Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of NAD(P)H oxidase reduces apoptosis and avascular retina in an animal model of retinopathy of prematurity

Purpose To study the mechanisms of action of the antioxidants, n-acetylcysteine (NAC), and the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAPDH) oxidase oxidase inhibitor, apocynin, on intravitreous neovascularization (IVNV), and retinal avascularity in a rat model of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Methods Newborn rats exposed to oxygen-induced retinopathy underwent intraperitoneal (IP) injections of NAC (150 mg/kg) at post-natal day (p)2, p6, p10 (early NAC-treated), or p12 through p17 (late NAC-treated), apocynin (10 mg/kg) from p12 through p17, or phosphate buffered saline (PBS; controls). Lipid hydroperoxide (LHP) was measured in early NAC-treated oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) at p7, p14 and p18. Pups were placed in room air at p14. At p18, retinal flat mounts were scored for IVNV and avascular/total retinal area, or retinas were assayed for cleaved caspase-3 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein. In non-injected OIR pups, retinas were assayed for gp91phox. Cryosections were stained with isolectin B4, cleaved caspase-3, CD68, CD31, gp91phox, neuron-glial antigen 2 (NG-2), or anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and visualized with confocal microscopy. Results LHP increased over time in retinas from OIR exposed pups in association with IVNV. Early NAC-treated retinas had significantly reduced LHP compared to PBS-control at p18 (p<0.012). However, neither early nor late treatment with NAC had an effect on IVNV or retinal avascularity. Although apocynin had no effect on IVNV, it reduced both avascular retina (p=0.017) and retinal cleaved caspase-3 determined by western blot (p=0.021). In cryosections from OIR eyes, cleaved caspase-3 positive cells co-labeled with some lectin-stained vessels, NG2 labeled cells, and with GFAP positive cells in the inner nuclear layer. We found that the intravascular expression of gp91phox co-localized mostly with CD31 and some CD68 positive cells. Conclusions Our results do not support the antioxidant properties of NAC as effective in reducing IVNV or avascular retina in the 50/10 OIR rat model. Apocynin reduced avascularity and apoptosis in the OIR model perhaps through pathways triggered by ROS generation but upstream from LHP production. Further study and consideration may be given to apocynin or NAD(P)H oxidase inhibitors as adjunctive therapy for ROP to reduce the avascular retina.
carcinoembryonic antigen: phase I/Il study with comparative biodistribution of intact and F(ab') antibodies

'Cancer Research Cwapaign Clinical Research Laboratory, Department of Clinical Oncology, Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, London NW3 2PF, UK; 2Department of Cliniical Oncology, Uniersity Cotlege Londn Medical School, Riding House Street, London WIN 8AA, UK; 3Department of Radiotherapy, Charing Cross Hospital, Fulham Palace Road, London W6, UK; 4Department of Medical Physics, Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, London NW3 2PF, UK.
Real Time Robust Template Matching

One of the most popular methods to extract useful informations from an image sequence is the template matching approach. In this well known method the tracking of a certain feature or target over time is based on the comparison of the content of each image with a sample template. In this article, we propose an efficient robust template matching algorithm that is able to track targets in real time. Special attention is paid to occlusions handling and illumination variations.
Cortactin depletion results in short tubulobulbar complexes and spermiation failure in rat testes

Summary Tubulobulbar complexes are actin-related endocytic structures that form at sites of intercellular attachment in the seminiferous epithelium and are proposed to internalize intact junctions. In this study, we test the prediction that altering the structure/function of tubulobulbar complexes results in failure to release mature spermatids from Sertoli cells. We used an in vivo knockdown strategy to target cortactin, a component of tubulobulbar complexes, in Sprague Dawley rats. In each animal, one testis was surgically injected with cortactin siRNA reagents and the other testis was injected with non-targeting siRNA. After three days, experimental and control testes were processed for immunoblotting, electron microscopy or immunofluorescence microscopy. In testis sections immunostained for cortactin or labeled for filamentous actin, fluorescence microscopy revealed that tubulobulbar complexes were shorter in siRNA-treated testes relative to controls. Significantly, in the knockdown testes, spermiation was delayed in some tubules and had failed in others. When evaluated by electron microscopy, adhesion complexes (ectoplasmic specializations) remained associated with mature spermatids that failed to be released from Sertoli cells. Immunoblots both of whole testis lysates and of isolated seminiferous epithelial lysates confirmed that cortactin expression was knocked-down in experimental testes and in the seminiferous epithelium respectively, relative to controls. Moreover, in testes injected with siRNA reagents with a dye modification on one of the four targeting siRNA sequences, dye clusters were detected at the base of the epithelium confirming that the reagents entered Sertoli cells. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that tubulobulbar complexes internalize intercellular junctions and that they are a significant component of the sperm release mechanism.
Perception of Science Teacher Candidates Toward Creative Thinking Ability

This study aims to explore the perceptions of prospective science teacher students regarding creative thinking abilities. This study is an exploratory research with research subjects as many as 14 biology education students. The research instrument used is a closed questionnaire which has been developed referring to indicators of creative thinking abilities, namely fluency, flexibility, originality and elaboration. The questionnaire has answers using a Likert scale that has been validated by experts and declared valid. This research data was analyzed using quantitative descriptive statistics and inferential statistics with the Anova test. The results of this research are (1) biology education students have an average perception score regarding creative thinking abilities, namely the Fluency indicator is 2.52 in the Tall category, Flexibility is 2.61 in the Tall category, Originality is 2.63 in the Tall category, and Elaboration of 2.67 in the Tall category; (2) there is no significant difference in students' perceptions of creative thinking abilities on the indicators of fluency, flexibility, originality and elaboration, as evidenced by the results of the Anova test with a significance value of 0.719>0.05.
A New Solution for Camera Calibration and Real-Time Image Distortion Correction in Medical Endoscopy–Initial Technical Evaluation

Medical endoscopy is used in a wide variety of diagnostic and surgical procedures. These procedures are renowned for the difficulty of orienting the camera and instruments inside the human body cavities. The small size of the lens causes radial distortion of the image, which hinders the navigation process and leads to errors in depth perception and object morphology. This article presents a complete software-based system to calibrate and correct the radial distortion in clinical endoscopy in real time. Our system can be used with any type of medical endoscopic technology, including oblique-viewing endoscopes and HD image acquisition. The initial camera calibration is performed in an unsupervised manner from a single checkerboard pattern image. For oblique-viewing endoscopes the changes in calibration during operation are handled by a new adaptive camera projection model and an algorithm that infer the rotation of the probe lens using only image information. The workload is distributed across the CPU and GPU through an optimized CPU+GPU hybrid solution. This enables real-time performance, even for HD video inputs. The system is evaluated for different technical aspects, including accuracy of modeling and calibration, overall robustness, and runtime profile. The contributions are highly relevant for applications in computer-aided surgery and image-guided intervention such as improved visualization by image warping, 3-D modeling, and visual SLAM.
The 3BP2 Adapter Protein Is Required for Chemoattractant-Mediated Neutrophil Activation

3BP2 is a pleckstrin homology and Src homology 2 domain-containing adapter protein mutated in cherubism, a rare autosomal-dominant human bone disorder. Previously, we have demonstrated a functional role for 3BP2 in peripheral B cell development and in peritoneal B1 and splenic marginal zone B cell-mediated Ab responses. In this study, we show that 3BP2 is required for G protein-coupled receptor-mediated neutrophil functions. Neutrophils derived from 3BP2-deficient (Sh3bp2−/−) mice failed to polarize their actin cytoskeleton or migrate in response to a gradient of chemotactic peptide, fMLF. Sh3bp2−/− neutrophils failed to adhere, crawl, and emigrate out of the vasculature in response to fMLF superfusion. 3BP2 is required for optimal activation of Src family kinases, small GTPase Rac2, neutrophil superoxide anion production, and for Listeria monocytogenes bacterial clearance in vivo. The functional defects observed in Sh3bp2−/− neutrophils may partially be explained by the failure to fully activate Vav1 guanine nucleotide exchange factor and properly localize P-Rex1 guanine nucleotide exchange factor at the leading edge of migrating cells. Our results reveal an obligate requirement for the adapter protein 3BP2 in G protein-coupled receptor-mediated neutrophil function.
Peer Review History Title (provisional) Reasons for Readmission in a High-risk Population

BMJ Open publishes all reviews undertaken for accepted manuscripts. Reviewers are asked to complete a checklist review form (see an example) and are provided with free text boxes to elaborate on their assessment. These free text comments are reproduced below. Some articles will have been accepted based in part or entirely on reviews undertaken for other BMJ Group journals. These will be reproduced where possible.
Adenovirus Type 37 Uses Sialic Acid as a Cellular Receptor on Chang C Cells

ABSTRACT Epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC) is a severe eye infection caused mainly by adenovirus type 8 (Ad8), Ad19, and Ad37. We have shown that the EKC-causing adenoviruses use sialic acid as a cellular receptor on A549 cells instead of the coxsackie-adenovirus receptor, which is used by most adenoviruses. Recently, Wu et al. (Virology 279:78-89, 2001) proposed that Ad37 uses a 50-kDa protein as a receptor on Chang C conjunctival cells and that this interaction is independent of sialic acid. According to the American Type Culture Collection, this cell line carries HeLa cell markers and should be considered to be a genital cell line. This prompted us to investigate the function of sialic acid as a cellular receptor for Ad37 in Chang C cells. In this study, we demonstrate that enzymatic removal or lectin-mediated blocking of cell surface sialic acid inhibits the binding of Ad37 virions to Chang C cells, as does soluble, virion-interacting sialic acid-containing substances. The binding was Ca2+ or Mg2+ ion independent and mediated by the knob domain of the trimeric viral fiber polypeptide. Moreover, Ad37 virions infected Chang C cells and two other genital cell lines (HeLa and SiHa) as well as a corneal cell line in a strictly sialic acid-dependent manner. From these results, we conclude that Ad37 uses sialic acid as a major receptor in cell lines derived from both genital and corneal tissues.
High-energy chemistry of formamide: A unified mechanism of nucleobase formation

Significance This paper addresses one of the central problems of the origin of life research, i.e., the scenario suggesting extraterrestrial impact as the source of biogenic molecules. Likewise, the results might be relevant in the search of biogenic molecules in the universe. The work is therefore highly actual and interdisciplinary. It could be interesting for a very broad readership, from physical and organic chemists to synthetic biologists and specialists in astrobiology. The coincidence of the Late Heavy Bombardment (LHB) period and the emergence of terrestrial life about 4 billion years ago suggest that extraterrestrial impacts could contribute to the synthesis of the building blocks of the first life-giving molecules. We simulated the high-energy synthesis of nucleobases from formamide during the impact of an extraterrestrial body. A high-power laser has been used to induce the dielectric breakdown of the plasma produced by the impact. The results demonstrate that the initial dissociation of the formamide molecule could produce a large amount of highly reactive CN and NH radicals, which could further react with formamide to produce adenine, guanine, cytosine, and uracil. Based on GC-MS, high-resolution FTIR spectroscopic results, as well as theoretical calculations, we present a comprehensive mechanistic model, which accounts for all steps taking place in the studied impact chemistry. Our findings thus demonstrate that extraterrestrial impacts, which were one order of magnitude more abundant during the LHB period than before and after, could not only destroy the existing ancient life forms, but could also contribute to the creation of biogenic molecules.
Post's Programme for the Ershov Hierarchy

This article extends Post's; programme to finite levels of the Ershov hierarchy of Δ2 sets. Our initial characterization, in the spirit of Post (1994, Bulletin of the American Mathematical Society, 50, 284–316), of the degrees of the immune and hyperimmune n-enumerable sets leads to a number of results setting other immunity properties in the context of the Turing and wtt-degrees derived from the Ershov hierarchy. For instance, we show that any n-enumerable hyperhyperimmune set must be co-enumerable, for each n ≥ 2. The situation with regard to the wtt-degrees is particularly interesting, as demonstrated by a range of results concerning the wtt-predecessors of hypersimple sets. Finally, we give a number of results directed at characterizing basic classes of n-enumerable degrees in terms of natural information content. For example, a 2-enumerable degree contains a 2-enumerable dense immune set iff it contains a 2-enumerable r-cohesive set iff it bounds a high enumerable set. This result is extended to a characterization of n-enumerable degrees which bound high enumerable degrees. Furthermore, a characterization for n-enumerable degrees bounding only low2 enumerable degrees is given.
M gene analysis of atypical strains of feline and canine coronavirus circulating in an Austrian animal shelter

Coronavirus-positive samples of faeces collected in an Austrian animal shelter from 12 cats and 10 dogs were analysed by reverse transcriptase-pcr with primers amplifying a segment of the M protein gene, and by sequence analysis. In addition, the samples were subjected to S gene typing, using primers that differentiated between feline coronavirus (fcov) types I and II. A phylogenetic analysis of the M gene sequences revealed not only clearly segregating canine coronavirus (ccov) in the dogs, typical ccov sequences and the recently described fcov-like ccov, but also at least two genetic clusters of fcov in the cats, one species-specific, the other more closely related to fcov-like ccov. The M gene sequences of these new feline strains had at most 88 per cent identity with the fcov-like ccov strain 259/01 and only up to 85 per cent with any fcov sequence available in GenBank. In the phylogenetic tree they occupy an intermediate position between feline and canine coronaviruses.
Compact hyperbolic tetrahedra with non-obtuse dihedral angles

Given a combinatorial description $C$ of a polyhedron having $E$ edges, the space of dihedral angles of all compact hyperbolic polyhedra that realize $C$ is generally not a convex subset of $\mathbb{R}^E$ [9]. If $C$ has five or more faces, Andreev's Theorem states that the corresponding space of dihedral angles $A_C$ obtained by restricting to non-obtuse angles is a convex polytope. In this paper we explain why Andreev did not consider tetrahedra, the only polyhedra having fewer than five faces, by demonstrating that the space of dihedral angles of compact hyperbolic tetrahedra, after restricting to non-obtuse angles, is non-convex. Our proof provides a simple example of the "method of continuity", the technique used in classification theorems on polyhedra by Alexandrow [4], Andreev [5], and Rivin-Hodgson [18].
Computing with networks of nonlinear mechanical oscillators

As it is getting increasingly difficult to achieve gains in the density and power efficiency of microelectronic computing devices because of lithographic techniques reaching fundamental physical limits, new approaches are required to maximize the benefits of distributed sensors, micro-robots or smart materials. Biologically-inspired devices, such as artificial neural networks, can process information with a high level of parallelism to efficiently solve difficult problems, even when implemented using conventional microelectronic technologies. We describe a mechanical device, which operates in a manner similar to artificial neural networks, to solve efficiently two difficult benchmark problems (computing the parity of a bit stream, and classifying spoken words). The device consists in a network of masses coupled by linear springs and attached to a substrate by non-linear springs, thus forming a network of anharmonic oscillators. As the masses can directly couple to forces applied on the device, this approach combines sensing and computing functions in a single power-efficient device with compact dimensions.
Prophylactic and therapeutic effects of human immunoglobulin on the pathobiology of HSV-1 infection, latency, and reactivation in mice

Pooled human immunoglobulin (IgG) was evaluated as prophylaxis and treatment of HSV-1 infection in mice. We compared the effects of IgG on the course of acute infection and spread of virus through the nervous system, as well as on the establishment, maintenance, and reactivation of virus from latency. Balb/c mice received a single 3.75 mg intraperitoneal injection of IgG 24 h before or 24 h, 48 h, or 72 h after ocular infection with 106 pfu of HSV-1 strain McKrae. Treatment with IgG protected against death in a time-dependent manner (P < 0.001 for − 24 h vs. +48 h and + 72 h IgG treatment groups). Viral shedding from the eyes was reduced more in mice treated with IgG at − 24 h or + 24 h relative to animals treated at + 48 h. Viral titers in the eyes were reduced in mice treated with IgG at + 24 h, but not at + 48 h. In ganglia, virus recovery was reduced (P < 0.05) in mice treated at − 24 h, +24 h, or +48 h relative to untreated mice, or ones treated at + 72 h. In brains, similar results were observed in mice treated at − 24 h, + 24 h, or + 48 h relative to + 72 h. Upon explantation, virus reactivated from all ganglia of all surviving mice regardless of treatment group. DNA quantitation showed that mice pretreated with IgG tended towards lower quantities of latent genome copies compared to +24 h treatment and +48 h treatment. UV irradiation induced reactivation in vivo in 16/40 pretreated mice, 20/29 mice treated at +24 h, and in 8/8 mice treated at +48 h (P = 0.03 and P = 0.004, for comparisons at − 24 h vs. +24 h, and − 24 h vs. +48 h, respectively). Histopathological studies revealed that mice pretreated and treated with IgG had milder encephalitis and reduced virus spread compared to untreated mice. Fooled human IgG attenuates the spread of, and morbidity from, HSV-1 if given before and within 2 days after ocular infection.
Polymorphonuclear Neutrophils Improve Replication of Chlamydia pneumoniae In Vivo upon MyD88-Dependent Attraction1

Chlamydia pneumoniae, an obligate intracellular bacterium, causes pneumonia in humans and mice. In this study, we show that GR1+/CD45+ polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) surprisingly increase the bacterial load of C. pneumoniae in vivo. Upon intranasal infection of wild-type mice, the lung weight is increased; the cytokines TNF, IL-12p40, and IFN-γ, as well as the chemokines keratinocyte-derived chemokine, MCP-1, and MIP-2 are secreted; and GR1+/CD45+ PMN are recruited into lungs 3 days postinfection. In contrast, in infected MyD88-deficient mice, which lack a key adaptor molecule in the signaling cascade of TLRs and IL-1R family members, the increase of the lung weight is attenuated, and from the analyzed cyto- and chemokines, only IL-12p40 is detectable. Upon infection, almost no influx of inflammatory cells into lungs of MyD88-deficient mice can be observed. Six days postinfection, however, MyD88-deficient mice were able to produce TNF, IFN-γ, keratinocyte-derived chemokine, and MCP-1 in amounts similar to wild-type mice, but failed to secrete IL-12p40 and MIP-2. At this time point, the infection increased the lung weight to a level similar to wild-type mice. Curiously, the chlamydial burden in MyD88-deficient mice 3 days postinfection is lower than in wild-type mice, a finding that can be reproduced in wild-type mice by depletion of GR1+ cells. In analyzing how PMN influence the chlamydial burden in vivo, we find that PMN are infected and enhance the replication of C. pneumoniae in epithelial cells. Thus, the lower chlamydial burden in MyD88-deficient mice can be explained by the failure to recruit PMN.
The Effects of City Streets on an Urban Disease Vector

With increasing urbanization vector-borne diseases are quickly developing in cities, and urban control strategies are needed. If streets are shown to be barriers to disease vectors, city blocks could be used as a convenient and relevant spatial unit of study and control. Unfortunately, existing spatial analysis tools do not allow for assessment of the impact of an urban grid on the presence of disease agents. Here, we first propose a method to test for the significance of the impact of streets on vector infestation based on a decomposition of Moran's spatial autocorrelation index; and second, develop a Gaussian Field Latent Class model to finely describe the effect of streets while controlling for cofactors and imperfect detection of vectors. We apply these methods to cross-sectional data of infestation by the Chagas disease vector Triatoma infestans in the city of Arequipa, Peru. Our Moran's decomposition test reveals that the distribution of T. infestans in this urban environment is significantly constrained by streets (p<0.05). With the Gaussian Field Latent Class model we confirm that streets provide a barrier against infestation and further show that greater than 90% of the spatial component of the probability of vector presence is explained by the correlation among houses within city blocks. The city block is thus likely to be an appropriate spatial unit to describe and control T. infestans in an urban context. Characteristics of the urban grid can influence the spatial dynamics of vector borne disease and should be considered when designing public health policies.