Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cupressus callus and cell suspension cultures: Effect of seiridins on their growth and sensitivity

SummaryCupressus macrocarpa and C. arizonica were examined for callus and cell culture production in vitro. Both species produced callus on agar-solidified MSCY medium supplemented with vitamins, antioxidants, 0.14 μM kinetin (KIN), and 10 μM 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). Suspension cultures of both species were established in liquid MSCY medium. Seiridin (SE) and iso-seiridin (ISE), two phytotoxic butenolides produced by Seiridium cardinale, S. cupressi, and S. unicorne, the causal agents of many canker diseases of cypress, were tested on callus or cell suspension cultures. In the medium without other plant growth regulators (PGR), SE promoted cell proliferation of cypress better than ISE, for callus initiation, callus maintenance, and cell suspension cultures. The growth rates of cypress callus tissues and suspension cultures of both cypress species on media containing 50–150 μM SE or ISE were measured. At concentrations of 50 μM and higher, growth rates increased exponentially with the SE concentration. A comparison with KIN and 2,4-D indicated that 50 μM SE promoted growth of callus tissues and cell suspension cultures more than 100 μM ISE. SE can also interact with, or counteract, KIN and 2,4-D. It was demonstrated that SE could replace KIN in the medium for C. arizonica. SE could be involved in cell enlargement and proliferation processes. The less susceptible cypress species (C. arizonica) had a high content of terpenoids than that of the more susceptible species (C. macrocarpa). SE could be a useful tool as a phytohormonal-like regulator to manipulate physiological changes at the cellular level and as an elicitor of sensitivity or tolerance of cypress germplasm to the phytotoxin.
Advances in Gamma Knife radiosurgery for pituitary tumors

Purpose of reviewFor the residual/recurrent pituitary adenomas, stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) plays an important role in long-term tumor control and, for secretory adenomas, endocrine remission. The purpose of this review is to address the advances in SRS technique and detail the latest treatment strategies for various types of pituitary adenomas with a focus on recently published literature. Recent findingsFrom recent publications, SRS may be considered as an upfront treatment in patients with an adenoma that resides largely in the cavernous sinus and for whom resection is unlikely to produce substantial reduction in the overall tumor volume. Early treatment (<6 months after prior resection) with SRS appears to decrease the rate of tumor progression of subtotally resected nonfunctioning pituitary macroadenomas. Some types of adenomas may appear more aggressive with a high recurrence rate, for example, silent corticotroph pituitary adenomas, or sparsely granulated somatotroph-cell adenomas, may be indicated for a high-radiation dose. Finally, whole-sellar radiation and fractionated SRS are the alternative strategies, and may be indicated for challenging cases. SummaryThe role of SRS for the pituitary adenoma is well established, and the treatment strategy is increasingly individualized based upon tumor histology, location, and volume. Hypopituitarism is the most complicated and can occur even years after SRS.
Transmission of Sheep Scrapie to Elk (Cervus Elaphus Nelsoni) by Intracerebral Inoculation: Final Outcome of the Experiment

This is a final report of an experimental transmission of sheep scrapie agent by intracerebral inoculation to Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni). It documents results obtained in experimental (n = 6) and control (n = 2) elk. During the first 2 years postinoculation (PI), 3 animals died or were euthanized because of infection or injuries other than spongiform encephalopathy (SE). In years 3 and 4 PI, 3 other inoculated elk died after brief terminal neurological episodes. Necropsy of these animals revealed moderate weight loss but no other gross lesions. Microscopically, characteristic lesions of SE were seen throughout the brain and spinal cord, and the tissue was positive for proteinase K-resistant prion protein (PrPres) by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and by Western blot. Scrapie-associated fibrils (SAF) were observed by negative-stain electron microscopy in the brain of elk with neurologic signs. PrPres and SAF were not detected in the 3 inoculated elk necropsied during the first 2 years or in the 2 control animals. Retrospective analysis of the gene-encoding cervid PrP revealed a polymorphism at codon 132. The elk with SE were either homozygous (MM) or heterozygous (LM). These findings confirm that intracerebral inoculation of sheep scrapie agent results in SE with accumulations of PrPres in the central nervous system of elk. Based on morphologic and IHC findings, the experimentally induced SE cannot be distinguished from chronic wasting disease of elk with currently available diagnostic techniques.
Interventions Promoting Breast Cancer Screening Among Turkish Women With Global Implications: A Systematic Review

Background: Breast cancer is a major health concern and remains the most common malignancy in women worldwide and in Turkey. Mammography, clinical breast examination (CBE), and breast self‐examination (BSE) are recommended methods to detect early breast cancer in women. Many strategies have been developed to increase the rates of mammography, CBE, and BSE among Turkish women. Despite the benefits of breast cancer screening, these modalities are still underutilized by the majority of Turkish women. Aim: To systematically review the scientific evidence on the effectiveness of various strategies aimed at improving screening behaviors for breast cancer in Turkish women. Methods: A systematic review of the literature published between 2000 and 2015 was conducted, searching 10 databases of Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL Register of Controlled Trials, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Knowledge, Scopus, Google Scholar, ULAKBIM Turkish Medical Database, and Council of Higher Education Thesis Center. Results: Twenty‐three studies were included in the final review. The majority of the studies investigated the effects of multiple strategies to improve BSE. Group education comprised educational sessions, printed and audiovisual materials, which significantly improved BSE, CBE, and mammography screening rates at 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after the intervention. One‐to‐one education demonstrated no significant difference in BSE rates at 6‐month and 12‐month follow‐up. However, one‐to‐one education demonstrated significant differences in CBE and mammography rates at the 3‐month follow‐up. Linking Evidence to Action: The use of group education comprising a multicomponent intervention demonstrated an increase in breast‐screening behaviors among Turkish women. Further research investigating the duration of educational interventions is needed in order to suggest a “dose response. ”
Neopterin release from human endothelial cells is triggered by interferon‐gamma

Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were investigated for their ability to produce neopterin, a biochemical marker for an activated immune system. Interferon‐gamma (IFN‐γ), IL‐1α, IL‐2, IL‐6, tumour necrosis factor‐alpha, granulocyte/macrophage colony stimulating factor, phytohaemagglutinin and concanavalin A were used to stimulate HUVEC. While IFN‐γ induced neopterin release from HUVEC in a time‐ and dose‐dependent manner, all the other cytokines used had no effect on neopterin production. High neopterin levels are found in patients with rejection episodes or infections. Our results suggest that not only monocytes and macrophages, which are known to synthesize neopterin, but also endothelial cells are responsible for these high serum neopterin levels.
CO-OPERATION OF IL-1 AND IL-2 ON T-CELL ACTIVATION IN MONONUCLEAR CELL CULTURES

In search of an optimized anti-cancer immunotherapy, the combination of IL-2 and IL-1 has been tried. In an in-vitro LAK model, this cytokine cocktail seemed to be quite promising. In our in-vitro model of IL-2 induced T-cell activation we have therefore investigated the co-operation of these two potent immunostimulators. Mononuclear cells were stimulated with CD3 activating antibody in the presence of different cytokines and blocking or neutralizing antibodies. Cytokine concentrations were detected in the supernatants with ELISA. Intracellular IFN-γ and IL-4 in the different T-cell subsets was measured by flow cytometry. IL-1 and IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) were up-regulated by IL-2, this was achieved independently of IL-12 or CD40/CD40L interaction. As a negative feedback mechanism, IL-1β induced its natural antagonist, IL-1Ra. Both endogenous and exogenous IL-10 suppressed IL-1β and induced IL-1Ra, thus markedly decreased the amount of functional IL-1. The combination of IL-2 and IL-1β lead to a mildly increased Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) secretion (+20%, p < 0.05), however, this appeared to be the result of an increased IFN-γ production per secreting cell, rather than of an increased recruitment of non-secreting cells. Similarly, IL-6 was also induced in an additive fashion (+30%, p < 0.05). For both cytokines, this effect could be significantly augmented by neutralizing IL-1Ra. Concentrations of IL-2 induced IL-10 and soluble Fas ligand (sFasL) were not affected by IL-1β. We were thus able to demonstrate that IL-1 relays its activity through different pathways than IL-2. Furthermore, we could show that the potentially synergistic action of IL-2 and IL-1 was hindered by the simultaneous induction of signficant amounts of IL-1Ra. From the latter findings we conclude that the combination of IL-2 and IL-1 for cytokine-induced anti-tumor activity may not, but a combination of IL-2 and anti-IL-1Ra might prove beneficial.
The Formation and Fragmentation of Disks Around Primordial Protostars

Numerical simulations show that disks around the first stars in the universe were gravitationally unstable and fragmented. The very first stars to form in the universe heralded an end to the cosmic dark ages and introduced new physical processes that shaped early cosmic evolution. Until now, it was thought that these stars lived short, solitary lives, with only one extremely massive star, or possibly a very wide binary system, forming in each dark-matter minihalo. Here we describe numerical simulations that show that these stars were, to the contrary, often members of tight multiple systems. Our results show that the disks that formed around the first young stars were unstable to gravitational fragmentation, possibly producing small binary and higher-order systems that had separations as small as the distance between Earth and the Sun.
Entonox as an analgesic agent during panretinal photocoagulation

Background/aims: Panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) reduces the risk of visual loss in proliferative diabetic retinopathy but some patients cannot tolerate PRP because of pain. Inhaled Entonox was evaluated as an analgesic during PRP. Methods: A randomised, crossover, double masked pilot study was performed. Patients inhaled either air or Entonox and half the PRP was applied. The treatment was completed with the alternate inhaled gas. Patients graded pain experienced during both stages of the treatment using a visual analogue scale. Pain scores were compared using a paired t test. Results: 20 patients participated. Mean pain scores from the Entonox and air treatments were 2.94 (SD 2.73) versus 3.73 (SD 3.20) respectively (p<0.03). Conclusion: Entonox can be used as a safe and effective analgesic agent during PRP treatment.
Complete molecular remission in relapsed and refractory acute myeloid leukaemia with MLL‐AF9 treated with chidamide‐based chemotherapy

The mixed lineage leukaemia (MLL) gene translocations are found in approximately 10% of adults with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and are markers of poor prognosis. As the best reported response in relapsed and refractory MLL‐rearranged AML is around 40%, reinduction treatment is very challenging for those patients.
Body weight and mortality among women.

BACKGROUND The relation between body weight and overall mortality remains controversial despite considerable investigation. METHODS We examined the association between body-mass index (defined as the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters) and both overall mortality and mortality from specific causes in a cohort of 115,195 U.S. women enrolled in the prospective Nurses' Health Study. These women were 30 to 55 years of age and free of known cardiovascular disease and cancer in 1976. During 16 years of follow-up, we documented 4726 deaths, of which 881 were from cardiovascular disease, 2586 from cancer, and 1259 from other causes. RESULTS In analyses adjusted only for age, we observed a J-shaped relation between body-mass index and overall mortality. When women who had never smoked were examined separately, no increase in risk was observed among the leaner women, and a more direct relation between weight and mortality emerged (P for trend < 0.001). In multivariate analyses of women who had never smoked and had recently had stable weight, in which the first four years of follow-up were excluded, the relative risks of death from all causes for increasing categories of body-mass index were as follows: body-mass index < 19.0 (the reference category), relative risk = 1.0; 19.0 to 21.9, relative risk = 1.2; 22.0 to 24.9, relative risk = 1.2; 25.0 to 26.9, relative risk = 1.3; 27.0 to 28.9, relative risk = 1.6; 29.0 to 31.9, relative risk = 2.1; and > or = 32.0, relative risk = 2.2 (P for trend < 0.001). Among women with a body-mass index of 32.0 or higher who had never smoked, the relative risk of death from cardiovascular disease was 4.1 (95 percent confidence interval, 2.1 to 7.7), and that of death from cancer was 2.1 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.4 to 3.2), as compared with the risk among women with a body-mass index below 19.0. A weight gain of 10 kg (22 lb) or more since the age of 18 was associated with increased mortality in middle adulthood. CONCLUSIONS Body weight and mortality from all causes were directly related among these middle-aged women. Lean women did not have excess mortality. The lowest mortality rate was observed among women who weighed at least 15 percent less than the U.S. average for women of similar age and among those whose weight had been stable since early adulthood.
Serum lipids and glucose abnormalities in HIV/AIDS patients on antiretroviral therapies.

BACKGROUND With the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) the outlook of HIV/AIDS has changed from a killer disease to a treatable chronic infectious one. However HAART is associated with some metabolic disorders some of which are now being seen in people living with HIV/ AIDS (PLWHA) accessing care from our centre. OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence and pattern of dyslipidaemia and dysglycaemia amongst Nigerian HIV/AIDS patients on HAART. METHODS PLWHA who were regular on ART for at least three months and had pre-treatment CD4+ count, fasting lipid and glucose profiles were grouped into two treatment regimens: protease inhibitor, (PI) or non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI). Pre and post-exposure metabolic and non-metabolic variables were compared for each regimen as well as within regimen comparison of the differences between post exposure metabolic variables. RESULTS Three hundred and twenty-seven patients; [male = 134 (41%), female = 193 (59%)] met the study criteria in the two groups: PI = 94 (29%) and NNRTI = 233 (71%). The pretreatment metabolic changes in both groups (PI vs. NNRTI) were low HDL-C; 29 (31%) vs. 77 (33%), followed by hypertriglyceridaemia; 16 (17%) vs. 38 (16%) and hypercholesterolaemia; 6 (6%) vs. 10 (4%). After exposure to two different HAART regimens hypertriglyceridaemia and hypercholesterolaemia became more prevalent especially with Pi based therapy than NNRTI; 74 (79%) vs. 108 (54%) and 58 (51%) vs.72 (31%) respectively. These relative higher risks of a PI containing regimen to induce hypertriglyceridaemia and hypercholesterolaemia were about three times more than that of NNRTI, both risks were statistically significant; p = 0.0003 and p = 0.0001. CONCLUSION Low HDL-C, hypertriglyceridaemia and hypercholesterolaemia are common in untreated HIV/AIDS patients. HAART especially those including protease inhibitors worsens this dyslipidaemia.
Postocclusive reactive hyperemia and postural vasoconstriction in different kinds of leg ulcers--investigations with laser Doppler.

Laser-Doppler fluxmetry was performed in 42 patients with leg ulcers (18 venous, 8 arterial, 12 diabetic-arteriolar and 4 mixed arterio-venous) and in 9 healthy controls. Using a bipolar probe measurement was carried out at the ulcer border and on the dorsum of the foot in the supine and in the sitting position. Reactive hyperemia after three minute arterial occlusion was produced in both body-positions. In every ulcer-group resting and peak fluxes showed a statistically significant increase in the ulcer region as compared to normal skin of the lower leg in the control group, the quotient between peak and resting flux ("reactive hyperemia index" RHI) being significantly lower. The RHI values for four ulcer-patients with a dramatic deterioration worsening eight months later were close to one, while the unchanged and improved cases showed median values above 1,2. Sitting up was followed by a decrease of flux in all ulcer-groups as well as in the control group. On the dorsum of the foot there was an increase of the laser Doppler flux in patients with arterial occlusive disease, i.e. in the group with arterial and mixed ulcers. This study shows that the kind of microcirculatory flow damage is not different in various causes of ulcerations. The reduced reactive hyperemic response compared to the increased resting fluxes (amount of RHI-decrease) might be a useful predictor for healing or non-healing of the ulcer.
Impaired hippocampal rhythmogenesis in a mouse model of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy

Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE) is one of the most common forms of epilepsy, characterized by hippocampal sclerosis and memory deficits. Injection of kainic acid (KA) into the dorsal hippocampus of mice reproduces major electrophysiological and histopathological characteristics of mTLE. In extracellular recordings from the morphologically intact ventral hippocampus of KA-injected epileptic mice, we found that theta-frequency oscillations were abolished, whereas gamma oscillations persisted both in vivo and in vitro. Whole-cell recordings further showed that oriens-lacunosum-moleculare (O-LM) interneurons, key players in the generation of theta rhythm, displayed marked changes in their intrinsic and synaptic properties. Hyperpolarization-activated mixed cation currents (Ih) were significantly reduced, resulting in an increase in the input resistance and a hyperpolarizing shift in the resting membrane potential. Additionally, the frequency of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) was increased, indicating a stronger excitatory input to these neurons. As a consequence, O-LM interneurons increased their firing rate from theta to gamma frequencies during induced network activity in acute slices from KA-injected mice. Thus, our physiological data together with network simulations suggest that changes in excitatory input and synaptic integration in O-LM interneurons lead to impaired rhythmogenesis in the hippocampus that in turn may underlie memory deficit.
Airway Epithelial Cells Produce B Cell-Activating Factor of TNF Family by an IFN-β-Dependent Mechanism1

Activation of B cells in the airways is now believed to be of great importance in immunity to pathogens, and it participates in the pathogenesis of airway diseases. However, little is known about the mechanisms of local activation of B cells in airway mucosa. We investigated the expression of members of the B cell-activating TNF superfamily (B cell-activating factor of TNF family (BAFF) and a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL)) in resting and TLR ligand-treated BEAS-2B cells and primary human bronchial epithelial cells (PBEC). In unstimulated cells, expression of BAFF and APRIL was minimal. However, BAFF mRNA was significantly up-regulated by TLR3 ligand (dsRNA), but not by other TLR ligands, in both BEAS-2B cells (376-fold) and PBEC (224-fold). APRIL mRNA was up-regulated by dsRNA in PBEC (7-fold), but not in BEAS-2B cells. Membrane-bound BAFF protein was detectable after stimulation with dsRNA. Soluble BAFF protein was also induced by dsRNA (>200 pg/ml). The biological activity of the epithelial cell-produced BAFF was verified using a B cell survival assay. BAFF was also strongly induced by IFN-β, a cytokine induced by dsRNA. Induction of BAFF by dsRNA was dependent upon protein synthesis and IFN-αβ receptor-JAK-STAT signaling, as indicated by studies with cycloheximide, the JAK inhibitor I, and small interfering RNA against STAT1 and IFN-αβ receptor 2. These results suggest that BAFF is induced by dsRNA in airway epithelial cells and that the response results via an autocrine pathway involving IFN-β. The production of BAFF and APRIL by epithelial cells may contribute to local accumulation, activation, class switch recombination, and Ig synthesis by B cells in the airways.
A survey of remote optical photoplethysmographic imaging methods

In recent years researchers have presented a number of new methods for recovering physiological parameters using just low-cost digital cameras and image processing. The ubiquity of digital cameras presents the possibility for many new, low-cost applications of vital sign monitoring. In this paper we present a review of the work on remote photoplethysmographic (PPG) imaging using digital cameras. This review specifically focuses on the state-of-the-art in PPG imaging where: 1) measures beyond pulse rate are evaluated, 2) non-ideal conditions (e.g., the presence of motion artifacts) are explored, and 3) use cases in relevant environments are demonstrated. We discuss gaps within the literature and future challenges for the research community. To aid in the continuing advancement of PPG imaging research, we are making available a website with the references collected for this review as well as information on available code and datasets of interest. It is our hope that this website will become a valuable resource for the PPG imaging community. The site can be found at: http://web.mit. edu/~djmcduff/www/ remote-physiology.html.