Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Recombinant human oviductin regulates protein tyrosine phosphorylation and acrosome reaction.

The mammalian oviduct synthesizes and secretes a major glycoprotein known as oviductin (OVGP1), which has been shown to interact with gametes and early embryos. Here we report the use of recombinant DNA technology to produce, for the first time, the secretory form of human OVGP1 in HEK293 cells. HEK293 colonies stably expressing recombinant human OVGP1 (rHuOVGP1) were established by transfecting cells with an expression vector pCMV6-Entry constructed with OVGP1 cDNA. Large quantities of rHuOVGP1 were obtained from the stably transfected cells using the CELLSPIN cell cultivation system. A two-step purification system was carried out to yield rHuOVGP1 with a purity of >95%. Upon gel electrophoresis, purified rHuOVGP1 showed a single band corresponding to the 120-150 kDa size range of human OVGP1. Mass spectrometric analysis of the purified rHuOVGP1 revealed its identity as human oviductin. Immunofluorescence showed the binding of rHuOVGP1 to different regions of human sperm cell surfaces in various degrees of intensity. Prior treatment of sperm with 1% Triton X-100 altered the immunostaining pattern of rHuOVGP1 with an intense immunostaining over the equatorial segment and post-acrosomal region as well as along the length of the tail. Addition of rHuOVGP1 in the capacitating medium further enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation of sperm proteins in a time-dependent manner. After 4-h incubation in the presence of rHuOVGP1, the number of acrosome-reacted sperm induced by calcium ionophore significantly increased. The successful production of rHuOVGP1 can now facilitate the study of the role of human OVGP1 in fertilization and early embryo development.
Precoding in multiantenna and multiuser communications

In this paper, Tomlinson-Harashima Precoding for multiple-input/multiple-output systems including multiple-antenna and multiuser systems is studied. It is shown that nonlinear preequalization offers significant advantages over linear preequalization which increases average transmit power. Moreover, it outperforms decision-feedback equalization at the receiver side which is applicable if joint processing at the receiver side is possible, and which suffers from error propagation. A number of aspects of practical importance are studied. Loading, i.e., the optimum distribution of transmit power and rate is discussed in detail. It is shown that the capacity of the underlying MIMO channel can be utilized asymptotically by means of nonlinear precoding.
Scene Classification via Hierarchical Semantic Blockes Vote Model

The contributions of image blocks to the holistic scene semantic classification are further exploited in this paper. An image is subdivided into non-overlapping regular grid of blocks hierarchically, 2×2 blocks at the first level and 3×3 blocks at the second level. For each level, “bag-of-features” strategy is deployed to predict the scene category of each block. Then the holistic scene category of an image can be recognized through a vote model based on the semantic categories of blocks at all levels in this image. Classification performance is compared to five state of the art approaches using their own datasets and testing protocols. In all cases, the proposed model achieves equal or superior results. Source codes are available by email.
Liver Metastases From Noncolorectal Malignancies (Neuroendocrine Tumor, Sarcoma, Melanoma, Breast)

AbstractPatients with noncolorectal hepatic metastases often face limited treatment options and a dismal prognosis. Over the last decade, the advent of targeted immunotherapies has transformed the treatment of certain metastatic cancers, such as sarcoma and melanoma; however, these patients eventually develop resistance. Metastatic sarcoma, melanoma, and breast and neuroendocrine tumors are notoriously treatment resistant once they have metastasized to the liver. For these cancers, minimally invasive transarterial and ablation therapies have emerged as safe, palliative therapies that can provide symptom control and even prolong survival.
Components of a Calmodulin-dependent Protein Kinase Cascade

Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases I and IV (CaMKI and CaMKIV, respectively) require phosphorylation on an equivalent single Thr in the activation loop of subdomain VIII for maximal activity. Two distinct CaMKI/IV kinases, CaMKKα and CaMKKβ, were purified from rat brain and partially sequenced (Edelman, A. M., Mitchelhill, K., Selbert, M. A., Anderson, K. A., Hook, S. S., Stapleton, D., Goldstein, E. G., Means, A. R., and Kemp, B. E. (1996)J. Biol. Chem. 271, 10806–10810). We report here the cloning and sequencing of cDNAs for human and rat CaMKKβ, tissue and regional brain localization of CaMKKβ protein, and mRNA and functional characterization of recombinant CaMKKβ in vitro and in Jurkat T cells. The sequences of human and rat CaMKKβ demonstrate 65% identity and 80% similarity with CaMKKα and 30–40% identity with CaMKI and CaMKIV themselves. CaMKKβ is broadly distributed among rat tissues with highest levels in CaMKIV-expressing tissues such as brain, thymus, spleen, and testis. In brain, CaMKKβ tracks more closely with CaMKIV than does CaMKKα. Bacterially expressed CaMKKβ undergoes intramolecular autophosphorylation, is regulated by Ca2+/CaM, and phosphorylates CaMKI and CaMKIV on Thr177 and Thr200, respectively. CaMKKβ activates both CaMKI and CaMKIV when coexpressed in Jurkat T cells as judged by phosphorylated cAMP response element-binding protein-dependent reporter gene expression. CaMKKβ activity is enhanced by elevation of intracellular Ca2+, although substantial activity is observed at the resting Ca2+ concentration. The strict Ca2+ requirement of CaMKIV-dependent phosphorylation of cAMP response element-binding protein, is therefore controlled at the level of CaMKIV rather than CaMKK.
Hepatocellular Carcinoma Associated with Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Japan: Projection to Other Countries in the Foreseeable Future

During the turmoil after the end of World War II some 50 years ago, in Japan intravenous methamphetamine was widespread and penetrated the young generation aged 15-25 years and remunerated blood donors. The vicious cycle gave an enormous thrust to the spread of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among drug users and blood donors. Their HCV infection was transmitted to the general population through transfusions, folk medicine involving the breaking of the integument and tattooing. Indiscreet and widespread treatment with intravenous injection using contaminated syringes and needles at that time accelerated the transmission of HCV further. An overall result was the outbreak of HCV infection in restricted subpopulations in Japan, which inevitably involved the general population. Abrogation of paid blood donation in 1968, the exclusion of blood units contaminated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) in 1973 and that of HCV since November 1989 (by the second generation tests after February 1992) decreased the risk of posttransfusion hepatitis from >50% in the 1960s to infinitely close to zero at present. Now the incidence of HCV infection in Japan is decreased to 1.8-3.5/100,000 person-years. Mother-to-baby transmission of HBV has been prevented since 1986 by a combined passive and active immunoprophylaxis of the babies at risk with hepatitis B immune globulin and vaccine. What we see today in Japan, however, is an ever-increasing incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that has reached almost 40/100,000 population, with males >50 years accounting for the great majority. Of the HCC cases in Japan, approximately 16% is caused by HBV infection and approximately 80% by HCV infection. The growing incidence of HCC is expected to reach a plateau around the year 2015, and then to start to decrease. The ordeal we have gone through, with special reference to the increasing incidence of HCV-associated HCC, is expected elsewhere in the world with a current profile of age-specific HCV infection like ours a few decades back. For worse or better (probably in this order), Japan is a country far advanced as regards the HCC associated with HCV infection. Our long-term experience related in detail here is hoped to help plan strategies to contain HCV infection and cope with its long-term sequelae in many other countries worldwide.
Randomized phase III trial of ABVD versus Stanford V with or without radiation therapy in locally extensive and advanced-stage Hodgkin lymphoma: an intergroup study coordinated by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (E2496).

PURPOSE Although ABVD (doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine) has been established as the standard of care in patients with advanced Hodgkin lymphoma, newer regimens have been investigated, which have appeared superior in early phase II studies. Our aim was to determine if failure-free survival was superior in patients treated with the Stanford V regimen compared with ABVD. PATIENTS AND METHODS The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group, along with the Cancer and Leukemia Group B, the Southwest Oncology Group, and the Canadian NCIC Clinical Trials Group, conducted this randomized phase III trial in patients with advanced Hodgkin lymphoma. Stratification factors included extent of disease (localized v extensive) and International Prognostic Factors Project Score (0 to 2 v 3 to 7). The primary end point was failure-free survival (FFS), defined as the time from random assignment to progression, relapse, or death, whichever occurred first. Overall survival, a secondary end point, was measured from random assignment to death as a result of any cause. This design provided 87% power to detect a 33% reduction in FFS hazard rate, or a difference in 5-year FFS of 64% versus 74% at two-sided . 05 significance level. RESULTS There was no significant difference in the overall response rate between the two arms, with complete remission and clinical complete remission rates of 73% for ABVD and 69% for Stanford V. At a median follow-up of 6.4 years, there was no difference in FFS: 74% for ABVD and 71% for Stanford V at 5 years (P = .32). CONCLUSION ABVD remains the standard of care for patients with advanced Hodgkin lymphoma.
A sociopsychological analysis of agroforestry adoption in Flanders: understanding the discrepancy between conceptual opportunities and actual implementation

ABSTRACT While the opportunities of modern agroforestry systems are increasingly recognized by policymakers, consultants, researchers, and educators, the response of farmers to the recent subsidy program for alley cropping systems in Flanders is relatively low. Therefore, in this study, a mixed method technique, including a survey (n = 86), interviews (n = 33), and a GIS analysis, is used to better understand the reasons behind this implementation gap. The study showed that 55% of the Flemish farmers are not familiar with agroforestry and that the intention to engage in agroforestry is very low. As a result, alley cropping in Flanders remains sparse with only around 30 farmers known to be consciously engaged in the practice. In the last couple of years, these pioneers have installed one or more agroforestry plots (average surface area of 2.3 ha) that often combine a variety of trees with grassland. Whereas negative perceptions of Flemish farmers are mainly related to compatibility and profitability of such a farming system, pioneers consider legal issues, such as land tenure, the most pertaining drawback. Therefore, future research and policy and extension efforts should target these aspects in order to enhance further diffusion.
Sodium-Dependent Neutral Amino Acid Transporter Type 1 Is an Auxiliary Receptor for Baboon Endogenous Retrovirus

ABSTRACT The baboon endogenous retrovirus (BaEV) belongs to a large, widely dispersed interference group that includes the RD114 feline endogenous virus and primate type D retroviruses. Recently, we and another laboratory independently cloned a human receptor for these viruses and identified it as the human sodium-dependent neutral amino acid transporter type 2 (hASCT2). Interestingly, mouse and rat cells are efficiently infected by BaEV but only become susceptible to RD114 and type D retroviruses if the cells are pretreated with tunicamycin, an inhibitor of protein N-linked glycosylation. To investigate this host range difference, we cloned and analyzed NIH Swiss mouse ASCT2 (mASCT2). Surprisingly, mASCT2 did not mediate BaEV infection, which implied that mouse cells might have an alternative receptor for this virus. In addition, elimination of the two N-linked oligosaccharides from mASCT2 by mutagenesis, as substantiated by proteinN-glycosidase F digestions and Western immunoblotting, did not enable it to function as a receptor for RD114 or type D retroviruses. Based on these results, we found that the related ASCT1 transporters of humans and mice are efficient receptors for BaEV but are relatively inactive for RD114 and type D retroviruses. Furthermore, elimination of the two N-linked oligosaccharides from extracellular loop 2 of mASCT1 by mutagenesis enabled it to function as an efficient receptor for RD114 and type D retroviruses. Thus, we infer that the tunicamycin-dependent infection of mouse cells by RD114 and type D retroviruses is caused by deglycosylation of mASCT1, which unmasks previously buried sites for viral interactions. In contrast, BaEV efficiently employs the glycosylated forms of mASCT1 that occur normally in untreated mouse cells.
Auditory neuropathy/dys-synchrony: diagnosis and management.

Auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) and otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) are objective measures of auditory function, but are not hearing tests. Normal OAEs reflect normal cochlear outer hair cell function, and an ABR indicates a synchronous neural response. It is quite possible for a patient to have normal OAEs but absent or grossly abnormal ABR and a behavioral audiogram that is inconsistent with either test. These patients, who may constitute as much as 10% of the diagnosed deaf population, have auditory neuropathy/dys-synchrony (AN/AD). To diagnose AN/AD accurately, ABRs are obtained in response to condensation and rarefaction clicks to distinguish cochlear microphonics (CM) from neural responses. Appropriate management is confounded by variation among patients and changes in auditory function in some patients over time. Recommendations for management include visual language exposure through methods such as American Sign Language (ASL), Cued Speech, or baby signs, and closely following patients.
Dendritic pathology in mental retardation: from molecular genetics to neurobiology

Mental retardation (MR) is a developmental brain disorder characterized by impaired cognitive performance and adaptive skills that affects 1–2% of the population. During the last decade, a large number of genes have been cloned that cause MR upon mutation in humans. The causal role of these genes provides an excellent starting point to investigate the cellular, neurobiological and behavioral alterations and mechanisms responsible for the cognitive impairment in mentally retarded persons. However, studies on Down syndrome (DS) reveal that overexpression of a cluster of genes and various forms of MR that are caused by single‐gene mutations, such as fragile X (FraX), Rett, Coffin‐Lowry, Rubinstein–Taybi syndrome and non‐syndromic forms of MR, causes similar phenotypes. In spite of the many differences in the manifestation of these forms of MR, evidence converges on the proposal that MR is primarily due to deficiencies in neuronal network connectivity in the major cognitive centers in the brain, which secondarily results in impaired information processing. Although MR has been largely regarded as a brain disorder that cannot be cured, our increased understanding of the abnormalities and mechanisms underlying MR may provide an avenue for the development of therapies for MR. In this review, we discuss the neurobiology underlying MR, with a focus on FraX and DS
The development and validation of the mini-surgical theatre educational environment measure

Background: The operating theatre educational environment during medical school may influence student's perceptions of a surgical career. Interest in a surgical career is declining both in the USA and the UK. This study sought to develop and validate a practical questionnaire for distribution to medical undergraduates to assess their operating theatre educational environment. Methods: A previously published questionnaire—the Surgical Theatre Educational Environment Measure (STEEM) (validated on postgraduates) was distributed to 83 final year medical students. The STEEM was found to be a reliable and valid tool for use on undergraduates (Cronbach's alpha = 0.86). From this preliminary study, factor analysis identified 13 factors covering 73% of the variance, which enabled the development of a shorter 14-item questionnaire (mini-STEEM). Results: The mini-STEEM was distributed to 99 medical students following their final year surgical placement at a UK medical school, with a 100% response rate. The mini-STEEM was shown to be a valid, reliable (Cronbach's alpha = 0.80) and practical tool, which was easy to complete, code and analyse. Conclusions: The results showed that the overall climate within the operating theatre for medical undergraduates in one UK Medical School was good with no gender differences in the overall scores.
Credit booms and macrofinancial stability

This paper explores several questions about credit booms and busts: When do credit booms occur? When do they end up in busts, and when do they not? What are the implications for different policies if curbing credit growth and/or mitigating the associated risks is an objective? We find that credit booms are often associated with financial reform and economic growth. They also tend to be more frequent in fixed exchange rate regimes. Only one in three credit boom episodes are followed by a financial crisis. These booms tend to be larger and last longer. Macroprudential tools have at times proven effective in containing booms, and more often in limiting the consequences of busts, due to the buffers they helped to build.
Recombinant Soluble Trimeric CD40 Ligand Is Biologically Active *

CD40 ligand (CD40L) is expressed on the surface of activated CD4 T cells, basophils, and mast cells. Binding of C40L to its receptor, CD40, on the surface of B cells stimulates B cell proliferation, adhesion and differentiation. A preparation of soluble, recombinant CD40L (Tyr-45 to Leu-261), containing the full-length 29-kDa protein and two smaller fragments of 18 and 14 kDa, has been shown to induce differentiation of B cells derived either from normal donors or from patients with X-linked hyper-IgM syndrome (Durandy, A., Schiff, C., Bonnefoy, J.-Y., Forveille, M., Rousset, F., Mazzei, G., Milili, M., and Fischer, A. (1993) Eur. J. Immunol. 23, 2294-2299). We have now purified each of these fragments to homogeneity and show that only the 18-kDa fragment (identified as Glu-108 to Leu-261) is biologically active. When expressed in recombinant form, the 18-kDa protein exhibited full activity in B cell proliferation and differentiation assays, was able to rescue of B cells from apoptosis, and bound soluble CD40. Sucrose gradient sedimentation shows that the 18-kDa protein sediments as an apparent homotrimer, a result consistent with the proposed trimeric structure of CD40L. This demonstrates that a soluble CD40L can stimulate CD40 in a manner indistinguishable from the membrane-bound form of the protein.
Measurement of Functional Capacity Requirements of Police Officers to Aid in Development of an Occupation-Specific Cardiac Rehabilitation Training Program

This study was designed to measure the functional capacity of healthy subjects during strenuous simulated police tasks, with the goal of developing occupation-specific training for cardiac rehabilitation of police officers. A calibrated metabolic instrument and an oxygen consumption data collection mask were used to measure the oxygen consumption and heart rates of 30 Dallas Police Academy officers and cadets as they completed an 8-event obstacle course that simulated chasing, subduing, and handcuffing a suspect. Standard target heart rates (85% of age-predicted maximum heart rate, or 0.85 x [220 – age]) and metabolic equivalents (METs) were calculated; a matched-sample t test based on differences between target and achieved heart rate and MET level was used for statistical analysis. Peak heart rates during the obstacle course simulation were significantly higher than the standard target heart rates (those at which treadmill stress tests in physicians' offices are typically stopped) (t29 = 12.81, P < 0.001) and significantly higher than the suggested maximum of 150 beats/min during cardiac rehabilitation training (t29 = 17.84, P < 0.001). Peak MET levels during the obstacle course simulation were also significantly higher than the goal level (8 METs) that patients typically achieve in a cardiac rehabilitation program (t29 = 14.73, P < 0.001). We conclude that police work requires a functional capacity greater than that typically attained in traditional cardiac rehabilitation programs. Rehabilitation professionals should consider performing maximal stress tests and increasing the intensity of cardiac rehabilitation workouts to effectively train police officers who have had a cardiac event.
Abdominal obesity, liver fat, and muscle composition in survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

CONTEXT Survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) become obese, and are at increased risk for morbidity and mortality post therapy. OBJECTIVE We determined the association of cranial radiotherapy (CRT) and/or sex with levels of total, regional, and ectopic fat storage, metabolic risk, IGF-I, and leptin in adult ALL survivors. DESIGN, SETTING, PATIENTS A cross-sectional analysis of 52 male (15 CRT treated) and 62 female (24 CRT treated) young adult ALL survivors was conducted. MAIN OUTCOMES We assessed levels of visceral fat, sc abdominal and thigh fat, and liver and muscle fat using computed tomography, total fat and lean body mass using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, and IGF-I and leptin levels by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS Controlled for age and race, ALL survivors treated with CRT had higher levels of abdominal and visceral fat, body fat percentage, metabolic risk (insulin resistance and dyslipidemia), and leptin but lower lean mass and IGF-I levels than non-CRT survivors (P </= 0.05 for each). Levels of IGF-I were inversely associated with total, abdominal, and visceral fat in both sexes (P < 0.05 for each). Female ALL survivors had less lean mass and visceral fat but higher total and sc abdominal fat than males (P < 0.05 for each). Neither sex nor CRT was associated with muscle and/or liver fat content (P > 0.1). CONCLUSION Among young adult ALL survivors, CRT is a risk factor for elevated total, abdominal, and visceral adiposity, a reduced fat-free mass, elevated metabolic risk, and altered IGF-I and leptin levels.