Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Migratory behavior of lymphocytes with specific reactivity to alloantigens. II. Selective recruitment to lymphoid cell allografts and their draining lymph nodes

A dual-antigen, dual-isotope assay has been used to monitor the migratory behavior of selectively labeled antiallogeneic lymphocytes in mice challenged subcutaneously in all four foot pads with semiallogeneic spleen cells. 3H-labeled anti-C3H and 14C-labeled anti- C57BL lymphocytes of DBA/2J origin were pooled and adoptively transferred to multiple groups of previously challenged DBA/2J recipients. In some of the studies, separate groups of recipients were challenged with either CDF or BDF spleen cells in all four paws, whereas in others CDF spleen cells were used to challenge the right paws of each mouse in the group and BDF spleen cells to challenge the left paws of each mouse in the group. At intervals varying from 24 to 96 h after challenge, a subgroup of four mice from each appropriate group was sacrificed and the relative numbers of anti-C3H and anti- C57BL lymphocytes present in the challenged paws, draining lymph nodes, and other tissues of each mouse were inferred from the mean 3H/14C ratios of the respective tissues of that subgroup. The results of these studies firmly establish that specific antiallogeneic lymphocytes are selectively recruited to the paws and draining lymph nodes of mice challenged subcutaneously in the foot pads with semiallogeneic spleen cells and are deleted from their circulating blood and nondraining lymph nodes. A mechanism for antigen-induced selective recruitment and its possible functional significance in tumor immunology are discussed.
Ventilatory capacity and risk for dementia.

BACKGROUND Previous studies have found a relationship between single indicators of ventilatory capacity and measures of cognitive function, but have not addressed dementia specifically. This study examined the relationship between different indicators of ventilatory capacity and dementia, diagnosed according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Revised Third Edition, controlling for important confounding factors. METHODS Cross-sectional data on participants (n = 437) of the Berlin Aging Study (BASE), which are representative of former West Berlin's living population aged 70 years and older, were analyzed. Ventilatory capacity was measured by spirometry as peak expiratory flow rate (PEF-R), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV-1), maximal expiratory flow at 50% of forced vital capacity (MEF50%FVC), and maximal expiratory flow at 25% of forced vital capacity (MEF25%FVC). Odds ratios (OR) for dementia associated with ventilatory capacity were obtained by logistic regression, adjusting for age, gender, education, ApoE4 status, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, smoking, heart failure, visual and auditory functioning, grip strength, and former physical activity. RESULTS Separate analyses for PEF-R, FEV-1, MEF50%FVC, and MEF25%FVC revealed significantly increased odds for dementia among subjects in the lowest compared with the best functioning group in ventilatory testing. The OR associated with PEF-R > or = 2 l/s was found to be 20.4 (confidence interval [CI] 5.1-82.7). For FEV-1, MEF50%FVC, and MEF25%FVC ORs of 7.5 (CI 2.1-27.9), 4.3 (CI 1.5-12.5), and 4.7 (CI 1.3-17) were obtained, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Ventilatory capacity, measured by spirometry in a representative sample of very elderly people, is cross-sectionally related to dementia. Taking evidence from longitudinal studies into account, this result suggests that decreased respiratory function may increase the risk for dementia, independent from already known risk factors.
Recombinant murine gamma interferon inhibits Chlamydia trachomatis serovar L1 in vivo

Chlamydia trachomatis serovar L1 injected intravenously in mice resulted in systemic nonlethal infections of the animals. Treatment of mice with recombinant murine gamma interferon resulted in a decrease in the number of infectious C. trachomatis organisms recovered from the lungs, spleens, and livers as well as in a decrease of the inflammatory reaction in those organs when assessed 3 and 5 days after challenge.
Targeting and imaging single biomolecules in living cells by complementation-activated light microscopy with split-fluorescent proteins

Single-molecule (SM) microscopy allows outstanding insight into biomolecular mechanisms in cells. However, selective detection of single biomolecules in their native environment remains particularly challenging. Here, we introduce an easy methodology that combines specific targeting and nanometer accuracy imaging of individual biomolecules in living cells. In this method, named complementation-activated light microscopy (CALM), proteins are fused to dark split-fluorescent proteins (split-FPs), which are activated into bright FPs by complementation with synthetic peptides. Using CALM, the diffusion dynamics of a controlled subset of extracellular and intracellular proteins are imaged with nanometer precision, and SM tracking can additionally be performed with fluorophores and quantum dots. In cells, site-specific labeling of these probes is verified by coincidence SM detection with the complemented split-FP fusion proteins or intramolecular single-pair Förster resonance energy transfer. CALM is simple and combines advantages from genetically encoded and synthetic fluorescent probes to allow high-accuracy imaging of single biomolecules in living cells, independently of their expression level and at very high probe concentrations.
Deep-sea hydrothermal vent bacteria related to human pathogenic Vibrio species

Significance During Alvin and Nautile dives in 1999, samples were collected from water surrounding sulfide chimneys of a hydrothermal vent along the East Pacific Rise and four mesophilic bacteria were isolated, including a novel Vibrio species, Vibrio antiquarius. Genomic, functional, and phylogenetic analyses indicate an intriguing blend of genomic features related to adaptation and animal symbiotic association, and also revealed the presence of virulence genes commonly found in Vibrio species pathogenic for humans. The presence of these virulence genes in an ecologically distinct Vibrio species was surprising. It is concluded that pathogenicity genes serve a far more fundamental ecological role than solely causation of human disease. Vibrio species are both ubiquitous and abundant in marine coastal waters, estuaries, ocean sediment, and aquaculture settings worldwide. We report here the isolation, characterization, and genome sequence of a novel Vibrio species, Vibrio antiquarius, isolated from a mesophilic bacterial community associated with hydrothermal vents located along the East Pacific Rise, near the southwest coast of Mexico. Genomic and phenotypic analysis revealed V. antiquarius is closely related to pathogenic Vibrio species, namely Vibrio alginolyticus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio harveyi, and Vibrio vulnificus, but sufficiently divergent to warrant a separate species status. The V. antiquarius genome encodes genes and operons with ecological functions relevant to the environment conditions of the deep sea and also harbors factors known to be involved in human disease caused by freshwater, coastal, and brackish water vibrios. The presence of virulence factors in this deep-sea Vibrio species suggests a far more fundamental role of these factors for their bacterial host. Comparative genomics revealed a variety of genomic events that may have provided an important driving force in V. antiquarius evolution, facilitating response to environmental conditions of the deep sea.
(+/–)3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) Dose-Dependently Impairs Spatial Learning in the Morris Water Maze after Exposure of Rats to Different Five-Day Intervals from Birth to Postnatal Day Twenty

During postnatal days (PD) 11–20, (+/–)3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) treatment impairs egocentric and allocentric learning, and reduces spontaneous locomotor activity; however, it does not have these effects during PD 1–10. How the learning impairments relate to the stress hyporesponsive period (SHRP) is unknown. To test this association, the preweaning period was subdivided into 5-day periods from PD 1–20. Separate pups within each litter were injected subcutaneously with 0, 10, 15, 20, or 25 mg/kg MDMA ×4/day on PD 1–5, 6–10, 11–15, or 16–20, and tested as adults. The 3 highest MDMA dose groups showed reduced locomotor activity during the first 10 min (of 60 min), especially in the PD 1–5 and 6–10 dosing regimens. MDMA groups in all dosing regimens showed impaired allocentric learning in the Morris water maze (on acquisition and reversal, all MDMA groups were affected; on the small platform phase, the 2 high-dose groups were affected). No effects of MDMA were found on anxiety (elevated zero maze), novel object recognition, or egocentric learning (although a nonsignificant trend was observed). The Morris maze results did not support the idea that the SHRP is critical to the effects of MDMA on allocentric learning. However, since no effects on egocentric learning were found, but were apparent after PD 11–20 treatment, the results show that these 2 forms of learning have different exposure-duration sensitivities.
Repair of spinal cord injury by co-transplantation of embryonic stem cell-derived motor neuron and olfactory ensheathing cell.

BACKGROUND The failure of regeneration after spinal cord injury (SCI) has been attributed to axonal demyelination and neuronal death. Cellular replacement and white matter regeneration are both necessary for SCI repair. In this study, we evaluated the co-transplantation of olfactory ensheathing cells (OEC) and embryonic stem (ES) cell-derived motor neurons (ESMN) on contused SCI. METHODS OEC cultured from olfactory nerve rootlets and olfactory bulbs. ESMN was generated by exposing mouse ES cells to retinoic acid and sonic hedgehog. Thirty female rats were used to prepare SCI models in five groups. Control and medium-injected groups was subjected to induce lesion without cell transplantation. OEC or ESMN or both were transplanted into the site of the lesion in other groups. RESULTS The purity of OEC culture was 95%. Motor neuron progenitor markers (Olig2, Nkx6.1 and Pax6) and motor neuron markers (Isl1, Isl2 and Hb9) were expressed. Histological analysis showed that significantly more (P<0.001) spinal tissue was spared in OEC, ESMN and OEC+ ESMN groups but the OEC+ ESMN group had a significantly greater percentage of spared tissue and myelination than other groups (P< 0.05). The numbers of ESMN in co-transplanted group were significantly higher than ESMN group (P<0.05). A significant (P<0.05) recovery of hindlimb function was observed in rats in the transplanted groups. CONCLUSION We found that the co-transplantation of ESMN and OEC into an injured spinal cord has a synergistic effect, promoting neural regeneration, ESMN survival and partial functional recovery.
Modeling the dynamics of individual behaviors for group detection in crowds using low-level features

This paper introduces two novel algorithms for detecting groups of people standing or freely moving in a crowded environment. The proposed algorithms exploit low-level features extracted from videos. The first algorithm, the Link Method, uses a learning and forgetting strategy for modeling dynamics of proxemics between individuals. Two versions of this algorithm are proposed: they differ in the analysis of proxemics. The second one, called Interpersonal Synchrony Method, explicitly adopts interpersonal synchrony to refine clusters of persons detected by combining together proxemics and 2D field of view of individuals. The algorithms are evaluated on both simulated and real-world video sequences from state-of-the-art databases. Clustering metrics such as the Adjusted Mutual Information shows that our models outperform the approach based on F-formations. This work developed algorithms that can be readily applied in robotics, to allow robots to automatically detect groups in crowded environments.
Performance analysis of fractional-order PID controller for a parabolic distributed solar collector

This paper studies the performance of a fractional-order proportional integral derivative (FOPID) controller designed for parabolic distributed solar collectors. The control problem addressed in concentrated solar collectors aims at forcing the produced heat to follow a desired reference despite the unevenly varying solar irradiance. In addition to the unpredictable variations of the energy source, the parabolic solar collectors are subject to inhomogeneous distributed efficiency parameters affecting the heat production. The FOPID controller is well known for its simplicity with better tuning flexibility along with robustness with respect to disturbances. Thus, we propose a control strategy based on FOPID to achieve the control objectives. First, the FOPID controller is designed based on a linear approximate model describing the system dynamics under nominal working conditions. Then, the FOPID gains and differentiation orders are optimally tuned in order to fulfill the robustness design specifications by solving a nonlinear optimization problem. Numerical simulations are carried out to evaluate the performance of the proposed FOPID controller. A comparison to the robust integer order PID is also provided. Robustness tests are performed for the nominal model to show the effectiveness of the FOPID. Furthermore, the proposed FOPID is numerically tested to control the distributed solar collector under real working conditions.
Operationalizing symptom distress in adults with cancer: a literature synthesis.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To address inconsistencies in the definition and operationalization of symptom distress by synthesizing the literature on cancer-related symptom distress in adults. DATA SOURCES Electronic nursing, psychology, and medicine databases; online meeting abstracts; and various print sources. DATA SYNTHESIS Eight distinct methods of operationalizing the concept were identified. Gender, ethnic, developmental, cultural, and individual differences in symptom distress have not been identified. Relationships among symptom frequency, intensity, and distress are unclear. CONCLUSIONS Lack of clarity and consensus in defining and operationalizing symptom distress hinder meta-analysis, research synthesis, and research utilization. Symptom distress may be emerging as a component of the multidimensional symptom experience. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING Defining and operationalizing symptom distress consistently will enhance research synthesis and assist clinicians with more effectively meeting the needs of people with cancer. Research is needed to identify the meanings of symptom distress to patients with cancer and to differentiate symptom distress from symptom frequency and intensity.
Processing of Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Aluminum Composite

Carbon nanotube reinforced aluminum (Al) composites were produced by hot-press and hot-extrusion methods. The interfacial structure between the carbon nanotube and Al was examined using a transmission electron microscope (TEM), and the mechanical properties were measured by a tensile test. TEM observations have shown that the nanotubes in the composites are not damaged during the composite preparation and that no reaction products at the nanotube/Al interface are visible after annealing for 24 h at 983 K. The strength of the composites is only slightly affected by the annealing time at 873 K, while that of the pure Al produced in a similar powder metallurgy process significantly decreases with time. These studies are considered to yield experimental information valuable for producing high performance composites.
Arabidopsis PUB22 and PUB23 Are Homologous U-Box E3 Ubiquitin Ligases That Play Combinatory Roles in Response to Drought Stress[W]

Ubiquitination is involved in diverse cellular processes in higher plants. In this report, we describe Arabidopsis thaliana PUB22 and PUB23, two homologous U-box–containing E3 ubiquitin (Ub) ligases. The PUB22 and PUB23 genes were rapidly and coordinately induced by abiotic stresses but not by abscisic acid. PUB22- and PUB23-overexpressing transgenic plants were hypersensitive to drought stress. By contrast, loss-of-function pub22 and pub23 mutant plants were significantly more drought-tolerant, and a pub22 pub23 double mutant displayed even greater drought tolerance. These results indicate that PUB22 and PUB23 function as negative regulators in the water stress response. Yeast two-hybrid, in vitro pull-down, and in vivo coimmunoprecipitation experiments revealed that PUB22 and PUB23 physically interacted with RPN12a, a subunit of the 19S regulatory particle (RP) in the 26S proteasome. Bacterially expressed RPN12a was effectively ubiquitinated in a PUB-dependent fashion. RPN12a was highly ubiquitinated in 35S:PUB22 plants, but not in pub22 pub23 double mutant plants, consistent with RPN12a being a substrate of PUB22 and PUB23 in vivo. In water-stressed wild-type and PUB-overexpressing plants, a significant amount of RPN12a was dissociated from the 19S RP and appeared to be associated with small-molecular-mass protein complexes in cytosolic fractions, where PUB22 and PUB23 are localized. Overall, our results suggest that PUB22 and PUB23 coordinately control a drought signaling pathway by ubiquitinating cytosolic RPN12a in Arabidopsis.
Drug Resistance Mechanisms in Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma

Lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world. “Driver” and “passenger” mutations identified in lung cancer indicate that genetics play a major role in the development of the disease, progression, metastasis and response to therapy. Survival rates for lung cancer treatment have remained stagnant at ~15% over the past 40 years in patients with disseminated disease despite advances in surgical techniques, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Resistance to therapy; either intrinsic or acquired has been a major hindrance to treatment leading to great interest in studies seeking to understand and overcome resistance. Genetic information gained from molecular analyses has been critical in identifying druggable targets and tumor profiles that may be predictors of therapeutic response and mediators of resistance. Mutated or overexpressed epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and translocations in the echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4 (EML4)-anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) genes (EML4-ALK) are examples of genetic aberrations resulting in targeted therapies for both localized and metastatic disease. Positive clinical responses have been noted in patients harboring these genetic mutations when treated with targeted therapies compared to patients lacking these mutations. Resistance is nonetheless a major factor contributing to the failure of targeted agents and standard cytotoxic agents. In this review, we examine molecular mechanisms that are potential drivers of resistance in non-small cell lung carcinoma, the most frequently diagnosed form of lung cancer. The mechanisms addressed include resistance to molecular targeted therapies as well as conventional chemotherapeutics through the activity of multidrug resistance proteins.
Control of Cellulose Synthase Complex Localization in Developing Xylem Article, publication date, and citation information can be found at www.plantcell.org/cgi/doi/10.1105/tpc.012815.

Cellulose synthesis in the developing xylem vessels of Arabidopsis requires three members of the cellulose synthase (CesA) gene family. In young vessels, these three proteins localize within the cell, whereas in older vessels, all three CesA proteins colocalize with bands of cortical microtubules that mark the sites of secondary cell wall deposition. In the absence of one subunit, however, the remaining two subunits are retained in the cell, demonstrating that all three CesA proteins are required to assemble a functional complex. CesA proteins with altered catalytic activity localize normally, suggesting that cellulose synthase activity is not required for this localization. Cortical microtubule arrays are required continually to maintain normal CesA protein localization. By contrast, actin microfilaments do not colocalize with the CesA proteins and are unlikely to play a direct role in their localization. Green fluorescent protein–tagged CesA reveals a novel process in which the structure and/or local environment of the cellulose synthase complex is altered rapidly.
Moisture Diffusion in a Fiber-reinforced Composite: Part I – Non-Fickian Transport and the Effect of Fiber Spatial Distribution

The results of an investigation into the effects of non-Fickian sorption and fiber spatial distribution on moisture diffusion in laminated composite materials are presented as part of a study to develop a predictive model for fiber-reinforced composite moisture transport mechanics. Experimental diffusion rate data are obtained from gravimetric analysis of T800/924 carbon fiber epoxy composites using Fickian absorption models adapted to account for hygro-elastic relaxation and polymer–penetrant interaction mechanisms. The transverse diffusion coefficient of the composite (Dz) is determined relative to that of the polymer matrix (Dp) and the ratio Dz/Dp is compared with experimental data provided in other published research. The experimental data, both from this investigation and that obtained from other sources, exhibit significant scatter and only limited correlation with a traditional flux-continuity model. The use of the adapted sorption models reduces experimental scatter by 60% through improved representation of the true sorption mechanics of polymer-based systems. The effects of fiber spatial distribution on the predictions of the flux-continuity model are also considered. There is found to be negligible difference between fully random and, the more commonly assumed and analyzed, regular-packed distributions. A novel finding of the investigation is an assessment of the effect layered high and low fiber volume fraction regions have on the transverse diffusivity of a composite. In such configurations, Dz/Dp is significantly reduced from that predicted using bulk composite properties, providing a possible explanation for the variation between some experimental data and predicted behavior.
An Event-related Potential Study of Selective Auditory Attention in Children and Adults

In a dichotic listening paradigm, event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded to linguistic and nonlinguistic probe stimuli embedded in 2 different narrative contexts as they were either attended or unattended. In adults, the typical N1 attention effect was observed for both types of probes: Probes superimposed on the attended narrative elicited an enhanced negativity compared to the same probes when unattended. Overall, this sustained attention effect was greater over medial and left lateral sites, but was more posteriorly distributed and of longer duration for linguistic as compared to nonlinguistic probes. In contrast, in 6-to 8-year-old children the ERPs were morphologically dissimilar to those elicited in adults and children displayed a greater positivity to both types of probe stimuli when embedded in the attended as compared to the unattended narrative. Although both adults and children showed attention effects beginning at about 100 msec, only adults displayed left-lateralized attention effects and a distinct, posterior distribution for linguistic probes. These results suggest that the attentional networks indexed by this task continue to develop beyond the age of 8 years.
Two Different Machine Learning Techniques for Drug-Drug Interaction Extraction

Detection of drug-drug interaction (DDI) is an important task for both patient safety and efficient health care management. In this paper, we explore the combination of two different machine-learning approaches to extract DDI: (i) a feature-based method using a SVM classifier with a set of features extracted from texts, and (ii) ak ernel- based method combining 3 different kernels. Experiments conducted on the DDIExtraction2011 challenge corpus (unified format) show that our method is effective in extracting DDIs with 0.6398 F1.