Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Human pulmonary macrophages utilize prostaglandins and transforming growth factor β1 to suppress lymphocyte activation

The ability to activate peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) in vitro with interleukin‐2 (IL‐2) is suppressed by the presence of autologous human pulmonary alveolar macrophages (AMs). AMs suppress both IL‐2‐induced proliferation and the induction of lympho‐ kine‐activated killer cell (LAK) activity in a dose‐ dependent manner (79 ±6% suppression of LAK activity at a 0.25:1 AM/PBL ratio). Increasing the IL‐2 concentration increased baseline LAK activity but did not prevent AM‐mediated suppression. At least two different mechanisms of suppression were observed, one diffusible in nature and the other contact dependent. Indomethacin prevented the component of inhibition that diffused across porous polycarbonate membranes, indicating prostaglandins as the diffusible inhibitor. In contrast, indomethacin had no effect when added alone into conventional AM‐ PBL cocultures, but a combination of indomethacin and anti‐transforming growth factor β1 (TGF‐β1) antibody did prevent inhibition. This result suggests that TGF‐ß1 acts as an additional contact‐dependent inhibitor. PBLs that were rendered unresponsive to IL‐2 completely recovered their responsiveness within 4 days after removing AMs from the coculture. These features suggest that pulmonary macrophages have multiple mechanisms for locally suppressing IL‐2 responses and lymphocyte activation.
An unprotected conjugated linoleic acid supplement decreases milk production and secretion of milk components in grazing dairy ewes.

Feeding conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in a rumen-inert form to dairy ewes has been shown to increase milk production, alter milk composition, and increase the milk fat CLA content. However, few studies have tested ruminally unprotected CLA sources. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of an unprotected CLA supplement (29.8% of cis-9,trans-11 and 29.9% of trans-10,cis-12 isomers as methyl esters) on milk yield and composition of dairy ewes. Twenty-four lactating Lacaune ewes were used in a crossover design and received 2 dietary treatments: (1) control: basal diet containing no supplemental lipid and (2) basal diet plus CLA (30 g/d). The CLA supplement was mixed into the concentrate and fed in 2 equal meals after morning and afternoon milkings. Each experimental period consisted of 21 d: 7 d for adaptation and 14 d for data collection. The CLA supplement decreased milk fat content and yield by 31.3 and 38.0%, respectively. Milk yield and secretion of milk lactose and protein were decreased by 8.0, 9.8, and 5.6%, respectively. On the other hand, milk protein content and linear SCC score were 1.8 and 17.7% higher in ewes fed the CLA supplement. The concentration of milk fatty acids originating from de novo synthesis (C16) was increased by 22.6% in ewes fed the CLA supplement. The CLA supplement decreased C14:1/C14:0, C16:1/C16:0, and C18:1/C18:0 desaturase indexes by 25, 18.7, and 0.1%, respectively, but increased the cis-9,trans-11 CLA/trans-11 C18:1 ratio by 8.6%. The concentrations of trans-10,cis-12 CLA and cis-9,trans-11 CLA in milk fat was 309 and 33.4% higher in ewes fed CLA. Pronounced milk fat depression coupled with the deleterious effects on milk yield, milk SCC, and secretion of all milk solids observed in ewes fed an unprotected CLA supplement is likely to be associated with high doses of trans-10,cis-12 CLA reaching the mammary gland, corroborating previous results obtained with dairy cows.
Development and Validation of a Quantitative Real-Time PCR Assay Using Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer Technology for Detection of Aspergillus fumigatus in Experimental Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis

ABSTRACT Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is a frequently fatal infection in immunocompromised patients that is difficult to diagnose. Present methods for detection of Aspergillus spp. in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and in tissue vary in sensitivity and specificity. We therefore developed an A. fumigatus-specific quantitative real-time PCR-based assay utilizing fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET) technology. We compared the assay to quantitative culture of BAL fluid and lung tissue in a rabbit model of experimental IPA. Using an enzymatic and high-speed mechanical cell wall disruption protocol, DNA was extracted from samples of BAL fluid and lung tissues from noninfected and A. fumigatus-infected rabbits. A unique primer set amplified internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS) 1 and 2 of the rRNA operon. Amplicon was detected using FRET probes targeting a unique region of ITS1. Quantitation of A. fumigatus DNA was achieved by use of external standards. The presence of PCR inhibitors was determined by use of a unique control plasmid. The analytical sensitivity of the assay was ≤10 copies of target DNA. No cross-reactivity occurred with other medically important filamentous fungi. The assay results correlated with pulmonary fungal burden as determined by quantitative culture (r = 0.72, Spearman rank correlation; P ≤ 0.0001). The mean number of genome equivalents detected in untreated animals was 3.86 log10 (range, 0.86 to 6.39 log10) in tissue. There was a 3.53-log10 mean reduction of A. fumigatus genome equivalents in animals treated with amphotericin B (AMB) (95% confidence interval, 3.38 to 3.69 log10; P ≤ 0.0001), which correlated with the reduction of residual fungal burden in lung tissue measured in terms of log10 CFU/gram. The enhanced quantitative sensitivity of the real-time PCR assay was evidenced by detection of A. fumigatus genome in infarcted culture-negative lobes, by a greater number of mean genome equivalents compared to the number of CFU per gram in tissue and BAL fluid, and by superior detection of therapeutic response to AMB in BAL fluid compared to culture. This real-time PCR assay using FRET technology is highly sensitive and specific in detecting A. fumigatus DNA from BAL fluid and lung tissue in experimental IPA.
Detection and Typing of Human Papillomaviruses by PCR

ABSTRACT Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the leading risk factor for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cervical cancer. Detection of high-risk HPV infections might identify women who are at increased risk of development or progression of a cervical lesion and may have prognostic significance. Therefore there is considerable interest in identifying and accurately typing the viruses. PCR amplification of HPV genomes is the most sensitive method for the detection of cervicovaginal HPV. The different PCR techniques used to detect HPV infection, however, affect the frequency with which viral DNA is identified. Using different PCR primer sets, we tried to optimize the detection and typing of HPVs. We tested both consensus and type-specific primers. PCR utilizing the two most commonly used consensus primer sets, MY09/MY11 and GP5+/GP6+, located within the L1 region of HPV genome, amplified a broad spectrum of HPV genotypes in a single reaction. To identify the HPV types, samples were also subjected to PCR using specific primers for HPV types 6/11, 16, 18, 31 and 33. Our results suggest that testing with both PCR using L1 consensus primers MY09/MY11 and with PCR using type-specific primers could provide the maximum accuracy of HPV identification.
Iterative Joint Carrier Frequency Offset and Doubly Selective Channel Estimation in High-Mobility MIMO-OFDMA Uplink Using Oblique Projection

In this paper, we propose a novel pilot aided joint estimation technique for carrier frequency offset (CFO) and doubly selective (both time and frequency selective) channel (DSC) in high-mobility multiple-input-multiple-output orthogonal frequency-division multiple-access (MIMO-OFDMA) uplink systems. As the maximum-likelihood (ML) solution to this estimation problem is highly computationally tedious due to the requirement of multidimensional optimization, we propose an iterative scheme based on the oblique projection (OP), which separates the user signal in each iteration, resulting in decomposition of highly complex multidimensional search to many 1-D searches. We also derive a low-complexity approximation to the proposed technique, which makes use of precalculated projection matrices stored at the base station. The exact Cramer-Rao bound (CRB) of the joint estimation of CFOs and DSCs in MIMO-OFDMA uplink is also derived. Simulation studies indicate that the mean square error performance of the proposed techniques nearly achieves the CRB even at low signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs).
The relationship between internal service components and organizational commitment in fine-dining restaurants

The Relationship Between Internal Service Components and O:^anizational Commitment in Fine-Dining Restaurants by Taryn M. Perry Dr. Gail Sammons. Examination Committee Chair Assistant Professor of Hotel Administration University of Nevada. Las Vegas Due to increased cong)etition in the restaurant industry, employers need to offer more than monetary compensation to attract quality employees. Offering these non-economic benefits, or internal services, can aid in keeping employees satisfied and committed to their organizations. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between internal service con^x)nents and organizational commitment. Data was collected &om three hne-dining restaurants in Las Vegas, Nevada. The original hypotheses were not supported by the research results. Yet, the study did yield evidence indicating that satisfaction with some aspects of internal services was influential in predicting organization commitment. Implications for management and future research are discussed.
Ineffectiveness of electrosleep in chronic primary insomnia.

Seventeen patients with chronic primary insomnia each received 30 daytime electrosleep treatments in two courses at two different pulse frequencies over a seven-week period. The analyses of pretreatment and posttreatment all-night sleep polygraph recordings, sleep questionnaire and mood scale responses, and 24-hour urinary steroid levels did not demonstrate any significant effect in these patients. Future research studies of electrosleep should emphasize effective double-blind techniques, objective measure of evaluation and response, and the careful delineation of patient populations which this new treatment technique may really help.
Increased incidence of multiple sclerosis in the Veneto region, Italy

Background: To what extent the progressive increase in the incidence of multiple sclerosis (MS) observed in the province of Padova over the period 1970–1999 was an expression of a real increased risk of developing MS remained unclear. Objective: The objective of this paper is to update the epidemiological figures of MS and probe whether the risk of having MS has increased in the province of Padova during the decade 2000–2009. Methods: All patients born in Italy and having a diagnosis of MS or possible MS identified through analysis of all available sources of information were included in the study. The incidence and prevalence rates between 2000 and 2009 were obtained and compared with our previously published data. Results: On 31 December 2009, the overall prevalence was 139.5/100,000, 192.0±9.5 for females and 83.9±6.3 for males. During the decade 2000–2009, the overall incidence rate of MS was 5.5±0.5, 7.4±0.8 for females and 3.5±0.6 for males. The onset-diagnosis delay, the female/male ratio and the mean age at onset did not significantly change compared to the prior period of observation. Conclusion: Our findings support the hypothesis of a real increased risk of developing MS in the province of Padova. Moreover, the actual prevalence of 1.4/1000 makes our region a high-risk geographical area for MS. The role played by exogenous factors in determining susceptibility to MS needs to be thoroughly investigated.
On the Regulation of the Blood‐supply of the Brain

ONE marked characteristic of the literature dealing with the cerebral circulation is, we think, the contradictory nature of the results which have been obtained by different investigators. There is no reason, we imagine, for doubting that the cause of these discrepancies is to be found in the great difficulty of avoiding the sources of error which plentifully surround the subject, and in overcoming certain technical difficulties which we shall presently have to refer to. The ease with which one can obtain results upon certain points, on taking up the subject, is itself, we believe, apt to make the inquiirer careless in controlling sources of error, which, it may be noted, are some of them not at first sigrht obvious. We must on this account say more about the technology of our subject than would be necessary were the subject a simpler one.
Growth patterns of US professional services firms

This paper investigates the growth of professional services firms [PSFs] in the US. It first demonstrates based on a 20 year longitudinal dataset, that Gibrat's law of firm growth doesn't hold for PSFs as the growth rate of their establishment is age and size dependent. While this behavior is shared across the US economy and the notable reference point of US manufacturing firms, US PSFs exhibit a specificity in the development of their firms that exhibit persistence in growth and in their development pattern that relies on the creation of small establishments (
Using Games to Improve Students' Communicative Ability

It is believed that the communicative language teaching approach (abbreviated as CLTA) is one of the most effective methods to keep away from the weaknesses of the traditional English teaching method in developing students’ communicative ability. Using games, which is communicative in essence, are often considered effective in developing students’ communicative ability. In order to help English teachers put the communicative language teaching approach into practice, this paper, on the basis of pointing out the weaknesses of the traditional English teaching method, discusses what the communicative language teaching approach is, states the value and importance of using games in English-teaching class, introduces eight types of games that could be used in class, and presents some suggestions when using the games.
A Mechanosensory Pathway to the Drosophila Circadian Clock

Coordinating the Clock In flies, the mechanosensory chordotonal organs help to coordinate the effects of temperature on circadian cycles. Simoni et al. (p. 525) provide a mechanism by which mechanosensory input is processed to help to synchronize the biological clock in Drosophila melanogaster. The chordotonal organs, which have similarities to the mammalian ear, were also required for sensation of a vibration stimulus and its effects on the endogenous brain clock. The chordotonal organs, present in the joints of the limbs, provide neuronal signals that allow the animal to sense its position or posture—and thus might mediate feedback of a range of behaviors onto the endogenous biological clock. Flies use a mechanosensory organ to sense a low-frequency vibration and reset the brain’s biological clock. Circadian clocks attune the physiology of virtually all living organisms to the diurnal cycles of their environments. In metazoan animals, multiple sensory input pathways have been linked to clock synchronization with the environmental cycle (entrainment). Extrinsic entrainment cues include light and temperature. We show that (12-hour:12-hour) cycles of vibration and silence (VS) are sufficient to synchronize the daily locomotor activity of wild-type Drosophila melanogaster. Behavioral synchronization to VS cycles required a functional clock and functional chordotonal organs and was accompanied by phase-shifts of the daily oscillations of PERIOD protein concentrations in brain clock neurons. The feedback from mechanosensory—and particularly, proprioceptive—organs may help an animal to keep its circadian clock in sync with its own, stimulus-induced activities.
Farmers’ awareness and understanding of climate change and variability in central semi-arid Tanzania

This study investigated the farmers‘ awareness and knowledge of climate change and variability farmers in Tanzania. The study applied a qualitative approach in data collection and analysis. It used interviews and focus group discussions as data collection methods. The study population comprised of farmers. The qualitative data was subjected to content analysis. Key findings show that farmers are aware of climate change and variability and have coping and adaptation knowledge. Despite being aware and practicing adaptation farmers still do not have a clear understanding of climate change and variability. The factors, which affect farmers‘ awareness and understanding, are the types of media used in communication, communication gaps, unreliable and untimely information, low income and budget constraints. As such, the study recommends intensive awareness and sensitisation, timely access to information and frequent contacts between researchers, extension officers and farmers. Keywords: Awareness, information, knowledge, climate change, agricultural development
Contamination Rates of Three Urine-Sampling Methods to Assess Bacteriuria in Pregnant Women

OBJECTIVE: To estimate and compare contamination rates of three different urine-sampling methods in pregnant women to assess bacteriuria. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 113 pregnant women collected three different midstream urine samples consecutively: morning (first void); midstream (void without further instructions); and clean-catch sample (void after cleaning). The following end points were considered contaminants: epithelial cells, Gram-positive rods or mixed bacteria in the Gram stain, and mixed growth or skin flora in the urine culture. Intraindividual variability in contaminants was quantified with Fleiss-Cohen’s weighted &kgr; statistic. Differences between samples were assessed using generalized estimating equations. RESULTS: Mainly low numbers of Gram-positive rods were more likely to be present in Gram stains of midstream samples compared with clean-catch samples (77.7% compared with 66.7%, P=.022). Morning samples showed more mixed growth compared with midstream samples (6.2% compared with 0.9%, P=.050). No consistency in quantity of contaminants was found in midstream samples compared with morning and clean-catch samples. No differences were found between the other end points in all three urine samples (P>.05). The study could detect an odds ratios of 2.0 for differences in urine-sampling methods with 80% power and 5% significance for most end points. CONCLUSION: In pregnant women, the contamination rate of midstream samples is comparable with the contamination rates of morning and clean-catch samples. The quantity of contaminants varied among the three samples collected by one woman. These results show that more complex, unpractical, and time-consuming morning and clean-catch samples are not superior. Therefore, we recommend a midstream sample to assess bacteriuria in pregnant women. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II
Molecular diversity and physical mapping of 5S rDNA in wild and cultivated oat grasses (Poaceae: Aveneae).

5S rDNA repeats studied in five genera of Aveneae have lengths between 285 and 329 bp (Avena sativa, Avena macrostachya, 26 species of Helictotrichon, Pseudarrhenatherum longifolium, Lagurus ovatus, and Trisetum spicatum). In only a single species (Helictotrichon aetolicum) an additional repeat of 456 bp occurs infrequently. Variation is largely due to insertions or deletions in the nontranscribed spacer as determined from sequences of 163 independent clones. The 5S gene of the Aveneae studied is conserved in length and sequence except for Helictotrichon bromoides and Helictotrichon marginatum in which duplications occur at two different sites. This new type of duplication and all duplications reported to date in 5S genes of angiosperms are shown to center on defined palindromic sequences. The "uncommon" 5S gene sequences detected in some Aveneae are not necessarily nonfunctional as pseudogenes because the essential features of the internal control region are maintained even after such duplication events. In each instance such gene sequences have spacers with unmodified structure, indicating that change in gene sequence is not necessarily coupled with change in adjacent spacers. The value of 5S spacer sequences for genomic identifications in Aveneae is exemplified in A. macrostachya (perennial), A. sativa (annual), and several diploid taxa of the genus Helictotrichon.
Maize Black Mexican sweet suspension cultured cells are a convenient tool for studying aquaporin activity and regulation

Aquaporins (AQPs) are channel proteins that facilitate and regulate the permeation of water across biological membranes. Black Mexican sweet suspension cultured cells are a convenient model for studying the regulation of maize AQP expression and activity. Among other advantages, a single cell system allows the contribution of plasma membrane AQPs (PIPs, plasma membrane intrinsic proteins) to the membrane water permeability coefficient (Pf) to be determined using biophysical measurement methods, such as the cell pressure probe or protoplast swelling assay. We generated a transgenic cell culture line expressing a tagged version of ZmPIP2;6 and used this material to demonstrate that the ZmPIP2;6 and ZmPIP2;1 isoforms physically interact. This kind of interaction could be an additional mechanism for regulating membrane permeability by acting on the activity and/or trafficking of PIP hetero-oligomers.
Substrate recognition and induced DNA deformation by transposase at the target-capture stage of Tn10 transposition.

The bacterial transposon Tn10 inserts preferentially into sites that conform to a 9 bp consensus sequence: 5' NGCTNAGCN 3'. However, this sequence is not on its own sufficient to confer target specificity as the base-pairs flanking this sequence also contribute significantly to target-site selection. We have performed a series of "contact-probing experiments" to define directly the protein-DNA interactions that govern target-site selection in the Tn10 system. The HisG1 hotspot for Tn10 insertion was the main focus here. We infer that there is a rather broad zone ( approximately 24 bp) of contact between transposase and target DNA in the target-capture complex. This includes base-specific contacts at all of the purine residues in the consensus positions of the target core and primarily backbone contacts out to 7-8 bp in the two flanking regions immediately adjacent to the core. Also, highly localized sites of chemical hypersensitivity are identified that reveal symmetrically disposed deformations in DNA structure in the target-capture complex. Furthermore, the level of strand transfer is shown to be reduced by phosphorothioate substitution of phosphate groups at or close to the sites of target DNA deformation. Interestingly, for one particular target DNA, a mutant form of HisG1 called MutF, the above phosphorothioate inhibition of strand transfer is suppressed by replacing Mg(2+) with Mn(2+). Based on these results a model for sequence-specific target capture is proposed which attempts to define possible relationships between transposase interactions with the target core and flanking sequences, transposase-induced DNA deformation of the target site and divalent metal ion binding to the target-capture complex.
MODIFIED CIAGLIA AND GRIGGS PERCUTANEOUS TRACHEOSTOMY TECHNIQUES : A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS MOD

Adıyaman University,Training and Research Hospital, Anesthesiology and Reanimation Clinics, Adiyaman, Turkey Esteworld Plastic Surgery Hospital, Anesthesiology and Reanimation Clinics, İstanbul, Turkey Adıyaman University, Training and Research Hospital, Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics, Adiyaman, Turkey Bağcılar Training and Research Hospital, Anesthesiology and Reanimation Clinics, İstanbul, Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Rize, Turkey Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Training and Research Hospital, Anesthesiology and Reanimation Clinics, İstanbul, Turkey