Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In vivo effect of staphylococcal enterotoxin A on peripheral blood lymphocytes

Staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) administration to monkeys produced an initial lymphocytic leukopenia lasting approximately 24 h. Lymphocytes isolated from blood circulation (PBL) during this stage had normal or decreased [3H]thymidine incorporating activity. After 48 h, however, a significant increase (five- to sixfold) in [3H]thymidine incorporating activity into PBL was apparent. The peak of incorporating activity (seven- to eightfold) was reached 3 to 4 days after SEA administration, followed by a gradual decline, reaching the baseline after 2 weeks. The increased levels of [3H] thymidine incorporation in PBL were concomitant with the conversion of lymphopenia into lymphocytosis, accompanied by the release of many immature cells into the circulation. Lymphocytes isolated 24 h after SEA administration in vivo did not respond to the mitogenic action of SEA in vitro. Lymphocytes isolated at later stages after SEA challenge were fully activated by toxin. From a series of studies, it was concluded that SEA administered to monkeys caused, during the initial 24 h, the removal of a great proportion of lymphocytes from the circulation, followed by the release of new immature cells with augmented DNA synthesis activity. The lymphocytic leukocytosis state declined gradually and reached normal levels between 3 and 4 weeks after the SEA challenge. The biological implications of the hematological changes occurring after SEA challenge in vivo are discussed.
Beliefs about Memory as a Mediator of Relations between Metacognitive Beliefs and Actual Memory Performance

ABSTRACT The goal of the present study was to investigate relationships between personal beliefs about memory, metacognitive beliefs, and actual memory performance. One hundred thirty-seven participants' (aged 20 to 60 years) metacognitive beliefs were measured using the Metacognition Questionnaire (MCQ-30), memory beliefs were measured using the Personal Beliefs about Memory Instrument (PBMI), and an episodic memory task was used to measure actual memory performance, memory predictions, and postdictions. Younger adults had lower scores on the positive beliefs subfactor of the MCQ-30, higher scores on retrospective change and control subfactors of the PBMI, and outperformed middle-aged adults on recall and recall postdiction. Path analysis showed that individuals' beliefs about memory mediate the relationship between metacognitive beliefs and actual memory performance. Specifically, low lack of confidence (or less worry) in one's own memory and attentional capabilities was related to higher memory performance and positive personal beliefs regarding specific memory ability mediated relationship.
A review on polarization‐based spectrum sensing

In cognitive radios, the biggest challenge is spectrum sensing. It usually makes use of the amplitude, frequency or space dimension of the received signal to differentiate signal from background noise. Polarization, also as an inherent characteristic of signals, provides an additional degree of freedom in signal space. Polarization‐based spectrum sensing has been identified as an effective method for improving detection performance. In this paper, various polarization‐based spectrum sensing methods including the optimal polarization likelihood ratio test using Neyman–Pearson theorem, virtual polarization detection utilizing maximum signal to noise ratio method and blind polarization detectors based on generalized likelihood ratio test method are reviewed. Then, a comprehensive comparison of various polarization‐based sensing methods in terms of detection performance and computational complexity is detailed. Finally, challenges and possible future studies on polarization‐based spectrum sensing are described. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
CP violation and the 4th generation

Within the Standard model with the 4th generation quarks b' and t' we have analyzed CP-violating flavor changing neutral current processes t -> cX; b'-> sX, b'-> bX,t'-> cX, and t'-> tX, with X=Z,H,gamma,g, by constructing and employing global, unique fit for the 4th generation mass mixing matrix CKM4 at 300 s(Z,H,gamma,g))= (90,73,52,30)%, at m_t' ~ 300,300,380,400 GeV, respectively. From the experimental point of view the best decay mode, out of the above four, is certainly b'-> s gamma, because of the presence of a clean high energy single final state photon. We have also obtained relatively large a_CP(t -> c g) ~ 15 (10)% for t' running in the loops with the mass m_t'= 650(500) GeV. There are fair chances that the 4th generation quarks will be discovered at Tevatron or LHC and that some of their decay rates shall be measured. If b' and t' exist at energies we assumed, with well executed tagging, large a_CP could be found too.
Cyclin A‐ and cyclin B‐dependent protein kinases are regulated by different mechanisms in Xenopus egg extracts.

Cyclins are proteins which are synthesized and degraded in a cell cycle‐dependent fashion and form integral regulatory subunits of protein kinase complexes involved in the regulation of the cell cycle. The best known catalytic subunit of a cyclin‐dependent protein kinase complex is p34cdc2. In the cell, cyclins A and B are synthesized at different stages of the cell cycle and induce protein kinase activation with different kinetics. The kinetics of activation can be reproduced and studied in extracts of Xenopus eggs to which bacterially produced cyclins are added. In this paper we report that in egg extracts, both cyclin A and cyclin B associate with and activate the same catalytic subunit, p34cdc2. In addition, cyclin A binds a less abundant p33 protein kinase related to p34cdc2, the product of the cdk2/Eg1 gene. When complexed to cyclin B, p34cdc2 is subject to transient inhibition by tyrosine phosphorylation, producing a lag between the addition of cyclin and kinase activation. In contrast, p34cdc2 is only weakly tyrosine phosphorylated when bound to cyclin A and activates rapidly. This finding shows that a given kinase catalytic subunit can be regulated in a different manner depending on the nature of the regulatory subunit to which it binds. Tyrosine phosphorylation of p34cdc2 when complexed to cyclin B provides an inhibitory check on the activation of the M phase inducing protein kinase, allowing the coupling of processes such as DNA replication to the onset of metaphase. Our results suggest that, at least in the early Xenopus embryo, cyclin A‐dependent protein kinases may not be subject to this checkpoint and are regulated primarily at the level of cyclin translation.
Midazolam should be avoided in patients receiving the systemic antimycotics ketoconazole or itraconazole.

Interaction between ketoconazole, itraconazole, and midazolam was investigated in a double-blind, randomized crossover study of three phases at intervals of 4 weeks. Nine volunteers were given either 400 mg ketoconazole, 200 mg itraconazole, or matched placebo orally once daily for 4 days. On day 4, the subjects ingested 7.5 mg midazolam. Plasma samples were collected and psychomotor performance was measured. Both ketoconazole and itraconazole increased the area under the midazolam concentration-time curve from 10 to 15 times (p < 0.001) and mean peak concentrations three to four times (p < 0.001) compared with the placebo phase. In psychomotor tests (e.g., the Digit Symbol Substitution Test), the interaction was statistically significant (p < 0.05) until at least 6 hours after drug administration. Inhibition of the cytochrome P450IIIA by ketoconazole and itraconazole may explain the observed pharmacokinetic interaction. Prescription of midazolam for patients receiving ketoconazole and itraconazole should be avoided.
Prevalence of Occult Coronary Heart Disease in Asymptomatic Subjects as Detected on Coronary Computer Tomography Angiography

Background: Current cardiovascular guidelines do not support routine screening for coronary heart disease (CHD). Despite this however screening programs utilizing coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) exist based on the rationale that there is potential for an effective screening program given CHD remains the largest cause of death worldwide. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of occult CHD in asymptomatic subjects as detected by CCTA in a tertiary Australian referral centre. Methods: Retrospective data was collected from all CCTA performed on asymptomatic subjects between January 2011 and June 2015. The outcome of interest was obstructive CHD by CCTA, which was defined by either moderate (50 69% stenosis) and/or severe (≥70% stenosis) in at least one epicardial coronary artery. Results: Four hundred and eleven subjects were included in the study. The mean age was 58 ± 9 years. Two hundred and sixty four asymptomatic subjects (64%) had some degree of CHD detected on CCTA. Obstructive CHD was detected in 75 (18%) subjects. Males were more likely to have obstructive CHD than females (20% versus 12%, p=0.035). Subjects above the age of 55 years were more likely to have obstructive CHD (24% versus 10%, p<0.001). Fourteen (3%) subjects were found to have severe CHD. Conclusions: Approximately one fifth of asymptomatic middle-aged subjects presenting to a tertiary Australian referral centre had obstructive CHD detected on screening CCTA. Males and those over the age of 55 years were more likely to have obstructive CHD. CCTA may be a potential screening tool for detecting occult CHD in an asymptomatic, middle-aged male population but requires further investigation.
Osteoarthritis, an inflammatory disease: potential implication for the selection of new therapeutic targets.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a well-known disease that is part of the aging process and also one of the most common diseases among mammals. Although this musculoskeletal disorder has been described in mammals of many ages, having been reported in Egyptian mummies and in dinosaurs, its exact etiology is far from being fully understood. With the graying of the world population, it is of the utmost importance to find out more about the pathogenesis of the disease and thus allow the discovery of new treatments to stop or prevent its progression. A number of risk factors have lately been identified (1). Mechanical factors, among others, are likely to play a very important role in the initiation of the disease process. Endogenous factors such as type II collagen mutation or dysplastic conditions are also known to be involved in initiating the OA process (2). There is now strong evidence that the structural changes globally observed in OA are due to a combination of factors, ranging from the mechanical to the biochemical (3,4). The disease process affects not only the cartilage, but also the entire joint structure, including the synovial membrane, subchondral bone, ligaments, and periarticular muscles. In OA synovium, the inflammatory changes that take place include synovial hypertrophy and hyperplasia with an increased number of lining cells, and also an infiltration of the sublining tissue with a mixed population of inflammatory cells. In patients with severe disease, the extent of inflammation can sometimes reach that observed in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients at the clinical stage (5,6). Some degree of synovitis has also been reported in even the early stages of the disease (7). Synovial inflammation is clearly reflected in many of the signs and symptoms of OA, including joint swelling and effusion, stiffness, and sometimes redness, particularly at the level of the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) and distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints.
Laser Scribing for Facet Fabrication of InGaN MQW Diode Lasers on Sapphire Substrates

In this letter, a novel method for the fabrication of high-quality facets for III-nitride lasers grown on c -plane sapphire substrates as well as on GaN substrates is presented. Based on a laser scribing process gain-guided laser diodes with smooth facets were fabricated, which showed threshold current densities of 6.5 kA/cm2 at an emission wavelength of 405 nm under pulsed operation.
Comparison of limited monitoring using a nasal-cannula flow signal to full polysomnography in sleep-disordered breathing.

STUDY OBJECTIVES Evaluate the utility of overnight monitoring limited to nasal cannula airflow and oximetry in the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). DESIGN Prospective randomized study, blinded analysis. SETTING Sleep disorder center, academic institution. PARTICIPANTS 56 patients with suspected OSAHS, 10 normal volunteers. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS In-laboratory full nocturnal polysomnography (NPSG) and unattended ambulatory study with monitoring of only airflow and oximetry performed in randomized order. Obstructive respiratory events were scored on the full NPSG while visualizing all signals and then rescored on the full NPSG and on the ambulatory study while visualizing only airflow and oximetry signals. Respiratory disturbance indexes (RDI) for the limited studies (RDIFlowNPSG and RDIFlowAmbulatory) were calculated as the sum of the apneas and hypopneas (defined using airflow amplitude and O2 desaturation) divided by the valid flow-signal time. The reference RDIFullNPSG was calculated from the sum of the apneas and hypopneas (defined using flow amplitude, O2 desaturation and electroencephalographic arousal) identified on the full NPSG divided by the total sleep time. RDIFullNPSG was greater than RDIFlowNPSG (bias = 5.6 events per hour) and RDIFlowAmbulatory (bias = 10.9 events per hour), but the differences were mainly in subjects with an RDI > 40 events per hour. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of OSAHS using a cutoff of 18 events per hour were 96% and 93% using the flow signal from the NPSG and 88% and 92% using the flow signal from the ambulatory study performed on a separate night. CONCLUSIONS In subjects with OSAHS, analysis of the flow signal from a nasal cannula can provide an RDI similar to that obtained in a full NPSG.
Radiation therapy improves treatment outcome in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

The effects of radiotherapy (RT) after chemotherapy in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) remain unclear; several trials have yielded conflicting results. This study examined the effect of RT after cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone + rituximab (R-CHOP) treatment on event-free (EFS) and overall (OS) survival. Data from 216 patients with DLBCL who were enrolled in two clinical trials at Italian Lymphoma Study Group sites and were subjected to six R-CHOP cycles and involved-field radiotherapy (IFRT) were retrospectively analyzed. IFRT treatment yielded significant EFS benefit, with a 66% reduction in the risk of death and/or disease progression. Cox analysis, when adjusted for age, gender, stage, performance status (PS), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and disease bulk, confirmed the significant EFS benefit of IFRT. The role of RT in DLBCL in the rituximab era is unclear. Future studies must take into account new radiation techniques and the response to chemotherapy based on functional imaging. Prospective randomized trials incorporating response-adapted therapy and modern radiation techniques are needed.
Aberrant methylation of H‐cadherin (CDH13) promoter is associated with tumor progression in primary nonsmall cell lung carcinoma

Abnormalities in the H‐cadherin gene have been reported in several human malignancies, including nonsmall cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Aberrant methylation of the H‐cadherin promoter also has been reported in NSCLC, but its clinical significance remains to be elucidated.
Intestinal microbiota during early life – impact on health and disease

In the first years after birth, the intestinal microbiota develops rapidly both in diversity and complexity while being relatively stable in healthy adults. Different life-style-related factors as well as medical practices have an influence on the early-life intestinal colonisation. We address the impact of some of these factors on the consecutive microbiota development and later health. An overview is presented of the microbial colonisation steps and the role of the host in that process. Moreover, new early biomarkers are discussed with examples that include the association of microbiota and atopic diseases, the correlation of colic and early development and the impact of the use of antibiotics in early life. Our understanding of the development and function of the intestinal microbiota is constantly improving but the long-term influence of early-life microbiota on later life health deserves careful clinical studies.
Effects of high intensity impulse noise on ionic concentrations in cochlear endolymph of the guinea pig.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of acoustic overstimulation on concentrations of cations in cochlear endolymph and analyze the relationship between the ionic changes in endolymph and the hearing loss. METHODS The endocochlear potentials (EP), K+, Na+ and Ca2+ concentration in cochlear endolymph were examined in vivo for normal and 167 +/- 2 dB SPL impulse noise exposed groups of guinea pig bored on time course by means of double-barreled ion-selective microelectrodes. Brain stem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) was used to evaluate the auditory function. Ca(2+)-ATPase activity was demonstrated cytochemically in the lateral cochlear wall as induced by Ando et al with slight modification. RESULTS The K+ and Ca2+ concentration exhibited significant changes in 8-hour groups (P < 0.05 for K+ and P < 0.01 for Ca2+). Then the K+ concentration was eventually resumed to the initial levels in accordance with the EP recovery in 7 days, while during the same period Ca2+ concentration was always significantly higher than that in control group (P < 0.01). The BAEP threshold shifts were correlated well with changes in ionic concentrations, especially Ca2+ (P < 0.001), in the endolymph induced by acoustic trauma. Although the normal positive EP was observed 7 days after noise exposure, the function of the vascular stria was not completely restored as revealed by the fact that the Ca(2+)-ATPase was diffused to the apical membrane surface. CONCLUSIONS Endolymph compartment intrinsic mechanism for maintaining ionic composition is seriously deteriorated after high impulse noise stimulation. The changes of the unique environment of endolymph may play an important role in the mechanism of sensorineural hearing loss induced by acoustic trauma.
Estrogen Alters the Splicing of Type 1 Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone Receptor in Breast Cancer Cells

Altered splicing of a stress hormone receptor correlates with estrogen receptor–positive breast cancer. Altered Stress Hormone Receptor Splicing in Breast Cancer The stress hormone CRH (corticotropin-releasing hormone) is reported to both promote and inhibit breast cancer cell behavior. Lal et al. characterized kinase phosphorylation and transcriptional changes induced by CRH in an estrogen receptor–positive (ER+) breast cancer cell line, MCF7. The response to CRH was dynamic, with an early phase associated with phosphorylation of kinases associated with proliferation that was mediated by CRH receptor type 1 (CRH-R1), and a later phase associated with the phosphorylation of β-catenin and reduced migration of cultured MCF7. Estrogen prevented the early kinase response and the later inhibition of cell migration. Estrogen increased an alternatively spliced CRH-R1 transcript [CRH-R1(Δ12)] by decreasing the expression of the gene that encodes splicing factor SRp55. ER+ breast cancer tissue had decreased abundance of SRp55-encoding messenger RNA and increased abundance of CRH-R1(Δ12) compared with ER− breast cancers, suggesting that estrogen may disrupt the response of breast cancer cells to CRH by altering receptor splicing. Hormonal stress response is associated with the pathogenesis of disease, including cancer. The role of the stress hormone CRH (corticotropin-releasing hormone) in breast cancer is complex, and its abundance and biological activity may be modulated by estrogen. In the estrogen receptor–positive (ER+) malignant mammary epithelial cell line MCF7, CRH activated numerous kinases and downstream effectors, at least some of which were mediated by the CRH receptor type 1 (CRH-R1). CRH also increased the transcription of many genes that encode effectors, transcriptional targets, or regulators associated with estrogen signaling. Estrogen increased the abundance of the mRNA encoding CRH-R2 and an alternative splice variant encoding CRH-R1 in which exon 12 was deleted [CRH-R1(Δ12)]. Estrogen inhibited the expression SRSF6, which encodes serine/arginine-rich splicing factor 55 (SRp55). An increase in CRH-R1(Δ12), in response to either estrogen or SRp55 knockdown, dampened the cellular response to CRH and prevented its inhibitory effects on cell invasion. SRp55 knockdown also induced additional splicing events within exons 9 to 12 of CRH-R1, whereas overexpression of SRp55 prevented estrogen-induced generation of CRH-R1(Δ12). ER+ breast tumors had increased CRH-R2 and CRH-R1(Δ12) mRNA abundance, which was associated with decreased abundance of the mRNA encoding SRp55, compared with the amounts in ER− tumors, suggesting that estrogen contributes to the pathophysiology of ER+ breast cancer by altering CRH receptor diversity and disrupting CRH-mediated signaling.
Complexity of free energy landscapes of peptides revealed by nonlinear principal component analysis

Employing the recently developed hierarchical nonlinear principal component analysis (NLPCA) method of Saegusa et al. (Neurocomputing 2004;61:57–70 and IEICE Trans Inf Syst 2005;E88‐D:2242–2248), the complexities of the free energy landscapes of several peptides, including triglycine, hexaalanine, and the C‐terminal β‐hairpin of protein G, were studied. First, the performance of this NLPCA method was compared with the standard linear principal component analysis (PCA). In particular, we compared two methods according to (1) the ability of the dimensionality reduction and (2) the efficient representation of peptide conformations in low‐dimensional spaces spanned by the first few principal components. The study revealed that NLPCA reduces the dimensionality of the considered systems much better, than did PCA. For example, in order to get the similar error, which is due to representation of the original data of β‐hairpin in low dimensional space, one needs 4 and 21 principal components of NLPCA and PCA, respectively. Second, by representing the free energy landscapes of the considered systems as a function of the first two principal components obtained from PCA, we obtained the relatively well‐structured free energy landscapes. In contrast, the free energy landscapes of NLPCA are much more complicated, exhibiting many states which are hidden in the PCA maps, especially in the unfolded regions. Furthermore, the study also showed that many states in the PCA maps are mixed up by several peptide conformations, while those of the NLPCA maps are more pure. This finding suggests that the NLPCA should be used to capture the essential features of the systems. Proteins 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.