Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Differential T Cell-Mediated Regulation of CD23 (FcεRII) in B Cells and Follicular Dendritic Cells1

Differences in murine follicular dendritic cells (FDC)-CD23 expression under Th1 vs Th2 conditions prompted the hypothesis that T cells help regulate the phenotype of FDCs. FDCs express CD40, suggesting that T cell-CD40L and lymphokines may be involved in regulating FDC-CD23. To test this, highly enriched FDCs were incubated with CD40L trimer or anti-CD40 to mimic T cell signaling in the presence of IFN-γ or IL-4. Surface expression of CD23 was determined by flow cytometry, whereas mRNA levels of CD23 and its isoforms CD23a and CD23b were independently measured by quantitative PCR. When FDCs were incubated with either CD40L trimer or agonistic anti-CD40 Ab, the expression of FDC-CD23 was increased both at the mRNA and protein levels. Moreover, engagement of FDC-CD40 enhanced mRNA levels for both CD23a and CD23b isoforms. In addition, IFN-γ substantially enhanced CD23a and CD23b mRNA levels in CD40-stimulated FDCs. Curiously, IL-4 could also up-regulate FDC-CD23a but not -CD23b. Anti-IFN-γ dramatically inhibited FDC-CD23 in mice immunized with CFA, whereas anti-IL-4 had only a modest inhibitory effect. In contrast with FDCs, IFN-γ inhibited surface expression of murine B cell-CD23 as well as mRNA for B cell CD23a and -CD23b, whereas IL-4 dramatically enhanced message for both isoforms as well as protein expression. In short, CD23 was regulated very differently in FDCs and B cells. Previous studies suggest that high levels of FDC-CD23 inhibit IgE production, and this IFN-γ and CD40L-mediated up-regulation of FDC-CD23 may explain, at least in part, why Th1 responses are associated with low IgE responses in vivo.
Ultrastructural analysis of a putative magnetoreceptor in the beak of homing pigeons

With the use of different light and electron microscopic methods, we investigated the subcellular organization of afferent trigeminal terminals in the upper beak of the homing pigeon, Columba livia, which are about 5 μm in diameter and contain superparamagnetic magnetite (SPM) crystals. The SPM nanocrystals are assembled in clusters (diameter, ∼1–2 μm). About 10 to 15 of these clusters occur inside one nerve terminal, arranged along the cell membrane. Each SPM cluster is embedded in a solid fibrous cup, open towards the cell surface, to which the cluster adheres by delicate fiber strands. In addition to the SPM clusters, a second inorganic iron compound has been identified: noncrystalline platelets of iron phosphate (about 500 nm wide and long and maximally 100 nm thick) that occur along a fibrous core of the terminal. The anatomic features suggested that these nerve endings could detect small intensity changes of the geomagnetic field. Such stimuli can induce deformations of the SPM clusters, which could be transduced into primary receptor potentials by mechanosensitive membrane receptor channels. The subepidermal fat cells surrounding the nerve endings prevent the inside from external mechanical stimuli. These structural findings corresponded to conclusions inferred from rock magnetic measurements, theoretical calculations, model experiments, and behavioral data, which also matched previous electrophysiologic recordings from migratory birds. J. Comp. Neurol. 458:350–360, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Kinetic changes in tetanic Ca2+ transients in enzymatically dissociated muscle fibres under repetitive stimulation

Non‐Technical Summary The transient and progressive decrease in skeletal muscle performance during contraction is known as fatigue. One of the phenomena associated with fatigue is an alteration in the excitation–contraction coupling mechanism. Using isolated muscle fibres loaded with the fast Ca2+ dye Magfluo‐4, we have found that after a protocol of repetitive stimulation there are alterations in the ability of the fibres to release and reuptake Ca2+, which are more evident and rapidly established in fast fibres compared to slow ones. All alterations were reversed after several minutes of rest and were not related to a phenomenon of inactivation of Ca2+ release. These data increase our knowledge of the events present during muscle fatigue and will help understand the mechanisms responsible for them.
NON-ASSOCIATIVE MARKOV NETWORKS FOR 3D POINT CLOUD CLASSIFICATION

The problem of laser scan analysis gained significant attention within the last decade. The standard approach to point cloud classification utilizes Markov Random Fields (MRF). Usually, a subclass of MRFs, Associative Markov Networks (AMNs), are used. In AMN the pairwise potential function is constant for a pair of different class labels. In some cases this constraint is too rigorous since it does not allow expressing some natural interactions between objects, such as “roof is likely to be above the ground”. In this work we use the general form of pairwise potentials instead. We show how to perform a tractable inference in such network using a message-passing based algorithm. Oversegmentation technique is used to subsample a scan; this helps to eliminate noise, improve efficiency and makes possible to use natural edge features. Experiments on two datasets obtained by an airborne laser scanner show that non-associative Markov networks usage leads to improvement in classification accuracy.
Predictive microfluidic control of regulatory ligand trajectories in individual pluripotent cells

Local (cell-level) signaling environments, regulated by autocrine and paracrine signaling, and modulated by cell organization, are hypothesized to be fundamental stem cell fate control mechanisms used during development. It has, however, been challenging to demonstrate the impact of cell-level organization on stem cell fate control and to relate stem cell fate outcomes to autocrine and paracrine signaling. We address this fundamental problem using a combined in silico and experimental approach in which we directly manipulate, using laminar fluid flow, the local impact of endogenously secreted gp130-activating ligands and their activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription3 (STAT3) signaling in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESC). Our model analysis predicted that flow-dependent changes in autocrine and paracrine ligand binding would impact heterogeneity in cell- and colony-level STAT3 signaling activation and cause a gradient of cell fate determination along the direction of flow. Interestingly, analysis also predicted that local cell density would be inversely proportional to the degree to which endogenous secretion contributed to cell fate determination. Experimental validation using functional activation of STAT3 by secreted factors under microfluidic perfusion culture demonstrated that STAT3 activation and consequently mESC fate were manipulable by flow rate, position in the flow field, and local cell organization. As a unique demonstration of how quantitative control of autocrine and paracrine signaling can be integrated with spatial organization to elicit higher order cell fate effects, this work provides a general template to investigate organizing principles due to secreted factors.
Genotoxicity of cyanobacterial extracts containing microcystins from Polish water reservoirs as determined by SOS chromotest and comet assay

Toxicity of cyanobacterial blooms, an increasing problem around the world, is connected to the increase in bloom samples containing microcystins, caused by excessive eutrophication of drinking‐ and recreational water reservoirs. Microcystins are the most common group of cyanobacterial hepatotoxins. In Poland they are produced mainly by the Microcystis genus. The toxicity of microcystins has been well documented, but investigation into their genotoxicity has been insufficient relative to the study of their overall toxicity. Therefore, the aim of this study was the estimation and comparison of the genotoxicity of cyanobacterial extracts with microcystins (CEMs) using the SOS chromotest (bacterial test) with Escherichia coli PQ37 and the comet assay with human lymphocytes. Cyanobacterial bloom samples were collected in the summer months from two Polish water reservoirs, one at Sulejów and one at Jeziorsko. The SOS chromotest, which used prokaryotic cells (without metabolic activation), and the comet assay, which used eukaryotic cells, both indicated the potential genotoxic effect of CEMs. Cyanobacterial extracts caused DNA damage in human lymphocytes in vitro. The maximum level of DNA damage was observed after 12 h incubation with CEMs. The bacterial test indicated a dependence of the degree of CEM genotoxicity, the composition, and the concentration of microcystins in each bloom sample examined with the time of exposure. Differences between the genotoxicity of cyanobacterial extract and the standard microcystin‐LR were noticeable. This was probably caused by the interaction of different microcystin variants. The results showed that CEMs from Polish water reservoirs were genotoxic, which was reflected by the stimulation of the SOS repair system in bacterial cells (SOS chromotest) and by the damage induced in DNA in human lymphocytes (comet assay). © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 17: 341–350, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/tox.10061
Reliability driven guideline for BEOL Optimization: Protecting MOS stacks from hydrogen-related impurity penetration

This paper reviews our recent experiments that correlate the F-N stress-induced gate dielectric degradation with the hydrogen-related (H) species permeability of the liner nitride (SiN) film. The H permeability of SiN films was found to depend on the deposition process and the post-deposition treatment. A specific ultrathin oxynitride in the near surface region of N2-annealed SiN films was discovered, which has the potential to function as an H-diffusion barrier. Adopting SiN films that effectively block the H-related impurity penetration is a promising route to improve the reliability of dielectrics film applied for FLASH memories.
Relationships Between Strength, Sprint, and Jump Performance in Well-Trained Youth Soccer Players

Abstract Comfort, P, Stewart, A, Bloom, L, and Clarkson, B. Relationships between strength, sprint, and jump performance in well-trained youth soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 28(1): 173–177, 2014—Research has demonstrated a clear relationship between absolute and relative strength and sprint and jump performance in adult athletes; however, this relationship in younger athletes has been less extensively studied. The aim of this study, therefore, was to determine the relationships between strength, sprint, and jump performances in well-trained youth soccer players. Thirty-four young male soccer players (17.2 ± 0.6 years; body mass, 72.62 ± 7.42 kg; height, 179.27 ± 6.58 cm) performed a predicted maximal squat test, 20-m sprints, squat jumps (SJs), and countermovement jumps (CMJs). Absolute strength showed the strongest correlations with 5-m sprint times (r = −0.596, p < 0.001, power = 0.99), SJ height (r = 0.762, p < 0.001, power = 1.00), and CMJ height (r = 0.760, p < 0.001, power = 1.00), whereas relative strength demonstrated the strongest correlation with 20-m sprint times (r = −0.672, p < 0.001, power = 0.99). The results of this study illustrate the importance of developing high levels of lower-body strength to enhance sprint and jump performance in youth soccer players, with stronger athletes demonstrating superior sprint and jump performances.
Transcriptional Regulation of the SIS/PDGF-B Gene in Human Osteosarcoma Cells by the Sp Family of Transcription Factors (*)

Expression of PDGF-B, the gene encoding the platelet-derived growth factor B chain, has been implicated as a participant in an autocrine growth loop in the human osteosarcoma cell line U2-OS. In previous work, we identified a primary site in the PDGF-B promoter, the SIS proximal element (SPE), which is critical for transcription of the PDGF-B gene in U2-OS cells. We also identified Sp1 as one of the SPE-binding proteins in U2-OS nuclear extracts. In the present work, we have identified another SPE-binding protein to be Sp3. Gel mobility shift assays showed that both Sp1 and Sp3 require the CACCC motif within the SPE for binding. In vitro transcription assays showed that Sp1 or/and Sp3 is necessary for transcription of the PDGF-B gene. Cotransfection experiments functionally demonstrated that Sp1 and Sp3 can independently or additively activate the PDGF-B promoter through the SPE as well as a synthetic promoter. However, the CACCC motif within the SPE is not the only site within the minimal PDGF-B promoter through which Sp1/Sp3 acts; additional nested deletion analyses showed that multiple cis-acting elements within the minimal promoter are required for full level transcription of the PDGF-B gene in U2-OS cells.
Optimization of an In Vitro Dissolution Test Method for Inhalation Formulations

The aim of this research project was to investigate a potential standardized test method to characterize the dissolution properties of numerous formulation types available for pulmonary delivery. A commercially available dissolution tester was adapted for use as a testing apparatus by the incorporation of a membrane-containing holder. The holder was designed to enclose previously air-classified formulations so that they could be uniformly tested in the dissolution apparatus. Dissolution procedures, the apparatus, dose collection, medium, and test conditions were developed relying on USP General Chapter . To collect an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) fraction from the devices for subsequent dissolution studies, aerodynamic particle separation on the membrane holder was achieved using the Next Generation Impactor (NGI) for two commercially available products, Ventolin HFA and Pulmicort Flexhaler. The dissolution profiles of budesonide (BD) and albuterol sulfate (AS) were successfully estimated by analyzing the amount of drug released from the membrane holder. This dissolution method may be applied to quality control studies for various inhalation products. In particular, the in vitro dissolution profiles of the drugs may provide an estimate of their dispersion characteristics, which directly relate to the device or aerosol performances.
Theoretical and Experimental Study on Valve Flutter

A model for valve flutter is presented. Using classical theory oi stability the onset of flutter could be predicted. Stability diagram s are presented, which enable the valve designer to take in at glanc e the flutter situation of a certain valve by a simple procedure. Fl utter experiments with an enlarged model and with compressor valves ar e discussed, which confirm the flutter model. A similarity theory for non steady compressor behaviour is outlined. Part I: THEORY OF VALVE FLUTTER
Aprepitantın İnsan Glioblastoma U87MG Hücreleri üzerinde Antiproliferatif ve Apoptotik Etkileri

Glioblastoma multiforme, gliomalar arasinda en malign ozellikte olup, gorulme sikligi oldukca yuksektir. Hizli cogalma, beyin dokusuna invazyon ve migrasyon gibi agresif ozelliklere sahiptir. Bu nedenle son yillarda glioblastoma kemoterapisinde, yeni tedavi hedeflerinin gelismesini uzerine calismalar yogunlasmistir. Substans P, norokinin-1 (SP/NK-1) reseptor sistemi, kanser gelisimi ve kanser metastazinda onemli bir rol oynamaktadir. Bu nedenle NK-1 reseptorleri, glioblastoma tedavisinde ve NK-1 reseptor antagonistlerinin gelisiminde yeni tedavi hedefleri arasinda yer almaktadir. Bu calismada, klinikte ozellikle kemoterapi sirasinda antiemetik amacla kullanilan, bir NK-1 reseptor antagonisti olan aprepitantin, insan malignant glioblastoma U87-MG hucre hattinda antiproliferatif ve apoptotik etkileri arastirilmistir. Calismada MTT yontemi ve gercek zamanli hucre analiz sistemi (RTCA DP) ile hucre proliferasyon analizleri, anneksin V-PI ve kaspaz 3 flow sitometri analizleri ile de apoptotik etkiler calisilmistir. MTT analizine gore Aprepitantin konsantrasyon ve zamana artisina bagli olarak U87MG hucre onemli derecede sitotoksik etki yaptigi ve U87MG hucre proliferasyonunu azalttigi gorulmustur. Gercek zamanli analiz sisteminden elde edilen cell index degerlerine gore de, 50 µM ve uzeri aprepitant konsantrasyonlarinda hucre proliferasyonunun azaldigi ve sirasiyla IC 50 degerlerinin 24. saatte 76.9 µM, 48. saatte 62.5 µM ve 72. saatte de 59.2 µM olarak belirlenmistir. Flow sitometri analiz sonuclarina gore aprepitantin 24. saatteki erken ve gec apoptotik etkisi konsantrasyon artisina bagli olarak artis gostermistir. Ozellikle IC 25 ve IC 50 aprepitant degerlerinde aktif kaspaz-3 degeri kontrole gore, az da olsa artmistir. Sonuc olarak aprepitantin malignant glioblastoma U87-MG hucrelerinde onemli antiproliferatif ve apoptotik etkileri belirlenmis olup, aprepitant ve yeni NK-1 reseptorler antagonistlerinin, kemoterapi sirasinda antikanser ilaclar ile birlikte umut vadeden yeni bir terapotik hedef olabilecegi gorulmektedir
The Glare Effect Test and the Impact of Age on Luminosity Thresholds

The glare effect (GE) is an illusion in which a white region appears self-luminous when surrounded by linearly decreasing luminance ramps. It has been shown that the magnitude of the luminosity effect can be modulated by manipulating the luminance range of the gradients. In the present study we tested the thresholds for the GE on two groups of adults: young (20–30 years old) and elderly (60–75 years old). Purpose of our perspective study was to test the possibility of transforming the GE into a test that could easily measure thresholds for luminosity and discomfort glare. The Glare Effect Test (GET) consisted in 101 printed cards that differed from each other for the range of luminance ramps. Participants were assessed with GET and a battery of visual tests: visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, illusion of length perception, and Ishihara test. Specifically in the GET, participants were required to classify cards on the basis of two reference cards (solid black-no gradient; full range black to white gradient). PSEs of the GE show no correlation with the other visual tests, revealing a divergent validity. A significant difference between young and elderly was found: contrary to our original expectations, luminosity thresholds of GE for elderly were higher than those for young, suggesting a non-direct relationship between luminosity perception and discomfort glare.
Activity of Andrographolide and Its Derivatives on HPV16 Pseudovirus Infection and Viral Oncogene Expression in Cervical Carcinoma Cells

Andrographolide (Androg) has been reported to contain antiviral and antitumor activities, but the effects of Androg on human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and cervical cancer have not been elucidated. This study investigated the effects of Androg and its derivatives, namely, 14-deoxy-11,12-didehydroandrographolide (14-DDA) and 3,19-isopropylidene andrographolide (IPAD), on HPV16 pseudovirus (HPV16PsV) infectivity, HPV16 E6 oncogene expression and cervical cancer cell apoptosis. The result demonstrated that all compounds inhibited HPV16PsV infection and that 14-DDA showed the highest potency. Only Androg suppressed long control region (LCR) transcription activity of HPV16 in transiently transfected C33A cells and significantly inhibited E6 oncogene expression in SiHa cells in a dose-dependent manner. A twofold subcytotoxic concentration of IPAD exhibited an inhibitory effect on E6 oncogene expression at 48-h posttreatment. Interestingly, p53 protein was restored in a downstream process and was detected earlier by IPAD treatment than by Androg treatment. This result corresponded to the level of cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase. E6 oncogene expression was also suppressed in CaSki cells treated with Androg and IPAD leading to cell apoptosis. These findings imply that Androg and its derivatives have different activities and may be effective agents for HPV prevention and cervical cancer treatment.
Photoelectric Sensing Device for Recording Mosquito Host-Seeking Behavior in the Laboratory

Abstract A new automatic device for recording the host-seeking behavior of mosquitoes was designed using photoelectric sensors. The host-seeking rhythms of several species of mosquitoes were recorded under laboratory conditions. Use of CO2, in addition to heating and black color to activate mosquito flight, proved to be important for evaluation of the present recording device. The diel rhythms of nonblood-fed Aedes albopictus (Skuse), Aedes aegypti (L.), Culex quinquefasciatus Say, Culex tritaeniorhynchus Giles and Anopheles stephensi Liston females recorded by the device corresponded well with known flight and activity rhythms in field for the same mosquito species. This simple automatic recording device provided accurate information on the flight behaviors of colonized and field collected mosquitoes.
Rapid diagnosis by immunofluorescence of viral infections associated with the croup syndrome in children.

Diagnostic attempts by indirect immunofluorescence (IF) were made for parainfluenza-, respiratory syncytial (RS)- and adenovirus on laryngo-pharyngeal cells aspirated within a few hours of admission from 87 patients with a diagnosis of croup. Parainfluenza virus antigen was demonstrated in samples of secretion cells from 33 out of 44 patients from whom parainfluenza virus was isolates in tissue culture. Furthermore, in six patients parainfluenza virus infection was demonstrated serologically. RS-virus was never isolated. One diagnosis of RS-virus infection made by IF was confirmed by the complement fixation (CF) test. Adenovirus was isolated in eight cases, none of which were diagnosed by IF, in spite of one showing titre increase in the CF-test. Paired sera were available from 52 of the 87 patients. No influenza or Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections could be diagnosed by the CF-test. The IF-technique appears to be an important supplement to the rapid diagnosis of virus infections in patients suffering from croup.
Umbilical stoma as a diverting loop ileostomy in laparoscopic colorectal surgery

aorta, Roos‐Hesselink et al. have found aortic valve pathology in 63%. Management options for combined aortic valve disease and recurrent CoA in the adult population is controversial regarding single versus a staged approach. Successful one‐stage correction of both lesions has been previously reported. However, Rulfilanchas et al. found that myocardial blood flow is substantially reduced by the acute decrease in the systemic vascular resistance if the coarctation is repaired first. In our case, the presence of the stent in the previous site of coarctation made it complex, and the decision for a two‐stage approach was made. Ozker and Canaud have previously described isolated aortic extra‐anatomic bypass in a patient with previous endovascular stent placement. We report the case of a two‐stage repair in the setting of previous aortic stent, with excellent results and without any suggestion of false aneurysm formation or graft dilatation on follow‐up.
Monoclonal antibodies preventing leukocyte activation reduce experimental neurologic injury and enhance efficacy of thrombolytic therapy

Article abstract-We evaluated the ability of monoclonal antibodies directed against leukocyte adhesion molecules (intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), CD18) to enhance the efficacy of thrombolysis in a rabbit cerebral embolism stroke model. Both tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) and anti-CD18 (alpha-CD18) monoclonal antibody administered 5 minutes after embolization increased the quantity of clots required to produce neurologic damage, although the combination was no more effective than either substance alone. Neither alpha-CD18 nor anti-ICAM-1 (alpha-ICAM-1) improved neurologic outcome at postischemic delays of 15 or 30 minutes. However, the combination of alpha-ICAM-1 (15 minutes after embolization) and tPA (2 hours after embolization) significantly improved neurologic outcome even though neither substance was effective alone at these postembolization delays. These findings suggest that prevention of leukocyte adhesion increases the postischemic duration at which thrombolytic therapy remains effective. NEUROLOGY 1995;45: 815-819