Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multifunctional CD4 Cells Expressing Gamma Interferon and Perforin Mediate Protection against Lethal Influenza Virus Infection

ABSTRACT CD4 effectors generated in vitro can promote survival against a highly pathogenic influenza virus via an antibody-independent mechanism involving class II-restricted, perforin-mediated cytotoxicity. However, it is not known whether CD4 cells activated during influenza virus infection can acquire cytolytic activity that contributes to protection against lethal challenge. CD4 cells isolated from the lungs of infected mice were able to confer protection against a lethal dose of H1N1 influenza virus A/Puerto Rico 8/34 (PR8). Infection of BALB/c mice with PR8 induced a multifunctional CD4 population with proliferative capacity and ability to secrete interleukin-2 (IL-2) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in the draining lymph node (DLN) and gamma interferon (IFN-γ) and IL-10 in the lung. IFN-γ-deficient CD4 cells produced larger amounts of IL-17 and similar levels of TNF-α, IL-10, and IL-2 compared to wild-type (WT) CD4 cells. Both WT and IFN-γ−/− CD4 cells exhibit influenza virus-specific cytotoxicity; however, IFN-γ-deficient CD4 cells did not promote recovery after lethal infection as effectively as WT CD4 cells. PR8 infection induced a population of cytolytic CD4 effectors that resided in the lung but not the DLN. These cells expressed granzyme B (GrB) and required perforin to lyse peptide-pulsed targets. Lethally infected mice given influenza virus-specific CD4 cells deficient in perforin showed greater weight loss and a slower time to recovery than mice given WT influenza virus-specific CD4 cells. Taken together, these data strengthen the concept that CD4 T cell effectors are broadly multifunctional with direct roles in promoting protection against lethal influenza virus infection.
Density-dependent fecundity and infective juvenile production in the entomopathogenic nematode, Heterorhabditis megidis

The entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis megidis may undergo several rounds of reproduction within a single host. Infective juveniles (IJs) are formed within each generation during a process referred to as endotokia matricida, which involves the progressive consumption of the parent hermaphrodite or female by the developing IJs prior to emergence from the host cadaver. The present study examines the extent to which within-host population dynamics exhibit density-dependent variation. Particular attention is paid to the effect of infection density on the relative production of IJs and ‘normal’, non-infective offspring within each generation and on the emergence of the IJs from the host. Fecundity was found to be negatively density dependent across generations. However, at high infection density the first generation hermaphrodites invested relatively more in IJs at the expense of producing non-infective offspring. It is suggested that this pattern resulted from an adaptive, phenotypically plastic allocation of reproductive investment between offspring types in response to increased competition. The F1 and F2 IJs were also shown to emerge from the host in relatively discrete pulses.
Par‐4 inducible apoptosis in prostate cancer cells

Prostate cancer is associated with the inability of prostatic epithelial cells to undergo apoptosis rather than with increased cell proliferation. Prostate apoptosis response‐4 (Par‐4) is a unique pro‐apoptotic molecule that is capable of selectively inducing apoptosis in cancer cells when over‐expressed, sensitizing the cells to diverse apoptotic stimuli and causing regression of tumors in animal models. This review discusses the salient functions of Par‐4 that can be harnessed to prostate cancer therapy. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Changes in Cell Wall Biomechanical Properties in the Xyloglucan-Deficient xxt 1 / xxt 2 Mutant of Arabidopsis 1 [ W ] [ OA ]

The main load-bearing network in the primary cell wall of most land plants is commonly depicted as a scaffold of cellulose microfibrils tethered by xyloglucans. However, a xyloglucan-deficient mutant (xylosyltransferase1/xylosyltransferase2 [xxt1/xxt2]) was recently developed that was smaller than the wild type but otherwise nearly normal in its development, casting doubt on xyloglucan’s role in wall structure. To assess xyloglucan function in the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) wall, we compared the behavior of petiole cell walls from xxt1/xxt2 and wild-type plants using creep, stress relaxation, and stress/strain assays, in combination with reagents that cut or solubilize specific components of the wall matrix. Stress/strain assays showed xxt1/xxt2 walls to be more extensible than wild-type walls (supporting a reinforcing role for xyloglucan) but less extensible in creep and stress relaxation processes mediated by a-expansin. Fusicoccin-induced “acid growth” was likewise reduced in xxt1/xxt2 petioles. The results show that xyloglucan is important for wall loosening by a-expansin, and the smaller size of the xxt1/xxt2 mutant may stem from the reduced effectiveness of a-expansins in the absence of xyloglucan. Loosening agents that act on xylans and pectins elicited greater extension in creep assays of xxt1/xxt2 cell walls compared with wild-type walls, consistent with a larger mechanical role for these matrix polymers in the absence of xyloglucan. Our results illustrate the need for multiple biomechanical assays to evaluate wall properties and indicate that the common depiction of a cellulose-xyloglucan network as the major load-bearing structure is in need of revision.
Perlite toxicology and epidemiology – a review

Abstract Perlite is a generic name for an amorphous volcanic alumina–silicate rock that expands by a factor of 4–20 when rapidly heated to 1400–1800 °F (760–980 °C). Both the ore and the expanded product have extensive and widespread commercial applications. Limited data on the toxicology of perlite in animal studies indicate that the LD50 (oral ingestion) is more than 10 g/kg and, from a chronic inhalation study in guinea pigs and rats, that the NOAEL for the inhalation pathway is 226 mg/m3. Health surveillance studies of workers in US perlite mines and expansion plants (including some workers exposed to levels greater than prevailing occupational exposure limits (OELs) conducted over 20 years indicate that the respiratory health of workers is not adversely affected. Studies in Turkish mines and expanding plants had generally similar results, but are more difficult to interpret because of high smoking rates in these populations. A recent mortality study of permanent residents of the island of Milos (Greece) exposed to various mining dusts (including perlite) resulted in non-significant increases in standard mortality ratios for pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), whereas a companion morbidity study revealed elevated odds ratios for allergic rhinitis, pneumonia, and COPD when compared to another industrial area of Greece. Residents were exposed to other mining dusts and other possible causes or contributing factors and no ambient monitoring data were presented so it is not possible to use this study for risk calculations of perlite-exposed populations. Perlite is regulated as a “nuisance dust” in most countries.
Surveying Academic Radiology Department Chairs Regarding New and Effective Strategies for Medical Student Recruitment.

OBJECTIVE The number of 4th-year medical student applications to the field of diagnostic radiology has decreased from 2009 to 2015. The purpose of this study was to learn how radiology departments are recruiting medical students. MATERIALS AND METHODS An anonymous online survey hyperlink was distributed to the members of the Society of Chairs of Academic Radiology Departments regarding both innovative and proven recruitment strategies. The results were synthesized with a recently published survey of medical students about factors influencing them to go into radiology. RESULTS Forty of 126 radiology departments completed the survey. Most felt that radiology exposure and curricula require alteration given recent downward trends in medical student applications. A majority (79%) had changed their outreach to medical students in response to these trends. The responding department chairs felt that interactive learning while on rotation was the most important strategy for recruitment. The presence of a diversity program, dedicated medical school educator, or rotating daily assignment for students did not affect the likelihood of filling residency spots in the main match. CONCLUSION Many radiology departments are changing their outreach to medical students to improve recruitment. Effective strategies to focus on include early active outreach by involving students in the radiology department, thereby framing radiologists as clinicians.
Sex Differences in Pain and Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenocortical Responses to Opioid Blockade

Objective Sex differences in pain sensitivity and stress reactivity have been well documented. Little is known about the role of the endogenous opioid system in these differences. This study was conducted to compare adrenocortical, pain sensitivity, and blood pressure responses to opioid blockade using naltrexone in men and women. Methods Twenty-six participants completed 2 sessions during which placebo or 50 mg of naltrexone was administered, using a double-blind, counterbalanced design. Thermal pain threshold and heat tolerance were assessed. Participants also rated pain during a 90-second cold pressor test (CPT) and completed the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) after each pain challenge. Blood and saliva samples and cardiovascular and mood measures were obtained throughout the sessions. Results Plasma cortisol, adrenocorticotropin, beta endorphin, prolactin, and salivary cortisol levels increased similarly in men and women after naltrexone administration compared with placebo. Women reported more pain during both pain procedures and had lower thermal pain tolerance. In response to naltrexone, women exhibited reduced blood pressure responses and reduced MPQ pain ratings after CPT. No effects of naltrexone on these measures were found in men. Conclusions Although men and women exhibited similar hormonal responses to opioid receptor blockade, women reported less pain and showed smaller blood pressure responses during CPT. Results suggest differential effects of the endogenous opioid system on pain perception and blood pressure in men and women.
A fuzzy rule-based system for predicting the live weight of Holstein cows whose body dimensions were determined by image analysis

The aim of this study was to determine the body measurement of Holstein cows through image analysis (IA) and to estimate their live weight (LW) by means of a fuzzy rule-based model using the body measurements. For this purpose, a photography environment was established at a dairy cattle farm where a large number of cows were kept. First, digital photographs of each animal were synchronously taken from different directions with Canon EOS 400D cameras. At the same time, body dimensions, namely wither height (WH), hip height (HH), body length (BL), and hip width (HW), of the cows were manually measured using a laser meter and measuring stick. The LWs of the cows were found with a weighing scale and the data were automatically saved on a computer. In the second stage, the photos were analyzed by IA software developed in the Delphi programming language and body measurements were computed. Manually measured values were very close to IA results. Finally, a fuzzy system was developed by using these body measurements. This fuzzy system was developed by using MATLAB software. Weights that were estimated with the developed knowledge-based system were compared with those found by the platform scale. The correlation coefficient was calculated (r = 0.99). There was a statistically meaningful relationship between the compared data. The developed system can be used confidently, and the system on which the experiments were performed can be modeled successfully.
Microvascular decompression for primary trigeminal neuralgia: long-term effectiveness and prognostic factors in a series of 362 consecutive patients with clear-cut neurovascular conflicts who underwent pure decompression.

OBJECT The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term efficacy of microvascular decompression (MVD) and to identify the factors affecting outcome in patients treated for primary trigeminal neuralgia (TN). Only the cases with a clear-cut neurovascular conflict (vascular contact and/or compression of the root entry zone of the trigeminal nerve) found at surgery and treated with "pure" MVD (decompression of the root without any additional lesioning or cutting of the adjacent rootlets) were retained. METHODS The study included 362 patients who were followed up over a period of 1 to 18 years (median follow-up 7.2 years). A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was generated at 1 and 15 years of follow-up for all of the considered factors. According to Kaplan-Meier analysis, the success rate (defined as pain-free patients without any medication) was 91% at 1 year and estimated to be 73.38% after 15 years of follow-up. RESULTS None of the following patient-related factors played any significant role in prognosis: sex, patient age at surgery, history of systemic hypertension, duration of neuralgia before surgery, or history of failed trigeminal surgery. Patients with atypical neuralgia (a baseline of permanent pain) had the same outcome as those with a typical (purely spasmodic) presentation. In addition, the side and topography of the trigeminal nerve did not play a role, whereas involvement of all three divisions of the nerve had a negative effect on outcome. Concerning anatomical factors, neither the type of the compressive vessel nor its location along or around the root was found to be significant. However, the severity of compression was important-the more severe the degree of compression, the better the outcome (p = 0.002). The authors also found that presence of focal arachnoiditis had a negative influence on outcome (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS Pure MVD can offer patients affected by a primary TN a 73.38% probability of long-term (15 years) cure of neuralgia. The presence of a clear-cut and marked vascular compression at surgery (and possibly-although not yet reliably--on preoperative magnetic resonance imaging) is the guarantee of a higher than 90% success rate.
Perception of "Elliptical Speech" by an Adult Hearing-Impaired Listener with a Cochlear Implant: Some Preliminary Findings on Coarse-Coding in Speech Perception

This paper examines the effects of elliptical speech (Miller & Nicely, 1955) on the speech perception performance of an adult hearing-impaired listener with a cochlear implant. A group of 20 normal-hearing adult listeners were used for comparison. Two experiments were carried out using sets of normal and anomalous English sentences. Two versions of each set of sentences were constructed. One version retained normal place of articulation; the other was converted to “elliptical speech” using a procedure in which different places of articulation were all converted to the same alveolar place of articulation. The patient completed a same-different task and a transcription task. The normal-hearing listeners completed the same tasks, but with noise-masking or low-pass filtering used to degrade the signal. In the same-different task, we found that normalhearing listeners under conditions of signal degradation tended to label a sentence with normal place of articulation and its elliptical version as the “same. ” The hearing-impaired listener with the cochlear implant also tended to label a sentence with normal place of articulation and its elliptical version as the “same. ” Results provide support for Miller and Nicely’s claim that under conditions of signal degradation, the ellipsis can no longer be detected. In the transcription task, however, normal-hearing subjects showed better transcription performance for sentences with normal place of articulation than for “elliptical” speech sentences, which was an unexpected result given our findings in the first experiment. The patient with the cochlear implant also showed better transcription performance for sentences with normal place of articulation than for “elliptical” speech, which was also unexpected. The implications of these findings for how cochlear implant users perceive speech and recognize spoken words are discussed.
Fluid bolus therapy: monitoring and predicting fluid responsiveness

Purpose of reviewWhen a condition of hypoperfusion has been identified, clinicians must decide whether fluids may increase blood flow or whether other therapeutic approaches are needed. For this purpose, several tests and parameters have been introduced in clinical practice to predict fluid responsiveness and guide therapy. Recent findingsFluid challenge is the gold standard test to assess the preload dependence of the patients. Moreover, several parameters and tests avoiding fluid administration are now available. Pulse pressure variation and stroke volume variation are based on heart–lung interaction and can be used to assess fluid responsiveness. These parameters have several limitations and can really be used in a limited number of critically ill patients. End-expiratory occlusion test and passive leg raising have been proposed to overcome these limitations. The aim of resuscitation is to increase blood flow and perfusion pressure. Dynamic arterial elastance has been recently proposed to predict the pressure response after fluid challenge in preload-dependent patients. Finally, the effects of volume expansion of hemodynamic parameters do not necessarily reach the microcirculation, which should also be assessed. SummaryNowadays, several parameters are available to assess fluid responsiveness. Clinicians need to know all of them, with their limitations, without forgetting that the final aim of all therapies is to improve the microcirculation.
The development of the human taste bud during the foetal period.

It is now 300 years since the lingual papillae were described by Malpighii (1664) and 100 years since Schwalbe (1867) and Loven (1867) discovered the human taste buds. It was not until 1874 that the embryology of the taste bud was described by Hoffmann. He examined human tissue ranging in age from 3 5 months (in utero) to 60 years of age. Later Lustig (1884), and Stahr (1902) did similar studies. Tuckerman (1889) was of the opinion that taste buds were of neural origin, but Graberg (1898) described them as originating from a local enlargement of the epithelial basal cells. Marchand (1902) agreed with Graberg, and was of the opinion that the basal cells elongated under neural influence. The most comprehensive study was that of Hellman in 1922. He used a large sample of tongues (43) and studied both the embryology of the buds and the nerves. He maintained that a primitive bud formed and lasted for a short period of time but then disappeared, to be replaced later by adult buds. He was also of the opinion that the buds formed under the direct influence of the nerves. The text-books of embryology essentially agree with Graberg's finding. Authors disagree on the time the taste buds first appear in the tongue epithelium. Table I summarizes their findings. Table 1
Elimination of Enhanced Low-Dose-Rate Sensitivity in Linear Bipolar Devices Using Silicon-Carbide Passivation

The type of final chip passivation layer used to fabricate linear bipolar circuits can have a major impact on the total dose hardness of some circuits. It is demonstrated that National Semiconductor Corporation linear bipolar devices fabricated with only an amorphous silicon carbide passivation layer do not exhibit enhanced low-dose-rate sensitivity (ELDRS), while devices from the same production lot fabricated with other types of passivation layers are ELDRS sensitive. SiC passivation possesses mechanical, electrical and chemical properties that make it compatible with linear device fabrication processes. These properties of SiC passivation layers, combined with the excellent radiation response of devices passivated with SiC, make SiC passivation layers a very attractive choice for devices packaged in either ceramic or plastic-encapsulated packages for use in space environments
Transversus Abdominis Plane Block Versus Surgical Site Infiltration for Pain Management After Open Total Abdominal Hysterectomy

BACKGROUND:Surgical site infiltration and transversus abdominis plane (TAP) blocks are commonly used to improve pain relief after lower abdominal surgery. This randomized, observer-blinded study was designed to compare the analgesic efficacy of TAP blocks with surgical site infiltration in patients undergoing open total abdominal hysterectomy via a Pfannenstiel incision. METHODS:Patients were randomized to receive either bilateral ultrasound-guided TAP blocks using bupivacaine 0.5% 20 mL on each side (n = 30) or surgical site infiltration with liposomal bupivacaine 266 mg diluted to 60 mL injected in the preperitoneal, subfascial, and subcutaneous planes (n = 30). The remaining aspects of the perioperative care were standardized. An investigator blinded to the group allocation documented pain scores at rest and with coughing, opioid requirements, nausea, vomiting, and rescue antiemetics in the postanesthesia care unit and at 2, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively. The primary outcome measure was pain scores on coughing at 6 hours postoperatively. RESULTS:One patient in each group was excluded from the analysis because of reoperation within 24 hours in the TAP block group and change of incision type in the infiltration group. The pain scores at rest and with coughing were significantly lower in the surgical site infiltration group at all postoperative time points (P < 0.0001) except at rest in the postanesthesia care unit. The opioid requirements between 24 and 48 hours were significantly lower in the infiltration group (P = 0.009). The nausea scores, occurrence of vomiting, and need for rescue antiemetics were similar. CONCLUSIONS:Surgical site infiltration provided superior pain relief at rest and on coughing, as well as reduced opioid consumption for up to 48 hours. Future studies need to compare TAP blocks with liposomal bupivacaine with surgical site infiltration with liposomal bupivacaine.