Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prostaglandin E2 modulates dendritic cell function via EP2 and EP4 receptor subtypes

We have reported previously that PGE2 inhibits dendritic cells (DC) functions. Because E prostanoid receptor (EPR) subtypes involved in this action are unknown, expression and functions of these receptors were examined in DC. Western blot and flow cytometry analyses showed that all EPRs were coexpressed in DC. In a dose‐dependent manner, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) enhanced EP2R/EP4R but not EP1R/EP3R expressions. NS‐398, a cyclooxygenase (COX)‐2‐selective inhibitor, suppressed LPS‐enhanced EP2R/EP4R expression, suggesting that COX‐2‐issued prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) modulates DC function through stimulation of specific EPR subtypes. Using selective agonists, we found that butaprost, an EP2R agonist, and PGE1 alcohol, an EP2R and EP2R/EP4R agonist, inhibited major histocompatibility complex class II expression and enhanced interleukin‐10 production from DC. However, no effect was observed with sulprostone and 17‐phenyl‐ω‐trinor‐PGE2, selective agonists for EP1R and EP1R/EP3R, respectively. Treatment of DC with dibutyryl cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), an analog of cAMP, mimics PGE2‐induced, inhibitory effects. Taken together, our data demonstrate that EP2R/EP4R are efficient for mediating PGE2‐induced modulation of DC functions.
Face mask therapy effects in two skeletal maturation groups of female subjects with skeletal Class III malocclusions.

OBJECTIVE To examine the effects of face mask therapy in adolescent and young adult female subjects with skeletal Class III malocclusion characterized by maxillary retrognathism. MATERIALS AND METHODS The material consisted of pretreatment and posttreatment lateral cephalometric radiographs of 28 subjects with Class III malocclusions treated with a face mask. Twenty-eight patients age 10 to 16 years were divided into two groups: the adolescent group (15 female patients) and the young adult group (13 female patients). Within group and between group comparisons were made by paired t-test and Student's t-test, respectively. RESULTS Forward displacement of the maxilla and clockwise rotation of the mandible occurred in both the adolescent and young adult groups. Maxillary-mandibular relationship exhibited an increase in the ANB angle and Wits appraisal, and the soft-tissue changes resulted in a more convex profile. The maxillary incisors moved forward while the mandibular incisors moved backward. CONCLUSIONS Face mask therapy improves skeletal Class III malocclusions by a combination of skeletal and dental changes. Although early treatment may be most effective, face mask treatment can provide a viable option for older children as well.
Modified ammonia electrode method to investigate D-asparagine breakdown by Campylobacter strains

An ammonia electrode method has been developed for investigating the deamination of amino acids by bacteria. It consists of incubating a standard inoculum of organisms in an amino acid solution and then measuring the amount of ammonia evolved by the electrode. Two hundred and twelve Campylobacter strains (118 C. jejuni and 94 C. coli) were tested for their ability to break down D-asparagine by this method. Organism control (bacterial suspension in buffer alone) values ranged from 0.44 to 2.0 (mean 0.93 +/- 0.24) ammonia concentration (AC) units (one AC unit is equal to 10(-5) mol of ammonia per liter), whereas test values ranged from 0.60 to 46.0 units. Test ACs of less than 2 units (97 strains) were considered negative, whereas ACs of greater than or equal to 10 (77 strains) were considered positive for D-asparaginase; 38 (18%) strains with ACs between 2 and 10 units were provisionally assigned an intermediate status. The amount of ammonia produced by strains with ACs of greater than or equal to 10 increased greatly when the inoculum size was increased, whereas this was not a feature of strains with ACs of less than 2 units. The presence or absence of an inoculum effect was instrumental in classifying strains with intermediate ACs and allowed a breakpoint to be defined. When the ammonia electrode method was repeated, 97.6% of the 212 strains gave the same positive or negative reaction that they did on the first occasion. Thus the test was highly reproducible. Five strains (all porcine C. coli from Germany) were unclassifiable because they repeatedly gave either a weak-positive or negative reaction. Overall, 12.7% of C. jejuni strains and 86.2% of C. coli strains were positive for D-asparaginase. The ammonia electrode method was found to be simple and reliable for separating strains on the basis of D-asparaginase activity.
Uncoupling the Coupled Calcium and Zinc Dyshomeostasis in Cardiac Myocytes and Mitochondria Seen in Aldosteronism

Intracellular [Ca2+]i overloading in cardiomyocytes is a fundamental pathogenic event associated with chronic aldosterone/salt treatment (ALDOST) and accounts for an induction of oxidative stress that leads to necrotic cell death and consequent myocardial scarring. This prooxidant response to Ca2+ overloading in cardiac myocytes and mitochondria is intrinsically coupled to simultaneous increased Zn2+ entry serving as an antioxidant. Herein, we investigated whether Ca2+ and Zn2+ dyshomeostasis and prooxidant to antioxidant dysequilibrium seen at 4 weeks, the pathologic stage of ALDOST, could be uncoupled in favor of antioxidants, using cotreatment with a ZnSO4 supplement; pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC), a Zn2+ ionophore; or ZnSO4 in combination with amlodipine (Amlod), a Ca2+ channel blocker. We monitored and compared responses in cardiomyocyte free [Ca2+]i and [Zn2+]i together with biomarkers of oxidative stress in cardiac myocytes and mitochondria. At week 4 of ALDOST and compared with controls, we found (1) an elevation in [Ca2+]i coupled with [Zn2+]i and (2) increased mitochondrial H2O2 production and increased mitochondrial and cardiac 8-isoprostane levels. Cotreatment with the ZnSO4 supplement alone, PDTC, or ZnSO4+Amlod augmented the rise in cardiomyocyte [Zn2+]i beyond that seen with ALDOST alone, whereas attenuating the rise in [Ca2+]i, which together served to reduce oxidative stress. Thus, a coupled dyshomeostasis of intracellular Ca2+ and Zn2+ was demonstrated in cardiac myocytes and mitochondria during 4-week ALDOST, where prooxidants overwhelm antioxidant defenses. This intrinsically coupled Ca2+ and Zn2+ dyshomeostasis could be uncoupled in favor of antioxidant defenses by selectively increasing free [Zn2+]i and/or reducing [Ca2+]i using cotreatment with ZnSO4 or PDTC alone or ZnSO4+Amlod in combination.
Comparative evaluation of daptomycin (LY146032) and vancomycin in the treatment of experimental methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus osteomyelitis in rabbits

A rabbit model for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) osteomyelitis was used to compare treatment with daptomycin, a new peptolide, and vancomycin. Daptomycin (4 mg/kg) and vancomycin (40 mg/kg) were injected subcutaneously every 12 and 6 h, respectively. After treatment, MRSA was found in bone cultures from 18 of 18 control rabbits, 10 of 17 animals treated with daptomycin, and 11 of 18 animals treated with vancomycin. Drug concentrations were measured in serum, uninfected bone, and infected bone 1 h after daptomycin or vancomycin was injected in a group of rabbits that had been infected for 3 to 4 weeks. Vancomycin was present at the highest concentrations in infected and uninfected bone. The results of this study suggest that daptomycin was similar to vancomycin in the eradication of MRSA from infected bone in an experimental model of osteomyelitis.
Hemispheric asymmetry for emotional stimuli detected with fMRI

CURRENT brain models of emotion processing hypothesize that positive (or approach-related) emotions are lateralized towards the left hemisphere, whereas negative (or withdrawal-related) emotions are lateralized towards the right hemisphere. Brain imaging studies, however, have so far failed to document such hemispheric lateralization. In a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, 14 female subjects viewed alternating blocks of emotionally valenced positive and negative pictures. When the experience of valence was equated for arousal, overall brain reactivity was lateralized towards the left hemisphere for positive pictures and towards the right hemisphere for negative pictures. This study provides direct support for the valence hypothesis, under conditions of equivalent arousal, by means of functional brain imaging.
Test of a Dignity Model in patients with heart failure

Background: Identifying, maintenance, and promotion of dignity in different patients of various cultures is an ethical responsibility of healthcare workers. Research questions: This study was conducted to investigate factors related to dignity in patients with heart failure and test the validity of Dignity Model. Design: The study had a descriptive-correlational design, and data collection was carried out by means of four specific questionnaires. Participants and context: A total of 130 in-patients from cardiac wards in hospitals affiliated with Tehran and Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences participated. Ethical consideration: This study was approved by the Research Committee of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. Findings: Significant correlation showed the following: between illness related worries with dignity conserving repertoire score, between illness related worries with social dignity, between illness related worries with dignity conserving repertoire score, and between social dignity with dignity score. Goodness Fit Index and Comparative Fit Index were calculated greater than 0.9. Discussion: This study affirms the importance of careful evaluation of individual patients to determine their needs related to dignity. Conclusion: According to the results, the necessity of using appropriate tools to assess various aspects of patients’ dignity by clinical healthcare staff and design activities with particular focus on the main factors affecting dignity such as illness related worries and social dignity is recommended. Attention to this issue in everyday clinical practice can facilitate health professionals/nurses to potentially improve their patients’ dignity, develop quality of care and treatment, and improve patients’ satisfaction.
Analytical sensitivity and specificity of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) kit prototype for detection of Trypanosoma cruzi DNA in human blood samples

This study aimed to assess analytical parameters of a prototype LAMP kit that was designed for detection of Trypanosoma cruzi DNA in human blood. The prototype is based on the amplification of the highly repetitive satellite sequence of T.cruzi in microtubes containing dried reagents on the inside of the caps. The reaction is carried out at 65°C during 40 minutes. Calcein allows direct detection of amplified products with the naked eye. Inclusivity and selectivity were tested in purified DNA from Trypanosoma cruzi stocks belonging to the six discrete typing units (DTUs), in DNA from other protozoan parasites and in human DNA. Analytical sensitivity was estimated in serial dilutions of DNA samples from Sylvio X10 (Tc I) and CL Brener (Tc VI) stocks, as well as from EDTA-treated or heparinized blood samples spiked with known amounts of cultured epimastigotes (CL Brener). LAMP sensitivity was compared after DNA extraction using commercial fiberglass columns or after “Boil & Spin” rapid preparation. Moreover, the same DNA and EDTA-blood spiked samples were subjected to standardized qPCR based on the satellite DNA sequence for comparative purposes. A panel of peripheral blood specimens belonging to Chagas disease patients, including acute, congenital, chronic and reactivated cases (N = 23), as well as seronegative controls (N = 10) were evaluated by LAMP in comparison to qPCR. LAMP was able to amplify DNAs from T. cruzi stocks representative of the six DTUs, whereas it did not amplify DNAs from Leishmania sp, T. brucei sp, T. rangeli KPN+ and KPN-, P. falciparum and non-infected human DNA. Analytical sensitivity was 1x10-2 fg/μL of both CL Brener and Sylvio X10 DNAs, whereas qPCR detected up to 1x 10−1 fg/μL of CL Brener DNA and 1 fg/μl of Sylvio X10 DNA. LAMP detected 1x10-2 parasite equivalents/mL in spiked EDTA blood and 1x10-1 par.eq/mL in spiked heparinized blood using fiberglass columns for DNA extraction, whereas qPCR detected 1x10-2 par.eq./mL in EDTA blood. Boil & Spin extraction allowed detection of 1x10-2 par.eq /mL in spiked EDTA blood and 1 par.eq/ml in heparinized blood. LAMP was able to detect T.cruzi infection in peripheral blood samples collected from well-characterised seropositive patients, including acute, congenital, chronic and reactivated Chagas disease. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a prototype LAMP kit with appropriate analytical sensitivity for diagnosis of Chagas disease patients, and potentially useful for monitoring treatment response.
Acute hepatitis B in a patient with antibodies to hepatitis B surface antigen who was receiving rituximab.

To the Editor: CD20 antigen is expressed on most B lymphocytes. Therefore, humanized monoclonal antibodies to CD20, especially rituximab, specifically kill lymphomatous and normal B lymphocytes by means of cytotoxicity and apoptosis.1 Few infections have been reported in recipients of rituximab. A lethal reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection occurred in a patient who was treated with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone and rituximab.1 We describe a patient who had antibodies to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) but not hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) before rituximab therapy and in whom anti-HBs disappeared and hepatitis B developed. A 69-year-old man .
Nasal and paranasal involvement in primary Sjogren`s syndrome.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study is to investigate nasal and paranasal signs and symptoms of the primary Sjogren`s syndrome patients and compare them with healthy controls. METHODOLOGY Seventy-seven (7 M, 70 F) primary Sjogren`s syndrome patients and 77 healthy controls were included in the study. Anterior rhinoscopy, nasal endoscopy, 5 component smell discrimination test, nasal clearance analysis with saccharin test and electrorhinomanometer were performed. RESULTS Nasal crusting was present in 31 and 24 individuals in patient and control groups, respectively. Sinusitis was present in 2 and 1 individuals in patient and control groups, respectively. Nasal polyposis was present in 7 and 1 individuals in patient and control groups, respectively. These differences were not statistically different. CONCLUSION Although there were some findings in a few patients, nasal findings were insignificant and mild even in patients with severe oral or ocular findings. Rhinomanometry, nasal clearance determination or smell discrimination tests have very little value in the diagnosis or management of primary Sjogren`s syndrome. Nasal polyposis was higher in the patient group, though it did not reach a significant level. Nasal glandular involvement is mild and insignificant in primary Sjogren`s syndrome.
Second harmonic generation (SHG) imaging of cancer heterogeneity in ultrasound guided biopsies of prostate in men suspected with prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is a multifocal disease with characteristic heterogeneity and foci that can range from low grade indolent to aggressive disease. The latter is characterised by the well‐established histopathological Gleason grading system used in the current clinical care. Nevertheless, a large discrepancy exists on initial biopsy and after the final radical prostatectomy. Moreover, there is no reliable imaging modality to study these foci, in particular at the level of the cells and surrounding matrix. Extracellular matrix (ECM) remodelling is significant in cancer progression with collagen as the dominant structural component providing mechanical strength and flexibility of tissue. In this study, the collagen assembly in prostate tissue was investigated with second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy: malignant foci demonstrated a reticular pattern, with a typical collagen pattern for each Gleason score. The orientation of collagen for each biopsy was computed by applying a ratio of the anisotropic and isotropic collagen fibres. This value was found to be distinct for each Gleason score. The findings suggest that this approach can not only be used to detect prostate cancer, but also can act as a potential biomarker for cancer aggressiveness.
Deep bottleneck features for i-vector based text-independent speaker verification

This paper describes the application of deep neural networks (DNNs), trained to discriminate among speakers, to improving performance in text-independent speaker verification. Activations from the bottleneck layer of these DNNs are used as features in an i-vector based speaker verification system. The features derived from this network are thought to be more robust with respect to phonetic variability, which is generally considered to have a negative impact on speaker verification performance. The verification performance using these features is evaluated on the 2012 NIST SRE core-core condition with models trained from a subset of the Fisher and Switchboard conversational speech corpora. It is found that improved performance, as measured by the minimum detection cost function (minDCF), can be obtained by appending speaker discriminative features to the more widely used mel-frequency cepstrum coefficients.
Progress with Proso, Pearl and Other Millets

PEARL MILLET Pearl millet is one of the two major crops grown to feed people living in the semi-arid, low input dryland agriculture regions of Africa and southeast Asia. People in northern Nambia are almost entirely dependent on pearl millet for food. Four countries in the Sahel of Africa, with a total population of 38 million, depend on pearl millet to provide over 1,000 calories per person per day (Dendy 1995). Pearl millet is adapted to poor, droughty, and infertile soils because it will produce more reliably under these conditions than most other grain crops. However, it readily responds to high fertility and moisture. Pearl millet grows best in light welldrained loamy to sandy soils. It can tolerate acid subsoils to as low as pH=4 and high in aluminum content (National Research Council 1996). Annual rainfall in the areas where this crop is mainly grown ranges from 250 to 700 mm but can be as high as 1500 mm. Pearl millet is an annual, sexual diploid (2n=14 chromosomes) with the A genome (Jauhar and Hanna 1998). Primary breeding research efforts on pearl millet for grain have been carried out at Tifton, Georgia by USDA/ARS scientists Wayne Hanna, Glen Burton, and colleagues, and at the University of Nebraska by David Andrews and John Rajewski. Previous work by Bill Stegmeier in Kansas ceased with his death. Andrews and Burton have recently retired and future breeding efforts in pearl millet are seriously in doubt at this point. Commercial US cultivars are limited to forage hybrids. One recent release from the University of Nebraska takes advantage of extremely short day photoperiod requirements for floral induction, resulting in vegetative production throughout the growing season at latitudes north of Texas. This results in improved late season quality, but complicates production by limiting seed production to the tropics. At one stage as much as 35,000 acres were grown for grain in the southeastern US, but a rust epidemic reduced the acreage to zero. Currently new lines are rust resistant, but there is no commercial production at this time. Breeding and management work may make pearl millet more competitive with other feed grains, but efforts are needed to develop a market that will encourage production. A new ornamental type is expected to be released in the near future from Andrews’ program that has purple pigmentation. His program also released several parental types during the past year.
Speech, language and aided communication: Connections and questions in a developmental context

Purpose. This discussion paper focuses on four potential complexities in the language development of children with severe congenital speech impairments, who use graphic symbols as a primary means of expression. Method. Some of the literature in relation to language development in aided communication is reviewed. Results. Four potentially significant connections are discussed, relating to: (i) the features of graphic symbols; (ii) the complexity of multi-modal communication; (iii) the impact of selection and production on the process of developing a language system; and (iv), the connection between development and learning. Conclusions. It is proposed that the connections outlined are of fundamental significance in guiding intervention planning and in supporting language development in ways that have theoretical coherence.
The specificity of endurance training on muscular power and muscle fibre size.

In an effort to further examine the specificity of training concept, six female student volunteers (mean age=25.3 years) were endurance trained three times a week for a period of twelve weeks. The training consisted of thirty minutes of continuous running per workout. Identical test batteries were administered prior to (pre) and immediately following (post) the treatment period. Each battery of tests consisted of three measures of muscular leg power (vertical jump test, 18-29 m sprint, and the Margaria Step Test), and two measures of cardiovascular endurance (Cooper's 12 minute run, and V˚O2 max during treadmill running). A muscle biopsy from the lateral aspect of the gastrocnemius muscle was also included. The biopsy specimens were stained for myosin ATPase. Percentages of fast twitch (FT) and slow twitch (ST) muscle fibres as well as mean individual FT and ST fibre areas were determined. The training produced significant changes in the exercising subjects for thel2-minute run (p=0.006)and VO2max(p=0.003.
Structural and optical properties of ZnTe thin films

Thin films of ZnTe have been prepared by close spaced sublimation technique. The deposited films have been characterized by using optical absorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Structural investigations performed by X-ray diffraction technique showed that studied samples are polycrystalline and have a cubic (zinc blende) structure. XRD patterns have been used to determine the microstructural parameters (crystallite size, lattice parameter) of investigated films. Surface morphology studies SEM shows that the grains are uniformly distributed over the entire surface of the substrate. Optical properties of ZnTe films were studied extensively in the range of incident photon energy (0.5-4.0) eV. In the studied ZnTe films the direct transitions take place.