Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Coxiella burnetii Induces Reorganization of the Actin Cytoskeleton in Human Monocytes

ABSTRACT Coxiella burnetii, an obligate intracellular bacterium which survives in myeloid cells, causes Q fever in humans. We previously demonstrated that virulent C. burnetiiorganisms are poorly internalized by monocytes compared to avirulent variants. We hypothesized that a differential mobilization of the actin cytoskeleton may account for this distinct phagocytic behavior. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that virulent C. burnetii stimulated profound and polymorphic changes in the morphology of THP-1 monocytes, consisting of membrane protrusions and polarized projections. These changes were transient, requiring 5 min to reach their maximum extent and vanishing after 60 min of incubation. In contrast, avirulent variants of C. burnetii did not induce any significant changes in cell morphology. The distribution of filamentous actin (F-actin) was then studied with a specific probe, bodipy phallacidin. Virulent C. burnetii induced a profound and transient reorganization of F-actin, accompanied by an increase in the F-actin content of THP-1 cells. F-actin was colocalized with myosin in cell protrusions, suggesting that actin polymerization and the tension of actin-myosin filaments play a role in C. burnetii-induced morphological changes. In addition, contact between the cell and the bacterium seems to be necessary to induce cytoskeleton reorganization. Bacterial supernatants did not stimulate actin remodeling, and virulent C. burnetii organisms were found in close apposition with F-actin protrusions. The manipulation of the actin cytoskeleton by C. burnetiimay therefore play a critical role in the internalization strategy of this bacterium.
A longitudinal study of the effects of adolescent cannabis use on high school completion.

OBJECTIVE To examine the extent to which weekly cannabis use during mid-adolescence may increase the risk of early school-leaving. SETTING A prospective study of a general population sample of adolescents studied from ages 15-21 years in Melbourne, Australia. METHOD Computer-assisted self-completion questionnaires and telephone interviews conducted in six waves at ages 15-18 and again at age 21 in a sample of 1601 male and female school students. RESULTS Weekly cannabis use, assessed prospectively, was associated with significantly increased risk of early school-leaving. This effect remained after adjustment for a range of prospectively assessed covariates including demographic characteristics, other substance use, psychiatric morbidity and antisocial behavior. There was suggestive evidence of an interaction between weekly cannabis use and age with the effects of weekly cannabis use on early school-leaving being strongest at the youngest ages and diminishing progressively with age. CONCLUSIONS Early regular cannabis use (weekly use at age 15) is associated with increased risk of early school-leaving. These effects of regular cannabis use may diminish with increasing age and are likely to operate through the social context within which cannabis is used and obtained.
Contributions of retinal direction‐selective ganglion cells to optokinetic responses in mice

In the mouse retina, there are two distinct groups of direction‐selective ganglion cells, ON and ON–OFF, that detect movement of visual images. To understand the roles of these cells in controlling eye movements, we studied the optokinetic responses (OKRs) of mutant mice with dysfunctional ON‐bipolar cells that have a functional obstruction of transmission to ON direction‐selective ganglion cells. Experiments were carried out to examine the initial and late phases of OKRs. The initial phase was examined by measurement of eye velocity using stimuli of sinusoidal grating patterns of various spatiotemporal frequencies that moved for 0.5 s. The mutant mice showed significant initial OKRs, although the range of spatiotemporal frequencies that elicited these OKRs was limited and the response magnitude was weaker than that in wild‐type mice. To examine the late phase of the OKRs, the same visual patterns were moved for 30 s to induce alternating slow and quick eye movements (optokinetic nystagmus) and the slow‐phase eye velocity was measured. Wild‐type mice showed significant late OKRs with a stimulus in an appropriate range of spatiotemporal frequencies (0.0625–0.25 cycles/°, 0.75–3.0 Hz, 3–48°/s), but mutant mice did not show late OKRs in response to the same visual stimuli. The results suggest that two groups of direction‐selective ganglion cells play different roles in OKRs: ON direction‐selective ganglion cells contribute to both initial and late OKRs, whereas ON–OFF direction‐selective ganglion cells contribute to OKRs only transiently.
Effects of sinus surgery in patients with cystic fibrosis after lung transplantation: a 10-year experience

Chronic infectious rhinosinusitis with Pseudomonas aeruginosa is common in cystic fibrosis and may result in allograft infection after lung transplantation. Sinus surgery followed by nasal care may reduce these adverse effects. Sinus surgery was performed in 37 patients with cystic fibrosis after transplantation. Bacteriology of sinus aspirates (n=771) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) (n=256) was correlated with clinical data. Sinus surgery was successful in 54% and partially successful in 27% of patients. A significant correlation between negative sinus aspirates and negative BAL and between positive sinus aspirates and positive BAL (P <0.0001) was found. Successful sinus management led to a lower incidence of tracheobronchitis and pneumonia (P =0.009) and a trend toward a lower incidence of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (P =0.23). Sinus surgery followed by daily nasal douching may control posttransplant lower airway colonization and infection. In the long term, this concept may lead to less bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome by decreasing bronchiolar inflammation.
The Relationship Between Allergen-Induced Tissue Eosinophilia and Markers of Repair and Remodeling in Human Atopic Skin1

Several in vitro studies suggest that eosinophils may play a role in fibrosis, remodeling, and repair processes associated with IgE-mediated hypersensitivity. However, the relationship in vivo, between allergen-induced tissue eosinophilia and markers of repair has yet to be established in human atopic subjects. Using the allergen-induced cutaneous late-phase reaction as a model of allergic inflammation, we have tested the hypothesis that eosinophil-derived TGF-β1 and IL-13 are temporarily associated with myofibroblast formation and deposition of tenascin and procollagen I. Biopsies were taken from atopic volunteers at 1, 3, 6, 24, 48, and 72 h after intradermal allergen challenge and were examined by immunohistochemistry. Following the peak of the late-phase reaction (6 h) there were persisting TGF-β1+ eosinophils, α-smooth muscle actin+ myofibroblasts, tenascin immunoreactivity, and procollagen-I+ cells 24–48 h postchallenge. Direct evidence of generation of repair markers was obtained by coculture of eosinophils and fibroblasts. This resulted in α-smooth muscle actin immunoreactivity that was inhibitable by neutralizing Abs to TGF-β as well as production of tenascin transcripts and protein product. TGF-β1 and IL-13 also induced tenascin expression. We conclude that TGF-β1 and IL-13, provided partially by eosinophils, contribute to repair and remodeling events in allergic inflammation in human atopic skin.
Comparison of different nuclear DNA markers for estimating intraspecific genetic diversity in plants

A compilation was made of 307 studies using nuclear DNA markers for evaluating among‐ and within‐population diversity in wild angiosperms and gymnosperms. Estimates derived by the dominantly inherited markers (RAPD, AFLP, ISSR) are very similar and may be directly comparable. STMS analysis yields almost three times higher values for within‐population diversity whereas among‐population diversity estimates are similar to those derived by the dominantly inherited markers. Number of sampled plants per population and number of scored microsatellite DNA alleles are correlated with some of the population genetics parameters. In addition, maximum geographical distance between sampled populations has a strong positive effect on among‐population diversity. As previously verified with allozyme data, RAPD‐ and STMS‐based analyses show that long‐lived, outcrossing, late successional taxa retain most of their genetic variability within populations. By contrast, annual, selfing and/or early successional taxa allocate most of the genetic variability among populations. Estimates for among‐ and within‐population diversity, respectively, were negatively correlated. The only major discrepancy between allozymes and STMS on the one hand, and RAPD on the other hand, concerns geographical range; within‐population diversity was strongly affected when the former methods were used but not so in the RAPD‐based studies. Direct comparisons between the different methods, when applied to the same plant material, indicate large similarities between the dominant markers and somewhat lower similarity with the STMS‐based data, presumably due to insufficient number of analysed microsatellite DNA loci in many studies.
Activation of PPARγ2 by PPARγ1 through a functional PPRE in transdifferentiation of myoblasts to adipocytes induced by EPA

PPARγ and Wnt signaling are central positive and negative regulators of adipogenesis, respectively. Here we identified that, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) could effectively induce the transdifferentiation of myoblasts into adipocytes through modulation of both PPARγ expression and Wnt signaling. During the early stage of transdifferentiation, EPA activates PPARδ and PPARγ1, which in turn targets β-catenin to degradation and down-regulates Wnt/β-catenin signaling, such that the myogenic fate of myoblasts could be switched to adipogenesis. In addition, EPA up-regulates the expression of PPARγ1 by activating RXRα, then PPARγ1 binds to the functional peroxisome proliferator responsive element (PPRE) in the promoter of adipocyte-specific PPARγ2 to continuously activate the expression of PPARγ2 throughout the transdifferentiation process. Our data indicated that EPA acts as a dual-function stimulator of adipogenesis that both inhibits Wnt signaling and induces PPARγ2 expression to facilitate the transdifferentiation program, and the transcriptional activation of PPARγ2 by PPARγ1 is not only the key factor for the transdifferentiation of myoblasts to adipocytes, but also the crucial evidence for successful transdifferentiation. The present findings provided insight for the first time as to how EPA induces the transdifferentiation of myoblasts to adipocytes, but also provide new clues for strategies to prevent and treat some metabolic diseases.
Detection of soluble class i molecules (non hla‐a or hla‐b) in serum, spleen membranes and lymphocytes in culture

Soluble major histocompatibility complex class I molecules (sHLA) present in human serum can be resolved by gel filtration into two different peaks with an apparent molecular mass of about 200 kDa (30% of the total) and 50–60 kDa (60%–70%). The serological analysis of the peaks shows that A or B specificities can only be detected in the 200 kDa peak while both are recognized by the monomorphic W6/32 monoclonal antibody (mAb) and anti‐β2‐microglobulin mAb. Such sHLA (non HLA‐A or ‐B) molecules are released from human spleen membranes upon incubation at 37 °C and have been purified by affinity chromatography with mAb W6/32 bound to Sepharose. The molecular mass analysis by sodium dodecyl sulfate‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the sHLA (non HLA‐A or ‐B) and of the classical HLA‐A or ‐B antigens still bound to the membranes and purified from the same membranes after detergent solubilization does not show a significant difference, indicating that sHLA do not represent proteolytic fragments of the classical HLA‐A or ‐B antigens. The presence of sHLA (non HLA‐A or ‐B) has also been detected in the supernatants of lymphocyte cultures and increases dramatically upon stimulation by mitogens. The effect of pokeweed mitogen, phytohemagglutinin, Staphylococcus aureus Cowan strain and phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate on the secretion of sHLA has been studied. The molecular mass of the secreted sHLA (detected using [14C]leucine) is compared with the classical transmembrane proteins.
Prospects for vaccines against rotaviruses

Candidate vaccines against rotavirus‐caused diarrhoea have been under development for more than ten years. Recent research has helped to identify virological and immunological parameters which are most likely to be correlates of protection from rotavirus infection and disease. Large double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trials in the United States and Venezuela have resulted in successful protection from severe disease and dehydration after immunisation with live‐attenuated rhesus rotavirus‐based monovalent and tetravalent vaccine candidates. The tetravalent vaccine is now submitted for regulatory approval in the United States. The anticipated widespread use of such a vaccine will need careful safety and effectiveness surveillance as the enormous diversity of rotavirus antigenicity may affect efficacy in different geographical regions. To proceed from licensure to reduction of disease a series of goals must be achieved: the vaccine must be recommended by major immunisation advisory committees, be financed in both the public and private sectors, be integrated into existing vaccination schedules, be promoted, find parental acceptance and achieve a high level of coverage. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Activity Matters: Investigating the Influence of Facebook on Life Satisfaction of teenage Users

As Facebook has become an integral part of a daily routine for many, the impact of its participation on users’ lives is of growing interest. Nonetheless, extant research does not offer a clear answer on the directionality of the link between Facebook use and markers of subjective well-being. These issues are particularly critical for the vulnerable segment of teenage users. Suggesting both negative and positive outcomes, existing studies are plagued by recall bias, with available findings often undermined by the reliance on aggregated measures of Facebook use. To close these gaps and address unique dynamics of the teen segment, in this study we adopt a diary approach to reliably capture different indicators of FB participation by young adolescents. This method allows us to arrive at more concrete conclusions regarding the counter-acting forces at work when it comes to the influence of Facebook. Based on our analysis, we show that the type of activity matters. Specifically, while such active uses of FB as posting and chatting are positively associated with life satisfaction in young adolescents, passive following has an adverse effect. Theoretically, our findings help getting a more holistic picture of the consequences of SNS use by teens.
Wavelet Transform-Based EMI Noise Mitigation in Power Converter Topologies

This paper proposes a novel wavelet transform-based approach for electromagnetic interference (EMI) noise mitigation in power electronics topologies. The switching action of power semiconductor devices generates EMI in power converter modules which exceeds the noise limit set by the regulation of CISPR11. In order to cancel the EMI noise, the wavelet transform-based time-frequency localization approach has been used for generating a noise cancellation signal. The effectiveness of the proposed method has been evaluated in the terms of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Further, the effect of variance of the noise amplitude has been taken into consideration on the SNR. A relationship between the standard deviation, which is proportional to square root of the variance of the signal, and the SNR has been established. The proposed method has been implemented on the different power electronics topologies such as buck converter, boost converter, three-phase voltage source inverter, and Z-source inverter-based ac drive. The proposed method achieves the reduction of noise level below the safe limit set by CISPR11.
Optimal latency balancing algorithm for multiple portal in wireless mesh networks

Wireless mesh networks (WMNs) are the key technology of wireless access network for wireless Internet application. WMNs exploit mesh gateways for delivering traffic to or from the end-users with a multihop wireless backbone. Because the traffic volume is expected too high for single mesh gateway, the adoption of multiple mesh gateways is very essential. Hence, a traffic balancing algorithm becomes vital to be incorporated into the routing protocol that used in the WMNs. In this paper, we propose an optimal latency balancing (OLB) algorithm, which is used to balance the traffic load among the mesh gateways and to improve the latency of packet sending. The proposed OLB algorithm effectively finds the potential traffic flows to be switchable until the inter-domain traffic volume is balanced. Simulation results reveal that the performance of routing protocol with the proposed OLB algorithm is improved in terms of latency, hop count, network throughput, and packet delivery ratio.
Radiologic evaluation of alternative sites for needle decompression of tension pneumothorax.

OBJECTIVE To compare the distance to be traversed during needle thoracostomy decompression performed at the second intercostal space (ICS) in the midclavicular line (MCL) with the fifth ICS in the anterior axillary line (AAL). DESIGN Patients were separated into body mass index (BMI) quartiles, with BMI calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. From each BMI quartile, 30 patients were randomly chosen for inclusion in the study on the basis of a priori power analysis (n = 120). Chest wall thickness on computed tomography at the second ICS in the MCL was compared with the fifth ICS in the AAL on both the right and left sides through all BMI quartiles. SETTING Level I trauma center. PATIENTS Injured patients aged 16 years or older evaluated from January 1, 2009, to January 1, 2010, undergoing computed tomography of the chest. RESULTS A total of 680 patients met the study inclusion criteria (81.5% were male and mean age was 41 years [range, 16-97 years]). Of the injuries sustained, 13.2% were penetrating, mean (SD) Injury Severity Score was 15.5 (10.3), and mean BMI was 27.9 (5.9) (range, 15.4-60.7). The mean difference in chest wall thickness between the second ICS at the MCL and the fifth ICS at the AAL was 12.9 mm (95% CI, 11.0-14.8; P < .001) on the right and 13.4 mm (95% CI, 11.4-15.3; P < .001) on the left. There was a stepwise increase in chest wall thickness across all BMI quartiles at each location of measurement. There was a significant difference in chest wall thickness between the second ICS at the MCL and the fifth ICS at the AAL in all quartiles on both the right and the left. The percentage of patients with chest wall thickness greater than the standard 5-cm decompression needle was 42.5% at the second ICS in the MCL and only 16.7% at the fifth ICS in the AAL. CONCLUSIONS In this computed tomography-based analysis of chest wall thickness, needle thoracostomy decompression would be expected to fail in 42.5% of cases at the second ICS in the MCL compared with 16.7% at the fifth ICS in the AAL. The chest wall thickness at the fifth ICS AAL was 1.3 cm thinner on average and may be a preferred location for needle thoracostomy decompression.
Increased toxin‐induced liver injury and fibrosis in interleukin‐6–deficient mice

Interleukin‐6 null (IL‐6−/−) mice have impaired liver regeneration and increased liver necrosis following partial hepatectomy that is corrected with IL‐6 treatment. Following acute carbon tetrachloride (CCl4 ) treatment, we found that IL‐6−/− mice developed increased hepatocellular injury and defective regeneration with significant blunting of signal transducer‐and‐activator of transcription protein 3 (STAT3) and nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB) activation and reduced hepatocyte DNA synthetic and mitotic responses. After CCl4 treatment, unlike partial hepatectomy, increased hepatocyte apoptosis was noted in IL‐6−/− livers. Pretreatment with IL‐6 before CCl4 reduced acute CCl4 injury and apoptosis and accelerated regeneration in both IL‐6+/+ and −/− livers. Repetitive doses of CCl4 in the presence or absence of phenobarbital resulted in increased injury and fibrosis in IL‐6 −/− compared with +/+ livers. After acute and chronic injury, IL‐6−/− livers showed the protracted presence of α‐smooth muscle actin associated with activated stellate cells, indicating a disturbed response in wound healing that progressed to fibrosis. These data provide evidence for an important role for IL‐6 in reducing CCl4 –induced acute and chronic liver injury and fibrosis.
Immunological Responses and Long-Term Treatment Interruption after Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1) Lipopeptide Immunization of HIV-1-Infected Patients: the LIPTHERA Study

ABSTRACT We studied the time course of immunological and virological markers after highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) interruption in chronically human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected patients immunized with an HIV lipopeptide preparation. In a prospective open pilot study, 24 HIV-1-infected HAART-treated patients with undetectable plasma viral loads (pVLs) and CD4+ T-cell counts above 350/mm3 were immunized at weeks 0, 3, and 6 with a candidate vaccine consisting of six HIV lipopeptides. At week 24, patients with pVLs of <1.7 log10 copies/ml were invited to stop taking HAART. Antiretroviral therapy was resumed if the pVL rose above 4.47 log10 copies/ml and/or if the CD4+ cell count fell below 250/mm3. Immunological and virologic parameters were studied before and after HAART interruption. The median baseline and nadir CD4+ cell counts were 482 (interquartile range [IQR], 195 to 826) and 313 (IQR, 1 to 481)/mm3, respectively. New specific CD8+ cell responses to HIV-1 epitopes were detected after immunization in 13 (57%) of 23 assessable patients. Twenty-one patients were evaluated 96 weeks after HAART interruption. The median time to pVL rebound was 4 weeks (IQR, 2 to 6), and the median peak pVL was 4.26 (IQR, 3 to 5) log10 copies/ml. Thirteen of these 21 patients resumed HAART a median of 60 weeks after immunization (IQR, 9.2 to 68.4 weeks), when the median pVL was 4.8 (IQR, 2.9 to 5.7) log10 copies/ml and the median CD4+ cell count was 551 (IQR, 156 to 778)/mm3. Eight patients were still off therapy at 96 weeks, with a median pVL of 4 (IQR, 1.7 to 4.6) log10 copies/ml and a median CD4+ cell count of 412 (IQR, 299 to 832)/mm3. No clinical disease progression had occurred. Despite the lack of a control arm, these findings warrant a randomized study of therapeutic vaccination with HIV lipopeptides followed by long-term HAART interruption in AIDS-free chronically infected patients.