Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Membrane traffic in outer hair cells of the adult mammalian cochlea

Outer hair cells (OHCs), the sensory‐motor cells responsible for the extraordinary frequency selectivity and dynamic range of the cochlea, rapidly endocytose membrane and protein at their apical surface. Endocytosis and transcytosis in isolated OHCs from the mature guinea‐pig cochlea were investigated using the amphiphatic membrane probe FM1‐43. We observed membrane transport from the apical surface to both the basolateral wall and the subnuclear pole. By double‐labelling with DiOC6, a stain for endoplasmic reticulum, and aspiration of the plasma membrane, we showed that the basolateral target was the subsurface cisternae. The fluorescent signal was about three times weaker at the basal than at the apical pole. The speed of vesicle transport to the subnuclear pole was approximately 0.4 µm/s. Changing extracellular Ca2+ concentration from 25 µm to 2 mm accelerated rapid endocytosis. Extracellular application of BAPTA‐AM (25 µm), an intracellular Ca2+ chelator, and TFP (20 µm), a specific inhibitor of calmodulin, reduced endocytic activity, as did depolarization of the whole cell. The presence of extracellular Cd2+ (200 µm), a Ca2+‐channel blocker, had no effect on the voltage dependence of endocytosis at the apical pole, and inhibited the voltage dependence at the subnuclear pole. These results suggest that rapid endocytosis is a Ca2+/calmodulin‐dependent process, with extracellular Ca2+ entering through voltage‐gated Ca2+ channels at the basal pole. The two distinct destinations of endocytosed membrane are consistent with the functional polarization of the OHC, with the basolateral wall being dedicated to electromechanical transduction and the subnuclear pole being dedicated to electrochemical transduction processes.
Towards efficient protocol design through protocol profiling and verification of performance and operational metrics

Formal verification tools have been extensively used in the past to assess the correctness of protocols, processes, and systems in general. Their most common use so far has been in identifying whether livelock or deadlock situations can occur during protocol execution, process, or system operation. In this paper we aim to showcase that an additional equally important and useful application of formal verification tools can be in protocol design and optimization itself. This can be achieved by using the tools in a rather different context compared to their traditional use. That is not only as means to assess the correctness of a protocol in terms of lack of livelock and deadlock situations but rather as tools capable of building profiles of protocols, associating performance related metrics, and identifying operational patterns and possible bottleneck operations in terms of metrics of interest. This process can provide protocol designers with an insight about the protocols' behavior and guide them towards further protocol design optimizations. We illustrate these principles using some existing protocol implementations as case studies.
Qualitative and Quantitative Anatomic Analysis of the Posterior Root Attachments of the Medial and Lateral Menisci

Background: The clinical importance of the meniscal posterior root attachments has been recently reported by both biomechanical and clinical studies. Although several studies have been performed to evaluate surgical techniques, there have been few studies on the quantitative arthroscopically pertinent anatomy of the posterior meniscal root attachments. Hypothesis: The posterior root attachments of the medial and lateral menisci are consistent among specimens, and repeatable quantitative measurements using arthroscopically pertinent landmarks are achievable. Study Design: Descriptive laboratory study. Methods: Twelve nonpaired, fresh-frozen cadaveric knees were used. The positions of the posterior root attachments of the medial and lateral menisci were identified, and 3-dimensional measurements to arthroscopically pertinent landmarks were performed using a coordinate measuring system. Results: The direct distance (±standard error of the mean) between the medial tibial eminence apex and the medial meniscus posterior root attachment center was 11.5 (±0.9) mm. When split into directional components along the knee’s main axes, the medial meniscus posterior root attachment center was 9.6 (±0.8) mm posterior and 0.7 (±0.4) mm lateral along the bony surface from the medial tibial eminence apex. It was located 3.5 (±0.4) mm lateral from the medial articular cartilage inflection point and directly 8.2 (±0.7) mm from the nearest tibial attachment margin of the posterior cruciate ligament. The direct distance between the lateral tibial eminence apex and the lateral meniscus posterior root attachment center was 5.3 (±0.3) mm. When it was split into directional components using the knee’s main axes, the lateral meniscus posterior root attachment center was 4.2 (±0.4) mm medial and 1.5 (±0.7) mm posterior from the lateral tibial eminence apex. The lateral meniscus posterior root attachment center was located 4.3 (±0.5) mm medial from the nearest articular cartilage margin and directly 12.7 (±1.1) mm from the nearest margin of the tibial attachment of the posterior cruciate ligament. Conclusion: This quantitative study reproducibly identified the posterior root attachment centers of the medial and lateral menisci in relation to arthroscopically pertinent landmarks and guidelines. Clinical Relevance: These data can be directly applied to assist in anatomic meniscal root repairs.
Occult Systemic Infection and Persistent Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV)-Specific CD4+-T-Cell Proliferative Responses in Rhesus Macaques That Were Transiently Viremic after Intravaginal Inoculation of SIV

ABSTRACT The intact cervicovaginal mucosa is a relative barrier to the sexual transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). In the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) macaque model of HIV infection, seronegative transient viremia (STV; virus isolation positive followed by repeated negative cultures) occurs after intravaginal inoculation of a low dose of pathogenic SIVmac251 (C. J. Miller, M. Marthas, J. Torten, N. Alexander, J. Moore, G. Doncel, and A. Hendrickx, J. Virol. 68:6391–6400, 1994). Thirty-one adult female macaques that had been inoculated intravaginally with pathogenic SIVmac251 became transiently viremic. One monkey that had been culture negative for a year after SIV inoculation became persistently viremic and developed simian AIDS. No other STV monkey developed persistent viremia or disease. Results of very sensitive assays showed that 6 of 31 monkeys had weak SIV-specific antibody responses. SIV-specific antibodies were not detected in the cervicovaginal secretions of 10 STV monkeys examined. Twenty of 26 monkeys had lymphocyte proliferative responses to p55 gag and/or gp130 env antigens; 3 of 6 animals, including the monkey that became persistently viremic, had detectable cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses to SIV. At necropsy, lymphoid tissues and vaginal mucosa were virus culture negative, but in 10 of 10 animals, SIV provirus was detected by PCR using gag-specific primer pairs. Fifty percent of the PCR-positive tissue samples were also positive for SIV gag RNA by reverse transcriptase PCR. Thus, transient viremia following intravaginal inoculation of pathogenic SIV is associated with persistent, systemic infection, either latent or very low level productive. Atypical immune responses, characterized by lymphocyte proliferation and some CTL responses in the absence of conventionally detectable antibodies, develop in transiently viremic monkeys.
5-Hydroxyindoleacetic acid and substance P profiles in patients receiving emetogenic chemotherapy

Background. Even though direct cause and effect has not been proved, clinical evidence suggests serotonin and substance P (SP) are involved in the emetic response following chemotherapy. Because of several parallels, we hypothesized that SP release, like serotonin, may be propagated by chemotherapy and both substances can be measured in biological fluids, and correlated with a particular phase of emesis. Methods. Urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) was assessed by HPLC; serum and urine SP were measured by immunoassay. In addition to construction of neurotransmitter profiles, all SP data were grouped according to cisplatin dosages, = or>75 mg/m 2 versus <75 mg/m2, and phase of emesis, acute versus delayed. Analyses of these data were performed by repeated measures analysis of variance. Results. Samples were collected over a 72-hour period from 26 adult patients who received cisplatin-(n=13) or non-cisplatin-containing (n=13) chemotherapy. Mean baseline 5-HIAA: creatinine ratios were 5.23 and 5.16 in females and males, respectively; mean baseline SP levels were 392 and 181 pg/mL in females and males, respectively. Comparisons between SP data stratified by cisplatin dosage and emetic phase were significantly different, P <0.0001. Conclusions. Laboratory studies provide additional evidence that serotonin and SP are involved primarily, though not exclusively, in acute and delayed vomiting, respectively.
BONDING BEHAVIOR OF Eucalyptus benthamii WOOD TO MANUFACTURE EDGE GLUED PANELS

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of Eucalyptus benthamii Maiden et Cambage wood for the production of edge glued panels. Wood pieces with planed and sanded surfaces were bonded using cross-linking polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) and polyurethane (PUR) based adhesives, at pressures of 0.7 MPa and 1.0 MPa. The same adhesives were used for finger jointing at a pressure of 1.5 MPa. The bonding strength was determined through glue-line shear strength and bending test for finger jointing. According to the results, the pressure and surface preparation variables did not influence the glue-line shear strength of the adhesive PVAc, whereas for the PUR adhesive strength was influenced by the pressures and machining used. All treatments met the minimum values required by the standard; however, the highest bonding strength was found in the sample glued with PUR adhesive at a pressure of 1.0 MPa and sanded surface. The highest modulus of rupture was obtained in the samples glued using PVAc, while the modulus of elasticity was not affected by the type of adhesive used. These results enabled concluding that with regard to its technological properties assessed in the present study, E. benthamii wood is suitable for the production of edge glued panel.
Personal resilience as a strategy for surviving and thriving in the face of workplace adversity: a literature review.

AIM This paper is a report of a literature review to explore the concept of personal resilience as a strategy for responding to workplace adversity and to identify strategies to enhance personal resilience in nurses. BACKGROUND Workplace adversity in nursing is associated with excessive workloads, lack of autonomy, bullying and violence and organizational issues such as restructuring, and has been associated with problems retaining nurses in the workforce. However, despite these difficulties many nurses choose to remain in nursing, and survive and even thrive despite a climate of workplace adversity. DATA SOURCES The literature CINAHL, EBSCO, Medline and Pubmed databases were searched from 1996 to 2006 using the keywords 'resilience', 'resilience in nursing', and 'workplace adversity' together with 'nursing'. Papers in English were included. FINDINGS Resilience is the ability of an individual to positively adjust to adversity, and can be applied to building personal strengths in nurses through strategies such as: building positive and nurturing professional relationships; maintaining positivity; developing emotional insight; achieving life balance and spirituality; and, becoming more reflective. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that nurses can actively participate in the development and strengthening of their own personal resilience to reduce their vulnerability to workplace adversity and thus improve the overall healthcare setting. We recommend that resilience-building be incorporated into nursing education and that professional support should be encouraged through mentorship programmes outside nurses' immediate working environments.
Blood conservation in the intensive care unit

ObjectiveTo describe blood conservation strategies for critically ill patients. Data SourcesBy using a predefined strategy, we searched the electronic databases of Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, the Cochrane database of systematic reviews, Cochrane central register of controlled trials, ACP Journal Club, Database of abstracts of reviews and effects, and HealthSTAR for descriptions and evaluations of strategies of blood conservation among critically ill patients. Data SummaryA number of blood conservation strategies have been used to prevent or treat anemia among critically ill patients. These include restrictive diagnostic phlebotomy using small-volume or pediatric phlebotomy tubes, point-of-care and inline bedside microanalysis, minimization of diagnostic sample waste, minimization of routine multiple daily phlebotomies, red blood cell salvage and antifibrinolytic agents for bleeding patients, consideration of removal of central venous and arterial catheters when no longer required for physiologic monitoring, threshold-based transfusion policy, and healthcare professional education. ConclusionsThere are many strategies of blood conservation for critically ill patients. The effects of these strategies on phlebotomy volumes, hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, transfusion requirements, clinical outcomes, as well as intensive care unit and laboratory resources and costs should be further evaluated.
Fat Grafting to the Hand in Patients with Raynaud Phenomenon: A Novel Therapeutic Modality

Background: Raynaud phenomenon causes progressively decreasing blood flow to the extremities, resulting from an imbalance between vasoconstriction and vasodilation. Treatment options include biofeedback, phosphodiesterase inhibitors, calcium channel inhibitors, botulinum toxin injection, or surgical sympathectomy. The authors propose fat grafting to the hands as a method to delay progression of the disease. Methods: Indications included symptomatic Raynaud phenomenon with failure of previous management. Fat is harvested from abdominal depots. Approximately 30 ml of decanted fat is injected by means of blunt cannulae: 10 to 15 ml in the dorsum of the hand, 2 to 3 ml in the snuffbox, 1 to 2 ml in each dorsal webspace, 3 to 4 ml along the superficial palmar arch, 1 to 2 ml in volar webspaces 2 to 4, and 2 to 3 ml in the first webspace. Patients underwent preoperative and postoperative laser speckle imaging study to assess changes in perfusion. Results: A total of 13 patients were treated (21 hands). Twelve patients had undergone prior botulinum toxin injection, and 11 patients had prior sympathectomies. Findings included reduced pain (average reduction, 6.86 of 10 to 2.38 of 10), fewer cold attacks, improved skin and soft-tissue texture, decrease in ulcerations, and patient-reported improved function. Three patients had no changes. Increased blood flow per imaging was noted in five of 11 hands tested. Six patients had decreased readings on laser imaging. None of the laser speckle imaging changes were statistically significant, and they did not correlate clinically. There were no major complications. Conclusions: Preliminary results of fat grafting to the hands of patients with Raynaud phenomenon revealed improved symptomatology with evidence suggestive of measurably increased perfusion in some cases. Fat grafting may benefit the management of this patient population. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, IV.
Penicillin-binding proteins of penicillin-susceptible and -resistant pneumococci: immunological relatedness of altered proteins and changes in peptides carrying the beta-lactam binding site

There are several major differences between the penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) of highly penicillin-resistant and -susceptible strains of pneumococci. The highest-molecular-size PBP 1a (98 kilodaltons [kDa]) of susceptible pneumococci is not detectable in resistant bacteria. Instead, resistant strains contain a PBP of smaller size: 92 and 94 kDa in South African strains 8249 and A95210, respectively, and 96 kDa in New Guinea strain 2955 (S. Zighelboim and A. Tomasz, Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 17:434-442, 1980). Using antibodies prepared against PBP 1a of penicillin-susceptible pneumococci, we demonstrated that these anomalous-sized proteins in the resistant strains are immunologically related to PBP 1a of penicillin-susceptible bacteria. A second difference between the PBP patterns of strain 8249 and the susceptible pneumococci is that the 78-kDa PBP 2b is not detectable by the radioactive penicillin binding assay in the resistant strain. Using antibodies prepared against PBP 2b of susceptible cells, we demonstrated the presence of PBP 2b in membrane preparations from strain 8249 cells. Thus, the poor detection of this PBP appears to be related to its greatly decreased affinity for the antibiotic molecule. We also compared the patterns of penicillin-labeled peptides derived from PBPs of resistant and susceptible cells during partial proteolysis by V8 protease. Several changes were observable in small peptides carrying the beta-lactam binding site generated from the high Mr (PBP 1a-related) binding proteins. In contrast, no differences in the pattern of penicillin-labeled peptides were seen when the pattern of PBP 2a of susceptible pneumococci was compared with the peptide pattern of PBP 2a from resistant strains. One of the resistant isolates (strain 2955) also had a PBP 3 with a higher-than-normal molecular weight. This protein gave strong positive reaction with antibodies against PBP 3 of susceptible cells. Examination of the pattern of penicilloyl peptides generated from the susceptible and resistant PBP 3s during partial proteolysis revealed only differences which seem to reside distant from the beta-lactam binding site.
Which Criteria for Recovery Are Relevant According to Eating Disorder Patients and Therapists?

In the treatment of eating disorders (ED), no consensus exists on relevant criteria for recovery and goals for treatment. Which criteria do ED patients and therapists evaluate as most relevant for recovery? And do patients and therapists differ in their evaluations? This article presents a review of research on the opinions about recovery criteria of former patients and therapists. Criteria most often mentioned by the patients could be divided into the following themes: eating and drinking; physical activity and exercising; attitude towards food and weight; body evaluation; relaxation; physical recovery; psychological recovery; emotion regulation; social relations; sexual attitude; and comorbidity. Only slight differences were found between the opinions of former patients and therapists.
Amount of Information and Attitudinal-Based Method for Ranking Atanassov's Intuitionistic Fuzzy Values

The ranking of Atanassov's intuitionistic fuzzy values (A-IFVs) is nontrivial because there is no natural linear order among them, as opposed to fuzzy sets. In this paper, we tackle this difficult problem and develop a new novel technique for ranking A-IFVs based on amount of information using the geometrical representation of Atanassov's intuitionistic fuzzy sets (A-IFSs), with the aim of overcoming some drawbacks and ambiguities in existing methods and to build a new ranking model in the A-IFS context from the viewpoint of amount of information. We prove that the order on nonempty A-IFVs induced by our function is admissible in the A-IFS context. Thus, our developed method provides a total order that extends the usual partial order between A-IFVs. Moreover, we discuss the role that a decision maker's attitude can play in decision making under uncertainty. This allows us to introduce the idea of attitudinal-based extension of our developed technique, which is much more useful and flexible in real-world applications. By this, we also provide a new idea and explanation to evaluate two special A-IFVs: the completely known opposition (0,1,0) and the completely unknown information (0,0,1). Finally, an effort is made to extend the applicability of the developed methods by considering the situation in which Atanassov's interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy sets are involved. Experimental studies show the good performance of the developed methods in the A-IF and A-IVIF situations, respectively.
Expression of Costimulatory TNFR2 Induces Resistance of CD4+FoxP3− Conventional T Cells to Suppression by CD4+FoxP3+ Regulatory T Cells

Our previous study showed that TNFR2 is preferentially expressed by CD4+FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs), and expression of this receptor identified maximally suppressive Tregs. TNFR2 is also expressed by a small fraction of CD4+FoxP3− conventional T cells (Tconvs) in normal mice, and its expression is upregulated by T cell activation. This raises questions about the role of TNFR2 signaling in the function of Tconv cells. In this study, by using FoxP3/gfp knock-in mice, we showed that TNFR2 signaling did not induce FoxP3− CD4 cells to become suppressive. Ki-67, a marker of proliferation, was concomitantly expressed with TNFR2 by CD4 cells, independent of forkhead box P3 expression, in normal mice and Lewis lung carcinoma-bearing mice. TNFR2 is associated with greater suppressive functions when expressed by Tregs and is associated with greater resistance to suppression when expressed by Tconv cells. In mice bearing 4T1 breast tumor or Lewis lung carcinoma, intratumoral Tconv cells expressing elevated levels of TNFR2 acquired the capacity to resist suppression by lymph node-derived Tregs. However, they remained susceptible to inhibition by more suppressive tumor-infiltrating Tregs, which expressed higher levels of TNFR2. Our data indicate that TNFR2 also costimulates Tconv cells. However, intratumoral Tregs expressing more TNFR2 are able to overcome the greater resistance to suppression of intratumoral Tconv cells, resulting in a dominant immunosuppressive tumor environment.
Ceramide induces caspase‐dependent and ‐independent apoptosis in A‐431 cells

We investigated the ceramide‐induced apoptosis and potential mechanism in A‐431 cells. Ceramide treatment causes the round up and the death of A‐431 cells that is associated with p38 activation and can be observed in 10 h. Short‐time ceramide treatment‐induced cell death is not associated with the typical apoptotic phenotypes, such as the translocation of phosphatidylserine (PS) from inner layer to outer layer of the plasma membrane, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, DNA fragmentation, caspase activation, and PARP or PKC‐δ degradation. SB202190, a specific inhibitor of p38 mitogen‐activated protein (MAP) kinase, but not caspase inhibitor, blocks the cell death induced by short‐time ceramide treatment (within 12 h). Whereas neither inhibition of p38 MAP kinase nor inhibition of caspases blocks cell death induced by prolonged ceramide treatment. Moreover, incubation of cells with ceramide for a long time (over 12 h) results in the reduction of proportion of S phase accompanied with typical apoptotic cell death phenotypes that are different from the cell death induced by short‐time ceramide treatment. Our data demonstrated that ceramide‐induced apoptotic cell death involves both caspase‐dependent and caspase‐independent signaling pathways. The caspase‐independent cell death that occurred in relatively early stage of ceramide treatment is mediated via p38 MAP kinase, which can progress into a stage that is associated with changes of cell cycle events and involves both caspase‐dependent and ‐independent mechanisms. J. Cell. Physiol. 199: 47–56, 2004© 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.