the peripheral plasma of both groups did not differ. Finally, i.v. injection of the LHRH agonist buserelin caused a significant increase in LH and testosterone in the control dogs, but not in the dogs with Sertoli cell tumours. It was concluded that secretory products from the Sertoli cell tumours suppressed pituitary gonadotrophin secretion. It is unlikely that testosterone or oestradiol play a role in this respect. FSH may be suppressed by the high levels of inhibin in tumour-bearing dogs, but it remains unclear whether inhibin or another Sertoli cell product is responsible for the unresponsiveness of the pituitary gland to LHRH and the suppression of LH.
Association of MTHFR , NFKB 1 , NFKBIA , DAZL and CYP 1 A 1 gene polymorphisms with risk of idiopathic male infertility in a Han Chinese population

In this study, we investigated the association between six genetic polymorphisms (MTHFR C677T and A1298C, NFKB1 -94ins/del ATTG, NFKBIA 3’UTR A>G, DAZL A386G (T54A) and CYP1A1 T3801C) and the risk of idiopathic male infertility in a Chinese population. A case-control study comprising 1,759 idiopathic male infertile patients of Han Chinese ethnicity and 1,826 healthy fertile control individuals was carried out. Genotypes of all polymorphisms were determined via PCR-RFLP. Chi-squared test and logistic regression modeling were performed to identify the association of the polymorphisms with idiopathic male infertility. It was found that the heterozygous and variant genotypes of the following polymorphisms were significantly associated with an increased idiopathic male infertility risk: MTHFR C677T (heterozygous OR=1.266 [1.089, 1.470], P=0.002; variant OR=1.384 [1.138, 1.684], P=0.001), MTHFR A1298C (heterozygous OR=1.233 [1.071, 1.419], P=0.004; variant OR=1.564 [1.183, 2.068], P=0.002), and CYP1A1 T3801C (heterozygous OR=1.163 [1.007, 1.344], P=0.040; variant OR=1.232 [1.005, 1.510], P=0.045). When genotypes of non-significant polymorphisms were combined and analyzed, it was found that the combination between variant DD genotype of NFKB1 -94ins/del ATTG polymorphism and heterozygous AG genotype of DAZL A386G polymorphism was significantly associated with a reduced idiopathic male infertility risk (OR=0.588 [0.376, 0.919], P=0.02). In summary, we have successfully identified the association (or lack thereof) between the polymorphisms and idiopathic male infertility risk.
Cognitive function in women with HIV

Objective: In the largest cohort study of neuropsychological outcomes among HIV-infected women to date, we examined the association between HIV status and cognition in relation to other determinants of cognitive function (aim 1) and the pattern and magnitude of impairment across cognitive outcomes (aim 2). Methods: From 2009 to 2011, 1,521 (1,019 HIV-infected) participants from the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) completed a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery. We used multivariable regression on raw test scores for the first aim and normative regression-based analyses (t scores) for the second aim. The design was cross-sectional. Results: The effect sizes for HIV status on cognition were very small, accounting for only 0.05 to 0.09 SD units. The effect of HIV status was smaller than that of years of education, age, race, income, and reading level. In adjusted analyses, HIV-infected women performed worse than uninfected women on verbal learning, delayed recall and recognition, and psychomotor speed and attention. The largest deficit was observed in delayed memory. The association of low reading level with cognition was greater in HIV-infected compared to HIV-uninfected women. HIV biomarkers (CD4 count, history of AIDS-defining illness, viral load) were associated with cognitive dysfunction. Conclusions: The effect of HIV on cognition in women is very small except among women with low reading level or HIV-related comorbidities. Direct comparisons of rates of impairment in well-matched groups of HIV-infected men and women are needed to evaluate possible sex differences in cognition.
Dysregulated LIF-STAT3 pathway is responsible for impaired embryo implantation in a Streptozotocin-induced diabetic mouse model

ABSTRACT The prevalence of diabetes is increasing worldwide with the trend of patients being young and creating a significant burden on health systems, including reproductive problems, but the effects of diabetes on embryo implantation are still poorly understood. Our study was to examine effects of diabetes on mouse embryo implantation, providing experimental basis for treating diabetes and its complications. Streptozotocin (STZ) was applied to induce type 1 diabetes from day 2 of pregnancy or pseudopregnancy in mice. Embryo transfer was used to analyze effects of uterine environment on embryo implantation. Our results revealed that the implantation rate is significantly reduced in diabetic mice compared to controls, and the change of uterine environment is the main reason leading to the decreased implantation rate. Compared to control, the levels of LIF and p-STAT3 are significantly decreased in diabetic mice on day 4 of pregnancy, and serum estrogen level is significantly higher. Estrogen stimulates LIF expression under physiological level, but the excessive estrogen inhibits LIF expression. LIF, progesterone or insulin supplement can rescue embryo implantation in diabetic mice. Our data indicated that the dysregulated LIF-STAT3 pathway caused by the high level of estrogen results in the impaired implantation in diabetic mice, which can be rescued by LIF, progesterone or insulin supplement.
Computer‐Suggested Facial Makeup

Finding the best makeup for a given human face is an art in its own right. Experienced makeup artists train for years to be skilled enough to propose a best‐fit makeup for an individual. In this work we propose a system that automates this task. We acquired the appearance of 56 human faces, both without and with professional makeup. To this end, we use a controlled‐light setup, which allows to capture detailed facial appearance information, such as diffuse reflectance, normals, subsurface‐scattering, specularity, or glossiness. A 3D morphable face model is used to obtain 3D positional information and to register all faces into a common parameterization. We then define makeup to be the change of facial appearance and use the acquired database to find a mapping from the space of human facial appearance to makeup. Our main application is to use this mapping to suggest the best‐fit makeup for novel faces that are not in the database. Further applications are makeup transfer, automatic rating of makeup, makeup‐training, or makeup‐exaggeration. As our makeup representation captures a change in reflectance and scattering, it allows us to synthesize faces with makeup in novel 3D views and novel lighting with high realism. The effectiveness of our approach is further validated in a user‐study.
Current Advances in Seaweed Transformation

Frederick Griffith reported the discovery of transformation in 1928 [1]. Since a harmless strain of Streptococcus pneumoniae was altered to a virulent one by exposure to heat-killed virulent strains in mice, Griffice hypothesized that there was a transforming principle in the heat-killed strain. It took sixteen years to indentify the nature of the transforming principle as a DNA fragment released from virulent strains and integrated into the genome of a harmless strain [2]. Such an uptake and incorporation of DNA by bacteria was named transformation. Remarkably, an epoch-making technology in the form of artificial transformation protocol for the model bacterium Escherichia coli was established by Mandel and Higa in 1970 [3], which stimulated the development of artificial genetic transformation systems in yeasts, animals and plants. In plants, genetic transformation is a powerful tool for elucidating the functions and regulatory mechanisms of genes involved in various physiological events, and special attention has been paid to plant improvements affecting food security, human health, the environment and conservation of biodiversity. For instance, researchers have focused on the creation of organisms that efficiently produce biofuels and medically functional materials or carry stress tolerance in the face of uncertain environmental conditions [4-6].
Downregulation of Ca2+-Activated Cl− Channel TMEM16A by the Inhibition of Histone Deacetylase in TMEM16A-Expressing Cancer Cells

The Ca2+-activated Cl− channel transmembrane proteins with unknown function 16 A (TMEM16A; also known as anoctamin 1 or discovered on gastrointestinal stromal tumor 1) plays an important role in facilitating the cell growth and metastasis of TMEM16A-expressing cancer cells. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors (HDACi) are useful agents for cancer therapy, but it remains unclear whether ion channels are epigenetically regulated by them. Using real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blot analysis, and whole-cell patch-clamp assays, we found a significant decrease in TMEM16A expression and its functional activity was induced by the vorinostat, a pan-HDACi in TMEM16A-expressing human cancer cell lines, the prostatic cancer cell line PC-3, and the breast cancer cell line YMB-1. TMEM16A downregulation was not induced by the chemotherapy drug paclitaxel in either cell type. Pharmacologic blockade of HDAC3 by 1 μM T247 [N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-[1-(2-thiophen-3-ylethyl)-1H-[1],[2],[3]triazol-4-yl]benzamide], a HDAC3-selective HDACi, elicited a large decrease in TMEM16A expression and functional activity in both cell types, and pharmacologic blockade of HDAC2 by AATB [4-(acetylamino)-N-[2-amino-5-(2-thienyl)phenyl]-benzamide; 300 nM] elicited partial inhibition of TMEM16A expression (∼40%) in both. Pharmacologic blockade of HDAC1 or HDAC6 did not elicit any significant change in TMEM16A expression, respectively. In addition, inhibition of HDAC3 induced by small interfering RNA elicited a large decrease in TMEM16A transcripts in both cell types. Taken together, in malignancies with a frequent gene amplification of TMEM16A, HDAC3 inhibition may exert suppressive effects on cancer cell viability via downregulation of TMEM16A.
Classification of Spastic Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy in Children

Background: The Winter classification of spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP) is based on sagittal kinematic data from 3-dimensional gait analysis used in preoperative decision making and postoperative evaluation. Our goal was to investigate how well children with spastic hemiplegic CP can be classified using Winter criteria. Second, we assessed if patients move between groups over time and/or with surgical intervention. Methods: One hundred twelve patients with spastic hemiplegic CP with a mean age of 8.1 years were included. Medical records and the full gait analysis data were reviewed. Patients were classified using Winter criteria, and an independent sample t test was used to compare groups. Results: We found 26 patients (23%) that could not be classified according to Winter criteria. We defined these patients as group 0. This group showed the least deviation from normal values. Each of the 5 groups in our study showed a higher mean velocity of gait and were younger than any of the groups from the Winter study. In regard to rotational alignment, kinetic variables, and, to a certain extent, muscle tone, group 0 showed the least deviation from normal values; however, most differences were subtle. When reclassifying patients after a mean of 3 years, 8 of 15 had deteriorated in the nonsurgical group, moving to a higher numbered group, whereas 19 of 31 surgically treated patients had improved. Conclusions: The Winter classification failed to classify 23% (26/112) of our spastic hemiplegic CP children. We suggest that the classification be complemented with the less involved group 0. In this way, all patients can be classified, and thus, treatment plans can be established for all patients. The classification can be divided into ankle, knee, and hip joint involvement. The ankle involvement can be further divided into 3 separate groups. Treating physicians should be aware of the possibility that patients may move into another classification group over time. Level of Evidence: Diagnostic level 4. See instructions to authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.