Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impaired erythrocyte calcium homeostasis in beta-thalassemia.

Intracellular calcium (Ca) concentration in erythrocytes (RBCs) is controlled by a low passive influx through a relatively impermeable membrane and by active efflux catalyzed by Ca2+,Mg2+-ATPase. Since precipitation of alpha-globin chains in thalassemic RBCs may interfere with normal membrane function, we studied the RBC intracellular Ca content and the RBC membrane Ca2+,Mg2+-ATPase activity in two groups of patients with nonsplenectomized (n = 9) and splenectomized (n = 9) beta-thalassemia intermedia and in two groups of matched controls. The mean +/- SD Ca concentration in the nonsplenectomized (n = 12) and splenectomized (n = 6) controls were 6.1 +/- 6.0 and 5.8 +/- 3.4 mumol Ca per liter of RBCs, respectively, compared with 26.0 +/- 7.6 (P less than .001) and 85 +/- 24.4 (P less than .001) in the nonsplenectomized and splenectomized thalassemia patients, respectively. The mean +/- SD Ca2+,Mg2+-ATPase activity in the eight nonsplenectomized patients was 0.77 +/- 0.58 mumol inorganic phosphate (Pi) per milligram of protein per hour compared with 0.66 +/- 0.41 in the controls (P = NS). Similar values were obtained for the splenectomized patients and their controls. No correlation was found between either the intracellular Ca content or the Ca2+,Mg2+-ATPase activity with the peripheral nucleated RBC count. These findings suggest that there is a major defect in the membrane of the thalassemic RBC leading to an increased Ca content that is more pronounced in splenectomized patients.
Phosphate exposure during the late 1-cell and early 2-cell stages induces a time-specific decrease in cyclin B and cdc25B mRNAs in AKR/N mouse embryos in vitro

Phosphate induces 2-cell block in AKR/N mouse embryos in vitro. In an attempt to define the mechanism responsible for the inhibitory effect of phosphate, the critical period for this effect was determined. Then the amounts of the mRNAs for cyclin B and cdc25B, factors related to activation of M-phase promoting factor (MPF), were measured by quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction. Exposure to phosphate during the late 1-cell (10–20 h after insemination) and early 2-cell stages (0–12 h after first cleavage) was found to induce 2-cell block in AKR/N mouse embryos. This period corresponds to the initiation of zygotic gene activation (ZGA). The presence of phosphate during second cleavage had no effect on 2-cell block of the embryos. The relative levels of cyclin B and cdc25B mRNAs did not change significantly during the 1-cell stage and decreased during the early 2-cell stage to almost half of the initial levels. When the amounts of mRNA in embryos cultured with and without phosphate were compared they were found to be almost identical even in the 2-cell block embryos, and a significant decrease in mRNA was observed only 33 h after insemination in embryos about to undergo phosphate block at the 2-cell stage. These results show that phosphate does not directly inhibit MPF activity and confirm the presence of cyclin B and cdc25B even in 2-cell block embryos. Furthermore, the fact that the decrease in mRNA levels corresponded to the critical period for the inhibitory effect of phosphate suggests that suppression of initial ZGA induction is involved in the 2-cell block of mouse embryos in vitro.
Age Differences in Hippocampus-Cortex Connectivity during True and False Memory Retrieval

Abstract The present functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study investigated developmental differences in functional connectivity associated with true and false memory retrieval. A sample of 8- to 9-year-olds and adults (N = 31) was assessed with the Deese/Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm, known to induce high levels of false recognition of lures that are semantically associated with studied items. The strength of semantic association among list items was manipulated. Relative to children, adults correctly recognized more studied items and falsely recognized more critical lures. High-association lists resulted in higher recognition of both studied items and critical lures. Functional connectivity analysis revealed that, overall, true recognition was supported by coupling within two hippocampal-temporal and fronto-parietal set of regions; in contrast, coupling among more distributed hippocampal-temporal-parietal-frontal regions was observed during false recognition. Critically, adults, compared to children, exhibited stronger hippocampal/parietal coupling and stronger hippocampal/dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) coupling for veridical recognition of high-associative strength items. In contrast, children, compared to adults, exhibited stronger hippocampus/ventrolateral PFC coupling and stronger bilateral middle-temporal gyrus/ventrolateral PFC coupling for high-associative strength critical lures. Our results underscored a role for the anterior hippocampus in true and false recognition, showing different functional patterns as a function of age and association strength. (JINS, 2013, 19, 1–11)
Leakage Current Analysis of GaN-Based Light-Emitting Diodes Using a Parasitic Diode Model

The leakage current of GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) was analyzed with a parasitic diode model. Arrhenius plots of forward leakage currents revealed that the threshold voltages of the main diode and the parasitic diode were 2.64 and 0.94 V, respectively. The parasitic diode, however, led to an insignificant change in the reverse leakage mechanism, e.g., a predominant reverse leakage mechanism was Poole-Frenkel conduction in the high-temperature range (>300 K) and the variable range hopping in the low-temperature range (<;300 K), as reported previously. The origin of the parasitic diode could be due to the incorporated hydrogen (H) atoms into the top LEDs layers, presumably enhancing the defect-assisted tunneling through the generated H-related deep-level states, particularly generated in the p-cladding or p-AlGaN electron blocking layer.
Effects of short-term chemical ablation of the GIP receptor on insulin secretion, islet morphology and glucose homeostasis in mice

Abstract Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) is an incretin hormone secreted by endocrine K-cells in response to nutrient absorption. In this study we have utilized a specific and enzymatically stable GIP receptor antagonist, (Pro3)GIP, to evaluate the contribution of endogenous GIP to insulin secretion and glucose homeostasis in mice. Daily injection of (Pro3)GIP (25 nmol/kg body weight) for 11 days had no effect on food intake or body weight. Non-fasting plasma glucose concentrations were significantly raised (p<0.05) by day 11, while plasma insulin concentrations were not significantly different from saline treated controls. After 11 days, intraperitoneal glucose tolerance was significantly impaired in the (Pro3)GIP treated mice compared to control (p<0.01). Glucose-mediated insulin secretion was not significantly different between the two groups. Insulin sensitivity of 11-day (Pro3)GIP treated mice was slightly impaired 60 min post injection compared with controls. Following a 15 min refeeding period in 18 h fasted mice, food intake was not significantly different in (Pro3)GIP treated mice and controls. However, (Pro3)GIP treated mice displayed significantly elevated plasma glucose levels 30 and 60 min post feeding (p<0.05, in both cases). Postprandial insulin secretion was not significantly different and no changes in pancreatic insulin content or islet morphology were observed in (Pro3)GIP treated mice. The observed biological effects of (Pro3)GIP were reversed following cessation of treatment for 9 days. These data indicate that ablation of GIP signaling causes a readily reversible glucose intolerance without appreciable change of insulin secretion.
Distribution of acetylcholinesterase in the hippocampal region of the rabbit: III. The dentate area

The distribution of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in the dentate area, a part of the hippocampal region, of the adult rabbit was described. A modification of the Koelle copper thiocholine method was used for the histochemical demonstration of AChE. The dentate area contained high amounts of this enzyme, distributed in a well‐defined stratified pattern. Thus, in the molecular layer seven distinct and differently stained layers were observed at most septotemporal levels. The granular cell bodies were entirely devoid of AChE, but stained precipitate occurred between the cell bodies, in particular in the superficial half of the granular cell layer. In the hilus, five layers of alternating stronger and weaker activity were recognizable. In the molecular layer and the granular cell layer, almost all activity was restricted to the neuropil, whereas a great number of intensely stained cell bodies were observed in the hilus.
BLACK HOLE AND GALAXY COEVOLUTION FROM CONTINUITY EQUATION AND ABUNDANCE MATCHING

We investigate the coevolution of galaxies and hosted supermassive black holes (BHs) throughout the history of the universe by a statistical approach based on the continuity equation and the abundance matching technique. Specifically, we present analytical solutions of the continuity equation without source terms to reconstruct the supermassive BH mass function from the active galactic nucleus (AGN) luminosity functions. Such an approach includes physically motivated AGN light curves tested on independent data sets, which describe the evolution of the Eddington ratio and radiative efficiency from slim- to thin-disk conditions. We nicely reproduce the local estimates of the BH mass function, the AGN duty cycle as a function of mass and redshift, along with the Eddington ratio function and the fraction of galaxies with given stellar mass hosting an AGN with given Eddington ratio. We exploit the same approach to reconstruct the observed stellar mass function at different redshift from the ultraviolet and far-IR luminosity functions associated with star formation in galaxies. These results imply that the build-up of stars and BHs in galaxies occurs via in situ processes, with dry mergers playing a marginal role at least for stellar masses ≲ 3 × 10 11 M ⊙ ? > and BH masses ≲ 10 9 M ⊙ ? > , where the statistical data are more secure and less biased by systematic errors. In addition, we develop an improved abundance matching technique to link the stellar and BH content of galaxies to the gravitationally dominant dark matter (DM) component. The resulting relationships constitute a testbed for galaxy evolution models, highlighting the complementary role of stellar and AGN feedback in the star formation process. In addition, they may be operationally implemented in numerical simulations to populate DM halos or to gauge subgrid physics. Moreover, they may be exploited to investigate the galaxy/AGN clustering as a function of redshift, mass, and/or luminosity. In fact, the clustering properties of BHs and galaxies are found to be in full agreement with current observations, thus further validating our results from the continuity equation. Finally, our analysis highlights that (i) the fraction of AGNs observed in the slim-disk regime, where most of the BH mass is accreted, increases with redshift; and (ii) already at z ≳ 6 ? > a substantial amount of dust must have formed over timescales ≲ 10 8 ? > yr in strongly star-forming galaxies, making these sources well within the reach of ALMA surveys in (sub)millimeter bands.
Use of a polymerase chain reaction method to detect the leukotoxin gene lktA in biogroup and biovariant isolates of Pasteurella haemolytica and P trehalosi.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether Pasteurella haemolytica and P trehalosi isolates possess the structural gene for Pasteurella leukotoxin lktA and whether beta-hemolytic activity of these isolates correlated with detection of the lktA gene. SAMPLE POPULATION 147 P haemolytica isolates from 21 biovariant groups and 101 P trehalosi isolates from 7 biovariant groups. In addition, P multocida and organisms from 7 other genera were tested to establish specificity of the procedure. PROCEDURE Isolates were observed for beta-hemolysis. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure was used to amplify the RTX domain of the Pasteurella lktA gene. RESULTS The lktA gene was detected in 108 (44%) isolates, including 15 associated with respiratory tract disease. All but 2 (98%) of the isolates that had the lktA gene were beta-hemolytic when grown on sheep blood agar. The remaining 140 isolates were negative for the lktA gene and hemolytic activity. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Hemolytic activity of P haemolytica and P trehalosi isolates correlated with detection of the lktA gene for all but 2 isolates. However, 56% of isolates tested were negative for the lktA gene and beta-hemolytic activity. Leukotoxin production and secretion is a major virulence factor when other conditions are favorable for disease development. Therefore, identification of strains that possess the lktA gene may aid in the evaluation of the pathogenic potential of Pasteurella strains carried by wild and domestic animals.
ERCC1 Protein Expression Is Associated with Differential Survival in Oropharyngeal Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Objective To investigate ERCC1 protein expression and its relationship to clinical factors and treatment outcomes in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Design Case series. Setting Tertiary care academic center. Subjects One hundred and seventy-six patients diagnosed with HNSCC and treated with intent to cure between 2002 and 2008 were analyzed with respect to clinical data and tumor pathology. Main Outcome Measures Tissue microarrays were constructed from tumor blocks and immunohistochemical staining for ERCC1 performed. ERCC1 expression status was dichotomized into high and low using the Allred score. Clinical characteristics of patients with high versus low ERCC1 expression were compared. Distributions of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results Of 176 patients, ERCC1 showed baseline nuclear staining in 148 patients (84.1%). Lower staining intensity ERCC1 expression was prominent in parabasal cells in the lower half of the epithelium, while at high staining intensity, ERCC1 expression was present throughout the epithelium. The median H-score was 50. No significant differences in age, gender, smoking status, tumor site, or stage were seen between the high and low ERCC1 expression groups. Expression of ERCC1 stratified by tumor site correlates with OS. Patients with oropharyngeal HNSCC and high ERCC1 expression (H-score > 120) were more likely to survive (P < .01) and remain disease free when compared to non-oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCCa) patients with high ERCC1 expression despite treatment modality and human papillomavirus virus (HPV) status. Conclusion Patients with oropharyngeal SCCa and high ERCC1 expression may have better outcomes despite HPV status.
cDNA array technology in melanoma: An overview

Genetic aberrations, mostly resulting in changes in gene expression, are critical events in cancer onset and progression. The advent of the cDNA array technology allows the screening and the efficient measurement of expression of thousands genes simultaneously in a wide spectrum of experimental and clinical models. This genomic scale approach is being currently used to obtain global views of human cancer gene expression and to identify genetic markers that might be important for diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy. This review discusses some recent findings obtained by means of cDNA arrays investigating the human melanoma. J. Cell. Physiol. 196: 219–223, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Some morphological and hormonal aspects of ovulation and superovulation in the rat.

In the first experiment, mature female Wistar rats, displaying a regular 4-day oestrous cycle, were killed in succession every 2 or 3 h on the day of pro-oestrus and oestrus until the time of ovulation. In the second experiment, immature female Wistar rats (aged 24 days) were injected s.c. with 30 IU pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) and 56 h later with 20 IU human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG). They were killed in groups at 0, 24, 48, 56 and 57 h, and then every 2 h until 72 h. Excised ovaries were homogenized and analysed for steroid content or they were submitted to a routine histological procedure. The cyclic and PMSG/hCG-treated rats exhibited some similarities and differences in the general pattern of steroid content. Either a presumptive endogenous LH surge or administration of hCG resulted in an increase in the ovarian androgen concentration which preceded a rise in progesterone; the progesterone peak, in turn, was accompanied by a fall in the amount of androgens and oestradiol. However, in comparison with cyclic rats, superovulated animals displayed a significantly higher ovarian androgen level for a prolonged period; ovarian oestradiol concentration was also raised while the progesterone content was much lower. Histological analysis revealed large differences between the ovaries of superovulated and cyclic rats, especially with regard to the maturing follicles. The majority of PMSG/hCG-derived follicles showed hypertrophied theca interna and degenerated or luteinized granulosa. A large number of preovulatory follicles did not ovulate. These results clearly indicate that PMSG/hCG-induced follicles are not equal to the follicles developing during a normal oestrous cycle. This should be taken into consideration when using superovulated animals in experiments.
The Reasons for the Failure of the Primary Arteriovenous Fistula Surgery in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease

Purpose To analyze the reasons for the failure of the primary arteriovenous fistula surgery and explore preventive measures. Methods A total of 819 patients with end-stage renal disease were enrolled in the study. Autologous arteriovenous fistula surgery was performed on all patients. Their clinical data of hemoglobin (HB), albumin (ALB), cholesterol (CHOL), parathyroid hormone (PTH), blood glucose and blood pressure were collected before surgery, while the diameters of the radial artery and cephalic vein were measured by ultrasound. Results The operations in 742 patients were successful, but failed in 77 cases (accounting for 7.07%). The failure group was significantly older (61.3 ± 13.4 years) than the successful group (45.6 ± 11.2 years). The ratio of diabetes 36 (46.8%) and hypertension 20 (26.0%) was significantly higher in the failure group than in the successful group, respectively 235 (31.7%) and 145 (19.5%). The patients with blood pressure below 120/70 mm Hg had a higher risk of failed surgery (36.4%) than those with blood pressure above 120/70 mm Hg (9.16%). The cephalic vein and radial artery diameters were significantly smaller in the failure group (1.35 ± 0.64 mm, 2.13 ± 0.81 mm) than in the successful group (1.98 ± 0.47 mm, 2.47 ± 0.74 mm); the PTH levels in the failure group were significantly higher (782.39 ± 423.85) than in the successful group (378.83 ± 352.21). Conclusions The autogenous arteriovenous fistula surgery failure highly correlated with the patient's age, blood pressure, the primary disease and the vessel diameter. In addition, the PTH levels had a certain correlation with the failure of the fistula surgery.
Cutting Edge: Rapid In Vivo Killing by Memory CD8 T Cells1

In this study, we examined the cytotoxic activity of effector and memory CD8 T cells in vivo. At the peak of the CTL response following an acute lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection, effector CD8 T cells exhibited extremely rapid killing and started to eliminate adoptively transferred target cells within 15 min by a perforin-dependent mechanism. Although resting memory CD8 T cells are poorly cytolytic by in vitro 51Cr release assays, there was rapid elimination (within 1–4 h) of target cells after transfer into immune mice, and both CD62Lhigh and CD62Llow memory CD8 T cells were able to kill rapidly in vivo. Strikingly, when directly compared on a per cell basis, memory CD8 T cells were only slightly slower than effector cells in eliminating target cells. These data indicate that virus specific memory CD8 T cells can rapidly acquire cytotoxic function upon re-exposure to Ag and are much more efficient killers in vivo than previously appreciated.
Earthquake Damages Rapid Mapping by Satellite Remote Sensing Data: L'Aquila April 6th, 2009 Event

Destructive earthquakes challenge Earth Observation (EO) systems to demonstrate their usefulness in supporting intervention and relief actions. The use of EO data in a disaster context has been widely investigated from a theoretical point of view, but only recently the developed methods seem to have reached near to the operational use. In this paper a case study on the April 6th, 2009 earthquake (Mw = 6.3) event, which stroke L'Aquila, Italy, is presented and commented. Although damage to the city was not extremely extensive, the case is interesting because it was handled by the authors in a real-time, emergency context. A new data fusion approach, between SAR and optical data, has been proposed. It shows that optical data are more suitable to distinguish between damage and non-damage classes, while SAR textures features allow to better distinguishing different classes of damages at block scale such as low and heavy damage.
A Powerful New Severity Score for Community-Acquired Pneumonia But Will Anyone Use It ?

larger amount of data would be required, however, which could only be obtained through multicenter trials. The framework that would be most suitable for such studies would be either the International Collaboration on Endocarditis [7] or national endocarditis registries, such as the Swedish national endocarditis registry. The incidence of CVCs in our study is high, but this finding should be considered in the context of the prospective study design, which focused on the neurological manifestations of IE, and the sensitive diagnostic methods used. Asymptomatic CVCs have been documented in other studies [5] by use of cerebral CT, and this supports the theory that diagnostic efforts initiated as a result of neurological symptoms in IE reveal only the tip of the iceberg regarding the incidence of CVC in IE. It is our opinion that the incidence of CVC in IE is related to study population characteristics, as well as to the study design and the diagnostic methods used.