Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Robust Label-free, Quantitative Profiling of Circulating Plasma Microparticle (MP) Associated Proteins*

Cells of the vascular system release spherical vesicles, called microparticles, in the size range of 0.1–1 μm induced by a variety of stress factors resulting in variable concentrations between health and disease. Furthermore, microparticles have intercellular communication/signaling properties and interfere with inflammation and coagulation pathways. Today's most used analytical technology for microparticle characterization, flow cytometry, is lacking sensitivity and specificity, which might have led to the publication of contradicting results in the past. We propose the use of nano-liquid chromatography two-stage mass spectrometry as a nonbiased tool for quantitative MP proteome analysis. For this, we developed an improved microparticle isolation protocol and quantified the microparticle protein composition of twelve healthy volunteers with a label-free, data-dependent and independent proteomics approach on a quadrupole orbitrap instrument. Using aliquots of 250 μl platelet-free plasma from one individual donor, we achieved excellent reproducibility with an interassay coefficient of variation of 2.7 ± 1.7% (mean ± 1 standard deviation) on individual peptide intensities across 27 acquisitions performed over a period of 3.5 months. We show that the microparticle proteome between twelve healthy volunteers were remarkably similar, and that it is clearly distinguishable from whole cell and platelet lysates. We propose the use of the proteome profile shown in this work as a quality criterion for microparticle purity in proteomics studies. Furthermore, one freeze thaw cycle damaged the microparticle integrity, articulated by a loss of cytoplasm proteins, encompassing a specific set of proteins involved in regulating dynamic structures of the cytoskeleton, and thrombin activation leading to MP clotting. On the other hand, plasma membrane protein composition was unaffected. Finally, we show that multiplexed data-independent acquisition can be used for relative quantification of target proteins using Skyline software. Mass spectrometry data are available via ProteomeXchange (identifier PXD003935) and panoramaweb.org (https://panoramaweb.org/labkey/N1OHMk.url).
The Lactate Theory of Anxiety: A Review and Reevaluation

&NA; Pitts and McClure proposed the hypothesis that alterations in serum lactate play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of anxiety, both in its psychic and somatic aspects. The authors critically reevaluate this hypothesis in the light of conceptual and methodological issues pertinent to psychobiological studies of emotion. Data are summarized that indicate significant defects in the theory from biochemical, physiological, and psychological points of view. The authors conclude that, while lactate infusions do precipitate anxiety attacks in patients with a certain type of anxiety neurosis, the mechanism cannot be that proposed by Pitts and McClure. An alternate hypothesis, which may better fit the data, involves a conditioned phobic response by some anxiety neurotics to certain of their somatic symptoms of anxiety.
Wavelet thresholding and joint NL Means filtering

In this paper, we propose a new framework of image denoising which employs multilevel wavelet thresholding (MWT) and non local means (NLM) filtering. The given noisy image is subjected to multilevel wavelet decomposition and thresholding is applied on detail subbands coefficients in each level to remove the high frequency noise. A spatial domain NLM filtering is applied for reconstructed first level approximation subband coefficients to remove low frequency noise. Altering both the detail and approximation subband coefficients in the proposed hybrid framework gives improved denoising performance over both wavelet thresholding method and NL Means filtering. Experiment was conducted by adding Gaussian noise to standard test images and the results of denoising performance have been obtained in terms of Peak Signal to Noise Ratio, Structural Similarity Index and execution time. Experimental results show that proposed filter gives better denoising performance with respect to wavelet thresholding, NL means filtering and multi resolution bilateral filtering (MRBF) which is a similar hybrid denoising framework.
Death Preparation and Anxiety: A Survey in Hong Kong

This study reports the results of a survey on death preparation, death-related beliefs, and death anxiety in a Hong Kong sample. Respondents (N = 285) recruited from the community were asked if they have prepared for them-selves a life insurance, a will, and a resting place (e.g. burial site, columbarium, etc.). Questions about their death-related cultural beliefs and anxiety were also asked. Results indicated that respondents who have thought of preparing for their own deaths but not yet acted out (contemplators) held stronger traditional cultural beliefs about death than respondents who have either done the preparations (planners) or never thought of the idea (non-contemplators). Contemplators also reported higher death anxiety. Despite limitations of the study's design, the current results suggest the beliefs in cultural taboo may play a role in the preparation for one's death.
The gp130 Cytokines Interleukin-11 and Ciliary Neurotropic Factor Regulate through Specific Receptors the Function and Growth of Lactosomatotropic and Folliculostellate Pituitary Cell Lines.

Two of the most potent cytokines regulating anterior pituitary cell function are leukemia inhibitory factor and interleukin-6 (IL-6), which belong to the cytokine receptor family using the common gp130 signal transducer. We studied the actions of two other members of this family, IL-11 and ciliary neurotropic factor (CNTF), on folliculostellate (FS) cells (TtT/GF cell line) and lactosomatotropic cells (GH3 cell line). The messenger RNA (mRNA) for the α-chain specific for the IL-11 receptor (1.7 kb) and CNTF receptor (2 kb) are expressed on both cell types. In addition, we detected CNTF receptor mRNA in normal rat anterior pituitary cells. IL-11 (1.25–5 nm) dose dependently stimulated the proliferation of FS cells. CNTF, at doses from 0.4–2 nm, also significantly stimulated the growth of these cells. In addition, both cytokines significantly stimulated proliferation of lactosomatotropic GH3 cells, and CNTF stimulated hormone production (GH and PRL) at 24 h by these cells. At 16–72 h, IL-11 stimulates the s.
Humoral immunity to HIV‐1: neutralization and beyond

Humoral immunity is considered a key component of effective vaccines against HIV‐1. Hence, an enormous effort has been put into investigating the neutralizing antibody response to HIV‐1 over the past 20 years which generated key information on epitope specificity, potency, breadth and in vivo activity of the neutralizing antibodies. Less clear is still the role of antibody‐mediated effector functions (antibody‐dependent cellular cytotoxicity, phagocytosis, complement system) and uncertainty prevails whether Fc‐mediated mechanisms are largely beneficial or detrimental for the host. The current knowledge on the manifold functions of the humoral immune response in HIV infection, their underlying mechanisms and potential in vaccine‐induced immunity will be discussed in this review.
A subset of high Gleason grade prostate carcinomas contain a large burden of prostate cancer syndecan‐1 positive stromal cells

There is a pressing need to identify prognostic and predictive biomarkers for prostate cancer to aid treatment decisions in both early and advanced disease settings. Syndecan‐1, a heparan sulfate proteoglycan, has been previously identified as a potential prognostic biomarker by multiple studies at the tissue and serum level. However, other studies have questioned its utility.
Infants Prospectively Control Reaching Based on the Difficulty of Future Actions: To What Extent Can Infants’ Multiple-Step Actions Be Explained by Fitts’ Law?

Prospective motor control, a key element of action planning, is the ability to adjust one’s actions with respect to task demands and action goals in an anticipatory manner. The current study investigates whether 14-month-olds can prospectively control their reaching actions based on the difficulty of the subsequent action. We used a reach-to-place task, with difficulty of the placing action varied by goal size and goal distance. To target prospective motor control, we determined the kinematics of the prior reaching movements using a motion-tracking system. Peak velocity of the first movement unit of the reach served as indicator for prospective motor control. Both difficulty aspects (goal size and goal distance) affected prior reaching, suggesting that both these aspects of the subsequent action have an impact on the prior action. The smaller the goal size and the longer the distance to the goal, the slower infants were in the beginning of their reach toward the object. Additionally, we modeled movement times of both reaching and placing actions using a formulation of Fitts’ law (as in heading). The model was significant for placement and reaching movement times. These findings suggest that 14-month-olds can plan their future actions and prospectively control their related movements with respect to future task difficulties.
Role of reporter gene imaging in molecular and cellular biology

Abstract Molecular imaging, including reporter gene methods, provides a unique opportunity to study biology in a living subject, thereby allowing physiological events to be monitored in an intact microenvironment. This review takes a molecular and cell biology perspective on recent studies which utilize reporter gene imaging as a tool to noninvasively monitor specific molecular biology pathways in vivo. Studies in rodent models demonstrate the feasibility of reporter gene imaging to visualize and measure key cellular pathways, such as transcription, translation and protein-protein interactions. The review indicates that molecular imaging is likely to be useful in the translation of molecular biology to medicine and biotechnological applications.
Emergence of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor‐induced postsynaptic potentiation of NMDA currents during the postnatal maturation of the Kölliker–Fuse nucleus of rat

The Kölliker–Fuse nucleus (KF) contributes essentially to respiratory pattern formation and adaptation of breathing to afferent information. Systems physiology suggests that these KF functions depend on NMDA receptors (NMDA‐R). Recent investigations revealed postnatal changes in the modulation of glutamatergic neurotransmission by brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the KF. Therefore, we investigated postnatal changes in NMDA‐R subunit composition and postsynaptic modulation of NMDA‐R‐mediated currents by BDNF in KF slice preparations derived from three age groups (neonatal: postnatal day (P) 1–5; intermediate: P6–13; juvenile: P14–21). Immunohistochemistry showed a developmental up‐regulation of the NR2D subunit. This correlated with a developmental increase in decay time of NMDA currents and a decline of desensitization in response to repetitive exogenous NMDA applications. Thus, developmental up‐regulation of the NR2D subunit, which reduces the Mg2+ block of NMDA‐R, causes these specific changes in NMDA current characteristics. This may determine the NMDA‐R‐dependent function of the mature KF in the control of respiratory phase transition. Subsequent experiments revealed that bath‐application of BDNF progressively potentiated these repetitively evoked NMDA currents only in intermediate and juvenile age groups. Pharmacological inhibition of protein kinase C (PKC), as a downstream component of the BDNF–tyrosine kinase B receptor (trkB) signalling, prevented BDNF‐induced potentiation of NMDA currents. BDNF‐induced potentiation of NMDA currents in later developmental stages might be essential for synaptic plasticity during the adaptation of the breathing pattern in response to peripheral/central commands. The lack of plasticity in neonatal neurones strengthens the hypothesis that the respiratory network becomes permissive for activity‐dependent plasticity with ongoing postnatal development.
SPLENIC ENLARGEMENT IN CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE AND ACTIVE RHEUMATIC INFECTION

It is generally stated that the spleen rarely if ever enlarges sufficiently to become palpable in uncomplicated congestive heart failure. Rolleston (1908) and Held (1919) both concluded that a palpable spleen in congestive failure was due to some complication. Talley and Lindsey (1924) in 198 cases ofcongestive failure in adults found 3 with palpable spleens. Fishberg (1940) in discussing the question concludes that the spleen may enlarge at the onset of failure, but that, later, it decreases in size owing to fibrosis and to contraction, which contributes to increasing the circulating blood volume, so that in chronic failure a condition of " cyanotic atrophy " of the spleen is found. Fishberg mentions the following causes of a palpable spleen in heart failure:(1) Active infection, e.g. rheumatic carditis. (2) Cardiac cirrhosis of the liver from chronic right-sided heart failure. (3) Mediastino-pericarditis. (4) Large left pleural effusion displacing the spleen downwards.
Sensitivity of primary production to different eddy parameterizations: A case study of the spring bloom development in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea

The abilities of the Gent and McWilliams (1990) (GM) and Horizontal Diffusion (HD) eddy- parameterizations to represent the mesoscale effects relevant for primary production are compared and analyzed. Following Levy et al. (1999a), this is done in the case study of the spring bloom that follows the formation of a dense water patch in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. It is shown that, unlike HD, the use of the GM parameterization can capture many aspects of the primary production enhancement associated with the restratifying action of mesoscale eddies. However, predicted primary production, when using the GM parameterization, is sensitive to the GM' s parameter set, and particularly to the maximum value of the lateral mixing coefficient, kmax.
Effect Inhaling of Limestone Dust Exposure on Increased Level of IL-8 Serum and Pulmonary Function Decline to Workers of Limestone Mining Industry

This aim of this study were to analyze the effect of exposure by limestone dust for increasing of IL-8 serum and pulmonary function decline to workers of limestone mining industry in Wangun Village, Palang District, Tuban Regency after working for 8 hours (cross shift). The Method was analytical observation with prospective longitudinal study. Before and after works for measuring of IL-8 serum increase and pulmonary function decline between population exposed by limestone dust (study group) and population not exposure by limestone dust (comparison group). Data was collecting on 18 respondents consist of 9 study samples workers at mining industry in Wangun Village and 9 samples working at semanding district office were taken randomly and inclusion criteria had been matched with the study group. Result showed inhaling of limestone dust exposure was significantly to increasing level of IL-8 serum (p = 0.026) but it didn't cause decline on pulmonary function. Physical activity factors and differences of individual immunity can influence the symptoms of respiratory disease caused by increased IL-8 serum so. the decrease in pulmonary function after 8 hours of work (cross-shift) does not occur. To require use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Air Purifying Respirator Non power types and use a wet method on mining activities. Be required a regular monitoring for evaluate worker's pulmonary function changes by the owner of mining.
cAMP-dependent Protein Kinase Regulates Ubiquitin-Proteasome-mediated Degradation and Subcellular Localization of the Nuclear Receptor Coactivator GRIP1*

Nuclear receptors and their coactivators are key regulators of numerous physiological functions. GRIP1 (glucocorticoid receptor-interacting protein) is a member of the steroid receptor coactivator family. Here, we show that GRIP1 is regulated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) that induces its degradation through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. GRIP1 was down-regulated in transiently transfected COS-1 cells after treatment with 8-para-chlorophenylthio-cAMP or forskolin and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine and in adrenocortical Y1 cells after incubation with adrenocorticotropic hormone. Pulse-chase experiments with transiently transfected COS-1 cells demonstrated that the half-life of GRIP1 was markedly reduced in cells overexpressing the PKA catalytic subunit, suggesting that activation of PKA increases the turnover of GRIP1 protein. The proteasome inhibitors MG132 and lactacystin abolished the PKA-mediated degradation of GRIP1. Using ts20 cells, a temperature-sensitive cell line that contains a thermolabile ubiquitin-activating E1 enzyme, it was confirmed that PKA-mediated degradation of GRIP1 is dependent upon the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Coimmunoprecipitation studies of COS-1 cells transfected with expression vectors encoding GRIP1 and ubiquitin using anti-GRIP1 and anti-ubiquitin antibodies showed that the ubiquitination of GRIP1 was increased by overexpression of PKA. Finally, we show that PKA regulates the intracellular distribution pattern of green fluorescent protein-GRIP1 and stimulates recruitment of GRIP1 to subnuclear foci that are colocalized with the proteasome. Taken together, these data demonstrate that GRIP1 is ubiquitinated and degraded through activation of the PKA pathway. This may represent a novel regulatory mechanism whereby hormones down-regulate a nuclear receptor coactivator.
Comorbid mental disorders in patients with AMA discharges from alcoholism treatment.

Discharge against medical advice (AMA) from alcoholism treatment, whether formal rehabilitation or detoxification, may indicate the patient’s failure to participate in treatment or the failure of the treatment environment to respond to the patient’s needs and circumstances. Completion ofthc treatment protocol is required for patients to benefit fully from available services. Prior research, mostly conducted with general psychiatric patients, has identified variables such as age (1,2), personality characteristics (3), length ofstay (4), and lack ofsocial stability (1 ,5) as risk &ctors for AMA discharges. Some studies have identified patients with substance abuse disorders as especially liable to leave treatment against advice (2,6). However, a broad range of psychiatric diagnoses have not yet been evaluated as risk
A new calibration of stellar parameters of Galactic O stars

We present new calibrations of stellar parameters of O stars at solar metallicity taking non-LTE, wind, and line-blanketing effects into account. Gravities and absolute visual magnitudes are derived from results of recent spectroscopic analyses. Two types of effective temperature scales are derived: one from a compilation based on recent spectroscopic studies of a sample of massive stars – the “observational scale” – and the other from direct interpolations on a grid of non-LTE spherically extended line-blanketed models computed with the code CMFGEN (Hillier & Miller 1998) – the “theoretical scale”. These T eff scales are then further used together with the grid of models to calibrate other parameters (bolometric correction, luminosity, radius, spectroscopic mass and ionising fluxes) as a function of spectral type and luminosity class. Compared to the earlier calibrations of Vacca et al. (1996) the main results are: [–] The effective temperature scales of dwarfs, giants and supergiants are cooler by 2000 to 8000 K, the theoretical scale being slightly cooler than the observational one. The reduction is the largest for the earliest spectral types and for supergiants. [–] Bolometric corrections as a function of T eff are reduced by 0.1 mag due to line blanketing which redistributes part of the UV flux in the optical range. For a given spectral type the reduction of BC is larger for early types and for supergiants. Typically BCs derived using the theoretical T eff scale are 0.40 to 0.60 mag lower than that of Vacca et al. (1996), whereas the differences using the observational T eff scale are somewhat smaller. [–] Luminosities are reduced by 0.20 to 0.35 dex for dwarfs, by ~0.25 for all giants and by 0.25 to 0.35 dex for supergiants. The reduction is essentially the same for both T eff scales. It is independent of spectral type for giants and supergiants and is slightly larger for late type than for early type dwarfs. [–] Lyman continuum fluxes are reduced. Our theoretical values for the hydrogen ionising photon fluxes for dwarfs are 0.20 to 0.80 dex lower than those of Vacca et al. (1996), the difference being larger at late spectral types. For giants the reduction is of 0.25 to 0.55 dex, while for supergiants it is of 0.30 to 0.55 dex. Using the observational T eff scale leads to smaller reductions at late spectral types. The present results should represent a significant improvement over previous calibrations, given the detailed treatment of non-LTE line-blanketing in the expanding atmospheres of massive stars.
Metabolic regulation of steroidogenesis in adrenocortical carcinoma cells of rat. Effect of adrenocorticotropin and adenosine cyclic 3':5'-monophosphate on corticosteroidogenesis.

The effect of adrenocorticotropin and cyclic AMP on the transformation of pregnenolone to corticosterone has been studied in adrenocortical carcinoma and isolated normal adrenal cells of rat. This has been carried out using both chemical and double labeling techniques. Adrenocorticotropin or cyclic AMP did not shown any effect on the corticosteroidogenesis produced from pregnenolone in the isolated adrenal cells whereas the synthesis of deoxycorticosterone and corticosterone was inhibited by adrenocorticotropin in adrenal tumor cells. A similar inhibitory effect of adrenocorticotropin was observed when progesterone was used as a precursor for corticosteroidogenesis in tumor cells but the incorporation of deoxycorticosterone into corticosterone was not inhibited by this substance. These studies, therefore, suggest that the site of inhibition of adrenocorticotropin on corticosterone synthesis in the tumor lies between progesterone and deoxycorticosterone. Cyclic AMP also inhibited the synthesis of corticosterone from pregnenolone but no inhibition of deoxycorticosterone synthesis was observed. Similar results were obtained with N6,2′-O-dibutyryl adenosine 3′: 5′-monophosphate. It is suggested that the mechanism of inhibition of Corticosteroidogenesis by adrenocorticotropin in the tumor may be different from that of cyclic AMP.
The Presence of Activated CD4+ T Cells Is Essential for the Formation of Colony-Forming Unit-Endothelial Cells by CD14+ Cells

The number of colony forming unit-endothelial cells (CFU-EC) in human peripheral blood was found to be a biological marker for several vascular diseases. In this study, the heterogeneous composition of immune cells in the CFU-ECs was investigated. We confirmed that monocytes are essential for the formation of CFU-ECs. Also, however, CD4+ T cells were found to be indispensable for the induction of CFU-EC colonies, mainly through cell-cell contact. By blocking or activating CD3 receptors on CD4+ T cells or blocking MHC class II molecules on monocytes, it was shown that TCR-MHCII interactions are required for induction of CFU-EC colonies. Because the supernatant from preactivated T cells could also induce colony formation from purified monocytes, the T cell support turned out to be cytokine mediated. Gene expression analysis of the endothelial-like colonies formed by CD14+ cells showed that colony formation is a proangiogenic differentiation and might reflect the ability of monocytes to facilitate vascularization. This in vitro study is the first to reveal the role of TCR-MHC class II interactions between T cells and monocytes and the subsequent inflammatory response as stimulus of monocytic properties that are associated with vascularization.