Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Novel Organ Culture Model of Mouse Intervertebral Disc Tissues

The intervertebral disc (IVD) is a fibrocartilaginous joint between two vertebral bodies. An IVD unit consists of a gelatinous central nucleus pulposus, encased by the annulus fibrosus, which is sandwiched between cartilaginous endplates (EPs). The IVD homeostasis can be disrupted by injuries, ageing and/or genetic predispositions, leading to degenerative disc disorders and subsequent lower back pain. The complex structure and distinct characteristics of IVDs warrant the establishment of robust in vitro IVD organ culture for studying the etiology and treatment of disc degeneration. Here, we isolate mouse lumbar IVDs and culture the minimal IVD units in submersion or suspension medium supplemented with 2% bovine serum or 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS). We find the minimal IVD units remain healthy for up to 14 days when cultured in submersion culture supplemented with 10% FBS. New bone formation in the EPs of the cultured IVDs can be assessed with calcein labeling. Furthermore, the cultured IVDs can be effectively transduced by recombinant adenovirus, and transgene expression lasts for 2 weeks. Thus, our findings demonstrate that the optimized IVD organ culture system can be used to study IVD biology and screen for biological factors that may prevent, alleviate and/or treat disc degeneration.
Lineage Organization in North China

North china heretofore has been only minimally involved in the modern anthropological analysis of Chinese patrilineal kinship. In this region, lineage organization prior to the Communist era comprised a social structure, symbolism, and arrangement of ritual that call into question the line of anthropological inquiry that has focused almost exclusively on the linkages between a lineage's corporate resources and its social cohesion. The characteristics of lineages in Yangmansa, a village approximately seventy-five kilometers south of Beijing, appear to have been typical of this broader north China pattern considerably different from those associated with the southeastern Chinese model that has dominated the anthropological literature. Although many elements of northern lineage organization are found also in the southeast and elsewhere in China, they are combined in the north into a distinctive arrangement of cemeteries, graves, ancestral scrolls, ancestral tablets, and corporate groups linked to a characteristic annual ritual cycle. I deal first with the expression in Yangmansa of key features of the north China pattern, but also draw on other sources to fill out the picture and establish its broader regional relevance.
A comparative evaluation of biological activities and bioactive compounds of the seagrasses Zostera marina and Zostera noltei from southern Portugal

This work assessed the antioxidant potential, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition and the in vitro cytotoxic activity of extracts of the seagrasses Zostera marina and Zostera noltei collected from southern Portugal. The total phenolic contents (TPCs), the rosmarinic acid (RA) concentration (HPLC/DAD) and the fatty acid (FA) profile (GC/MS) are also described. Z. marina had the highest TPC, radical scavenging activity against DPPH radicals and copper chelating activity. Z. noltei had metal chelation capacity to copper and iron ions. None of the species was able to inhibit AChE. Both seagrasses had high levels of polyunsaturated FAs. Z. marina significantly and selectively reduced the viability of tumorous neuronal cells. Z. noltei was highly toxic for the three cell lines tested and was selective against hepatocarcinoma cells at the concentration of 100 μg/mL. RA was the main compound identified in Z. marina, but not in Z. noltei.
WordNet Sits the S.A.T. - A Knowledge-Based Approach to Lexical Analogy

One can measure the extent to which a knowledge-base enables intelligent or creative behavior by determining how useful such a knowledge-base is to the solution of standard psychometric or scholastic tests. In this paper we consider the utility of WordNet, a comprehensive lexical knowledge-base of English word meanings, to the solution of S.A. T. analogies. We propose that these analogies test a student's ability to recognize and estimate a measure of pairwise analogical similarity, and describe an algorithmic formulation of this measure using the structure of WordNet. We report that the knowledge-based approach yields a precision at least equal to that of statistical machine-learning approaches.
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89 Dear Editor, We would like to thank Dr. Mohan for his comments and for sharing his interesting case with us. We fully agree that extended retinal nerve myelination combined with high myopia is associated with treatment refractory amblyopia. However, the literature reports positive treatment outcomes in a number of cases of myopia and amblyopia related to unilateral myelinated nerve fibers. [1,2] According to Hittner and Antoszyk, the status of the macula is the main prognostic factor for final visual outcomes in these cases. [1] This observation is also supported by Kodama et al.[3] In our case, funduscopy did not reveal any obvious macular or optic nerve pathology. Moreover, the baseline best corrected visual acuity was 20/60, which is significantly higher than in the case reported by Dr. Mohan with the patient only being able to count fingers close to face. We believe that the absence of obvious macular and optic disc anomalies is the reason that our patient recovered partially after treatment with glasses and patching of the fellow eye.
Supplementing female rats with DHA-lysophosphatidylcholine increases docosahexaenoic acid and acetylcholine contents in the brain and improves the memory and learning capabilities of the pups.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is supplied to the foetus and newborn through the mother from their own reserves and their diet. No consensus about the best form to supplement DHA has been established. We propose that DHAcontaining lysophosphatidylcholine (DHA-LPC), obtained from DHA-rich eggs may be a suitable form of DHA and choline (the precursor of acetylcholine) supplementation. We evaluated the effectiveness of DHA-LPC to increase DHA and acetylcholine concentration in the brain of pups born from female rats supplemented with DHA-LPC before and during pregnancy. We also evaluated the effect of DHA supplementation on learning and memory capabilities of pups through the Skinner test for operant conditioning. Female Wistar rats received 40-day supplementation of DHA-LPC (8 mg DHA/kg b.w/daily.), before and during pregnancy. After delivery, plasma, erythrocyte, liver, and adipose tissue DHA and plasma choline were analyzed. Brains from 60 day-old pups separated into frontal cortex, cerebellum, striatum, hippocampus, and occipital cortex, were assessed for DHA, acetylcholine, and acetylcholine transferase (CAT) activity. Pups were subjected to the Skinner box test. DHA-LPC supplementation produces higher choline and liver DHA contents in the mother’s plasma and increases the pups’ DHA and acetylcholine in the cerebellum and hippocampus. CAT was not modified by supplementation. The Skinner test shows that pups born from DHA-LPC supplemented mothers exhibit better scores of learning and memory than the controls. Conclusion: DHA-LPC may be an adequate form for DHA supplementation during the perinatal period.
Vulvodynia Incidence and Remission Rates Among Adult Women: A 2-Year Follow-up Study

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incidence and remission rates of vulvodynia over a 2-year period. METHODS: A 2-year follow-up survey was sent to the University of Michigan Women’s Health Registry members who had participated in a previously reported, validated survey. Changes in clinical status, incidence, and remission rates for vulvodynia were estimated, as were factors associated with new onset or remission of symptoms, using univariable and multivariable analyses. RESULTS: Of 1,037 women enrolled in the initial study, 744 women (71.7%) completed an online or written follow-up survey between September 2006 and March 2007. Of the 372 asymptomatic women controls at initial enrollment, 13 (3.5%, 95% confidence interval 1.6–5.4%) had developed vulvodynia during the 2-year follow-up period; nine (2.2%) of these had ongoing symptoms. Of 45 women with vulvodynia at initial enrollment, 10 (22.2%, 95% confidence interval 10.1–34.4%) indicated their symptoms had resolved. Factors at enrollment that were associated with incidence of vulvodynia were younger age and history of pain after intercourse. Remission was more common in women who did not have pain after intercourse and in those who reported less severe pain at enrollment. CONCLUSION: Based on 2-year follow-up, each year approximately one in 50 women develop symptoms of vulvodynia, and one in 10 women with vulvodynia report remission of symptoms. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II
Delayed‐type hypersensitivity to tumor antigens co‐expressed with immunogenic determinants induced by xenogenization

Previous work has shown that murine lymphoma cells antigenically altered (“xenogenized”) by drug treatment elicit strong in vivo resistance to the original cells. Moreover, splenocytes immune to a drug‐treated variant (L5178Y/DTIC) of a murine lymphoma exert anti‐parental tumor activity in an adoptive transfer system, an effect mediated by L3T4+ lymphocytes and associated with the detection of an anti‐L5178Y delayed‐type hypersensitivity (DTH) response. We now report that the in vivo activity of the tumor‐immune L3T4+ lymphocytes is a radio‐sensitive (2,500 rad in vitro) phenomenon that requires collaboration with radio‐resistant, silicasensitive syngeneic cells in the host, and is inhibited by treatment of recipient mice with monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to the L3T4 antigen or murine interferon‐gamma (IFN‐γ). In vitro, the tumor‐immune L3T4+ lymphocytes produce interleukin 2 (IL‐2), lymphotoxin (LT) and IFN‐γ activities on incubation with L5178Y cells and spleen‐adherent cells. These results suggest that the mechanisms of anti‐parental tumor protection by xenogenized cells involve specific induction of a DTH response mediated by the “Inflammatory” (THI) subset of L3T4+ T lymphocytes and IFN‐γ activated macrophages.
Alterations in the Interplay between Neurons, Astrocytes and Microglia in the Rat Dentate Gyrus in Experimental Models of Neurodegeneration

The hippocampus is negatively affected by aging and neurodegenerative diseases leading to impaired learning and memory abilities. A diverse series of progressive modifications in the intercellular communication among neurons, astrocytes and microglia occur in the hippocampus during aging or inflammation. A detailed understanding of the neurobiological modifications that contribute to hippocampal dysfunction may reveal new targets for therapeutic intervention. The current study focussed on the interplay between neurons and astroglia in the Granule Layer (GL) and the Polymorphic Layer (PL) of the Dentate Gyrus (DG) of adult, aged and LPS-treated rats. In GL and PL of aged and LPS-treated rats, astrocytes were less numerous than in adult rats. In GL of LPS-treated rats, astrocytes acquired morphological features of reactive astrocytes, such as longer branches than was observed in adult rats. Total and activated microglia increased in the aged and LPS-treated rats, as compared to adult rats. In the GL of aged and LPS-treated rats many neurons were apoptotic. Neurons decreased significantly in GL and PL of aged but not in rats treated with LPS. In PL of aged and LPS-treated rats many damaged neurons were embraced by microglia cells and were infiltrated by branches of astrocyte, which appeared to be bisecting the cell body, forming triads. Reactive microglia had a scavenging activity of dying neurons, as shown by the presence of neuronal debris within their cytoplasm. The levels of the chemokine fractalkine (CX3CL1) increased in hippocampal homogenates of aged rats and rats treated with LPS, and CX3CL1 immunoreactivity colocalized with activated microglia cells. Here we demonstrated that in the DG of aged and LPS-treated rats, astrocytes and microglia cooperate and participate in phagocytosis/phagoptosis of apoptotic granular neurons. The differential expression/activation of astroglia and the alteration of their intercommunication may be responsible for the different susceptibility of the DG in comparison to the CA1 and CA3 hippocampal areas to neurodegeneration during aging and inflammation.
Synthesis of Energetic Materials by Rapid Expansion of a Supercritical Solution into Aqueous Solution (RESS-AS) Process

Abstract : Energetic crystalline nanoparticles have many benefits when incorporated into a propellant or explosive. They have been shown to be less sensitive to impact and can also change the energetic performance of a propellant or explosive. In this study, two processes are investigated and compared for producing nano-scale energetic oxidizer particles. Rapid Expansion of a Supercritical Solution (RESS) was investigated and a similar process called the Rapid Expansion of a Supercritical Solution into an Aqueous Solution (RESS-AS) process was used to produce RDX and bis(2,2,2-trinitroethyl)-3,6- diaminotetrazine (BTAT) particles. For similar pre-expansion conditions, the RESS process produced RDX particles with an average size of approximately 100 nm and the RESS-AS process produced RDX particles with an average size of 30 nm. The small RDX particles were able to be coated and stabilized from permanent agglomeration in the RESS-AS process with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and polyethylenimine (PEI). The energetic material BTAT was produced initially in Germany and reprocessed first by the RESS process and nearly spherical particles of around 100 nm were created that were agglomerated. Later, BTAT particles were produced by the RESS-AS process by expanding into an aqueous solution of SDS and water produced small nano-sized rods (width and height around 100 nm) without agglomeration. The synthesized RDX particles were tested in a TGA/DSC and it was found that RESS synthesized RDX experienced nearly no temperature shift in its melting and decomposition temperature in comparison to larger micron-sized RDX. However, the RESS-AS synthesized RDX particles experience a decomposition exotherm about 25 C below the value for conventional RDX. The lowered melting point suggests that RESS-AS synthesized RDX particles have different thermodynamic properties that should be investigated particles is the ability of storing extra energy on their surface and/or due the high percentage
Positive and negative social exchanges and disability in later life: an investigation of trajectories of change.

OBJECTIVES Various aspects of one's social ties are thought to influence the onset, progression, and course of disability in older adulthood. Although the longitudinal course of social ties and physical disability is likely to be marked by fluctuations over time and intraindividual variation, few studies have explored how patterns of change in positive and negative social exchanges relate to patterns of change in disability across time. The current study, therefore, examined the extent to which distinct longitudinal trajectories of positive and negative exchanges were associated with patterns of physical disability. METHODS We followed a sample of 482 community-dwelling older adults with little to no disability at baseline for 2 years. RESULTS Results identified multiple, distinct trajectory groups for positive and negative exchanges and disability. Latent class growth analyses revealed that individuals with chronically high or low positive exchanges were likely to experience low and increasing levels of disability. With respect to negative exchanges, individuals with moderately increasing negative exchanges showed patterns of increasing disability and disability remission, whereas chronically low or absent negative exchanges were associated with low and increasing levels of disability. DISCUSSION Findings highlight the importance of evaluating multiple trajectories of change in older adults' social exchanges and disability.
A comparison of antioxidant properties between artisan-made and factory-produced chocolate

Summary The antioxidant capacities and the total phenolic content in cocoa liquor directly manufactured chocolate from an artisan manufacturer were measured using different in vitro methods (BR, TEAC, and Folin–Ciocalteu Reagent). These parameters were then compared with those of a chocolate made by a leading manufacturing company producing chocolate and cocoa-containing products. A statistical analysis of the collected data showed that the antioxidant properties of the artisan-made chocolate are significantly better than those of the factory-produced one. These results were ascribed to the fact that all the bioactive components in the cocoa beans are better preserved in the artisan-made chocolate.
Nicotine: Pharmacology, Toxicity and Therapeutic use

Nicotine is naturally found in the plants belonging to the Solanaceae family. Concentrations high enough to have a pharmacological effect are seen only in the tobacco sub-family, approximately 2% of dry weight and in Duboisia Hopwoodii that has been used by Australian aborigines ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duboisia_hopwoodii ). It is also present in the range of 2–7 microgram per kg of various edible plants.
Endothelial notch signaling is essential to prevent hepatic vascular malformations in mice

Liver vasculature is crucial for adequate hepatic functions. Global deletion of Notch signaling in mice results in liver vascular pathologies. However, whether Notch in endothelium is essential for hepatic vascular structure and function remains unknown. To uncover the function of endothelial Notch in the liver, we deleted Rbpj, a transcription factor mediating all canonical Notch signaling, or Notch1 from the endothelium of postnatal mice. We investigated the hepatic vascular defects in these mutants. The liver was severely affected within 2 weeks of endothelial deletion of Rbpj from birth. Two‐week old mutant mice had enlarged vessels on the liver surface, abnormal vascular architecture, and dilated sinusoids. Vascular casting and fluorosphere passage experiments indicated the presence of porto‐systemic shunts. These mutant mice presented with severely necrotic liver parenchyma and significantly larger hypoxic areas, likely resulting from vascular shunts. We also found elevated levels of VEGF receptor 3 together with reduced levels of ephrin‐B2, suggesting a possible contribution of these factors to the generation of hepatic vascular abnormalities. Deletion of Rbpj from the adult endothelium also led to dilated sinusoids, vascular shunts, and necrosis, albeit milder than that observed in mice with deletion from birth. Similar to deletion of Rbpj, loss of endothelial Notch1 from birth led to similar hepatic vascular malformations within 2 weeks. Conclusions: Endothelial Notch signaling is essential for the development and maintenance of proper hepatic vascular architecture and function. These findings may elucidate the molecular pathogenesis of hepatic vascular malformation and the safety of therapeutics inhibiting Notch. (Hepatology 2016;64:1302‐1316)
High grade cervical lesions are caused preferentially by non‐European variants of HPVs 16 and 18

The intratypic variability of HPVs 16 and 18 has been extensively studied and has been used as an important tool in epidemiological studies of viral transmission, persistence and progression to clinically relevant cervical lesions. Infections by non‐European variants of HPVs 16 and 18 are associated with an increased risk for the development of high grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL). Our aim was to correlate the intratypic molecular variability of both HPV types and risk of persistent infection and lesion outcome in a cohort study conducted in Brazil. We characterized molecular variants of HPV types 16 and 18 by sequencing a fragment of the LCR, and of the E6 and L1 genes, for HPV‐16 variants only. For both types, European variants composed the most prevalent and diverse group. Persistent infections with HPV‐18 were associated with continuous detection of European variants. However, risk for simultaneous detection of HSIL and HPV DNA was higher in women harboring non‐European variants of HPV‐16. The same trend was observed with HSIL detected during follow‐up. Our study confirms the association between non‐European variants and risk of cervical neoplasia, and highlights the importance of their geographic distribution for cervical cancer risk assessment. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Depression in chronic migraine: severity and clinical features.

INTRODUCTION Chronic migraine (CM) is a common medical condition affecting 2.4% of the general population. Depression is one of the most frequent comorbid disorders in CM. METHOD Seventy patients diagnosed with chronic migraine were studied. All patients evaluated filled out the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Depression severity was divided into none or minimal depression, mild, moderate, and severe. RESULTS BDI ranged from 4 to 55, mean 21 +/- 10.7. Moderate or severe depression, were present in 58.7% of the patients. Some degree of depression appeared in 85.8% of patients. The BDI scores correlated with pain intensity (p = 0.02). Severe depression was more frequent in patients with comorbid fibromyalgia and in patients reporting fatigue. CONCLUSION The BDI is an easy tool to access depression in CM patients. Suicide risk assessment is needed in CM patients. Patients with fibromyalgia and fatigue are at even higher risk for severe depression.
The CXC Chemokines Gamma Interferon (IFN-γ)-Inducible Protein 10 and Monokine Induced by IFN-γ Are Released during Severe Melioidosis

ABSTRACT Gamma interferon (IFN-γ)-inducible protein 10 (IP-10) and monokine induced by IFN-γ (Mig) are related CXC chemokines which bind to the CXCR3 receptor and specifically target activated T lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells. The production of IP-10 and Mig by various cell types in vitro is strongly dependent on IFN-γ. To determine whether IP-10 and Mig are released during bacterial infection in humans, we measured plasma levels of IP-10 and Mig in patients with melioidosis, a severe gram-negative infection caused byBurkholderia pseudomallei. IP-10 and Mig were markedly elevated in patients with melioidosis on admission, particularly in blood culture-positive patients, and remained elevated during the 72-h study period. Levels of IP-10 and Mig showed a positive correlation with IFN-γ concentrations and also correlated with clinical outcome. In whole blood stimulated with heat-killed B. pseudomallei, neutralization of IFN-γ and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) partly attenuated IP-10 and Mig release, while anti-interleukin-12 (IL-12) and anti-IL-18 had a synergistic effect. Stimulation with other bacteria or endotoxin also induced strong secretion of IP-10 and Mig. These data suggest that IP-10 and Mig are part of the innate immune response to bacterial infection. IP-10 and Mig may contribute to host defense in Th1-mediated host defense during infections by attracting CXCR3+ Th1 cells to the site of inflammation.