Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Potential of HLA-G-Bearing Extracellular Vesicles as a Future Element in HLA-G Immune Biology

The HLA-G molecule is a member of the non-classical HLA class I family. Its surface expression is physiologically restricted to the maternal–fetal interface and to immune privileged adult tissues. Despite the restricted tissue expression, HLA-G is detectable in body fluids as secreted soluble molecules. A unique feature of HLA-G is the structural diversity as surface expressed and as secreted molecules. Secreted HLA-G can be found in various body fluids either as free soluble HLA-G or as part of extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are composed of various antigens/ligands/receptors, bioactive lipids, cytokines, growth factors, and genetic information, such as mRNA and microRNA. Functionally, HLA-G and its secreted forms are considered to play a crucial role in the network of immune-regulatory tolerance mechanisms, preferentially interacting with the cognate inhibitory receptors LILRB1 and LILRB2. The HLA-G mediated tolerance is described in processes of pregnancy, inflammation, and cancer. However, almost all functional and clinical implications of HLA-G in vivo and in vitro have been established based on simple single ligand/receptor interactions at the cell surface, whereas HLA-G-bearing EVs were in minor research focus. Indeed, cytotrophoblast cells, mesenchymal stem cells, and cancer cells were recently described to secrete HLA-G-bearing EVs, displaying immunosuppressive effects and modulating the tumor microenvironment. However, numerous functional and clinical open questions persist. Here, we (i) introduce basic aspects of EVs biology, (ii) summarize the functional knowledge, clinical implications and open questions of HLA-G-bearing EVs, and (iii) discuss HLA-G-bearing EVs as a future element in HLA-G biology.
Critical Decisions at a Critical Age: Adolescents and Young Adults in Latin America

This book uses micro-level data for 18 Latin American countries to examine the choices adolescents make in three areas of behavior: their time allocation toward school and work, their sexual behavior and fertility, and their adoption of adult roles as they marry or cohabitate. Analyzing these issues comparatively across countries provides a richer contrast of the broad range of behavior among youth around the region than traditional country studies. The analysis pays particular attention to the accumulation of human capital, a key determinant of living standards at the individual level and social progress at the aggregate level.
Product Market Regulation and Wage Premia in Europe and North-America: An Empirical Investigation

The paper explores the link between wage premia and the determinants of product market rents. We first estimate 2-digit industry premia from 1996 wage earnings data by category of worker (age, sex, education and type of contract) in 10 European countries, the US and Canada. Using industry-specific regulation data, we then look at the effects of restrictions to competition and public ownership on wage premia in non-manufacturing industries, where regulatory conditions vary the most and are better documented. We find that, given workers׳ bargaining power, anticompetitive regulations significantly increase wage premia, reflecting the presence of rents. However, premia decline in industries dominated by legal public monopolies, suggesting a hump-shaped relationship between regulation and premia. We show that the hump-shape is consistent with a model of non-pecuniary rent-sharing between workers and a populist public monopolist.
EFFECTS OF Piliostigma thonningii ETHYL ACETATE LEAF EXTRACT ON ALUMINIUM-CUM EXTRACT TREATED WISTAR RATS

Recent research findings extol the medicinal significance of the different parts of Piliostigma thonningii. The present study investigated the hepatoprotective effect of its ethyl acetate leaf extract against AlCl 3 -induced hepatocellular derangement in mature male rats. Thirty male Wistar rats (mean weight, 207 ± 11.01g) were randomly assigned to three groups: a control group treated with 0.5 ml of olive oil (vehicle for the extract) and 1 ml of saline (vehicle for the toxicant), a second group treated with 0.5 mg of AlCl 3 (toxicant) per kg of body weight (bwt) and a third group treated with 0.5 mg of Alcl 3 and 250 mg of P. thonningii extract per kg of body weight. Doses were administered for a period of 35 days at 24 h interval. Enzyme indices of liver functional and physiological integrity were analyzed using clinical test kits. The data obtained showed that rats treated with AlCl 3 expressed significant decrease in mean body weight gain (p<0.05) as well as increased serum activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) relative to the control group. AlCl 3 also caused a significant increase in the absolute weight of the liver of rats. The AlCl 3 -induced derangements were almost completely reversed in rats co-treated with P. thonningii ethyl acetate leaf extract. Histopathological examination of thin sections of liver of rats in the different groups showed massive hepatocellular damage in rats exposed to AlCl 3 alone compared to rats co-treated with the extract. Conclusively, the current study indicates that P. thonningii ethyl acetate leaf extract at the dose administered (250 mg/kg bwt po) protected rats against AlCl 3 -induced liver damage.
History of dark matter

Although dark matter is a central element of modern cosmology, the history of how it became accepted as part of the dominant paradigm is often ignored or condensed into an anecdotal account focused around the work of a few pioneering scientists. The aim of this review is to provide a broader historical perspective on the observational discoveries and the theoretical arguments that led the scientific community to adopt dark matter as an essential part of the standard cosmological model.
Patch Size and Landscape Effects on Density and Nesting Success of Grassland Birds

Abstract Current management recommendations for grassland birds in North America emphasize providing large patches of grassland habitat within landscapes that have few forest or shrubland areas. These Bird Conservation Areas are being proposed under the assumption that large patches of habitat in treeless landscapes will maintain viable populations of grassland birds. This assumption requires that patch size and landscape features affect density and nesting success of grassland birds, and that these effects are consistent among years and regions and across focal species. However, these assumptions have not yet been validated for grassland birds, and the relative importance of local vegetation structure, patch size, and landscape composition on grassland bird populations is not well known. In addition, factors influencing grassland bird nesting success have been investigated mostly in small-scale and short-duration studies. To develop management guidelines for grassland birds, we tested the spatial and temporal repeatability of the influence of patch size and landscape composition on density and nesting success of 3 grassland passerines, after controlling for local-scale vegetation structure, climate, and—when analyzing nest success—bird density. We conducted our study during 4 years (1998–2001) in 44 study plots that were set up in 3 regions of the northern tallgrass prairie in Minnesota and North Dakota, USA. In these study plots we measured density and nesting success of clay-colored sparrows (Spizella pallida), Savannah sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis), and bobolinks (Dolichonyx oryzivorus). Statistical models indicated that density was influenced by patch size, landscape, region, and local vegetation structure more so than by local vegetation structure alone. Both magnitude and direction of the response of density to patch size varied among regions, years, and species. In contrast, the direction of landscape effects was consistent among regions, years, and between Savannah sparrows and bobolinks. In each species, this landscape effect was independent of patch size. Nesting success was not clearly influenced by patch size or landscape composition, and none of the factors that influenced avian density also influenced nesting success in any of the 3 species. General statements on “optimal habitat” for grassland birds should therefore be viewed cautiously. Instead, long-term studies in different regions as well as a deeper understanding of the local system are needed to determine which factors are most important for grassland birds in a particular area.
Tapentadol potentiates descending pain inhibition in chronic pain patients with diabetic polyneuropathy.

BACKGROUND Tapentadol is an analgesic agent for treatment of acute and chronic pain that activates the µ-opioid receptor combined with inhibition of neuronal norepinephrine reuptake. Both mechanisms are implicated in activation of descending inhibitory pain pathways. In this study, we investigated the influence of tapentadol on conditioned pain modulation (CPM, an experimental measure of endogenous pain inhibition that gates incoming pain signals as a consequence of a preceding tonic painful stimulus) and offset analgesia (OA, a test in which a disproportionally large amount of analgesia becomes apparent upon a slight decrease in noxious heat stimulation). METHODS Twenty-four patients with diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) were randomized to receive daily treatment with tapentadol sustained-release (SR) [average daily dose 433 (31) mg] or placebo for 4 weeks. CPM and OA were measured before and on the last day of treatment. RESULTS Before treatment, none of the patients had significant CPM or OA responses. At week 4 of treatment, CPM was significantly activated by tapentadol SR and coincided with significant analgesic responses. CPM increased from 9.1 (5.4)% (baseline) to 14.3 (7.2)% (placebo) and 24.2 (7.7)% (tapentadol SR, P<0.001 vs placebo); relief of DPN pain was also greater in patients treated with tapentadol than placebo (P=0.028). Neither placebo nor tapentadol SR treatment had an effect on the magnitude of the OA responses (P=0.78). CONCLUSIONS Tapentadol's analgesic effect in chronic pain patients with DPN is dependent on activation of descending inhibitory pain pathways as observed by CPM responses. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION The study was registered at trialregister.nl under number NTR2716.
Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Distributions of the Ankle-Brachial Index among Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients

Background. The aim of present study is to observe the association between the levels of ankle-brachial index (ABI) and cardiovascular risk factors among people with type 2 diabetes mellitus in north India. A cross-sectional study was carried out at a centre for heart and diabetic clinic in the state of Punjab on 1121 subjects (671 males and 450 females) with type 2 diabetes mellitus. History of symptoms related to cardiovascular diseases was noted, and blood pressure and anthropometric measurements were recorded. Ankle-brachial index (ABI) was measured using ultrasonic Doppler flow detector. Subjects with ABI ≤0.9 and ≥1.30 were classified as having low and high ABI, respectively. Females had a higher BMI and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (P < 0.001). Whereas, males had higher diastolic blood pressure and duration of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The differences of systolic blood pressure and ankle-brachial index were not found significant between the sexes. The prevalence of low ABI (<0.9) was 4.47% in men and 4.67% in women and high ABI (≥1.30) was prevalent in 14% of men and 10.45% of women. Age, BMI, baPWV, and blood pressures were significantly associated with ABI value in both sexes. The results suggested that the ABI might be used as a strong indicator for cardiovascular risk factors in type 2 diabetic subjects.
Perception-Action Dissociations of a Walkable Müller-Lyer Configuration

These studies examined the role of spatial encoding in inducing perception-action dissociations in visual illusions. Participants were shown a large-scale Müller-Lyer configuration with hoops as its tails. In Experiment 1, participants either made verbal estimates of the extent of the Müller-Lyer shaft (verbal task) or walked the extent without vision, in an offset path (blind-walking task). For both tasks, participants stood a small distance away from the configuration, to elicit object-relative encoding of the shaft with respect to its hoops. A similar illusion bias was found in the verbal and motoric tasks. In Experiment 2, participants stood at one endpoint of the shaft in order to elicit egocentric encoding of extent. Verbal judgments continued to exhibit the illusion bias, whereas blind-walking judgments did not. These findings underscore the importance of egocentric encoding in motor tasks for producing perception-action dissociations.
Do Works Councils Inhibit Investment?

Theory suggests that firms confront a hold-up problem in dealing with workplace unionism: unions will appropriate a portion of the quasi-rents stemming from long-lived capital. As a result, firms may be expected to limit their exposure to rent-seeking by reducing investments. The U.S. evidence points clearly in this direction. The authors of this paper investigate whether the same is true for German works councils, the analogue of workplace unionism in that nation. Using establishment panel data for the years 1998–2003, they find no evidence that a works council's formation adversely affected investment or that its dissolution favorably affected investment.
γ-Synuclein Antibodies Have Neuroprotective Potential on Neuroretinal Cells via Proteins of the Mitochondrial Apoptosis Pathway

The family of synuclein proteins (α, β and γ) are related to neurodegenerative disease e.g. Parkinson disease and Morbus Alzheimer. Additionally, a connection between γ-synuclein and glaucoma, a neurodegenerative disease characterized by a progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells, which finally leads to blindness, exists. The reason for the development of glaucoma is still unknown. Recent studies evaluating the participation of immunological components, demonstrate complex changed antibody reactivities in glaucoma patients in comparison to healthy people, showing not only up-regulations (e.g. alpha-fodrin antibody) but also down-regulations (e.g. γ-synuclein antibody) of antibodies in glaucoma patients. Up-regulated antibodies could be auto-aggressive, but the role of down-regulated antibodies is still unclear. Previous studies show a significant influence of the serum and the antibodies of glaucoma patients on protein expression profiles of neuroretinal cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of γ-synuclein antibody on the viability and reactive oxygen species levels of a neuroretinal cell line (RGC-5) as well as their interaction with cellular proteins. We found a protective effect of γ-synuclein antibody resulting in an increased viability (up to 15%) and decreased reactive oxygen species levels (up to −12%) of glutamate and oxidative stressed RGC-5. These can be traced back to anti-apoptotic altered protein expressions in the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway indicated by mass spectrometry and validated by microarray analysis such as active caspase 3, bcl-2 associated-x-protein, S100A4, voltage-dependent anion channel, extracellular-signal-regulated-kinase (down-regulated) and baculoviral IAP repeat-containing protein 6, phosphorylated extracellular-signal-regulated-kinase (up-regulated). These changed protein expression are triggered by the γ-synuclein antibody internalization of RGC-5 we could see in immunohistochemical stainings. These findings let us assume a novel physiological function of γ-synuclein antibodies and give insights in the role of autoantibodies in glaucoma. We hypothesize that the down-regulation of autoantibodies found in glaucoma patients lead to a loss of protective autoimmunity.
Screening of BCL-2 associated X protein gene polymorphism associated with scrotal hernia in domesticated swine using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism

Objective This study was conducted to screen scrotal hernia in domesticated swine from selected breeders in the Philippines. This defect is associated with a cytosine to thymine mutation in the BCL-2 associated X protein (BAX) gene of swine. Methods Genetic screening was done by DNA extraction followed by amplification and digestion using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism, amplifying the 416 bp region of the BAX gene that was subjected to digestion using the Ear I enzyme. Sequencing was also conducted to validate the results. Results Results revealed that out of 538 samples tested, 411 (76.4%) of the samples were found to be normal whereas the remaining were carriers of the mutation in which 80 (14.9%) were heterozygous mutants and 47 (8.7%) were homozygous mutants. Pietrain breed was found to have the highest incidence. Conclusion Having a scrotal hernia eliminates the chances of using the boar as a breeder stock because the following generations arising from it would most likely exhibit herniation. It is therefore advised to establish a genetic screening method for Scrotal Hernia in the Philippines to eliminate the negative gene from the herd.
The Impact of Accountability on School Dropouts: The Students' Voices

viii CHAPTER 1, INTRODUCTION.1 Significance of the Study.3 Purpose of the Study.4 Research Questions.5 Definitions of Terms.5 Overview of Methodology.8 Delimitations . 9 Organization of the Report.11 CHAPTER 2, REVIEW OF LITERATURE.12 The Dropout “Problem”. 12 Defining Dropout.14 The Causes of Dropping Out.16 Consequences of Dropping Out.20 High-Stakes Testing.21 The Louisiana Accountability Program.23 CHAPTER 3, METHODOLOGY.30 Rationale for Qualitative Approach.31 Research Questions.31 Design . 32 Role of the Researcher . 32 My Story . 33 Methods for Keeping my Biases in Check.37 Site Selection.38 Sample Selection.40 Data Collection.42 Interview Protocol . 42 Data Analysis.43 Data Analysis Procedures . 43 Coding . 45 Establishing Trustworthiness . 46 CHAPTER 4, RESULTS.49 Participants.49 Interview Protocol.51 Data Analysis.53 Within-Case Analysis.54 Respondent #1 Doug . 54 Respondent #2 Bobby . 55 Respondent #3 Erin . 57 Respondent #4 Marty . 58 Respondent #5 Shawna . 59 Respondent #6 Don . 60 Respondent #7 Connie . 61
Development and validation of lower limb musculoskeletal model for Pinpointed Muscle Force Control

In this research, in order to achieve Pinpointed Muscle Force Control (PMFC) in lower limb, we developed lower limb musculoskeletal model and use the model for calculation and control one or some selected target muscles force. PMFC is the method which can be expected the effect to rehabilitation or training by giving a stimulus to the particular muscle. In the developed model, one leg has 4 links, 7 degrees of freedom (DOFs) and 44 major muscles. This model can estimate the muscle forces by using the optimization method. Some external force which the selected muscle generates target muscle force are obtained by using this model. The validation is taken by comparing change rate of the estimated muscle force with change rate of electromyogram (EMG) of the muscle obtained from experiments. We validate effectiveness of this model and the PMFC in lower limb by result of experiments.
Mechanism of the Efficient Tryptophan Fluorescence Quenching in Human γD-Crystallin Studied by Time-Resolved Fluorescence†

Human γD-crystallin (HγD-Crys) is a two-domain, β-sheet eye lens protein found in the lens nucleus. Its long-term solubility and stability are important to maintain lens transparency throughout life. HγD-Crys has four highly conserved buried tryptophans (Trps), with two in each of the homologous β-sheet domains. In situ, these Trps will be absorbing ambient UV radiation that reaches the lens. The dispersal of the excited-state energy to avoid covalent damage is likely to be physiologically relevant for the lens crystallins. Trp fluorescence is efficiently quenched in native HγD-Crys. Previous steady-state fluorescence measurements provide strong evidence for energy transfer from Trp42 to Trp68 in the N-terminal domain and from Trp130 to Trp156 in the C-terminal domain [Chen, J., et al. (2006) Biochemistry 45, 11552−11563]. Hybrid quantum mechanical−molecular mechanical (QM-MM) simulations indicated that the fluorescence of Trp68 and Trp156 is quenched by fast electron transfer to the amide backbone. Here we report additional information obtained using time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. In the single-Trp-containing proteins (Trp42-only, Trp68-only, Trp130-only, and Trp156-only), the highly quenched Trp68 and Trp156 have very short lifetimes, τ ∼0.1 ns, whereas the moderately fluorescent Trp42 and Trp130 have longer lifetimes, τ ∼3 ns. In the presence of the energy acceptor (Trp68 or Trp156), the lifetime of the energy donor (Trp42 or Trp130) decreased from ∼3 to ∼1 ns. The intradomain energy transfer efficiency is 56% in the N-terminal domain and is 71% in the C-terminal domain. The experimental values of energy transfer efficiency are in good agreement with those calculated theoretically. The absence of a time-dependent red shift in the time-resolved emission spectra of Trp130 proves that its local environment is very rigid. Time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy measurements with the single-Trp-containing proteins, Trp42-only and Trp130-only, indicate that the protein rotates as a rigid body and no segmental motion is detected. A combination of energy transfer with electron transfer results in short excited-state lifetimes of all Trps, which, together with the high rigidity of the protein matrix around Trps, could protect HγD-Crys from excited-state reactions causing permanent covalent damage.
Estrogen Effects onTubulin Expression andTaxane MediatedCytotoxicity in ProstateCancerCells

R. Bruce Montgomery,* Michael Bonham, Peter S. Nelson, Jonathan Grim, Ekram Makary, Robert Vessella, and William L. Stahl DepartmentsofMedicineandOncology,UniversityofWashingtonandVAPuget SoundHCS, Seattle,Washington DepartmentsofNeurology, Physiology, and Biophysics,UniversityofWashingtonandVA Puget SoundHCS, Seattle,Washington DepartmentofUrology,UniversityofWashingtonandVAPuget SoundHCS, Seattle,Washington DivisionofHumanBiology, FredHutchinsonCancer ResearchCenter, Seattle,Washington
Evaluation of Tissue Expression and Salivary Levels of HER2/neu in Patients with Head and Neck Squamous cell Carcinoma

Introduction: HER2/neu, a member of the epidermal growth factor receptor family, has been shown to be over-expressed in some tumors. The purpose of this study was to determine the salivary levels and tissue expression of HER2/neu in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and their correlation with clinicopathologic parameters. Materials and Methods: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were used to evaluate the salivary levels of HER2/neu and immunohistochemistry was used to measure tissue expression of HER2/neu in 28 patients with HNSCC and 25 healthy control subjects. Results: The salivary levels of HER2/neu in patients with HNSCC were not significantly higher compared to healthy control subjects. There was no apparent correlation between salivary HER2/neu levels and clinicopathological features such as age, sex, tumor grade, tumor size and nodal status. All HNSCC specimens were positive (membranous or/and cytoplasmic) for HER2/neu, except one sample. Only one HNSCC specimen showed staining purely in the tumor-cell cytoplasm. All control specimens were also positive for both membranous and cytoplasmic HER2/neu but there was a significant difference between the level of cytoplasmic staining in the HNSCC specimens and in the control specimens (P<0.05). Conclusion: In our study, no overexpression of HER2/neu was observed. Thus, identification of HER2/neu levels plays no role in differentiating between normal and squamous cell carcinoma tissues or detecting the carcinogenesis process. Our findings suggest that the use of HER2/neu as a salivary marker of HNSCC is not recommended, because no significant preoperative elevation and no association with clinicopathological features were found.