Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Coexpression of CD44 variant (v10/ex14) and CD44S in human mammary epithelial cells promotes tumorigenesis

CD44 is the major hyaluronan cell surface receptor and functions as an adhesion molecule in many different cell types, including human breast epithelial cells. The coexpression of certain CD44 variants (CD44v), such as CD44v (v10/ex14), with CD44s (standard form) appears to be closely associated with human breast tumor metastasis. In this study we have established a stable transfection of CD44v (v10/ex14) cDNA into nontumorigenic human breast epithelial cells (HBL100) which contain endogenous CD44s. Our results indicate that coexpression of both CD44v (v10/ex14) and CD44s alters the following important biological properties of these cells: 1) there is a significant reduction in hyaluronic acid (HA)‐mediated cell adhesion; 2) there is an increased migration capability in collagen‐matrix gel; and 3) these cells constitutively produce certain angiogenic factors and effectively promote tumorigenesis in athymic nude mice. These findings suggest that coexpression of CD44v (v10/ex14) and CD44s may trigger the onset of cell transformation required for breast cancer development. J. Cell. Physiol. 171:152–160, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Inflammatory Markers Following Acute Fuel Oil Exposure or Bacterial Lipopolysaccharide in Mallard Ducks (Anas platyrhynchos)

SUMMARY. Adult mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) were orally dosed with bunker C fuel oil for 5 days, and five different inflammatory markers (haptoglobin, mannan-binding lectin, ceruloplasmin, unsaturated iron-binding capacity, and plasma iron) were measured in blood plasma prior to and 8, 24, 48, and 72 hr following exposure. In order to contrast the response to fuel oil with that of a systemic inflammatory response, an additional five ducks were injected intramuscularly with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Oil-treated birds had an inflammatory marker profile that was significantly different from control and LPS-treated birds, showing decreases in mannan-binding lectin-dependent hemolysis and unsaturated iron-binding capacity, but no changes in any of the other inflammatory markers. Birds treated with oil also exhibited increased liver weights, decreased body and splenic weights, and decreased packed cell volume.
Rapid improvement of coagulopathy by all‐trans retinoic acid in acute promyelocytic leukemia

Treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) patients with all‐trans retinoic acid (ATRA) was associated with rapid improvement in hemostatic markers. We made serial analyses of various hemostatic parameters in seven newly diagnosed APL patients. In all patients at diagnosis, plasma fibrinogen/fibrin degradation product (fragment‐E), cross‐linked fibrin degradation product (D‐dimer fragment), thrombin‐antithrombin III complex and plasmin‐α2‐plasmin inhibitor complex were elevated, indicating the presence of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Antithrombin III (A TIII) levels were normal in all patients except for the patient with congenital ATIII deficiency. In four patients subsequently treated with ATRA without anticoagulant therapy, these hemostatic markers returned to near‐normal levels by day 7 of treatment, indicating that DIC was essentially resolved. By contrast, in three patients who received conventional chemotherapy with a continuous low‐dose heparin, improvement of coagulopathy was slower than in patients treated with ATRA. These results suggest that ATRA therapy exerts the rapid improvement in abnormal hemostatic markers in APL patients without any anticoagulant therapies, by inducing differentiation of leukemic cells and, in turns no massive release of procoagulant or fibrinolytic substances from these cells. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Involvement of RAGE, MAPK and NF‐κB pathways in AGEs‐induced MMP‐9 activation in HaCaT keratinocytes

Abstract: Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) exert divergent effects on the pathogenesis of diabetes complications. Excessive expression of matrix metalloproteinases‐9 (MMP‐9) is deleterious to the cutaneous wound‐healing process in the context of diabetes. However, the effect of AGEs on MMP‐9 induction in skin cells and the exact molecular mechanisms involved are still poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the effect of AGEs on the production of MMP‐9 in HaCaT keratinocytes and characterized the signal transduction pathways activated by AGEs that are involved in MMP‐9 regulation. We showed that AGE–BSA increased MMP‐9 expression in HaCaT cells at both the protein and mRNA levels. The stimulatory effect of AGE–BSA on MMP‐9 was attenuated by inhibitors of extracellular‐signal‐regulated kinase (ERK1/2, U0126), p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK, SB203580) and NF‐κB, but not c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase. Furthermore, receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) was expressed in keratinocytes, and incubation with AGE–BSA resulted in a significant upregulation of RAGE expression in a dose‐dependent manner. Silencing of the RAGE gene prevented AGE–BSA‐induced MMP‐9 activation and the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK. We also observed the involvement of NF‐κB in AGE–BSA‐induced MMP‐9 activation, which was not blocked by U0126 and SB203580. These results suggest that AGEs may play an important role in the impairment of diabetic wound healing by upregulating MMP‐9 expression in keratinocytes via the RAGE, ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK pathways; activation of NF‐κB is also involved in this process. These pathways may represent potential targets for drug interventions to improve diabetic wound healing, a process in which MMP‐9 plays a critical role.
Contractions Activate Hormone‐Sensitive Lipase in Rat Muscle by Protein Kinase C and Mitogen‐Activated Protein Kinase

Intramuscular triacylglycerol is an important energy store and is also related to insulin resistance. The mobilization of fatty acids from this pool is probably regulated by hormone‐sensitive lipase (HSL), which has recently been shown to exist in muscle and to be activated by both adrenaline and contractions. Adrenaline acts via cAMP‐dependent protein kinase (PKA). The signalling mediating the effect of contractions is unknown and was explored in this study. Incubated soleus muscles from 70 g male rats were electrically stimulated to perform repeated tetanic contractions for 5 min. The contraction‐induced activation of HSL was abolished by the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors bisindolylmaleimide I and calphostin C and reduced 50 % by the mitogen‐activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitor U0126, which also completely blocked extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK) 1 and 2 phosphorylation. None of the inhibitors reduced adrenaline‐induced HSL activation in soleus muscle. Both phorbol‐12‐myristate‐13‐acetate (PMA), which activates PKC and, in turn, ERK, and caffeine, which increases intracellular Ca2+ without eliciting contraction, increased HSL activity. Activated ERK increased HSL activity in supernatant from basal but not from electrically stimulated muscle. In conclusion, in muscle, PKC can stimulate HSL through ERK. Contractions and adrenaline enhance muscle HSL activity by different signalling mechanisms. The effect of contractions is mediated by PKC, at least partly via the ERK pathway.
Does pregnancy have an impact on the subgingival microbiota?

BACKGROUND We investigated clinical and subgingival microbiologic changes during pregnancy in 20 consecutive pregnant women > or =18 years not receiving dental care. METHODS Bacterial samples from weeks 12, 28, and 36 of pregnancy and at 4 to 6 weeks postpartum were processed for 37 species by checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization. Clinical periodontal data were collected at week 12 and at 4 to 6 weeks postpartum, and bleeding on probing (BOP) was recorded at sites sampled at the four time points. RESULTS The mean BOP at week 12 and postpartum was 40.1% +/- 18.2% and 27.4% +/- 12.5%, respectively. The corresponding mean BOP at microbiologic test sites was 15% (week 12) and 21% (postpartum; not statistically significant). Total bacterial counts decreased between week 12 and postpartum (P <0.01). Increased bacterial counts over time were found for Neisseria mucosa (P <0.001). Lower counts (P <0.001) were found for Capnocytophaga ochracea, Capnocytophaga sputigena, Eubacterium saburreum, Fusobacterium nucleatum naviforme, Fusobacterium nucleatum polymorphum, Leptotrichia buccalis, Parvimonas micra (previously Peptostreptococcus micros or Micromonas micros), Prevotella intermedia, Prevotella melaninogenica, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus anginosus, Streptococcus intermedius, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus oralis, Streptococcus sanguinis, Selenomonas noxia, and Veillonella parvula. No changes occurred between weeks 12 and 28 of pregnancy. Counts of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (previously Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans), Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia (previously T. forsythensis), and Treponema denticola did not change. Counts of P. gingivalis and T. forsythia at week 12 were associated with gingivitis (P <0.001). CONCLUSIONS Subgingival levels of bacteria associated with periodontitis did not change. P. gingivalis and T. forsythia counts were associated with BOP at week 12. A decrease was found in 17 of 37 species from week 12 to postpartum. Only counts of N. mucosa increased.
Natural history of Fabry disease in females in the Fabry Outcome Survey

Background: Fabry disease is a rare X linked lysosomal storage disorder resulting from deficiency of α-galactosidase A activity. Although the severity of clinical features in male patients is well described, only recently have studies reported the high prevalence of disabling clinical features in heterozygous females. Aims: This study sets out to examine the clinical features and natural history of Fabry disease in further detail in a large group of female patients. Methods: Data were obtained from 303 females enrolled in the Fabry Outcome Survey. Pain was assessed using the Brief Pain Inventory, and health related quality of life (HRQoL) was assessed using the European Quality of Life Questionnaire. A modified version of the Mainz Severity Score Index was also applied. Data on left ventricular mass (LVM) index, mean ventricular wall thickness, and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) were used to assess cardiac and renal involvement. Results: The most commonly reported clinical features in females were neurological (77%) and cardiac (59%). A history of renal involvement was recorded in 40% of cases. Neurological features were the earliest to develop (mean age: 16 years), whereas cardiac (mean age: 33.5 years) and renal (mean age: 37.3 years) features developed later. LVM index increased exponentially with age. In addition, age was negatively correlated with estimated GFR and HRQoL. Conclusions: Females with Fabry disease report important age related clinical features and clinical investigation demonstrates evidence of disease progression. This study highlights the importance of careful and longitudinal assessment of female heterozygote patients with Fabry disease.
Pressure response of protein backbone structure. Pressure‐induced amide 15N chemical shifts in BPTI

The effect of pressure on amide 15N chemical shifts was studied in uniformly 15N‐labeled basic pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI) in 90%H2O/10%H2O, pH 4.6, by H‐15N heteronuclear correlation spectroscopy between 1 and 2,000 bar. Most 15N signals were low field shifted linearly and reversibly with pressure (0.468 ± 0.285 ppm/2 kbar), indicating that the entire polypeptide backbone structure is sensitive to pressure. A significant variation of shifts among different amide groups (0‐1.5 ppm/2 kbar) indicates a heterogeneous response throughout within the three‐dimensional structure of the protein. A tendency toward low field shifts is correlated with a decrease in hydrogen bond distance on the order of 0.03 Å/2 kbar for the bond between the amide nitrogen atom and the oxygen atom of either carbonyl or water. The variation of 15N shifts is considered to reflect site‐specific changes in Φ, ψ angles. For β‐sheet residues, a decrease in ψ angles by 1‐2°/2 kbar is estimated. On average, shifts are larger for helical and loop regions (0.553 ± 0.343 and 0.519 ± 0.261 ppm/2 kbar, respectively) than for β‐sheet (0.295 ± 0.195 ppm/2 kbar), suggesting that the pressure‐induced structural changes (local compressibilities) are larger in helical and loop regions than in β‐sheet. Because compressibility is correlated with volume fluctuation, the result is taken to indicate that the volume fluctuation is larger in helical and loop regions than in β‐sheet. An important aspect of the volume fluctuation inferred from pressure shifts is that they include motions in slower time ranges (less than milliseconds) in which many biological processes may take place.
FDTD Modeling of Lorentzian DNG Metamaterials by Auxiliary Differential Equation Method

In this paper, Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) is utilized to simulate metamaterials of Double Negative (DNG) origin that refers to those materials having simultaneous negative permittivity and permeability. The problem regarding space formulation is achieved by means of auxiliary differential equation method (ADE), which is easy, reliable and also causal process in nature thus making it proficient. It uses fair approximations to explicate the model. Mur’s boundary condition is used for 1-D problem space and convolution perfectly matched layer boundary is implemented for 2-D problem space. The properties of metamaterial conform their speculations of energy absorption, enhancement and backward propagation property with the aid of graphs engineered by Matlab simulation both in 1-D and 2-D. Also, the interaction of fields on DNG and Double Positive (DPS) layers is contrasted. The results achieved elucidate the validity and effectiveness of the ADE method and the Convolution Perfectly Match Layer (CPML) in designing DNG metamaterials.
Exploring the experience of sleep and fatigue in male and female adults over the 2 years following traumatic brain injury: a qualitative descriptive study

Objectives To explore the experience of fatigue and sleep difficulties over the first 2 years after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design Longitudinal qualitative descriptive analysis of interviews completed as part of a larger longitudinal study of recovery following TBI. Data relating to the experience of fatigue and/or sleep were extracted and coded by two independent researchers. Setting Community-based study in the Hamilton and Auckland regions of New Zealand. Participants 30 adult participants who had experienced mild, moderate or severe brain injury within the past 6 months (>16 years of age). 15 participants also nominated significant others to take part. Interviews were completed at 6, 12 and 24 months postinjury. Results Participants described feeling unprepared for the intensity, impact and persistent nature of fatigue and sleep difficulties after injury. They struggled to learn how to manage their difficulties by themselves and to adapt strategies in response to changing circumstances over time. Four themes were identified: (1) Making sense of fatigue and sleep after TBI; (2) accepting the need for rest; (3) learning how to rest and; (4) need for rest impacts on ability to engage in life. Conclusions Targeted support to understand, accept and manage the sleep and fatigue difficulties experienced may be crucial to improve recovery and facilitate engagement in everyday life. Advice needs to be timely and revised for relevance over the course of recovery.
Artificial Neural Network for the Short-Term Prediction of Arctic Sea Ice Concentration

In this paper, we applied an artificial neural network (ANN) to the short-term prediction of the Arctic sea ice concentration (SIC). The prediction was performed using encoding and decoding processes, in which a gated recurrent unit encodes sequential sea ice data, and a feed-forward neural network model decodes the encoded input data. Because of the large volume of Arctic sea ice data, the ANN predicts the future SIC of each cell individually. The limitation of these singular predictions is that they do not use information from other cells. This results in low accuracy, particularly when there are drastic changes during melting and freezing seasons. To address this issue, we present a new data scheme including global and local SIC information, where the global information is represented by sea ice statistics. We trained ANNs using different data schemes and network architectures, and then compared their performances quantitatively and visually. The results show that, compared with a data scheme that uses only local sea ice information, the newly proposed scheme leads to a significant improvement in prediction accuracy.
Emergence of a fluoroquinolone-resistant strain of Streptococcus pneumoniae in England.

OBJECTIVE To determine the epidemiological relationship between pneumococci of serotype 9V, with reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin, penicillin and erythromycin, referred to the Reference Laboratory during 1997-2001. METHODS Isolates were characterized by multilocus sequence typing (MLST), PFGE, and sequencing of parC and gyrA. Relevant clinical data were sought. RESULTS Forty-eight isolates were received from nine laboratories in England, but 35 (73%) were from one laboratory in Birmingham, and were mostly from elderly patients receiving ofloxacin or ciprofloxacin for respiratory infections. There were two quinolone resistance phenotypes, with ciprofloxacin, moxifloxacin and gemifloxacin MICs of 8-32, 0.5-1 and 0.125-0.25 mg/L, and 64-256, 4-16 and 1-4 mg/L, respectively. Each of three isolates from the former group had mutations in parC, whereas each of nine isolates from the more resistant group had mutations in both parC and gyrA. Several also had increased quinolone efflux. Typing of 27 quinolone-resistant isolates showed that eight were indistinguishable from the epidemic Spain9V-3 (ST156) clone, while the remainder belonged to a novel but related type (ST609), that differed from Spain9V-3 at 2/7 alleles (2 bp changes in aroE and 1 bp change in gdh). Both MLST types were represented among isolates with high- and low-level quinolone resistance. Three of five serotype 9V isolates from Birmingham, with reduced susceptibility to penicillin and erythromycin, and ciprofloxacin MICs of 1-2 mg/L, belonged to MLST type ST609, while another was indistinguishable from the Spain9V-3 clone. Review of records of 32 patients from Birmingham indicated that some isolates were nosocomial, whereas others were acquired in the community. CONCLUSIONS In the late 1990s, a quinolone-resistant strain, clonally related to Spain9V-3, emerged in England, principally in Birmingham.
Age‐related differences in the distortion of the sheep lung in response to localised pleural stress

1 In order for diastolic filling to occur, the heart must displace the lung. Given the changes in lung structure and compliance that follow birth, we sought to determine whether the neonatal lung resists neighbouring structures encroaching into its space more than the adult lung and whether the lung surface making up the cardiac fossa resists distortion more than the lateral surface does. 2 Pleural distortions, induced by applied pressures (Pappl) of 20‐120 g cm−2 at airway pressures (Paw) of 2.5‐15 cmH2O, were recorded in isolated lungs of adult, neonatal (4‐week‐old) and newborn (1‐week‐old) sheep. 3 The depth of pleural distortion increased (P < 0.05, ANOVA) with increasing Pappl in all lungs. Adult lungs were significantly more distortable than newborn and neonatal lungs (P < 0.05). As Paw increased, the distortability of the adult lung decreased progressively (P < 0.05) while the distortability of the newborn and neonatal lung remained constant at Paw of 2.5 and 5 cmH2O. 4 Adult lungs also differed from newborn and neonatal lungs in that the cardiac fossal surface was significantly less distortable than the lateral surface. 5 As newborn and neonatal lungs are less easily distorted than adult lungs, the potential for the lungs to limit cardiac filling is greater in the newborn and neonate than in the adult.
Correlates of Deoxycorticosterone‐induced Salt Appetite Behavior and Basal Ganglia Neurochemistry

Salt appetite is a complex behavior that can be experimentally induced by several means including either colloid,1 steroid,2 or neuropeptide administration3 or pharmacological Na+ depletion.4 In one well-known example, treatment with the neuropeptide, angiotensin II, induces salt appetite through the release of the adrenal mineralocorticoid, aldosterone,3,5 which facilitates Na+ reabsorption by the kidneys, resulting in increased plasma osmolality. Indeed, chronic administration of the synthetic mineralocorticoid, deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA), induces a remarkable increase in salt appetite in rats. In addition, rats chronically treated with DOCA display higher serum sodium levels compared to controls. Thus, long-term DOCA treatment induces robust salt appetite in rats that are sodium replete. This would suggest that DOCA treatment induces a dysregulation of either facilitatory or inhibitory mechanisms involved in salt-appetite behavior. For example, it appears that the putative inhibitory pathways (i.e., oxytocin6 and neurokininergic7) are unaffected in DOCA-treated animals, suggesting that the actions of DOCA on salt appetite are not due to a dysfunctional inhibitory system. This raises the possibility that facilitating systems may be activated to induce salt-craving behavior. The mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic system is associated with orienting and reward-seeking behaviors such as those observed in the facilitation of reproduction, drug abuse, and appetite.8,9 With this in mind, we hypothesize that DOCA activates the mesolimbic dopaminergic system, thereby facilitating salt-craving behavior in the rat. Specifically, this activation involves the interconnected subregions of the basal ganglia such as the corpus striatum, nucleus accumbens, and dopaminergic projections from midbrain neurons terminating in the nucleus accumbens and the reciprocal feedback provided by endogenous opioid neuropeptidergic (enkephalin and dynorphin) neurons.
Power cycling methods for SiC MOSFETs

The evaluation of power cycling results needs correct measurement of the course of thermal resistance. Hence an accurate online measurement of the junction temperature is necessary. Different measurement and power cycling methods were evaluated. The method of measuring the voltage drop of the SiC MOSFET body diode pn-junction at low measurement current with sufficient negative gate-voltage was found most suitable one. In addition power losses during power cycling test should be generated in forward MOSFET-mode at high positive gate-voltage. Otherwise test results will not be application conform.
Vacuum surface flashover: experiments and simulations

It is conjectured that vacuum dielectric surface flashover can be avoided by preventing its initiation. Assuming that the flashover process is initiated by the impact of charged particles on the insulator surface, by deflecting these away from the surface, the development of a flashover avalanche can be repressed. As evidence of this, we present the results of experiments where high-voltage fast-rising microsecond timescale voltage pulses are applied on vacuum insulator samples where we methodically manipulate the magnitude and the orientation of the electric fields at the cathode and anode triple junctions and along the insulator surface.