Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
What is microglia neurotoxicity (Not)?

Microglia most likely appeared early in evolution as they are not only present in vertebrates, but are also found in nervous systems of various nonvertebrate organisms. Mammalian microglia are derived from a specific embryonic, self‐renewable myeloid cell population that is throughout lifetime not replaced by peripheral myeloid cells. These phylogenic and ontogenic features suggest that microglia serve vital functions. Yet, microglia often are described as neurotoxic cells, that actively kill (healthy) neurons. Since it is from an evolutionary point of view difficult to understand why an important and vulnerable organ like the brain should host numerous potential killers, we here review the concept of microglia neurotoxicity. On one hand it is discussed that most of our understanding about how microglia kill neurons is based on in vitro experiments or correlative staining studies that suffer from the difficulty to discriminate microglia and peripheral myeloid cells in the diseased brain. On the other hand it is described that a more functional approach by mutating, inactivating or deleting microglia is seldom associated with a beneficial outcome in an acute injury situation, suggesting that microglia are normally important protective elements in the brain. This might change in chronic disease or the aged brain, where; however, it remains to be established whether microglia simply lose their protective capacities or whether microglia become truly neurotoxic cells. GLIA 2014;62:841–854
Acrylamide in Foods: Data and More Questions

The presence of acrylamide in foods was first reported in April 2002. Because the chemical has been classified as "probably carcinogenic" to humans, and following confirmation of these initial findings, this immediately became a worldwide problem. Acrylamide occurs in many foods common to diets globally. It is formed during the heat preparation of carbohydrate-rich foods containing the reducing sugars glucose and fructose and the amino acid asparagine, which are common to the plant ingredients used in the preparation of many foods. It is not present naturally, nor is it added. It is formed in many common foods during the Maillard browning reaction, which produces their color, flavor, and aroma during the heating process. In the years since then, the extent of formation in foods, the mechanisms by which it is formed, the exposure in human populations, and many continuing investigations into methods for reducing its contents in foods have occurred. The central issue of concern is whether there is a potential adverse health implication for consumers from the amounts of acrylamide consumed in common diets. Data are still not sufficient to fully answer this, so there are no current recommendations regarding changes in dietary intake. Current dietary advice advocates following dietary guidelines to eat a variety of foods, prepared in a variety of ways, and to focus on reducing saturated fat and salt and eating adequate amounts of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. This review updates the current status of the issues of acrylamide in foods including the data available and the questions still existing
Statistical inference of OH concentrations and air mass dilution rates from successive observations of nonmethane hydrocarbons in single air masses

[1] Bayesian inference has been used to determine rigorous estimates of hydroxyl radical concentrations () and air mass dilution rates (K) averaged following air masses between linked observations of nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) spanning the North Atlantic during the Intercontinental Transport and Chemical Transformation (ITCT)-Lagrangian-2K4 experiment. The Bayesian technique obtains a refined (posterior) distribution of a parameter given data related to the parameter through a model and prior beliefs about the parameter distribution. Here, the model describes hydrocarbon loss through OH reaction and mixing with a background concentration at rate K. The Lagrangian experiment provides direct observations of hydrocarbons at two time points, removing assumptions regarding composition or sources upstream of a single observation. The estimates are sharpened by using many hydrocarbons with different reactivities and accounting for their variability and measurement uncertainty. A novel technique is used to construct prior background distributions of many species, described by variation of a single parameter α. This exploits the high correlation of species, related by the first principal component of many NMHC samples. The Bayesian method obtains posterior estimates of , K and α following each air mass. Median values are typically between 0.5 and 2.0 × 106 molecules cm−3, but are elevated to between 2.5 and 3.5 × 106 molecules cm−3, in low-level pollution. A comparison of estimates from absolute NMHC concentrations and NMHC ratios assuming zero background (the “photochemical clock” method) shows similar distributions but reveals systematic high bias in the estimates from ratios. Estimates of K are ∼0.1 day−1 but show more sensitivity to the prior distribution assumed.
Genetic Analysis of MMP Gene Polymorphisms in Patients With Kawasaki Disease

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute febrile disorder characterized by systemic vasculitis primarily occurring in coronary arteries. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been considered to play pathophysiologic roles in the development of coronary artery lesions (CALs); therefore, an evaluation of the genetic contributions of the MMP genes to the development of CALs in KD patients would be beneficial for the prediction of CAL formation. We focused on the known functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the MMP genes (MMP-2-735C>T, MMP-3-1612 5A/6A, MMP-9-1562C>T, MMP-12-82A>G, and MMP-13-77A>G) and performed the association study between these SNPs and CAL formation in KD. The study population consisted of 44 KD patients with CALs and 92 without CALs and 175 healthy controls. As a result, allele and genotype frequencies of MMP-13-77A>G showed significant differences between KD patients with CALs and without CALs (p = 0.00989 and p = 0.00551, respectively). The estimated frequencies of the G-C haplotype in the MMP-13 gene promoter were significantly lower in KD patients with CALs than in those without CALs. There was no association between other MMP genes and CAL formation. In conclusion, the genetic evaluation by association study demonstrated that the MMP-13 gene, at least in part, contributed to the development of CALs in KD.
ABO BLOOD GROUPS AND MULTIPLE CANCERS.

A statistically significant excess of blood group A has been found in a sample of 123 white patients with multiple primary cancers. This sample represents 2.4% of all patients with cancer in a 20-year survey. In 54% of the patients, the first and last diagnosis of cancer occurred within 3 years of one another. The relative frequency of sites of these cancers, taken individually, does not differ essentially from that of single cancers. No statistically significant difference was found between male and female with respect to the ABO system. If the excess of multiple primary cancers in patients with group A blood can be established in larger series and in different geographical locations, it will mean that the probability of another primary cancer developing is greater in the patients of blood group A.
Tunable large resonant absorption in a midinfrared graphene Salisbury screen

The optical absorption properties of periodically patterned graphene plasmonic resonators are studied experimentally as the graphene sheet is placed near a metallic reflector. By varying the size and carrier density of the graphene, the parameters for achieving a surface impedance closely matched to free-space (Z_0 = 377Ω) are determined and shown to result in 24.5% total optical absorption in the graphene sheet. Theoretical analysis shows that complete absorption is achievable with higher doping or lower loss. This geometry, known as a Salisbury screen, provides an efficient means of light coupling to the highly confined graphene plasmonic modes for future optoelectronic applications.
In situ modeling of multimodal floral cues attracting wild pollinators across environments

Significance The coeveolution of flowers and pollinators is well known, but how generalist pollinators identify suitable flowers across environments and flower species is not well understood. Hoverflies, which are found across the globe, are one of the most important alternative pollinators after bees and bumblebees. Here we measured, predicted, and finally recreated multimodal cues from individual flowers visited by hoverflies in three different environments (hemiboreal, alpine, and tropical). We found that although “flower signatures” were unique for each environment, some cues were ubiquitously attractive, despite not resembling cue combinations from real flowers. Our results provide unique insights into how a cosmopolitan pollinator identifies flower objects across environments, which has important implications for our understanding of pollination as a global ecological service. With more than 80% of flowering plant species specialized for animal pollination, understanding how wild pollinators utilize resources across environments can encourage efficient planting and maintenance strategies to maximize pollination and establish resilience in the face of environmental change. A fundamental question is how generalist pollinators recognize “flower objects” in vastly different ecologies and environments. On one hand, pollinators could employ a specific set of floral cues regardless of environment. Alternatively, wild pollinators could recognize an exclusive signature of cues unique to each environment or flower species. Hoverflies, which are found across the globe, are one of the most ecologically important alternative pollinators after bees and bumblebees. Here, we have exploited their cosmopolitan status to understand how wild pollinator preferences change across different continents. Without employing any a priori assumptions concerning the floral cues, we measured, predicted, and finally artificially recreated multimodal cues from individual flowers visited by hoverflies in three different environments (hemiboreal, alpine, and tropical) using a field-based methodology. We found that although “flower signatures” were unique for each environment, some multimodal lures were ubiquitously attractive, despite not carrying any reward, or resembling real flowers. While it was unexpected that cue combinations found in real flowers were not necessary, the robustness of our lures across insect species and ecologies could reflect a general strategy of resource identification for generalist pollinators. Our results provide insights into how cosmopolitan pollinators such as hoverflies identify flowers and offer specific ecologically based cues and strategies for attracting pollinators across diverse environments.
A Multiple Description Video Codec With Adaptive Residual Distributed Coding

Multiple description coding (MDC) decomposes one single media into several descriptions and transmits them over different channels for error resilience. Each description contributes to improving the reconstructed media quality when decoded. Distributed video coding (DVC) encodes multiple correlated images and utilizes error correction codes to shift the codec complexity to a joint decoder. Combining MDC with DVC (MDVC) yields a stable codec for mobile encoders. In this paper, to improve the MDVC codec performance, image correlations among the MDVC processing modules were exploited to improve reconstructed video quality and enhance transmission robustness. At the side encoder, a DVC-based adaptive differential pulse code modulation was designed to remove interframe redundancy to enhance rate-distortion performances. For the MDVC central decoding, intradescription and interdescription correlations were utilized to dynamically select the best reconstructed frames from two descriptions, instead of selecting just one description or all key-frames from two descriptions. Experiments showed that, as compared to previous methods, the proposed MDVC control method yielded 1-2 dB higher in image PSNRs for Wyner-Ziv reconstructed frames at the side decoder when encoding low-to-medium complexity videos. For high-complexity videos, it effectively prevents error correction of Wyner-Ziv frames from malfunctioning and yields about 3 dB higher in PSNR. The proposed MDVC central decoder control yields 1-4 dB higher PSNRs, as compared to side decoders. Under lossy transmission, it demonstrates 27-64% smaller PSNR variations, as compared to that of combining key-frames as the decoded video. The proposed MDVC system and control not only improve the DVC reconstructed video quality, but also reduce the quality fluctuation artifacts of MDC coded video for mobile coders.
Genome Sequence of Coxiella burnetii 109, a Doxycycline-Resistant Clinical Isolate

ABSTRACT Coxiella burnetii 109, with a 2.03-Mb genome, is a doxycycline-resistant human isolate that was isolated from the cardiac valve of a German male patient with Q fever endocarditis who died during the course of the treatment due to the bacterium's resistance to doxycycline. This new genome can be useful for future comparative genomic or Q fever studies.
The hemochromatosis protein HFE competes with transferrin for binding to the transferrin receptor.

HFE is a class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-related protein that is mutated in patients with the iron overload disease hereditary hemochromatosis. HFE binds to transferrin receptor (TfR), the receptor used by cells to obtain iron in the form of diferric transferrin (Fe-Tf). Previous studies demonstrated that HFE and Fe-Tf can bind simultaneously to TfR to form a ternary complex, and that membrane-bound or soluble HFE binding to cell surface TfR results in a reduction in the affinity of TfR for Fe-Tf. We studied the inhibition by soluble HFE of the interaction between soluble TfR and Fe-Tf using radioactivity-based and biosensor-based assays. The results demonstrate that HFE inhibits the TfR:Fe-Tf interaction by binding at or near the Fe-Tf binding site on TfR, and that the Fe-Tf:TfR:HFE ternary complex consists of one Fe-Tf and one HFE bound to a TfR homodimer.
Symmetric topological complexity as the first obstruction in Goodwillie’s Euclidean embedding tower for real projective spaces

This paper explains why Goodwillie-Weiss calculus of embeddings can offer new information about the Euclidean embedding dimension of P m only for m � 15. Concrete scenarios are described in these low-dimensional cases, pinpointing where to look for potential—but critical—high-order obstructions in the corresponding Taylor towers. For m � 16, the relation TC S (P m ) � n is translated into the triviality of a certain cohomotopy Euler class which, in turn, becomes the only Taylor obstruction to producing an embedding P m � R n . A speculative bordism-type form of this primary obstruction is proposed as an analogue of Davis’ BP-approach to the immersion problem of P m . A form of the Euler class viewpoint is applied to show TC S (P 3 ) = 5, as well as to suggest a few higher dimensional projective spaces for which the method could produce new information. As a second goal, the paper extends Farber’s work on the motion planning problem in order to develop the notion of a symmetric motion planner for a mechanical system S. Following Farber’s lead, this concept is connected to TC S (C(S)), the symmetric topological complexity of the state space of S. The paper ends by sketching the construction of a concrete 5-local-rules symmetric motion planner for P 3 .
Lack of Evidence for Neutrophil Participation during Infarct Formation Following Focal Cerebral Ischemia in the Rat

The involvement of neutrophils in the pathogenesis of cerebral ischemic injury in two rat models of focal ischemia was investigated. In Experiment I, a model of focal ischemia with partial reperfusion was used. Although significant and discrete ischemic damage within the neocortex was nearly maximal at 12 h postocclusion, no elevation in neutrophils was seen at this time point. Even after 21 h postocclusion, only a subtle increase in neutrophils within the ischemic tissue was observed. To further investigate the possible role of neutrophils in cerebral ischemia, the effect of cyclophosphamide-induced neutropenia was investigated (Experiment II). While a marked reduction (>98%) in systemic neutrophils was achieved in advance of and during the ischemic challenge, no reduction in the volume of ischemic damage was observed. In Experiment III, variations in the rat model of focal ischemia were made to produce a larger area of ischemic damage, as well as to permit complete reperfusion of blood to the affected cortex. While more neutrophils were seen in this variation of the model, very few were observed (< 1 per field) prior to the time that maximal ischemic damage had already occurred. Together, these experiments revealed that substantial brain necrosis occurred prior to the appearance of neutrophils, under conditions of partial, as well as complete, reperfusion. Moreover, at the time points when elevations in neutrophils were observed, no further increase in volume of ischemic damage was noted. Finally, pharmacologic removal of neutrophils prior to ischemia did not alter the size of the ischemic region. These data therefore fail to support the hypothesis that neutrophils play a general and essential role in infarct formation following focal brain ischemia and argue that further studies are required to more clearly elucidate the conditions under which neutrophils might participate in ischemic pathogenesis.
Migration and agricultural development in Nandom, Northwest Ghana

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Using computer software packages to enhance the teaching in Engineering Management Science: Part 3—simulation

This paper is the third paper in a series of sharing the experience of using different software packages in the delivery of Engineering Management Science coded as ENG4004, in the Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Engineering Technology programs offered by the University of Southern Queensland. The paper describes how the authors use different software packages to solve the simulation problems of the course, using Monte–Carlo technique. Sometimes more than one package is required for the effective delivery of a topic of the course. The needs for the usage were also explained. The assessments of the course were also studied and reviewed. How the software packages met the objectives of the module were also discussed together with the desired learning outcomes of students. The preferred software was Excel in MS Office. It can be argued that the students' learning experience and satisfaction will be greatly increased with the software packages while the cost to the university will be minimal. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 20: 547–552, 2012
[Analysis of chemotherapeutic efficacy after a failed regimen of epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor in patients with advanced non-small cell lung carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE To analyze the treatment efficacy after a failed regimen of epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) in patients with advanced non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). METHODS A retrospective analysis was conducted for 87 patients with advanced NSCLC at our hospital from January of 2005 to December of 2006. All subjects received chemotherapy after a failure of EGFR-TKI, there were 37 cases of male and the median age was 56 ± 11 (range, 31 - 76) years, 50 cases of female, median age 56 ± 13 (range, 31 - 78) years; They received a 2-drug combination chemotherapy (n = 61) and a monodrug chemotherapy (n = 26). The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). And the secondary endpoints were objective response rate (ORR) and side effects. RESULTS The OS was 9.4 ± 6.0 (range, 2-33) months and ORR 9.2% (8/87). The OS was 9.1 ± 5.2 (range, 2 - 31) months in combination chemotherapy group and 10.0 ± 7.3 (range, 3 - 33) months in monodrug group; the ORRs were 11.5% (7/61) and 3.8% (1/26) respectively in two groups. There was no significant difference in OS and ORR between two groups (P > 0.05). The common side effects were myelosuppression and nausea/vomiting. The rate of myelosuppression was 87.4% (76/87) and that of 3/4 grade myelosuppression 33.3% (29/87). And the rate of nausea/vomiting was 86.2% (75/87) and that of 3/4 grade nausea/vomiting 10.3% (9/87). Other side effects were mild and well-tolerated. CONCLUSION If tolerated, chemotherapy after an EGFR-TKI failure may prolong the survival in advanced NSCLC patients.
Treatment of the Collapsed Femoral Head by Containment in Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease

One hundred ninety-seven patients with unilateral Legg-Calve-Perthes disease (LCPD) were followed-up to skeletal maturity. According to the lateral pillar classification, 142 hips were classified as group B and 55 hips as group C. Radiographs were evaluated for percent of collapse of the femoral head, Waldenstrom stage of disease at diagnosis, Mose sphericity, hinge abduction, lateral acetabular shape, and limb-length discrepancy. The hips were treated either by bedrest and traction in abduction (76), Petrie cast (21), abduction brace (74), or by pelvic or femoral osteotomy (26). One hundred twenty-five hips had less than a 2-mm difference in Mose sphericity at followup. According to the classification of Stulberg et al., 89 hips (45%) were class I, 57 (29%) were class II, 35 (18%) were class III, 12 (6%) were class IV, and 4 (2%) were class V. Analyses revealed statistically significant differences between group B versus group C with regard to the classifications of Stulberg et al. and Mose, lateral acetabular shape, age at onset, and limb-length discrepancy. There was no significant statistical difference with regard to the types of treatment. Containment treatment of a deformed femoral head from LCPD improves the sphericity of the hip and gives 63% satisfactory results according to the Mose classification and 74% satisfactory results according to the Stulberg et al. classification.
A mastic gum extract induces suppression of growth of human colorectal tumor xenografts in immunodeficient mice.

BACKGROUND We recently reported that ethanol and hexane extracts of the plant product, mastic gum (MG), contain constituents which can induce p53- and p21-independent G1-phase arrest followed by apoptosis of human HCT116 colon cancer cells in vitro. Herein, we extended these studies to investigate the in vivo anticancer activity of the hexane extract of MG (He-MG) against human colon tumor. The in vivo anticancer activity of He-MG was assessed in a human colon cancer/immunodeficient mouse model. MATERIALS AND METHODS Control and HCT116 tumor bearing SCID mice were injected intraperitoneally with He-MG at different administration schedules and doses ranging from 100 to 220 mg/kg body weight and tumor growth (size) was monitored. RESULTS He-MG administered at a dose of 200 mg/kg administered daily for 4 consecutive days (followed by 3 days without treatment) inhibited tumor growth by approximately 35% in the absence of toxicity (side-effects) after 35 days. CONCLUSION He-MG was found to possess antitumor activity against human colorectal cancer under the experimental conditions of this study. The extent of suppression and toxicity by a specific He-MG dose depends on the schedule of administration.