Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Application of Direct Metal Laser Sintering to Waveguide-Based Passive Microwave Components, Antennas, and Antenna Arrays

Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), sometimes used interchangeably with the term direct metal sintering (DMS), is an additive manufacturing (AM) technique of synthesizing metallic parts from metal alloy powder. This paper looks at the application of DMLS to waveguide-based passive microwave components, antennas, and antenna arrays. Communication or radar systems use waveguide-based components and antennas to transport and manipulate radio-frequency (RF) power because they are arguably the most efficient. However, they are mostly used only in selected high-performance systems, especially at frequencies at X-band and Ku-band, because they are costly and difficult to fabricate as specialized processes like dip brazing, electron beam welding, and electroforming are needed for making complicated parts. The advent and the maturing of the DMLS technology may revive the fortunes of waveguide-based components and antennas as designs that are previously difficult to fabricate can be now easily handled. Furthermore, as DMLS continues to become more affordable, its versatility means that a microwave or antenna engineer can now leverage on DMLS to design very efficient novel microwave components and antennas that are previously difficult to fabricate or not even practical previously.
Eight Weeks of Inspiratory Muscle Training Improves Pulmonary Function in Disabled Swimmers—A Randomized Trial

Background: According to the literature, inspiratory muscle fatigue may increase after swimming training (ST). This study aimed to examine the efficacy of 8-week inspiratory muscular training (IMT) in disabled swimmers, combined with standard sports training, on selected parameters of lung ventilation and the function of respiratory muscles. Methods: A total of 16 disabled swimming division athletes from Wroclaw’s ‘Start’ Regional Sports Association qualified for the study. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups (ST and IMT). Both groups participated in swimming training for 8 weeks (8 times a week). The IMT group additionally participated in inspiratory muscle training (8 weeks). In all respondents, a functional lung test and the respiratory muscle strength was measured. Results: After 8 weeks of training, a significant increase in ventilation parameters and respiratory muscle strength was observed only in the IMT group. In ST group 1, a 20% improvement in the strength of inspiratory muscles was achieved. Conclusions: The inclusion of IMT is an important element that complements swimming training, allowing for greater increases in lung ventilation parameters and the strength of respiratory muscles in disabled swimmers.
Discovery of 2-(1-(3-(4-Chloroxyphenyl)-3-oxo- propyl)pyrrolidine-3-yl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazole-4-carboxamide: A Potent Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase (PARP) Inhibitor for Treatment of Cancer

A series of benzimidazole carboxamide derivatives have been synthesized and characterized by 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and HRMS. PARP inhibition assays and cellular proliferation assays have also been carried out. Compounds 5cj and 5cp exhibited potential anticancer activities with IC50 values of about 4 nM against both PARP-1 and PARP-2, similar to the reference drug veliparib. The two compounds also displayed slightly better in vitro cytotoxicities against MDA-MB-436 and CAPAN-1 cell lines than veliparib and olaparib, with values of 17.4 µM and 11.4 µM, 19.8 µM and 15.5 µM, respectively. The structure-activity relationship based on molecular docking was discussed as well.
Web servlet-assisted, dial-in flow cytometry data analysis.

BACKGROUND The obvious benefits of centralized data storage notwithstanding, the size of modern flow cytometry data files discourages their transmission over commonly used telephone modem connections. The proposed solution is to install at the central location a web servlet that can extract compact data arrays, of a form dependent on the requested display type, from the stored files and transmit them to a remote client computer program for display. METHODS A client program and a web servlet, both written in the Java programming language, were designed to communicate over standard network connections. The client program creates familiar numerical and graphical display types and allows the creation of gates from combinations of user-defined regions. Data compression techniques further reduce transmission times for data arrays that are already much smaller than the data file itself. RESULTS For typical data files, network transmission times were reduced more than 700-fold for extraction of one-dimensional (1-D) histograms, between 18 and 120-fold for 2-D histograms, and 6-fold for color-coded dot plots. Numerous display formats are possible without further access to the data file. CONCLUSIONS This scheme enables telephone modem access to centrally stored data without restricting flexibility of display format or preventing comparisons with locally stored files.
Jump and free fall! Memory, attention, and decision-making processes in an extreme sport

ABSTRACT In the present study, we explored the effects of high arousal on cognitive performance when facing a situation of risk. We also investigated how these effects are moderated by either positive or negative emotional states (valence). An ecological methodology was employed, and a field study was carried out in a real-life situation with 39 volunteer participants performing a bungee jumping activity and a control group of 39 participants. Arousal and valence were assessed with the Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM). Working memory capacity (reverse digit span), selective attention (Go/No-Go task) and decision-making (Iowa Gambling Task) were assessed at 3 time points: 30 min before the jump, immediately after the jump, and approximately 8 min after the onset of the previous phase. The results indicate that high arousal accompanied by high positive valence scores after jumping either improved performance or led to a lack of impairment in certain cognitive tasks. The Processing-Efficiency and the Broaden-and-Build theories are put forward to explain emotional moderation of cognitive performance in potentially life-threatening situations.
Behavioral Health Service Utilization and Unmet Need After Traumatic Brain Injury in Childhood.

OBJECTIVE The need for behavioral health services, service utilization, and predictors of utilization was examined in children with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) relative to a comparison group of children with orthopedic injury (OI) 6.8 years after injury. METHODS A total of 130 children hospitalized for moderate-to-severe TBI (16 severe and 42 moderate) or OI (72) between the ages of 3 and 7 years, who were enrolled at the time of injury at 3 tertiary care children's hospital and one general hospital in Ohio, and completed a long-term follow-up 6.8 years after injury were included in analyses. RESULTS Adolescents with TBI (moderate [38%] and severe [69%]) had significantly greater rates of need than those with OI (17%). Behavioral health services were utilized by 10% of the sample with no injury group differences (OI: 6%; moderate: 17%; severe: 13%). Early treatment and white race were associated with less service utilization; 77% had an unmet need, with no injury group differences (OI: 75%; moderate: 75%; severe: 82%). Rate of unmet need was greater among white than non-white children. CONCLUSION Children who sustain a TBI in early childhood experience persistent and clinically significant impairments even years after injury. Rates of unmet need were high for all injury groups. Findings underscore the importance of long-term monitoring to identify developing needs and prevent significant complications/deficits.
Does ductal adenocarcinoma of the prostate (DA) have any prognostic impact on patients with de novo metastatic prostate cancer?

Background: The prognostic value of ductal adenocarcinoma of the prostate (DA) in nonmetastatic prostate cancer (PCa) has been identified in many studies. However, it remains unknown whether DA is an adverse prognostic factor in metastatic PCa (mPCa).
The Integral Role of Food in Native Hawaiian Migrants’ Perceptions of Health and Well-Being

Purpose: Obesity is prevalent among Native Hawaiians, but the relationship between food and perceptions of health and well-being is not well understood. The purpose was to explore the role of food in Native Hawaiians’ perceptions of health and well-being. Design: A qualitative descriptive design was used. Twenty-seven Native Hawaiian participants in Las Vegas took part in semistructured interviews. Results: Participants expressed that food can be dangerous to health. However, eating Hawaiian food seems to relieve homesickness, and they occasionally indulge in binge overeating. Conclusions: Hawaiian food plays an important role in participants’ health and well-being. Participants’ concurrent attraction to Hawaiian-style food and desire to avoid unhealthy food create a challenging struggle. Implications for Practice: To support cultural connectedness, Native Hawaiians can be encouraged to expend consumed calories in physical activity as their ancestors did. Discussing nutrition from a family framework might be helpful to Native Hawaiians.
Thyrotropin‐releasing hormone increases GABA release in rat hippocampus

Thyrotropin‐releasing hormone (TRH) is a tripeptide that is widely distributed in the brain including the hippocampus where TRH receptors are also expressed. TRH has anti‐epileptic effects and regulates arousal, sleep, cognition, locomotion and mood. However, the cellular mechanisms underlying such effects remain to be determined. We examined the effects of TRH on GABAergic transmission in the hippocampus and found that TRH increased the frequency of GABAA receptor‐mediated spontaneous IPSCs in each region of the hippocampus but had no effects on miniature IPSCs or evoked IPSCs. TRH increased the action potential firing frequency recorded from GABAergic interneurons in CA1 stratum radiatum and induced membrane depolarization suggesting that TRH increases the excitability of interneurons to facilitate GABA release. TRH‐induced inward current had a reversal potential close to the K+ reversal potential suggesting that TRH inhibits resting K+ channels. The involved K+ channels were sensitive to Ba2+ but resistant to other classical K+ channel blockers, suggesting that TRH inhibits the two‐pore domain K+ channels. Because the effects of TRH were mediated via Gαq/11, but were independent of its known downstream effectors, a direct coupling may exist between Gαq/11 and K+ channels. Inhibition of the function of dynamin slowed the desensitization of TRH responses. TRH inhibited seizure activity induced by Mg2+ deprivation, but not that generated by picrotoxin, suggesting that TRH‐mediated increase in GABA release contributes to its anti‐epileptic effects. Our results demonstrate a novel mechanism to explain some of the hippocampal actions of TRH.
Visual Object Discrimination Impairment as an Early Predictor of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract Objective: Detection of cognitive impairment suggestive of risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) progression is crucial to the prevention of incipient dementia. This study was performed to determine if performance on a novel object discrimination task improved identification of earlier deficits in older adults at risk for AD. Method: In total, 135 participants from the 1Florida Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center [cognitively normal (CN), Pre-mild cognitive impairment (PreMCI), amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), and dementia] completed a test of object discrimination and traditional memory measures in the context of a larger neuropsychological and clinical evaluation. Results: The Object Recognition and Discrimination Task (ORDT) revealed significant differences between the PreMCI, aMCI, and dementia groups versus CN individuals. Moreover, relative risk of being classified as PreMCI rather than CN increased as an inverse function of ORDT score. Discussion: Overall, the obtained results suggest that a novel object discrimination task improves the detection of very early AD-related cognitive impairment, increasing the window for therapeutic intervention. (JINS, 2019, 25, 688–698)
Triggering NETosis via protease-activated receptor (PAR)-2 signaling as a mechanism of hijacking neutrophils function for pathogen benefits

Neutrophil-derived networks of DNA-composed extracellular fibers covered with antimicrobial molecules, referred to as neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), are recognized as a physiological microbicidal mechanism of innate immunity. The formation of NETs is also classified as a model of a cell death called NETosis. Despite intensive research on the NETs formation in response to pathogens, the role of specific bacteria-derived virulence factors in this process, although postulated, is still poorly understood. The aim of our study was to determine the role of gingipains, cysteine proteases responsible for the virulence of P. gingivalis, on the NETosis process induced by this major periodontopathogen. We showed that NETosis triggered by P. gingivalis is gingipain dependent since in the stark contrast to the wild-type strain (W83) the gingipain-null mutant strain only slightly induced the NETs formation. Furthermore, the direct effect of proteases on NETosis was documented using purified gingipains. Notably, the induction of NETosis was dependent on the catalytic activity of gingipains, since proteolytically inactive forms of enzymes showed reduced ability to trigger the NETs formation. Mechanistically, gingipain-induced NETosis was dependent on proteolytic activation of protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2). Intriguingly, both P. gingivalis and purified Arg-specific gingipains (Rgp) induced NETs that not only lacked bactericidal activity but instead stimulated the growth of bacteria species otherwise susceptible to killing in NETs. This protection was executed by proteolysis of bactericidal components of NETs. Taken together, gingipains play a dual role in NETosis: they are the potent direct inducers of NETs formation but in the same time, their activity prevents P. gingivalis entrapment and subsequent killing. This may explain a paradox that despite the massive accumulation of neutrophils and NETs formation in periodontal pockets periodontal pathogens and associated pathobionts thrive in this environment.
Radiolabelled nanohydroxyapatite with 99mTc: perspectives to nanoradiopharmaceuticals construction

Abstract The use of nanoparticles is under intense investigation. The possible advantages proposed by these systems are very impressive and the results may be quite schemer. In this scenario, the association of nanoparticles with radioactive materials (radionuclide) may be the most important step since the discovery of radioactive for nuclear medicine and radiopharmacy, especially for cancer targeting and therapy. In this study, we developed radiolabelled nanoparticles of hydroxyapatite with technetium 99m for bone cancer imaging. The results demonstrated that it is possible to label nanoparticles of hydroxyapatite, and due to its physicochemical properties is possible to develop nano-radiopharmaceutical for bone imaging.
Intraoperative photoacoustic screening of breast cancer: a new perspective on malignancy visualization and surgical guidance

Abstract. High re-excision rates in breast-conserving surgery call for a new intraoperative approach to the lumpectomy margin evaluation problem. The unique intraoperative imaging system, presented here, demonstrated the capability of photoacoustic tomography (PAT) to deliver optical sensitivity and specificity, along with over 2-cm imaging depth, in a clinical setting. The system enabled the evaluation of tumor extent, shape, morphology, and position within lumpectomy specimens measuring up to 11 cm in diameter. The investigation included all major breast cancer-related lesions, such as invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), multifocal IDC, ductal carcinoma in situ and combinations of these variants. Coregistration with established ultrasound (US) technology, as well as comparison to specimen radiography, validated the performance of PAT, which appeared to facilitate better tumor visualization. Contrary to expected PA contrast mechanisms, PAT images of hemoglobin distribution correlated poorly with US-determined tumor location, while hypointense regions in lipid-weighted PAT images were in better agreement with US.
Sexual reproduction in a natural Trypanosoma cruzi population

Background Sexual reproduction provides an evolutionary advantageous mechanism that combines favorable mutations that have arisen in separate lineages into the same individual. This advantage is especially pronounced in microparasites as allelic reassortment among individuals caused by sexual reproduction promotes allelic diversity at immune evasion genes within individuals which is often essential to evade host immune systems. Despite these advantages, many eukaryotic microparasites exhibit highly-clonal population structures suggesting that genetic exchange through sexual reproduction is rare. Evidence supporting clonality is particularly convincing in the causative agent of Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi, despite equally convincing evidence of the capacity to engage in sexual reproduction. Methodology/ Principle Findings In the present study, we investigated two hypotheses that can reconcile the apparent contradiction between the observed clonal population structure and the capacity to engage in sexual reproduction by analyzing the genome sequences of 123 T. cruzi isolates from a natural population in Arequipa, Peru. The distribution of polymorphic markers within and among isolates provides clear evidence of the occurrence of sexual reproduction. Large genetic segments are rearranged among chromosomes due to crossing over during meiosis leading to a decay in the genetic linkage among polymorphic markers compared to the expectations from a purely asexually-reproducing population. Nevertheless, the population structure appears clonal due to a high level of inbreeding during sexual reproduction which increases homozygosity, and thus reduces diversity, within each inbreeding lineage. Conclusions/ Significance These results effectively reconcile the apparent contradiction by demonstrating that the clonal population structure is derived not from infrequent sex in natural populations but from high levels of inbreeding. We discuss epidemiological consequences of this reproductive strategy on genome evolution, population structure, and phenotypic diversity of this medically important parasite.
Network Contractility during Cytokinesis—From Molecular to Global Views

Cytokinesis is the last stage of cell division, which partitions the mother cell into two daughter cells. It requires the assembly and constriction of a contractile ring that consists of a filamentous contractile network of actin and myosin. Network contractility depends on network architecture, level of connectivity and myosin motor activity, but how exactly is the contractile ring network organized or interconnected and how much it depends on motor activity remains unclear. Moreover, the contractile ring is not an isolated entity; rather, it is integrated into the surrounding cortex. Therefore, the mechanical properties of the cell cortex and cortical behaviors are expected to impact contractile ring functioning. Due to the complexity of the process, experimental approaches have been coupled to theoretical modeling in order to advance its global understanding. While earlier coarse-grained descriptions attempted to provide an integrated view of the process, recent models have mostly focused on understanding the behavior of an isolated contractile ring. Here we provide an overview of the organization and dynamics of the actomyosin network during cytokinesis and discuss existing theoretical models in light of cortical behaviors and experimental evidence from several systems. Our view on what is missing in current models and should be tested in the future is provided.
Assessment of real-time myocardial uptake and enzymatic conversion of hyperpolarized [1-¹³C]pyruvate in pigs using slice selective magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Hyperpolarization of ¹³C-labeled energy substrates enables the noninvasive detection and mapping of metabolic activity, in vivo, with magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Therefore, hyperpolarization and ¹³C MRS can potentially become a powerful tool to study the physiology of organs such as the heart, through the quantification of kinetic patterns under both normal and pathological conditions. In this study we assessed myocardial uptake and metabolism of hyperpolarized [1-¹³C]pyruvate in anesthetized pigs. Pyruvate metabolism was studied at baseline and during dobutamine-induced stimulation. We applied a numerical approach for spectral analysis and kinetic fitting (LSFIT/KIMOfit), making a comparison with a well-known jMRUI/AMARES analysis and γ-variate function, and we estimated the apparent conversion rate of hyperpolarized [1-¹³C]pyruvate into its downstream metabolites [1-¹³C]lactate, [1-¹³C]alanine and [¹³C]bicarbonate in a 3 T MR scanner. We detected an increase in the apparent kinetic constants (k(PX) ) for bicarbonate and lactate of two-fold during dobutamine infusion. These data correlate with the double product (rate-pressure product), an indirect parameter of cardiac oxygen consumption: we observed an increase in value by 46 ± 11% during inotropic stress. The proposed approach might be applied to future studies in models of cardiac disease and/or for the assessment of the pharmacokinetic properties of suitable ¹³C-enriched tracers for MRS.
A conserved proline-rich region of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae cyclase-associated protein binds SH3 domains and modulates cytoskeletal localization

Saccharomyces cerevisiae cyclase-associated protein (CAP or Srv2p) is multifunctional. The N-terminal third of CAP binds to adenylyl cyclase and has been implicated in adenylyl cyclase activation in vivo. The widely conserved C-terminal domain of CAP binds to monomeric actin and serves an important cytoskeletal regulatory function in vivo. In addition, all CAP homologs contain a centrally located proline-rich region which has no previously identified function. Recently, SH3 (Src homology 3) domains were shown to bind to proline-rich regions of proteins. Here we report that the proline-rich region of CAP is recognized by the SH3 domains of several proteins, including the yeast actin-associated protein Abp1p. Immunolocalization experiments demonstrate that CAP colocalizes with cortical actin-containing structures in vivo and that a region of CAP containing the SH3 domain binding site is required for this localization. We also demonstrate that the SH3 domain of yeast Abp1p and that of the yeast RAS protein guanine nucleotide exchange factor Cdc25p complex with adenylyl cyclase in vitro. Interestingly, the binding of the Cdc25p SH3 domain is not mediated by CAP and therefore may involve direct binding to adenylyl cyclase or to an unidentified protein which complexes with adenylyl cyclase. We also found that CAP homologous from Schizosaccharomyces pombe and humans bind SH3 domains. The human protein binds most strongly to the SH3 domain from the abl proto-oncogene. These observations identify CAP as an SH3 domain-binding protein and suggest that CAP mediates interactions between SH3 domain proteins and monomeric actin.