Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
IL-17A attracts inflammatory cells in murine lung infection with P. aeruginosa

IL-17A-dependent immunity is of importance in the protection against extracellular bacterial pathogens. However, IL-17A is also suggested to mediate the pathogenesis of lung diseases, such as acute respiratory distress syndrome. Here, we studied the role of IL-17A in a mouse model of acute pneumonia. IL-17A mediated the expression of keratinocyte-derived chemokine (KC) and the recruitment of inflammatory cells in mice infected with a sub-lethal dose of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. IL-17A deficiency protected mice from lethal P. aeruginosa lung infection. A sub-lethal infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae resulted in increased bacterial burden associated with increased pulmonary inflammation. Thus, the type of infectious bacteria seemed to influence the way in which IL-17A functions during pulmonary infection. Reducing pulmonary inflammation by targeting IL-17A may be a therapeutic option in acute P. aeruginosa pneumonia.
Further studies on the coupling of mitochondrially bound hexokinase to intramitochondrially compartmented ATP, generated by oxidative phosphorylation.

Hexokinase, bound to nonphosphorylating rat brain mitochondria, exhibits Michaelis-Menten kinetic behavior, with an apparent K(m) for ATP of 0.44 +/- 0.08 mM. After initiation of oxidative phosphorylation, a steady-state rate of Glc phosphorylation is maintained despite the fact that extramitochondrial [ATP] continues to increase but remains well below saturating levels (i.e., < 0.4 mM). This independence from extramitochondrial [ATP] is taken to indicate that hexokinase is not utilizing extramitochondrial ATP as substrate, but rather draws substrate ATP from an intramitochondrial compartment supplied by oxidative phosphorylation. The steady-state rate of Glc phosphorylation by hexokinase bound to phosphorylating mitochondria is not altered by increase in total rate of ATP production resulting from addition of hexokinase-depleted mitochondria to the system. In contrast, the steady-state rate of Glc phosphorylation by yeast hexokinase, which does not bind to mitochondria, is directly related to the total rate of ATP production in the system. These results are also consistent with the view that, during oxidative phosphorylation, mitochondrially bound hexokinase is selectively using intramitochondrially compartmented ATP; such substrate selectivity would be expected to require physical association of hexokinase with the mitochondria and be dependent solely on the oxidative phosphorylation activity of the hexokinase-bearing organelles. The K(m) for Glc is only modestly affected by the binding of hexokinase to mitochondria and not further altered upon induction of active oxidative phosphorylation, suggesting that neither binding nor oxidative phosphorylation greatly affects the conformation of the Glc binding site. The reliance on intramitochondrial ATP is suggested to result from oxidative phosphorylation-dependent changes in the interaction between the mitochondrial surface and the regions of the hexokinase molecule involved in binding ATP.
Studies on the toxicity of used coffee grounds to the larvae of Ochlerotatus (Finlaya) notoscriptus Skuse (Diptera: Culicidae).

The exotic Ochlerotatus notoscriptus is the most widespread container-breeding mosquito species in anthropic habitats in northern in New Zealand, and also a potential disease vector. We tested the toxicity of used coffee grounds, a recently proposed larvicide, to the species’ larvae, which is known to be tolerant to a wide range of water quality levels. High concentrations of used coffee grounds induced very large larval mortality within a few days. However, large mortality occurred in the controls after two weeks, and there was an apparent boost to larval survivorship in treatments with low to medium concentrations of coffee grounds. Although the results suggest that used coffee grounds could constitute a cost-free and environmentally sound alternative to less desirable insecticides, we believe that extensive field trials are necessary before their use as a larval control method is advocated.
Assessment of the welfare of dairy caftle using animal-based measurements: direct observations and investigation of farm records

A protocol was developed by consultation with experts on the welfare of cattle to use direct observations of cattle and an examination of farm records to assess welfare. Fifty-three dairy farms in England were visited and assessed during the winter of 2000/01. The findings were compiled and the results of the welfare measurements were examined by 50 experts who indicated at what level they considered that improvement was required. More than 75 per cent of them considered that 32 of the 53 farms needed to take action to reduce the incidence of mastitis, and that at least 42 of the farms needed to take action to reduce the prevalence of lameness, overgrown claws, swollen and ulcerated hocks, and injuries from the environment.
Polyphase complementary codes

Previous work on polyphase complementary codes is reviewed, and a number of new results are presented including additional kernels and lengths. Generating methods from other binary and polyphase sequences are given and negative results of other existence searches reported. Advantages of specialized forms for radar and Loran-C are discussed, including complementary Barker codes. A table of known lengths of pairs, triads and quads of sequences is given.
In Vitro Modeling of Matrix Vesicle Nucleation

Annexins A5, A2, and A6 (Anx-A5, -A2, and -A6) are quantitatively major proteins of the matrix vesicle nucleational core that is responsible for mineral formation. Anx-A5 significantly activated the induction and propagation of mineral formation when incorporated into synthetic nucleation complexes made of amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) and Anx-A5 or of phosphatidylserine (PS) plus ACP (PS-CPLX) and Anx-A5. Incorporation of Anx-A5 markedly shortened the induction time, greatly increasing the rate and overall amount of mineral formed when incubated in synthetic cartilage lymph. Constructed by the addition of Ca2+ to PS, emulsions prepared in an intracellular phosphate buffer matched in ionic composition to the intracellular fluid of growth plate chondrocytes, these biomimetic PS-CPLX nucleators had little nucleational activity. However, incorporation of Anx-A5 transformed them into potent nucleators, with significantly greater activity than those made from ACP without PS. The ability of Anx-A5 to enhance the nucleation and growth of mineral appears to stem from its ability to form two-dimensional crystalline arrays on PS-containing monolayers. However, some stimulatory effect also may result from its ability to exclude Mg2+ and HCO–3 from nucleation sites. Comparing the various annexins for their ability to activate PS-CPLX nucleation yields the following: avian cartilage Anx-A5 > human placental Anx-A5 > avian liver Anx-A5 ≥ avian cartilage Anx-A6 >> cartilage Anx-A2. The stimulatory effect of human placental Anx-A5 and avian cartilage Anx-A6 depended on the presence of PS, since in its absence they either had no effect or actually inhibited the nucleation activity of ACP. Anx-A2 did not significantly enhance mineralization.
Plasma adiponectin is decreased in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

OBJECTIVES Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major cause of liver-related morbidity and is frequently associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome. The recently discovered hormone adiponectin is produced by adipose tissue, and low plasma adiponectin is considered a key factor in the development of the insulin resistance underlying metabolic syndrome. Animal studies suggest that adiponectin may protect against non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, but direct evidence in humans is lacking. We therefore conducted this study to assess the relationship between plasma adiponectin and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease to explore its role in the pathogenesis of this disease. DESIGN AND METHODS We measured plasma adiponectin and anthropometric, biochemical, hormonal and metabolic correlates in a group of 17 NAFLD patients with diagnosis confirmed by biopsy, and 20 controls with comparable age, body-mass index and sex. Furthermore we compared plasma adiponectin in patients with simple steatosis and steatohepatitis. RESULTS Plasma adiponectin was significantly lower in NAFLD patients than controls (5.93+/-0.45 vs 15.67+/-1.60ng/ml). Moreover, NAFLD patients were significantly more insulin resistant while having similar serum leptin. Adiponectin was similar in simple steatosis and in steatohepatitis (6.16+/-0.78 vs 5.69+/-0.49ng/ml). An inverse correlation was observed between adiponectin and homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) of insulin resistance (P = 0.008), while adiponectin did not correlate with serum transaminases and lipid values. CONCLUSIONS These data support a role for low circulating adiponectin in the pathogenesis of NAFLD and confirm the strict association between reduced adiponectin production by adipose tissue, NAFLD and insulin resistance.
Cushing's surgery: Role of the anesthesiologist

Cushing's syndrome is a clinical situation, caused by excessive glucocorticoid level, resulting in several features such as central obesity, supraclavicular fat, “moon face,” “buffalo hump,” hyperglycemia, metabolic alkalosis, hypokalemia, poor wound healing, easy bruising, hypertension, proximal muscle weakness, thin extremities, skin thinning, menstrual irregularities, and purple striae. In the perioperative period, the anesthesiologist must deal with difficult ventilation and intubation, hemodynamic disturbances, volume overload and hypokalemia, glucose intolerance, and diabetes, maintaining the blood cortisol level and preventing the glucocorticoid deficiency. This syndrome is quite rare and its features make these patients very difficult to the anesthesiologist.
Comparison of Water Models In Simple Electric Double Layers

Abstract : The three bulk water models (SPCE, TIP4P and ST2) are compared in molecular dynamics simulations of electric double layers consisting of a monovalent ion (Na(+) or Cl(-)), water as solvent, and a flat metal electrode. The goal is to identify features of the double layer that are sensitive to the model and those that are not. The simulations are done with zero external field and one non-zero applied field. All electrostatic image interactions due to the ion and the point charges constituting the water molecules are included in the calculation. All the models give rise to several well defined solvent density oscillations at the metal surface and the first peak in particular can be strongly accentuated by an external electric field. The Na(+) ion occupies a diffuse zone in which its first solvation shell remains intact even when drawn to the electrode by an external field. One striking difference occurs for the ST2 water compared to the other models. In a cathodic external field the Na(+) ion does not concentrate near the electrode. There are also quantitative differences in the electric potential profiles. Effects of replacing Na(+) with Cl(-) are also studied. It was observed that there was less structure in the water density profiles with solvated anions. The Cl(-) ion occupies a diffuse zone that extends to the surface where it makes occasional contact and its solvation shell greatly distorted. In an external field the chloride ion forms a compact layer at the metal with no diffuse component to its distribution. Significant differences in using different water models are observed and are interpreted on the basis of the relative strength of the solvation and the stiffness of the liquid.
Investigation des Interactions Toxine-Cellule et du Confinement des Récepteurs dans la Membrane Cellulaire. (Investigation of Toxin-Cell Interactions and Receptor Confinement in the Cell Membrane)

La membrane cellulaire est l’interface de communication et d’echange entre la cellule et le monde exterieur. En tant que telle, sa structure et composition ont une importance centrale a la viabilite de la cellule. Les proteines qui resident dans la membrane apportent la fonctionnalite necessaire pour permettre a la membrane d’accomplir ces tâches. Ces recepteurs se retrouvent dans un environnement de haute heterogeneite qui renforce leur efficacite. Nous avons etudie cet environnent en suivant des recepteurs uniques dans la membrane grâce aux nanoparticules dopees aux terres rares. Ces nanoparticules produisent des signaux continus, non-interrompus, permettant de suivre des trajectoires pendant plusieurs minutes. Nous avons ensuite utilise une methode basee sur l’inference bayesienne pour analyser et comparer les trajectoires obtenues, et pour extraire le potentiel de confinement de forme arbitraire correspondant a chaque trajectoire. Nous avons d’abord valide l’approche de l’inference bayesienne en demontrant que cette methode peut egalement etre utilisee pour la calibration d’un montage de pinces optiques. Par ailleurs, nous avons demontre que cette approche est superieure aux techniques couramment utilisees pour la calibration des pinces optiques. Puis, nous avons applique cette methode aux trajectoires des recepteurs de la toxine epsilon (de Clostridium perfringens) dans des cellules renales canines Madin- Darby (MDCK). En particulier, nous avons etudie l’evolution du potentiel de confinement et de la diffusivite a l’interieur des domaines confinant les recepteurs pendant l’action d’un agent destabilisant les domaines de confinement, ainsi que les evenement de ‘hopping’ pendant lesquels le recepteur change de domaine de confinement, et determine les energies de ‘hopping’ associees. De plus, nous avons observe l’effet d’une force externe appliquee au recepteur, produite par un flux hydrodynamique. L’application d’une force a mis en evidence une dependance du confinement des recepteurs du cytosquelette d’actine en plus du confinement produit par la distribution des lipides. Pour approfondir notre investigation du confinement des recepteurs de la membrane, nous avons classifie les potentiels de confinement obtenus pour les recepteurs residant a l’interieur et a l’exterieur des radeaux lipidiques. Les potentiels ressentis par les recepteurs en dehors des domaines lipidiques sont plus plats au centre du domaine de confinement et plus abrupts vers les bords du domaine par rapport aux potentiels ressentis par les proteines dans les radeaux. Enfin, nous avons etendu la technique de suivi de particules uniques en 3D en utilisant la largeur de la fonction de reponse du signal de la nanoparticule. De cette maniere, nous avons observe le mouvement d’internalisation de nanoparticules couplees a un fragment de la chaine lourde de la toxine botulique A de Clostridium botulinum dans des cellules intestinales de souris de la lignee m-ICcl2.
Anisotropic behaviour of human gallbladder walls

Inverse estimation of biomechanical parameters of soft tissues from non-invasive measurements has clinical significance in patient-specific modelling and disease diagnosis. In this paper, we propose a fully nonlinear approach to estimate the mechanical properties of the human gallbladder wall muscles from in vivo ultrasound images. The iteration method consists of a forward approach, in which the constitutive equation is based on a modified Hozapfel–Gasser–Ogden law initially developed for arteries. Five constitutive parameters describing the two orthogonal families of fibres and the matrix material are determined by comparing the computed displacements with medical images. The optimisation process is carried out using the MATLAB toolbox, a Python code, and the ABAQUS solver. The proposed method is validated with published artery data and subsequently applied to ten human gallbladder samples. Results show that the human gallbladder wall is anisotropic during the passive refilling phase, and that the peak stress is 1.6 times greater than that calculated using linear mechanics. This discrepancy arises because the wall thickness reduces by 1.6 times during the deformation, which is not predicted by conventional linear elasticity. If the change of wall thickness is accounted for, then the linear model can used to predict the gallbladder stress and its correlation with pain. This work provides further understanding of the nonlinear characteristics of human
Lack of attenuation of valproic acid-induced effects by folinic acid in rat embryos in vitro.

The anticonvulsant drug valproic acid (VPA) is suspected to be a developmental toxicant in humans, inducing primarily neural tube defects. The mechanism for this effect is unknown, but it has been suggested that the drug may act via a deficiency of the vitamin folic acid. We examined this possibility by concurrent treatment of rat embryos in a whole embryo culture system with VPA and folinic acid (FA), a folic acid derivative. Groups of CD rat embryos were treated with various concentrations of VPA, various concentrations of FA, or a combination of a teratogenic dose of VPA plus various levels of FA. At the end of the 44 hour culture period, each embryo was evaluated for viability (presence of a heartbeat), yolk sac circulation, presence of any malformations, morphological score, crown-rump and head lengths, as well as DNA and protein contents. The anticonvulsant did not decrease viability but did decrease yolk sac circulation and all growth and developmental endpoints in a dose-responsive manner. There was also a dose-related increase in the incidence of open neural tubes. The addition of FA alone had no significant effect on growth and development. When various concentrations of FA were added simultaneously with a teratogenic dose of VPA, there was no decrease in the incidence of open neural tubes. Growth and developmental endpoints were altered in a somewhat random fashion but were never increased to the control level. The lack of attenuation by FA was not due to instability of the compound in the culture system, nor was there a difference in the amount of FA present in the exocoelomic fluid of VPA-treated and control embryos. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
[The relationship between tumor necrosis factor-alpha gene promoter polymorphism and obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship between tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) gene promoter polymorphism and obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). METHODS The plasma TNF-alpha level of OSAHS group and non-OSAHS group was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Eighteen patients with severe OSAHS were treated with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for 1 month, and the serum levels of TNF-alpha was also measured. The genotypes of TNF-alpha gene promoter polymorphism were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphisms (PCR-RFLP). The genotypes and allele of the polymorphisms were compared between OSAHS group and non-OSAHS group. The effects of the polymorphisms in OSAHS group on body mass index (BMI), neck circumference (NC), waist/hip rate (WHR), polysomnography (PSG), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were analyzed. RESULTS The plasma level of TNF-alpha in OSAHS group was higher than the control group [(12.3 +/- 3.62) ng/L and (8.59 +/- 1.62) ng/L, respectively, t = 7.716, P < 0.01]. CPAP significantly decreased the serum levels of TNF-alpha, but its level (10.31 +/- 1.91) ng/L was still higher in the patients than the control group. The frequencies of TNF-alpha AA/AG genotype in OSAHS group (frequencies 31/76, 40.8%) was higher than the control one (frequencies 7/42, 16.7%) (chi(2) = 7.485, P < 0.05). Statistical analysis showed that OSAHS group had a significantly higher TNF-alphaA allele frequency (frequencies 39/152, 25.7%) than that of the control one (frequencies 39/152, 9.5%) (chi(2) = 8.830, P < 0.01). The OSAHS patients with AA/AG genotype had significantly higher serum levels of TNF-alpha, NC, WHR and aphea-hypopnea index [(13.39 +/- 3.71) ng/L, (45.2 +/- 4.2) cm, (0.91 +/- 0.12), and (34.8 +/- 15.6)/h, respectively] than those with GG genotype group [(11.09 +/- 3.54) ng/L, (42.7 +/- 4.9) cm, (0.85 +/- 0.12) and (26.4 +/- 12.3)/h, respectively] (t = 2.725, 2.278, 2.150, 2.609 respectively, P < 0.05 or < 0.01). The L SaO(2) (the lowest SaO(2)) in patients with AA/AG genotype [(78.8 +/- 10.9)%] was significantly lower than that in patients with GG genotype [(83.4 +/- 8.6)%] (t = 2.039, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in BMI, SBP and DBP. CONCLUSION The presence of the TNF-alphaA allele may be associated with susceptibility to OSAHS, and it maybe an important candidate gene for OSAHS.
Differential Role for TLR3 in Respiratory Syncytial Virus-Induced Chemokine Expression

ABSTRACT Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of lower respiratory tract infection in young infants worldwide. Previous studies have reported that the induction of interleukin-8/CXCL8 and RANTES/CCL5 correlates with disease severity in humans. The production of these chemokines is elicited by viral replication and is NF-κB dependent. RSV, a negative-sense single-stranded RNA virus, requires full-length positive-sense RNA for synthesis of new viral RNA. The aim of our studies was to investigate whether active viral replication by RSV could evoke chemokine production through TLR3-mediated signaling pathways. In TLR3-transfected HEK 293 cells, live RSV preferentially activated chemokines in both a time- and dose-dependent manner compared to vector controls. RSV was also shown to upregulate TLR3 in human lung fibroblasts and epithelial cells (MRC-5 and A549). Targeting the expression of TLR3 with small interfering RNA decreased synthesis of IP-10/CXCL10 and CCL5 but did not significantly reduce levels of CXCL8. Blocking the expression of the adapter protein MyD88 established a role for MyD88 in CXCL8 production, whereas CCL5 synthesis was found to be MyD88 independent. Production of CCL5 by RSV was induced directly through TLR3 signaling pathways and did not require interferon (IFN) signaling through the IFN-α/β receptor. TLR3 did not affect viral replication, since equivalent viral loads were recovered from RSV-infected cells despite altered TLR3 expression. Taken together, our studies indicate that TLR3 mediates inflammatory cytokine and chemokine production in RSV-infected epithelial cells.