Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Biological Properties of Curcumin-Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Action

Curcuminoids, a group of phenolic compounds isolated from the roots of Curcuma longa (Zingiberaceae), exhibit a variety of beneficial effects on health and on events that help in preventing certain diseases. A vast majority of these studies were carried out with curcumin (diferuloyl methane), which is a major curcuminoid. The most detailed studies using curcumin include anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, antiviral, and antiinfectious activities. In addition, the wound healing and detoxifying properties of curcumin have also received considerable attention. As a result of extensive research on the therapeutic properties of curcumin, some understanding on the cellular, molecular, and biochemical mechanism of action of curcumin is emerging. These findings are summarized in this review.
Anticoagulation in Children Undergoing Cardiac Surgery

Advances in medical and surgical care have resulted in improved survival of patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). Parallel to these progresses, an increasing number of immediate and long-term complications have been recognized. One important complication in CHD is the development of thrombosis. Children with a single functional cardiac ventricle usually require sequential steps of surgery: the initial Blalock-Taussig shunts (BTS) during the neonatal period, followed by the Glenn shunt, and finally, the Fontan shunt, the "definitive palliative" procedure. Surgery mostly involves cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), which also affects the coagulation system and causes an inflammatory response. This article will review surgical procedures, such as BTS, Glenn shunt, and Fontan shunt, prosthetic mechanical valves, and CPB, and their risk of thrombotic complications. There is insufficient evidence and no consensus for optimal anticoagulant prophylaxis or treatment in children with CHD. Current recommendations are mostly based on adult data.
Affective Robot Story-Telling Human-Robot Interaction: Exploratory Real-Time Emotion Estimation Analysis Using Facial Expressions and Physiological Signals

Affective human-robot interaction is still an active area of research in part due to the great advances in artificial intelligence. Now, the design of autonomous devices that work in real therapeutic environments has become a plausible reality. Affective human-robot interaction requires a robot to analyze the emotional state of the human interlocutor and interpret emotional responses that can be used, not merely in the interaction but, for example, to provoke desired therapeutic responses. It is, therefore, necessary to broaden experimental techniques into more realistic paradigms, where the capacity of emotion estimation can be completely explored. This exploratory paper proposes a realistic experimental paradigm in which the robot employs a dramatic story to evoke emotions in the users, and tests previously self-designed methodologies to be able to make estimates of the users’ emotional state in real-time. Regardless of the multiple impediments and restrictions, and all the aspects that could still be improved, this paper can outline the feasibility of the proposed methodology in realistic scenarios.
Participation of Bone Marrow-Derived Cells in Long-Term Repair Processes after Experimental Stroke

Bone marrow-derived cells participate in remodeling processes of many ischemia-associated diseases, which has raised hopes for the use of bone marrow as a source for cell-based therapeutic approaches. To study the participation of bone marrow-derived cells in a stroke model, bone marrow from C57BL/6-TgN(ACTbEGFP)1Osb mice that express green fluorescent protein (GFP) in all cells was transplanted into C57BL/6J mice. The recipient mice underwent permanent occlusion of the middle cerebral artery, and bone marrow-derived cells were tracked by fluorescence. The authors investigated the involvement of bone marrow-derived cells in repair processes 6 weeks and 6 months after infarction. Six weeks after occlusion of the artery, more than 90% of the GFP-positive cells in the infarct border zone were microglial cells. Very few GFP-positive cells expressed endothelial markers in the infarct/infarct border zone, and no bone marrow-derived cells transdifferentiated into astrocytes, neurons, or oligodendroglial cells at all time points investigated. The results indicate the need for additional experimental studies to determine whether therapeutic application of nonselected bone marrow will replenish brain cells beyond an increase in microglial engraftment.
Communication between Power Blackout and Mobile Network Overload

In cases of power outages the communication of organizations responsible for recovery work (emergency services, public administration, energy network operators) to the public poses several challenges, primarily the breakdowns of many communication infrastructures and therefore the limitations of the use of classical communication media. This paper surveys technical concepts to support crisis communication during blackouts. Therefore it first investigates the perception and information demands of citizens and communication infrastructures in different scenarios. Furthermore, it analyzes communication infrastructures and their availability in different scenarios. Finally it proposes 'BlaCom', an ICT-based concept for blackout communication, which addresses the time span between the occurrence of the energy blackout and the possible overload of the mobile phone network. It combines general information with location-specific and setting-specific information, was implemented as a prototype smartphone application and evaluated with 12 potential end users.
Enhancement and destruction of antibody function by somatic mutation: unequal occurrence is controlled by V gene combinatorial associations.

We examined the positive and negative effects of somatic mutation on antibody function using saturation mutagenesis in vitro to mimic the potential of the in vivo process to diversify antibodies. Identical mutations were introduced into the second complementarity determining region of two anti‐phosphocholine antibodies, T15 and D16, which share the same germline VH gene sequence. T15 predominates in primary responses and does not undergo affinity maturation. D16 is representative of antibodies that co‐dominate in memory responses and do undergo affinity maturation. We previously reported that > 50% of T15 mutants had decreased antigen binding capacity. To test if this high frequency of binding loss was unique to T15 or a consequence of random point mutations applicable to other combining sites, we analyzed the same mutations in D16. We show that D16 suffers a similar loss of function, indicating an equally high potential for B‐cell wastage. However, only D16 displayed the capacity for somatic mutation to improve antigen binding, which should enhance its persistence in memory responses. Mutation of residues contacting the haptenic group, as determined by molecular modeling, did not improve binding. Instead, productive mutations occurred in residues that either contacted carrier protein or were distant from the antigen binding site, possibly increasing binding site flexibility through long‐range effects. Targeting such residues for mutation should aid in the rational design of improved antibodies.
Abnormal intestinal permeability and microbiota in patients with autoimmune hepatitis.

BACKGROUND Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a chronic, progressive, and immunologically mediated inflammatory liver disorder. The etiology of AIH still remains unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in intestinal permeability, bacterial translocation, and intestinal microbiome in patients with AIH and to evaluate the correlations of those changes with the stages of the disease. METHODS 24 patients with autoimmune hepatitis and 8 healthy volunteers were recruited for this study. We assessed (1) the integrity of tight junctions within the gut by immunohistochemical analysis of zona occludens-1 and occludin expression in duodenal biopsy specimens; (2) changes in the enteric microbiome by 16S rDNA quantitative PCR; and (3) the presence of bacterial translocation by the level of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) using ELISA. RESULTS Increased intestinal permeability, derangement of the microbiome and bacterial translocation occurred in AIH, which correlated with the severity of the disease. CONCLUSIONS Autoimmune hepatitis is associated with leaky gut and intestinal microbiome dysbiosis. The impaired intestinal barrier may play an important role in the pathogenesis of AIH.
Metabolic disturbances in obesity versus sleep apnoea: the importance of visceral obesity and insulin resistance

Abstract. Vgontzas AN, Bixler EO, Chrousos GP (Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA; National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA). Metabolic disturbances in obesity versus sleep apnoea: the importance of visceral obesity and insulin resistance (Minisymposium). J Intern Med 2003; 254:–.
Plasma level of soluble urokinase‐type plasminogen activator receptor as a predictor of disease severity and case fatality in patients with bacteraemia: a prospective cohort study

Huttunen R, Syrjänen J, Vuento R, Hurme M, Huhtala H, Laine J, Pessi T, Aittoniemi J (Tampere University Hospital; University of Tampere Medical School, University of Tampere; Centre for Laboratory Medicine, Pirkanmaa Hospital District; University of Tampere Medical School; School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere; and Medical School, University of Tampere; Tampere, Finland) Plasma level of soluble urokinase‐type plasminogen activator receptor as a predictor of disease severity and case fatality in patients with bacteraemia: a prospective cohort study. J Intern Med 2011; 270: 32–40.
The use of cholinesterase techniques to study topographical localization in the hypoglossal nucleus of the rat.

The hypoglossal nucleus is perhaps the most suitable motor nucleus for the experimental study of the cytological changes occurring in cholinergic neurons following axotomy. The cells are large and the nucleus is easy to find even in a fresh unfixed brain; furthermore, the nucleus is so close to the midline that it is possible to use one side as a control for the other with complete confidence and to view equivalent control and experimental neurons simultaneously at quite high magnifications. An added advantage is that the hypoglossal nerve trunk in the neck region is almost purely motor; the central effects of axotomy are therefore not complicated by any significant loss of sensory fibres. Our interest in the nucleus was heightened by the discovery that in the rat a group of neurons at the caudal end contained a high concentration of an enzyme resembling in its histochemical reactions pseudocholinesterase (Shute & Lewis, 1963). The enzyme will hydrolyse acetylthiocholine and is inhibited by ethopropazine, but its most characteristic property is a rapid hydrolysis of butyrylthiocholine; BuChE would thus seem an appropriate abbreviation to distinguish it from true cholinesterase (AChE), the enzyme typically present in motor neurons. It was shown originally by Schwarzacher (1958) that there is a marked decrease in AChE activity in hypoglossal neurons during the second and third weeks following axotomy (although he also looked at the response of pseudocholinesterase he did not comment on the specifically staining group of cells). It has since been shown that other cholinergic neurons show a similar response when their peripheral axons are sectioned (see Soderholm, 1965; Navaratnam, Lewis & Shute, 1968; Navaratnam & Lewis, 1970). The use of cholinesterase techniques therefore offers a clear-cut method ofdetermining the central origin ofmotor nerves. This method is particularly valuable in the hypoglossal nucleus since the chromatolytic changes in these neurons are not well shown by conventional histological techniques.
Influence of pH and sugars on the growth and production of diarrhoeagenic toxin by Bacillus cereus

Summary Broth cultures supplemented with high levels of sugars, particularly glucose at > 50 g/1, did not support diarrhoeagenic toxin production by psychro-trophic Bacillus cereus despite growth to high counts ( ∼ 107/ml) over a 4 d period of incubation at 21 °C. In contrast, starch levels of 10 and 50 g/l actually enhanced toxin production. Toxin production was also affected by pH levels of broth cultures, and was concomitant with alterations in bacterial growth. These findings help to explain variations in toxin levels previously found in some dairy desserts, which were thought to be associated with pH and sugar content (Sutherland, 1993).
Cross-Platform Social Event Detection

A large part of media shared on online platforms such as Flickr and YouTube is captured at various social events (such as music festivals, exhibitions, and sport events). While it is quite easy to share personal impressions online, it is much more challenging to identify content that is related to the same social event across different platforms. Here, the authors focus on the detection of social events in a data collection from Flickr and YouTube. They propose an unsupervised, multistaged approach that explores commonly available, real-world metadata for the detection and linking of social events across sharing platforms. The proposed methodology and the performed experiments allow for a thorough evaluation of the usefulness of available metadata in the context of social event detection in both single- and cross-platform scenarios. This article is part of a special issue on social multimedia and storytelling.
Cloning, mapping, and sequencing of plasmid R100 traM and finP genes

The fertility control gene finP, the transfer gene traM, and the transfer origin, oriT, of plasmid R100 were isolated on a single 1.2-kilobase EcoRV fragment and were then subcloned as HaeIII fragments. The sequence of the 754-base-pair finP-containing fragment is reported here. In addition to the finP gene, the sequence includes all but two bases of the R100 traM open reading frame and apparently all of the leader mRNA sequence and amino end of the traJ gene of R100. The sequence contains two open reading frames which encode small proteins on the opposite strand from the traM and traJ genes. It also shows two sets of inverted repeats that have the characteristics of transcription terminators. One set is positioned as if it was the traM terminator, and the other set, which is downstream from the first, sits in the middle of the leader mRNA sequence for traJ. On the bottom strand, this inverted repeat has the structure of a rho-independent terminator. Other less-stable inverted repeats overlap this second terminator in the same way as is seen in attenuation sequences, and the two separate small open reading frames on the bottom strand also totally overlap the stem of the rho-independent terminator, suggesting that their translation would cause shifting of termination to the bottom strand homolog of the putative traM terminator. The finP gene product was not identified, but the gene was mapped to the sequence which contains the traJ gene. It either overlaps traJ or is antisense to it.
Serotonergic loss underlying apathy in Parkinson's disease.

This scientific commentary refers to ‘The prominent role of serotonergic degeneration in apathy, anxiety and depression in de novo Parkinson’s disease’, by Maillet et al. (doi:10.1093/brain/aww162) . Disentangling the contributions of various neurotransmitter systems to specific clinical manifestations of Parkinson’s disease is important for understanding their pathogenesis and for developing effective treatments. The clinical phenomenology of Parkinson’s disease encompasses a range of motor and non-motor disorders, of which neuropsychiatric presentations such as depression, anxiety, dementia, impulse control disorders and apathy are among the most deleterious for patients’ and carers’ quality of life. Apathy, characterized by diminished goal-oriented behaviour, cognition, interests, and emotional expression (Starkstein, 2012), is common in Parkinson’s disease, affecting ∼40% of patients in cross-sectional studies. It is under-recognized (Gallagher et al. , 2010) and often confused with dementia or depression, of which it can also be an integral part (Pagonabarraga et al. , 2015). Understanding its distinct nature can help improve families’ approaches to dealing with apathy and ensure its appropriate management. The underlying pathology of apathy is poorly understood, although clinical and imaging findings support the role of dopaminergic dysfunction in apathy in patients with (Magnard et al. , 2016; Wen et al. , 2016;) and without Parkinson’s disease (Starkstein, 2012; Pagonabarraga et al. , 2015). In this issue of Brain , Maillet and co-workers use PET molecular imaging to …
Dendritic synthesis and release of the neuropeptide galanin: Morphological evidence from studies on rat locus coeruleus neurons

Dendritic synthesis and release of neuropeptides have been demonstrated in hypothalamic neurosecretory neurons. Here we tested whether this mechanism may be applicable to galanin in rat locus coeruleus (LC) neurons. Light and electron microscopic immunocytochemistry demonstrated the occurrence of galanin peptide in secretory granules within dendritic processes. In situ hybridization at the light and electron microscopic level showed galanin mRNA in these LC processes. Moreover, the levels of the transcript and its extension into the dendrites were significantly increased by reserpine treatment. Finally, evidence for exocytotic release from large dense‐core vesicles in LC dendrites was obtained by using tannic acid‐treated slices. Taken together, these results indicate that galanin can be synthesized in, and possibly released from, LC. These data support a key function of the neuropeptide galanin as an auto‐paracrine local modulator in a major, strongly divergent monoaminergic regulatory system. J. Comp. Neurol. 516:199–212, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
4 Hypnosis in Cancer Patients : Can We Do Better ?

There is an official history of hypnotism: very often it begins with the Scottish surgeon James Braid (1795-1860) who was one of the first physicians to have used this word in 1843. Instead of using the standard magnetic induction popularized by magnetism/mesmerism1, he proposed his subjects to stare steadily at a shiny object to enter a trance. He tested his method to anesthetize his patients during surgeries (Braid, 1843). The practice of hypnosis, using deliberate techniques to help focus attention, is recent, but trance states have always been part of the human experience. Many kinds of trance phenomena are observed in shamanism, fakirism, witchcraft, and religion but also in psychopathology. After remaining an inglorious stage practice in western countries, hypnosis has begun to gain relevance in
The Role of T Cell Antagonism and Original Antigenic Sin in Genetic Immunization1

To counter highly mutable pathogens like HIV-1, a number of vaccines are being developed to deliver multiple mutant forms of viral Ags to provoke multivalent antiviral CTLs. However, it is uncertain whether such multiple mutant epitope vaccines will generate the diverse CTL responses desired or will instead create immune interference. To characterize the role of immune interference by mutant epitopes in this process, we have tested a “worst case” scenario in which the immunodominant epitope of OVA (SIINFEKL) and its in vitro TCR antagonist (SIINFEDL) have been used to genetically immunize C57BL/6 mice. We demonstrate here that sequential delivery of these mutant epitopes provokes original antigenic sin in CD8 T cells as demonstrated by attenuation of CTLs, intracellular IFN-γ production, and MHC I peptide-tetramer staining. By contrast, simultaneous exposure of the immune system to this agonist/antagonist pair not only fails to generate T cell antagonism in vivo, but also avoids original antigenic sin. These observations suggest that simultaneous immunization with vaccines containing mutant epitopes, even T cell antagonists, can indeed generate a diverse array of T cell responses and that at least some immune interference can be avoided by delivering mutant Ags to the immune system simultaneously.
Angiogenic Growth Factor Expression in Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells

RESULTS. The gene expression of FX in RPE cells was increased by hypoxia and prostaglandin E2, and decreased by blood serum, FXa, thrombin, transforming growth factor beta (TGFb1), and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF). The seruminduced downregulation of FX was mediated by thrombin and TGF-b signaling. FXa induced chemotaxis of RPE cells via activation of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase signal transduction pathway. FXa also induced expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), heparin-binding epidermal growth factor–like growth factor (HB-EGF), and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), as well as release of VEGF, bFGF, and TGF-b1 from RPE cells. The stimulatory effects of FXa on the expression of growth factors and secretion of VEGF were prevented by inhibition of the TGF-b activin receptor-like kinase, but not by the thrombin inhibitor hirudin. FXa induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2, p38, and Akt proteins.
X‐ray crystal structure of rabbit N‐acetylglucosaminyltransferase I: catalytic mechanism and a new protein superfamily

N‐acetylglucosaminyltransferase I (GnT I) serves as the gateway from oligomannose to hybrid and complex N‐glycans and plays a critical role in mammalian development and possibly all metazoans. We have determined the X‐ray crystal structure of the catalytic fragment of GnT I in the absence and presence of bound UDP‐GlcNAc/Mn2+ at 1.5 and 1.8 Å resolution, respectively. The structures identify residues critical for substrate binding and catalysis and provide evidence for similarity, at the mechanistic level, to the deglycosylation step of retaining β‐glycosidases. The structuring of a 13 residue loop, resulting from UDP‐GlcNAc/Mn2+ binding, provides an explanation for the ordered sequential ‘Bi Bi’ kinetics shown by GnT I. Analysis reveals a domain shared with Bacillus subtilis glycosyltransferase SpsA, bovine β‐1,4‐galactosyl transferase 1 and Escherichia coli N‐acetylglucosamine‐1‐phosphate uridyltransferase. The low sequence identity, conserved fold and related functional features shown by this domain define a superfamily whose members probably share a common ancestor. Sequence analysis and protein threading show that the domain is represented in proteins from several glycosyltransferase families.
Changes in EMG-EMG Coherence During Hand Grasp Movements

It is challenging to recognize human hand grasp movements through electromyogram (EMG) signals. In this paper, EMG–EMG coherence measure is used to describe correlations of EMG recordings during different hand grasp movements. Meanwhile, linear discriminant analysis (LDA) is utilized to evaluate the performance of the EMG–EMG coherence measure for identifying the grasp movements. Experimental results show that the EMG–EMG coherence measure is effective to extract correlations among EMG recordings, with which different types of hand grasp movements have been successfully distinguished. It is shown that the EMG–EMG coherence measure might be a potential tool to reveal the EMG–EMG correlation between the intermuscular interactions during hand grasp movements.