Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Heterogeneity of Nicotinic Cholinergic Receptors in Rat Superior Cervical and Nodose Ganglia

Nicotinic cholinergic receptors (nAChRs) are present in ganglia in the peripheral nervous system. In autonomic ganglia, they are responsible for fast synaptic transmission, whereas in the sensory ganglia and sensory neurons, they may be involved in modulation of neurotransmission. The present study measured nAChRs in several rat autonomic ganglia: the superior cervical ganglia (SCG), sensory nodose ganglia, stellate ganglia, and pelvic ganglia. The densities of the heteromeric nAChRs determined by receptor binding assay in those four ganglia are 481, 45, 9, and 11 fmol/mg protein, respectively. Immunoprecipitation studies with subunit-specific antibodies showed that a majority of the nAChRs in the SCG and nodose ganglia contain the α3 and β4 subunits, but a significant percentage of the nAChRs in these ganglia also contain α5 and β2 subunits. A small percentage of the nAChRs in nodose ganglia also contain α2 and α4 subunits. Sequential immunoprecipitation assays indicated that in the SCG, all α5 subunits are associated with α3 and β4 subunits, forming the mixed heteromeric α3β4α5 subtype. A receptor composed of α3, β2, and β4 subunits in the SCG was also detected. In rat SCG, we found the following distribution of nAChRs subtypes: 55 to 60% simple α3β4 subtype, 25 to 30% α3β4α5 subtype, and 10 to 15% α3β4β2 subtype. These findings indicate that the nAChRs in SCG and nodose ganglia are heterogeneous, which suggests that different receptor subtypes may play different roles in these ganglia or may be activated under different conditions.
Role of Lysozyme Inhibitors in the Virulence of Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli

Lysozymes are key effectors of the animal innate immunity system that kill bacteria by hydrolyzing peptidoglycan, their major cell wall constituent. Recently, specific inhibitors of the three major lysozyme families occuring in the animal kingdom (c-, g- and i-type) have been discovered in Gram-negative bacteria, and it has been proposed that these may help bacteria to evade lysozyme mediated lysis during interaction with an animal host. Escherichia coli produces two inhibitors that are specific for c-type lysozyme (Ivy, Inhibitor of vertebrate lysozyme; MliC, membrane bound lysozyme inhibitor of c-type lysozyme), and one specific for g-type lysozyme (PliG, periplasmic lysozyme inhibitor of g-type lysozyme). Here, we investigated the role of these lysozyme inhibitors in virulence of Avian Pathogenic E. coli (APEC) using a serum resistance test and a subcutaneous chicken infection model. Knock-out of mliC caused a strong reduction in serum resistance and in in vivo virulence that could be fully restored by genetic complementation, whereas ivy and pliG could be knocked out without effect on serum resistance and virulence. This is the first in vivo evidence for the involvement of lysozyme inhibitors in bacterial virulence. Remarkably, the virulence of a ivy mliC double knock-out strain was restored to almost wild-type level, and this strain also had a substantial residual periplasmic lysozyme inhibitory activity that was higher than that of the single knock-out strains. This suggests the existence of an additional periplasmic lysozyme inhibitor in this strain, and indicates a regulatory interaction in the expression of the different inhibitors.
Persistent minority K103N mutations among women exposed to single-dose nevirapine and virologic response to nonnucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor-based therapy.

OBJECTIVE We investigated whether there are long-lasting effects of exposure to single-dose nevirapine (sdNVP) treatment on virologic response to nonnucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-based therapy among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected women. METHODS An observational epidemiologic study was conducted in Johannesburg, South Africa. Initial and sustained virologic response to NNRTI-based therapy was compared between 94 HIV-infected women who had received sdNVP 18-36 months earlier and 60 unexposed, HIV-infected women who had been pregnant 12-36 months earlier. Viral load was measured every 4 weeks up to week 24 and then every 12 weeks up to week 78. Time to viral suppression (viral load, <50 copies/mL) and confirmed rebound in the viral load (viral load, >400 copies/mL) were compared. Drug resistance was assessed using K103N allele-specific real-time polymerase chain reaction assay and population sequencing. RESULTS Almost all women (97.5% of sdNVP-exposed women and 91.3% of sdNVP-unexposed women; P = .21) achieved viral suppression by week 24, and similar percentages of sdNVP-exposed and -unexposed women (19.4% and 15.1%, respectively) experienced viral rebound within 78 weeks after treatment (P = .57). K103N was detected with the K103N allele-specific real-time polymerase chain reaction assay among sdNVP-exposed and -unexposed women before treatment; detection was strongly predictive of inadequate viral response: 60.9% of women for whom K103N was detected in either viral RNA or DNA did not experience viral suppression or experienced viral rebound, compared with 15.1% of women for whom K103N was not detected (P < .001). After treatment, the M184V mutation occurred less frequently among sdNVP-exposed women than among sdNVP-unexposed women, but the frequency of NNRTI-associated mutations was similar between these groups of women with inadequate virologic response. CONCLUSIONS Exposure to sdNVP in the prior 18-36 months was not associated with a reduced likelihood of achieving and sustaining viral suppression while receiving NNRTI-based therapy. However, women with minority K103N mutations before treatment had a reduced durability of virologic suppression.
Retina Choroidal Thickness in Geographic Atrophy Secondary to Age-Related Macular Degeneration

METHODS. A total of 72 eyes of 72 patients (mean age, 75.97 6 7.09 years) with GA and 37 eyes of 37 healthy controls (73.89 6 6.19 years) were examined by confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy and enhanced depth imaging (EDI) spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Choroidal thickness was measured at 25 defined points in horizontal and vertical scans. Geographic atrophy size was determined in fundus autofluorescence (FAF) images and GA subtypes were classified based on abnormal FAF in the perilesional zone.
Visualization of Blog Network by a Keyword Based Graph with Interactive Filtering

The popularity of blogs (as part of online social networking services) has grown dramatically in the last decade. Guided by ethnographic research of these online communities, we have designed a graphical interface for users' exploration and navigation of large scale blog network. In our design, we use the keyword based graph to help users for exploring the relationships in the large connected graph. Each node in the graph contains a keyword which appears in one or more web pages (URLs). Each edge represents a link between two keywords. We give a weight to each edge which shows how strong the relationship is. Most importantly, we apply the interactive filtering on the keyword based graph using the generated edge weight to support both search and graph displaying. Compared to other applications on blog visualization, our approach uses the keyword based graph and has edge weight based interactive filtering.
Evaluación del desempeño docente

El siguiente escrito apunta a ofrecer criterios basicos a estudiantes para evaluar el desempeno de los docentes de las carreras de Psicologia. Se retoman nociones basicas de la psicologia del aprendizaje y de la pedagogia para fomentar la participacion del estudiante en la clase como agente de su propia formacion y como evaluador del proceso de ensenanza-aprendizaje conjuntamente con el profesor. Se ofrecen pautas para evaluar a los docentes por su actividad academica previamente al cursado de una materia, y criterios de seleccion cuando esto sea posible. Se senala los beneficios de la planificacion de las clases y de la estructuracion de la evaluacion, y partiendo de principios basicos de la alfabetizacion academica, se senala la necesidad de entrenamiento especifico de lectura, escritura, estudio y exposicion de los contenidos de cada subdisciplina psicologica. Tambien se contemplan algunos problemas estructurales en la formacion de docentes y estudiantes y se mencionan sus consecuencias.
Fatty liver disease: A growing public health problem worldwide

Traditionally fatty liver disease(FLD) has been classified as alcoholic liver disease(ALD) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD). FLD,a worldwide public health problem,has been increasing in prevalence and is recognized as one of the major causes of end-stage liver diseases.In the near future,as understanding of the clinical and mechanistic issues related to FLD deepens,we will be able to provide more targeted preventive and therapeutic options,develop more accurate noninvasive diagnostic measures,and thereby ease the public burden.
Cardiovascular function, cortical thickness and cognitive performance in middle-aged Hispanic adults

V LIST OF TABLES ix LIST OF FIGURES iix INTRODUCTION 1! REVIEW OF LITERATURE 3! Dementia 3! Alzheimer’s Disease Prevalence and Risk 3! Disparty Rooted in Genetics? 4! Disparate Risk Factor Accumulation 5! Vascular Hypothesis of Alzheimer’s Disease 5! Indices of Cardiovascular Function 6 Arterial Stiffness 6 Augmentation Index 6 Beta-Stiffness 7 Atherosclerosis 7 Endothelial Function 7 Cardiovascular Function and Cognition 8! Integrated Approach for AD Prevention 12! METHODS 14! Participants 14! Cognitive Assessment 14! Vascular Function Assessment 15! Neuroimaging Data Acquisition 17!
Factors affecting the persistence and graduation of transfer students

STUDENTS: AN EVENT HISTORY ANALYSIS by INES JOSEPH (Under the Direction of Scott Thomas) ABSTRACT This dissertation provides a better understanding of the persistence to graduation of twoyear college transfer students. To achieve this objective, a prediction model was developed to assess the influences of the factors associated with the timing of graduation of two-year college transfer students. This model was developed using event history analysis. The model’s key independent variables include gender, race, socioeconomic status, number of previous institutions attended, percent of courses that did not transfer, two-year college GPA, GPA at the four-year institution and financial aid. The two time-dependent variables are financial aid and GPA at the four-year institution. This study found that the factors that seem to have a more significant impact on persistence to graduation are all academic related. The findings indicate a need for intrusive interventions that will allow institutions to identify students who lack the necessary academic preparation to succeed in a four-year institution early on. This proactive approach will enhance the students’ chances of persistence to graduation.
Enaction and Psychology

The enactive approach to cognitive science aims to provide an account of the mind that is both naturalistic and nonreductive. Psychological activity is viewed not as occurring within the individual organism but in the engagement between the motivated autonomous agent and their context (including their social context). The approach has been developing within the fields of philosophy, artificial life, and computational biology for the past two decades and is now growing within the domain of psychology more generally. In this short paper we outline the conceptual framework of the enactive approach. Illustrative research questions and methods for investigation are also broached, including some existing examples from theoretical, behavioral, and computational modeling research. It is suggested that an enactive psychology provides the basis for the conceptual framework of the enactive approach.
Worm Detection Using E-mail Data Mining

—We propose a new technique to detect internet worm. We base our research on the fact that an indirect worm (a worm spreading by e-mail) needs to spread quickly and so it sends a lot of e-mail in a short while, producing an anomalous behaviour. Moreover we found stealthy worms through detecting traffic anomalies. We worked on a mail-server log of a real network and the results obtained drove us to detect indirect worm with different approaches based on various parameters (global e-mail flow, single host e-mail flow, reject, sender field analysis).
Serial Noninvasive In Vivo Positron Emission Tomographic Tracking of Percutaneously Intramyocardially Injected Autologous Porcine Mesenchymal Stem Cells Modified for Transgene Reporter Gene Expression

Background—Porcine bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were stably transfected with a lentiviral vector for transgene expression of the trifusion protein renilla luciferase, red fluorescent protein and herpes simplex truncated thymidine kinase (LV-RL-RFP-tTK; positron emission tomography [PET] reporter gene) for in vivo noninvasive tracking of the intramyocardially delivered MSC fate. Methods and Results—A closed-chest, reperfused myocardial infarction was created in farm pigs. Sixteen days after myocardial infarction, LV-RL-RFP-tTK-MSCs were injected intramyocardially using electromechanical mapping guidance in the infarct border zone (n=7). PET-computed tomographic metabolic and perfusion imaging was performed after an intravenous injection of 10 mCi [18F]-FHBG and 13N-ammonia PET at 30±2 hours and 7 days after LV-RL-RFP-tTK-MSC treatment. Fusion imaging of the [18F]-FHBG PET-computed tomography with MRI was used to determine the myocardial location of the injected LV-RL-RFP-tTK-MSCs. Seven days after injections, [18F]-FHBG PET showed a decreased cardiac uptake with a mild increased pericardial and pleura uptake in the treated animals, which was confirmed by the measurement of luciferase activity. At 10 days, infarct size by MRI in the LV-RL-RFP-tTK-MSC-treated animals was smaller than controls (n=7) (23.3±1.5% versus 30.2±3.5%, P<0.005). The presence of the LV-RL-RFP-tTK-MSCs (5.8±1.1% of the injected cells) in the myocardium 10 days after intramyocardial delivery was confirmed histologically. Conclusions—Reporter gene imaging enables the tracking of the persistence of viable LV-RL-RFP-tTK-MSC in the peri-infarcted porcine myocardium at 10 days after delivery using clinical PET scanners.
Differential effects of light and feeding on circadian organization of peripheral clocks in a forebrain Bmal1 mutant

In order to assess the contribution of a central clock in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) to circadian behavior and the organization of peripheral clocks, we generated forebrain/SCN-specific Bmal1 knockout mice by using floxed Bmal1 and pan-neuronal Cre lines. The forebrain knockout mice showed >90% deletion of BMAL1 in the SCN and exhibited an immediate and complete loss of circadian behavior in constant conditions. Circadian rhythms in peripheral tissues persisted but became desynchronized and damped in constant darkness. The loss of synchrony was rescued by light/dark cycles and partially by restricted feeding (only in the liver and kidney but not in the other tissues) in a distinct manner. These results suggest that the forebrain/SCN is essential for internal temporal order of robust circadian programs in peripheral clocks, and that individual peripheral clocks are affected differently by light and feeding in the absence of a functional oscillator in the forebrain. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.7554/eLife.04617. 001
Working With Cultural-Historical Activity Theory

This article focuses on the experiences of two researchers, Wolff-Michael ROTH and Luis RADFORD, using cultural-historical activity theory in mathematics education. The aim is to provide insights into the ways these researchers see and engage with activity theory, how they have come to adopt and expand it, and some of the challenges and concerns that they have had using it. These questions are not usually addressed within typical scientific papers. Yet, they are important for understanding both the dynamics of research and the practical use of cultural- historical activity theory. Since the format of research report papers is not necessarily well suited to convey personal experiences and thinking, the present article takes the form of a conversation, which provides an effective vehicle for exploring and articulating these matters. This provides a basis for understanding more deeply the underlying assumptions of this theory; its dynamics and how it is applied in research of mathematics practice, thinking, and learning; and insights into the manner in which experienced researchers grapple with the theoretical dimensions of their research.
THE OBSOLESCENCE OF OFFICE PROPERTY : A NEW RESEARCH AGENDA

In recent decades increased rates of building obsolescence have served to reduce the average life spans of office buildings in the UK to below twenty-five years. This has had adverse implications for owners, occupiers and non-users as the utility of office property has become diminished sooner. However, recent studies have viewed building obsolescence as a purely economic phenomenon by focusing upon the costs to the property owner. As such, the measurement of building obsolescence remains unchallenged and there is a consequent lack of knowledge regarding its future incidence. This paper provides an overview of research that is seeking to address these problems by approaching building obsolescence from an occupier perspective. In doing so, this research aims to use building quality – or deficiencies in building quality as a measure of building obsolescence. This paper suggests that deficiencies in building quality can be identified and measured by using gap analysis to gauge differences between the expectations and perceptions of occupants. The methodology underlying this research is discussed in detail. This paper also describes how results from the gap analysis will form the basis of a decision-support model for identifying approaching problems of building obsolescence in office property.
Optimization of paper bridge loading for 2‐DE analysis in the basic pH region: Application to the mitochondrial subproteome

Separation of basic proteins with 2‐DE presents technical challenges involving protein precipitation, load limitations, and streaking. Cardiac mitochondria are enriched in basic proteins and difficult to resolve by 2‐DE. We investigated two methods, cup and paper bridge, for sample loading of this subproteome into the basic range (pH 6–11) gels. Paper bridge loading consistently produced improved resolution of both analytical and preparative protein loads. A unique benefit of this technique is that proteins retained in the paper bridge after loading basic gels can be reloaded onto lower pH gradients (pH 4–7), allowing valued samples to be analyzed on multiple pH ranges.
Evaluation of the effect of denture adhesives on surface roughness of two chemically different denture base resins

Objective: To evaluate the effect of four commercially available denture adhesives (DAs) on surface roughness of two chemically different denture base materials. Materials and Methods: Fifty specimens of heat-cured polymethyl methacrylate, and another fifty specimens of light-cured urethane dimethacrylate were divided into five groups (n = 10), each was immersed in four prepared DAs (Corega Super Cream, Corega Ultra Powder, Olivafix Cream, Protefix Cream) as well as distilled water (control group). The mean surface roughness (Ra) of the polished and unpolished surfaces of the specimens was recorded using profilometer device. T-test for paired observation was used to indicate any changes in surface roughness between the baseline and after 30 days of immersion in the DA. Results: Almost all the tested DAs had no significant effect on the roughness of polished and unpolished surfaces of both denture base materials. The Corega super cream DA produced significant increase in the roughness of the polished surfaces of both types of acrylic specimens (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The majority of the investigated DAs appears not to affect the surface roughness of denture base materials. Only Corega super cream DA produced detectable increase in the roughness of polished surfaces of denture base specimens.
ΔNp63-restricted viral mimicry response impedes cancer cell viability and remodels tumor microenvironment in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Tumor protein p63 isoform ΔNp63 plays roles in the squamous epithelium and squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), including esophageal SCC (ESCC). By integrating data from cell lines and our latest patient-derived organoid cultures, derived xenograft models, and clinical sample transcriptomic analyses, we identified a novel and robust oncogenic role of ΔNp63 in ESCC. We showed that ΔNp63 maintains the repression of cancer cell endogenous retrotransposon expression and cellular double-stranded RNA sensing. These subsequently lead to a restricted cancer cell viral mimicry response and suppressed induction of tumor-suppressive type I interferon (IFN-I) signaling through the regulations of Signal transducer and activator of transcription 1, Interferon regulatory factor 1, and cGAS-STING pathway. The cancer cell ΔNp63-IFN-I signaling axis affects both the cancer cell and tumor-infiltrating immune cell (TIIC) compartments. In cancer cells, depletion of ΔNp63 resulted in reduced cell viability. ΔNp63 expression is negatively associated with the anticancer responses to viral mimicry booster treatments targeting cancer cells. In the tumor microenvironment, cancer cell TP63 expression negatively correlates with multiple TIIC signatures in ESCC clinical samples. ΔNp63 depletion leads to increased cancer cell antigen presentation molecule expression and enhanced recruitment and reprogramming of tumor-infiltrating myeloid cells. Similar IFN-I signaling and TIIC signature association with ΔNp63 were also observed in lung SCC. These results support the potential application of ΔNp63 as a therapeutic target and a biomarker to guide candidate anticancer treatments exploring viral mimicry responses.
Loss of intermicrovillar adhesion impairs basolateral junctional complexes in transporting epithelia

Transporting epithelial cells in the gut and kidney rely on protocadherin-based apical adhesion complexes to organize microvilli that extend into the luminal space. In these systems, CDHR2 and CDHR5 localize to the distal ends of microvilli, where they form an intermicrovillar adhesion complex (IMAC) that links the tips of these structures, promotes the formation of a well-ordered array of protrusions, and in turn maximizes apical membrane surface area. Recently, we discovered that IMACs can also form between microvilli that extend from neighboring cells, across cell-cell junctions. As an additional point of physical contact between cells, transjunctional IMACs are well positioned to impact the integrity of canonical tight and adherens junctions that form more basolaterally. Here, we sought to test this idea using cell culture and mouse models that lacked CDHR2 expression and were unable to form IMACs. CDHR2 knockout perturbed cell and junction morphology, led to loss of key components from tight and adherens junctions, and impaired barrier function and wound healing. These results indicate that, in addition to organizing apical microvilli, IMACs provide a layer of cell-cell contact that functions in parallel with canonical tight and adherens junctions to support the physiological functions of transporting epithelia.