Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
DENDRITIC CELL-DERIVED EXOSOMES CONTAINING MILK FAT GLOBULE EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR-FACTOR VIII ATTENUATE PROINFLAMMATORY RESPONSES IN SEPSIS

ABSTRACT In sepsis, several cell types (e.g., lymphocytes) undergo apoptosis and havethe potential to harm the host if not cleared by professional phagocytes. Apoptotic cells display "eat me" signals such as phosphatidylserine that can be readily recognized by phagocytes. For full engulfment of these cells, binding to integrin &agr;v&bgr;3, mediated by the bridging protein, milk fat globule epidermal growth factor-factor VIII (MFG-E8), is necessary. We hypothesized that, in sepsis, phagocytosis of apoptotic cells is impaired due to decreased MFG-E8 expression and that adoptive transfer of exosomes containing MFG-E8 is beneficial. Sepsis was induced in rats by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) and MFG-E8 expression assessed by Western blot 20 h later. Dendritic cells were generated from bone marrow cells, and secreted exosomes were collected and injected into CLP animals. Plasma cytokines (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and thymocyte apoptosis (TC-Ao, annexin V) were assessed. The ability of peritoneal macrophages from septic animals to engulf apoptotic cells was determined in an ex vivo phagocytosis assay. A 10-day survival study was conducted. Cecal ligation and puncture reduced MFG-E8 protein levels in the spleen and liver by 48% and 70%, respectively, and increased TC-Ao by 1.6-fold. Injection of MFG-E8-containing exosomes, however, led to a 33% reduced detection of TC-Ao, without directly inhibiting apoptosis. In fact, peritoneal macrophages from exosome-treated rats displayed a 2.8-fold increased ability to phagocytose apoptotic thymocytes. Inhibition of MFG-E8 before injection of exosomes completely abrogated the enhanced phagocytosis. Treatment with bone marrow dendritic cell-derived exosomes also reduced plasma tumor necrosis factor &agr; and interleukin (IL)-6 levels and improved survival from 44% to 81%. We conclude that, by providing the indispensable factor MFG-E8 for complete engulfment of apoptotic cells, these exosomes lead to an attenuation of the systemic inflammatory response and overall beneficial effect in sepsis.
Emotion Recognition System by a Neural Network Based Facial Expression Analysis

Human-computer interfaces are getting more complex every day with the purpose of easing the use of computers and enhancing the overall user experience. Since research has shown that a majority of human interaction comes from non-verbal communication, user emotion detection is one of the directions that can be taken to enhance the overall user experience. This paper proposes a system for human emotion recognition by analyzing key facial regions using principal component analysis and neural networks. The proposed system has been trained and tested on the FEEDTUM database where it achieved a relatively high average score of correct recognition and therefore showed promise for future development.
Raw ginger root juice (Zingiber officinale) produces a biphasic contractile response in isolated mouse uterine tissue under resting baseline tension

Ginger root (Zingiber officinale) is an herbal supplement used to control severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. It is also prepared as a tincture to revitalize the uterus during labor. The purpose of this study was to determine if revitalizing the uterus involved changes in uterine contractile activity. Volumes of ginger root juice (20-1000 μL) were applied directly to isolated mouse uterine tissues in an organ bath under baseline conditions. At each volume, increases in contractile force occurred within five minutes (p < 0.001). Increases in contractile frequency were less remarkable (p = 0.5343). After five minutes, the greater volumes of ginger root juice inhibited all contractile activity. These results indicate that raw ginger root juice evokes a biphasic response as a function of time and treatment volume. This data would advocate for the revitalizing use of ginger root for calming uterine spasms rather than inducing labor.
Long Term Effects of High Altitude on Brain Function

Absence of oxygen to the brain for even a very few minutes results in loss of consciousness and can cause permanent injury. Can the wanderer to the limits of earth-bound hypoxia suffer similar harm from more prolonged exposure to milder hypoxia that does not cause loss of consciousness? I shall review the results from studies where neurobehavioral function has been compared in mountaineers before and after return from great heights and in individuals with chronic pulmonary disease before and after prolonged, continuous oxygen therapy. Many (although not all) of these studies report mild impairment of neurobehavioral function after fairly prolonged hypoxic exposure. Impairment was manifest by deficits in memory storage and recall, aphasia, concentration, and finger tapping speed; the last deficit was still detectable a year later in one group of mountaineers. Limited evidence suggests that climbers with a high ventilatory response to hypoxia (HVR) may be more susceptible to impairment than those with a lower HVR.
AGGLUTINATING ANTIBODIES TO TOXOPLASMA GONDII IN SERA FROM CAPTIVE EASTERN BARRED BANDICOOTS IN AUSTRALIA

Toxoplasmosis is considered a severe health risk for many marsupial species. The mainland Australian population of bandicoot is endangered. Therefore, a preliminary serosurvey was conducted to evaluate exposure to Toxoplasma gondii in 57 captive eastern barred bandicoot and to estimate the possible impact of Toxoplasma on recovering populations. Five (9%) bandicoot were classified as seropositive using a modified agglutination test. Nineteen additional bandicoot (33%) were classified as serosuspect using a direct agglutination test. No bandicoot showed signs of clinical disease. Seropositive titers were IgG associated, suggesting that infections were chronic and latent. Serostatus was not associated with either sex or being wild-caught, although each seropositive bandicoot was wild-caught. Seropositive animals ranged from 1.25- to 2.5-yr-old. Computer simulations using Vortex 5.1, based on the proportion of seropositive and seronegative bandicoot in this study, indicate that mortalities from T. gondii should have little impact upon captive populations. However, the potential impact of toxoplasmosis on recovery efforts for wild, mainland bandicoot populations is not clear.
Bcl-2 Expression in Primary Uveal Melanoma

Aims Uveal malignant melanoma is the most common intraocular tumor. The aim of this study was the analysis of bcl-2 oncoprotein expression in this tumor type. The melanomas were evaluated according to tumor location and patient age and sex. The relationship between bcl-2 expression and histological type, clinicopathologic stage and the presence of a set of predetermined morphological parameters was analyzed. Methods The study involved 39 patients with ocular melanomas treated with surgery alone between 1983 and 1997. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues were treated with anti-bcl-2 antibody (Dako No M0887). Immunolocalization of the bcl-2 oncoprotein was performed using the labeled streptavidin biotin (LSAB) method. bcl-2 expression in neoplastic cells was evaluated in a semiquantitative manner: lack of reactivity was defined as bcl-2 negative, reactivity present in less than 30% of cells as low bcl-2, and reactivity in more than 30% of cells as high bcl-2. The percentage of cells with a positive reaction was assessed independently by two pathologists, and the results were subjected to statistical analysis using Fischer's exact test. Results and conclusion No statistically significant correlation was found between the expression of bcl-2 oncoprotein and the clinicopathologic features analyzed. However, the high percentage of tumors with positive expression of this oncoprotein suggests that it plays a significant role in the biology of uveal melanoma.
Curiouser and curiouser: the perplexing conundrum of reactive oxygen species and hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction

The initial events that lead to vasoconstriction of the pulmonary vasculature in response to hypoxia (hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction; HPV) rather than the vasodilatation commonly seen in the systemic circulation remain fraught with controversy. Whilst there is a wide (but by no means universal) consensus that mitochondria are the ultimate O2 ‘sensors’ for HPV, there is somewhat violent disagreement concerning the signalling moieties and pathways that link them to vasoconstriction. The most contentious area concerns the role of mitochondrial-derived reactive O2 species (ROS), specifically superoxide and the more stable peroxide, the product of superoxide dismutase (SOD). Whilst some maintain that the initial signal for HPV is an hypoxiainduced decrease in mitochondrial ROS generation and a more reduced cellular redox state (the Redox hypothesis), others have proposed the opposite, that HPV is
Cytohistologic diagnosis of uterine jet wash preparations.

To determine the efficacy of the uterine jet washing technique (Gravlee 1964) in endometrial cancer testing the Cytology Laboratory at Pittsburghs Magee-Womens Hospital analyzed the results of 230 washings obtained from 211 patients from May 1971 to March 1973. Average patient age was 46 years. In 125 cases a corresponding histologic specimen was available (through endometrial biopsy hysterectomy or dilatation and carettage) as a correlative sample. The uterine jet washings were evaluated in concentrated monolayers indirect smears and cell block preparations. Histologic diagnoses were possible in 150 of 230 cases (65.2%) cytologic diagnoses only were possible in 72 cases (31.3%) and 8 specimens were unsatisfactory (3.5%). 125 jet washing diagnoses were consistent with correlated surgical specimen interpretations and no false positive diagnoses were made. Data suggest that the endometrial jet washing technique is a reliable diagnostic office procedure which could prove superior to endometrial biopsy because in addition to obtaining microbiopsies it can recover desquamated fragments and cellular samples from the endometrial cavity. The technique is neither a routine procedure nor a replacement for the conventional cervical and vaginal smear method for mass screening of asymptomatic patients but serves as a valuable aid to better detection of suspected endometrial lesions and can provide a means for follow-up observation of a treated or untreated lesion when dilatation and curettage is undesirable.
Network Structure of Japanese Firms - Scale-Free, Hierarchy, and Degree Correlation: Analysis from 800,000 Firms

We analyze fundamental characteristics of the inter-firm transaction network through the data of 800,000 Japanese firms. We find that there exists a hierarchical structure and a negative degree correlation in this transaction network. We also find that this undirected network is a scale-free network. We bring to light these characteristics of the network and discuss why there is an important need to conduct research work on the actual network structure.
Self-reported history of vaccination and disease and immunity against hepatitis A, hepatitis B, tetanus, diphtheria and varicella among spanish military recruits

This study aims to evaluate the immune status against hepatitis A, hepatitis B, tetanus, diphtheria, and varicella in military recruits and the validity of self-reporting of their disease and vaccination history. A total of 226 participants were studied (mean age, 20.2 years; SD 1.7). 10.4% presented antibodies to hepatitis A, 78.3% to hepatitis B, 94.2% to tetanus, 77.4% to diphtheria, and 81.9% to varicella. The relationship between self-reporting of vaccination history and seroprotection showed a high Positive Predictive Value for tetanus (98.8%) and a high Negative Predictive Value for hepatitis A (91%). Hepatitis A vaccination and serology testing for varicella and Hepatitis B on joining the Spanish armed forces are recommended.
Satellite detection of increases in global land surface evapotranspiration during 1984–2007

Abstract As a key component of digital earth, remotely sensed data provides the compelling evidence that the amount of water vapour transferred from the entire global surface to the atmosphere increased from 1984 to 2007. The validation results from the earlier evapotranspiration (ET) estimation algorithm based on net radiation (R n ), Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), air temperature and diurnal air temperature range (DTaR) showed good agreement between estimated monthly ET and ground-measured ET from 20 flux towers. Our analysis indicates that the estimated actual ET has increased on average over the entire global land surface except for Antarctica during 1984–2007. However, this increasing trend disappears after 2000 and the reason may be that the decline in net radiation and NDVI during this period depleted surface soil moisture. Moreover, the good correspondence between the precipitation trend and the change in ET in arid and semi-arid regions indicated that surface moisture linked to precipitation affects ET. The input parameters R n , T air, NDVI and DTaR show substantial spatio-temporal variability that is almost consistent with that of actual ET from 1984 to 2007 and contribute most significantly to the variation in actual ET.
Patterns of morphogenesis from cotyledon explants of pigeonpea

SummaryCotyledons excised from seedlings of Cajanus cajan (pigeonpea) were grown on media containing cytokinins (6-benzyladenine, zeatin, and zeatin riboside) and an allied compound, thidiazuron. With the exception of zeatin riboside, initial response in terms of induction of organized structures was very high. However, subsequent regeneration of shoots from cotyledon explants was very poor. Anatomical studies on the regenerating explants were undertaken to study the pattern of morphogenesis. Cytokinins and thidiazuron induced divisions in the epidermal and sub-epidermal cell layers leading to the formation of primary protrusions on the surface. This was followed by the development of foci of high meristematic activity either on the surface or within the primary protrusions. These foci differentiated into embryo-like structures or shoot meristem-like structures. Mostly aberrant shoots, with poorly developed apical meristems, regenerated from these structures.
The effect of dietary fat load on the size and composition of chylomicrons in thoracic duct lymph.

Chylomicrons of Sf 〉 400 and lipoproteins of Sf 12-400 were separated by ultra-centrifugation from samples of thoracic duct lymph collected from rabbits fed for 1 to 2 weeks previously on diets containing 5 per cent and 30 per cent corn oil or butter and from rats given a single intragastric dose of 0·5 ml. corn oil. The size of these particles after corn oil was determined by electron microscopy following fixation in osmium tetroxide. In rabbits on the low fat diet the mean diameter of chylomicrons was 960 A with half the triglyceride in particles of diameter greater than 1400 A; on the high fat diet the mean diameter was 1435 A with half the triglyceride in particles of diameter greater than 2700 A. In rats the mean chylomicron diameter was 1094 A in the early phase of fat absorption with half the triglyceride in particles of diameter greater than 1320 A. These figures increased to 2105 A and 3600 A respectively at the peak of fat absorption. The relationship between the chemical composition of these complexes and their actual size suggests that phospholipid is uniformly distributed on the surface, each phospholipid molecule occupying approximately 65 A2. Although meaningful electron micrographs of butter chylomicrons could not be obtained, determinations of the triglyceride : phospholipid ratios indicate that, as with the corn oil-fed animals, the chylomicrons from the rabbits fed 30 per cent butter are on the average larger than those from the animals fed 5 per cent butter.
Effect of Milk Thistle on the Pharmacokinetics of Darunavir-Ritonavir in HIV-Infected Patients

ABSTRACT The aim of this open-label, fixed-sequence study was to investigate the potential of the botanical supplement milk thistle (silymarin) to interact with the boosted protease inhibitor combination darunavir-ritonavir. Fifteen HIV-infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy with darunavir-ritonavir (600/100 mg twice daily) for at least 4 weeks were included. Silymarin (150 mg every 8 h) was added to the antiretroviral treatment from days 1 to 14. Darunavir concentrations in plasma were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography immediately before and 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 h after a morning dose of darunavir-ritonavir on day 0 and darunavir-ritonavir plus silymarin on day 14. Individual darunavir pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by noncompartmental analysis and compared between days 0 and 14 by means of the geometric mean ratio (GMR) and its 90% confidence interval (CI). The median age was 48 years (interquartile range, 44 to 50 years), and the median body weight was 70 kg (interquartile range, 65 to 84 kg). Silymarin was well tolerated, and all participants completed the study. The GMRs for darunavir coadministered with silymarin relative to darunavir alone were 0.86 (90% CI, 0.70 to 1.05) for the area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to 12 h, 0.83 (90% CI, 0.80 to 0.98) for the maximum concentration, and 0.94 (90% CI, 0.73 to 1.19) for the concentration at the end of the dosing interval. In summary, coadministration of silymarin with darunavir-ritonavir seems to be safe in HIV-infected patients; no dose adjustment for darunavir-ritonavir seems to be necessary.
Is the enhanced dispersal rate seen at invasion fronts a behaviourally plastic response to encountering novel ecological conditions?

As a population expands into novel areas (as occurs in biological invasions), the range edge becomes dominated by rapidly dispersing individuals—thereby accelerating the rate of population spread. That acceleration has been attributed to evolutionary processes (natural selection and spatial sorting), to which we add a third complementary process: behavioural plasticity. Encountering environmental novelty may directly elicit an increased rate of dispersal. When we reciprocally translocated cane toads (Rhinella marina) among study sites in southern Australia, the transported animals massively increased dispersal rates relative to residents (to an extent similar to the evolved increase between range-core versus invasion-front toad populations in Australia). The responses of these translocated toads show that even range-core toads are capable of the long-distance dispersal rates of invasion-front conspecifics and suggest that rapid dispersal (rather than evolving de novo) has simply been expanded from facultative to constitutive expression.
A large proportion of North American net ecosystem production is offset by emissions from harvested products, river/stream evasion, and biomass burning

Diagnostic carbon cycle models produce estimates of net ecosystem production (NEP, the balance of net primary production and heterotrophic respiration) by integrating information from (i) satellite‐based observations of land surface vegetation characteristics; (ii) distributed meteorological data; and (iii) eddy covariance flux tower observations of net ecosystem exchange (NEE) (used in model parameterization). However, a full bottom‐up accounting of NEE (the vertical carbon flux) that is suitable for integration with atmosphere‐based inversion modeling also includes emissions from decomposition/respiration of harvested forest and agricultural products, CO2 evasion from streams and rivers, and biomass burning. Here, we produce a daily time step NEE for North America for the year 2004 that includes NEP as well as the additional emissions. This NEE product was run in the forward mode through the CarbonTracker inversion setup to evaluate its consistency with CO2 concentration observations. The year 2004 was climatologically favorable for NEP over North America and the continental total was estimated at 1730 ± 370 TgC yr−1 (a carbon sink). Harvested product emissions (316 ± 80 TgC yr−1), river/stream evasion (158 ± 50 TgC yr−1), and fire emissions (142 ± 45 TgC yr−1) counteracted a large proportion (35%) of the NEP sink. Geographic areas with strong carbon sinks included Midwest US croplands, and forested regions of the Northeast, Southeast, and Pacific Northwest. The forward mode run with CarbonTracker produced good agreement between observed and simulated wintertime CO2 concentrations aggregated over eight measurement sites around North America, but overestimates of summertime concentrations that suggested an underestimation of summertime carbon uptake. As terrestrial NEP is the dominant offset to fossil fuel emission over North America, a good understanding of its spatial and temporal variation – as well as the fate of the carbon it sequesters ─ is needed for a comprehensive view of the carbon cycle.
A pilot study on the recovery from paresis after lumbar disc herniation.

BACKGROUND Although the existence of a motor defect in discogenic sciatica is a sign of severity, the literature does not provide evidence for an immediate requirement for surgery. OBJECTIVE To assess the course of sciatica with discogenic paresis and to determine possible prognostic factors for recovery or improvement. STUDY DESIGN This open prospective multicenter study included patients with discogenic sciatica with paresis that had been developing for less than 1 month and was rated < or =3 on a 5-grade scale. Pain, the strength of 11 muscles, return to work, and analgesic intake were assessed at 1, 3, and 6 months. Recovery and improvement were defined by pain not exceeding 20 mm or < or =50% of the initial pain score and a score of either 5 (recovery) or 4 (improvement) for the weakest muscle at inclusion. RESULTS Sixty-seven patients were enrolled; 39 (58%) patients were treated surgically and 28 (42%) medically. Surgically treated patients differed from medically treated patients by a higher rate of extruded herniation, a higher number of paretic muscles (6.3 vs. 5; P = 0.051), and a longer course of sciatica (31.4 vs. 17.3 days; P = 0.034). At 6 months, 7 (10.4%) patients were lost to follow-up; 32 (53.3%) had improved, including 18 (30%) recovered, 33 (85%) back to work and having a professional activity, and 22 (39%) still taking analgesics. The only significant difference between recovered and not recovered patients was mean age at inclusion (43 vs. 51 years, P = 0.034). There were no significant differences between improved and not improved patients. Moreover, the outcome was not different in the two treatment groups: there were 17 (53%) improvements in surgically treated patients, including 8 (25%) recoveries, and 14 (56%) improvements in medically treated patients, including 8 (40%) recoveries. CONCLUSION This pilot study showed no difference between surgical or medical management for recovery or improvement in patients with discogenic paresis. These results need confirmation by a randomized study.