Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Regenerative Therapy of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: From Pancreatic Islet Transplantation to Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease resulting in the permanent destruction of pancreatic islets. Islet transplantation to portal vein provides an approach to compensate for loss of insulin producing cells. Clinical trials demonstrated that even partial islet graft function reduces severe hypoglycemic events in patients. However, therapeutic impact is restrained due to shortage of pancreas organ donors and instant inflammation occurring in the hepatic environment of the graft. We summarize on what is known about regenerative therapy in type 1 diabetes focusing on pancreatic islet transplantation and new avenues of cell substitution. Metabolic pathways and energy production of transplanted cells are required to be balanced and protection from inflammation in their intravascular bed is desired. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have anti-inflammatory features, and so they are interesting as a therapy for type 1 diabetes. Recently, they were reported to reduce hyperglycemia in diabetic rodents, and they were even discussed as being turned into endodermal or pancreatic progenitor cells. MSCs are recognized to meet the demand of an individual therapy not raising the concerns of embryonic or induced pluripotent stem cells for therapy.
Accounting for Respiration is Necessary to Reliably Infer Granger Causality From Cardiovascular Variability Series

This study was designed to demonstrate the need of accounting for respiration (R) when causality between heart period (HP) and systolic arterial pressure (SAP) is under scrutiny. Simulations generated according to a bivariate autoregressive closed-loop model were utilized to assess how causality changes as a function of the model parameters. An exogenous (X) signal was added to the bivariate autoregressive closed-loop model to evaluate the bias on causality induced when the X source was disregarded. Causality was assessed in the time domain according to a predictability improvement approach (i.e., Granger causality). HP and SAP variability series were recorded with R in 19 healthy subjects during spontaneous and controlled breathing at 10, 15, and 20 breaths/min. Simulations proved the importance of accounting for X signals. During spontaneous breathing, assessing causality without taking into consideration R leads to a significantly larger percentage of closed-loop interactions and a smaller fraction of unidirectional causality from HP to SAP. This finding was confirmed during paced breathing and it was independent of the breathing rate. These results suggest that the role of baroreflex cannot be correctly assessed without accounting for R.
Full-Term Development of Golden Hamster Oocytes Following Intracytoplasmic Sperm Head Injection

Abstract The golden hamster is the mammalian species in which intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) was first tried to produce fertilized oocytes. Thus far, however, there are no reports of full-term development of hamster oocytes fertilized by ICSI. Here we report the birth of hamster offspring following ICSI. Keys to success were 1) performing ICSI in a dark room with a small incandescent lamp and manipulating both oocytes and fertilized eggs under a microscope with a red light source and 2) injecting sperm heads without acrosomes. All oocytes injected with acrosome-intact sperm heads died within 3 h after injection, while those oocytes injected with acrosomeless sperm heads survived injection. Under illumination with red light in a dark room, the majority of the oocytes injected with acrosomeless sperm heads were fertilized normally (77%), cleaved (91%), and developed into morulae (49%). Of the 47 morulae transferred to five recipient females, nine (19%) developed to live offspring.
Nucleoside analogue delivery systems in cancer therapy

Nucleoside analogues (NAs) are important agents in the treatment of hematological malignancies. They are prodrugs that require activation by phosphorylation. Their rapid catabolism, cell resistance and overdistribution in the body jeopardize nucleoside analogue chemotherapy. Accordingly, therapeutic doses of NAs are particularly high and regularly have to be increased, resulting in severe toxicity and narrow therapeutic index. The major challenge is to concentrate the drug at the tumour site, avoiding its distribution to normal tissues. New drug carriers and biomaterials are being developed to overcome some of these obstacles. This review highlights novel NA delivery systems and discusses new technologies that could improve NA cancer therapy.
A low noise CMOS readout front end for MEMs BioPotential sensor applications

In this paper, a low-noise CMOS readout front end for biopotential acquisition applications is presented. The proposed circuit, implemented using 130 nm standard CMOS process, has a thermal noise floor of 10 nV/√Hz, a corner frequency of 300 mHz, and dissipates 3. 2μW of power when powered using a 1 V supply. The designed circuit occupies a die area of 0.007mm2 and thus renders itself as an excellent candidate for acquiring biopotential signals through MEMS sensors.
[Handling missing data in coverage estimation, with application to the 1986 Test of Adjustment Related Operations].

"This paper discusses methods used to handle missing data in post-enumeration surveys for estimating census coverage error, as illustrated for the 1986 Test of Adjustment Related Operations (Diffendal 1988). The methods include imputation schemes based on hot-deck and logistic regression models as well as weighting adjustments. The sensivity of undercount estimates from the 1986 test to variations in the imputation models is also explored. " The test was carried out in Central Los Angeles County, California.
Economic of the irrigated production of forage millet

Irrigation is an agricultural technique that increases crop yield and reduces periods of forage shortage. However, this technique increases production costs, and the process is economically viable only when costs are lower than the financial return. Determining the technical and financial viability of irrigation is essential to assess the feasibility of forage production systems. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the technical and financial viability of irrigated producing of forage millet in different growing seasons in two microregions of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The water requirements of the growing seasons of 2012 to 2017 in the microregions of Santiago and Santa Maria varied and affected the cost of irrigation. The irrigated production of forage millet increased the total average cost by 13.42% and increased the financial return by 43.03% and 22.49% in Santiago and Santa Maria, respectively.
Prednisone affects inflammation, glucose tolerance, and bone turnover within hours of treatment in healthy individuals.

OBJECTIVE Use of glucocorticoids for anti-inflammatory efficacy is limited by their side effects. This study examined, in the same individuals, prednisone's acute, dose-dependent effects on inflammation as well as biomarkers of glucose regulation and bone homeostasis. DESIGN In this randomized, double-blind, parallel-design trial of healthy adults demonstrating cutaneous allergen-induced hypersensitivity, patients received placebo or prednisone 10, 25 or 60 mg daily for 7 days. METHODS Effects on peripheral white blood cell (WBC) count, ex vivo whole blood lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated TNF-α release and response to cutaneous allergen challenge were assessed concurrently with biomarkers for glucose tolerance and bone turnover. RESULTS Differential peripheral WBC counts changed significantly within hours of prednisone administration. Ex vivo, LPS-stimulated TNF-α was significantly reduced by all prednisone doses on days 1 and 7. The late phase cutaneous allergen reaction was significantly reduced with prednisone 60 mg vs placebo on days 1 and 7. Oral glucose tolerance tests revealed significant increases in glycaemic excursion on days 1 and 7, whereas increases in insulin and C-peptide excursions were more notable on day 7 with all doses of prednisone. The bone formation markers osteocalcin, and procollagen I N- and C-terminal peptides decreased significantly on days 1 and 7 vs placebo. CONCLUSIONS In healthy young adults after single doses as low as 10 mg, prednisone treatment has significant effects on glucose tolerance and bone formation markers within hours of treatment, in parallel with anti-inflammatory effects.
Impaired Parallel Fiber→Purkinje Cell Synapse Stabilization during Cerebellar Development of Mutant Mice Lacking the Glutamate Receptor δ2 Subunit

The glutamate receptor δ2 subunit (GluRδ2) is specifically expressed in cerebellar Purkinje cells (PCs) from early developmental stages and is selectively localized at dendritic spines forming synapses with parallel fibers (PFs). Targeted disruption of the GluRδ2 gene leads to a significant reduction of PF→PC synapses. To address its role in the synaptogenesis, the morphology and electrophysiology of PF→PC synapses were comparatively examined in developing GluRδ2 mutant and wild-type cerebella. PCs in GluRδ2 mutant mice were normally produced, migrated, and formed spines, as did those in wild-type mice. At the end of the first postnatal week, 74–78% of PC spines in both mice formed immature synapses, which were characterized by small synaptic contact, few synaptic vesicles, and incomplete surrounding by astroglial processes, eliciting little electrophysiological response. During the second and third postnatal weeks when spines and terminals are actively generated, the percentage of PC spines forming synapses attained 98–99% in wild type but remained as low as 55–60% in mutants, and the rest were unattached to any nerve terminals. As a result, the number of PF synapses per single-mutant PCs was reduced to nearly a half-level of wild-type PCs. Parallelly, PF stimulation less effectively elicited EPSCs in mutant PCs than in wild-type PCs during and after the second postnatal week. These results suggest that the GluRδ2 is involved in the stabilization and strengthening of synaptic connectivity between PFs and PCs, leading to the association of all PC spines with PF terminals to form functionally mature synapses.
Are You Often Sad and Depressed?: Brief Measures to Identify Women at Risk for Depression in Pregnancy

Purpose:The purpose of this study was to test brief depression screening measures as an initial step to identify women at risk for depression in pregnancy. Study Design and Methods:Psychometric theory and a prospective correlational research design with a convenience sample of 130 low-income women guided this study. Measurements included (a) single-item depression-screening measures, (b) a two-item depression screening measure, (c) the Brief Depression Screen (BDS), and (d) the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), a standardized measure of self-reported depression that has been used widely in pregnancy. Results:Depressive symptoms in pregnancy among these low-income women were 27% (35/128) as determined by a score of 16 or greater on the BDI-II. The two-item depression screening measure, “Are you often sad and depressed? ” and “Have you had a loss of pleasurable activities? ” had a sensitivity of 91% and a specificity of 52%, whereas the BDS measure had sensitivity of 53% and specificity of 80%. Clinical Implications:Asking the two-item screening questions could be an essential first step in determining which women should receive further evaluation and interventions aimed at treating depression during pregnancy.
Tracing neuronal circuits in transgenic animals by transneuronal control of transcription (TRACT)

Understanding the computations that take place in brain circuits requires identifying how neurons in those circuits are connected to one another. We describe a technique called TRACT (TRAnsneuronal Control of Transcription) based on ligand-induced intramembrane proteolysis to reveal monosynaptic connections arising from genetically labeled neurons of interest. In this strategy, neurons expressing an artificial ligand (‘donor’ neurons) bind to and activate a genetically-engineered artificial receptor on their synaptic partners (‘receiver’ neurons). Upon ligand-receptor binding at synapses the receptor is cleaved in its transmembrane domain and releases a protein fragment that activates transcription in the synaptic partners. Using TRACT in Drosophila we have confirmed the connectivity between olfactory receptor neurons and their postsynaptic targets, and have discovered potential new connections between neurons in the circadian circuit. Our results demonstrate that the TRACT method can be used to investigate the connectivity of neuronal circuits in the brain.
Hearing of a Presence

Here we describe a patient with epilepsy (secondary to left parieto-temporal brain damage) suffering from the paroxysmal unilateral experience of hearing a person in her near extrapersonal space. The paroxysmal auditory experience was associated with a deficit in spatial auditory perception and other paroxysmal disorders of somatognosia. Based on these findings, it is suggested that the paroxysmal hearing of a person nearby corresponds to an auditory disorder of somatognosia.
Rational ecosystem-based fisheries management: An application to the GOM commercial reef fish fishery

Ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) seeks to integrate the full complexity of real-world marine ecosystems into the design of fisheries management policies and regulations. EBFM is practiced currently with the help of complex ecosystem process models that track and simulate numerous ecosystem elements/ organisms across space and time. For simplicity and to maintain tractability, the fishing sector component of process models maintain restrictive assumptions for harvesting technologies, fishing behavior, regulations, and fishing sector response to changing stock conditions. Predictions of fishing sector-ecosystem interaction obtained under these assumptions can grossly misinform EBFM policy design. An alternative rational fishing model is presented and applied to the Gulf of Mexico commercial reef fish fishery. The model relaxes the restrictive assumptions currently in use highlighting stark differences in ecological and external validity across modeling approaches. While models of rational fishing are data and computationally demanding, results show that improved validity they deliver may be essential to further advance the EBFM paradigm.
The Effect of Tungstate Nanoparticles on Reactive Oxygen Species and Cytotoxicity in Raw 264.7 Mouse Monocyte Macrophage Cells

Due to their unique size, surface area, and chemical characteristics, nanoparticles’ use in consumer products has increased. However, the toxicity of nanoparticle (NP) exposure during the manufacturing process has not been fully assessed. Tungstate NP are used in numerous products, including but not limited to scintillator detectors and fluorescent lighting. As with many NP, no apparent toxicity studies have been completed with tungstate NP. The hypothesis that tungstate NP in vitro exposure results in reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation and cytotoxicity was examined. Differences in toxicity based on tungstate NP size, shape (sphere vs. wire), and chemical characteristics were determined. RAW 264.7 mouse monocyte macrophages were exposed to tungstate NP, and ROS formation was assessed via electron spin resonance (ESR), and several assays including hydrogen peroxide, intracellular ROS, and Comet. Results showed ROS production induced by tungstate nanowire exposure, but this exposure did not result in oxidative DNA damage. Nanospheres showed neither ROS nor DNA damage following cellular exposure. Cells were exposed over 72 h to assess cytotoxicity using an MTT (tetrazolium compound) assay. Results showed that differences in cell death between wires and spheres occurred at 24 h but were minimal at both 48 and 72 h. The present results indicate that tungstate nanowires are more reactive and produce cell death within 24 h of exposure, whereas nanospheres are less reactive and did not produce cell death. Results suggest that differences in shape may affect reactivity. However, regardless of the differences in reactivity, in general both shapes produced mild ROS and resulted in minimal cell death at 48 and 72 h in RAW 264.7 cells.
Up‐regulated expression of MICA on activated T lymphocytes involves Lck and Fyn kinases and signaling through MEK1/ERK, p38 MAP kinase, and calcineurin

Major histocompatibility complex class I‐related chain (MICA) is a cell stress‐regulated molecule recognized by cytotoxic cells expressing the NKG2D molecule. MICA can be induced on T cells after CD3 or CD28 engagement. Here, we investigated the intracellular pathways leading to activation‐induced expression of MICA. The Src kinase inhibitor PP1 inhibited up‐regulated expression of MICA on anti‐CD3‐stimulated T cells. Downstream signaling routes involved mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase (MEK)1/extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK), p38 MAPK, and calcineurin, as MICA expression was prevented by U0126, SB202190, cyclosporin A, and FK506. Also, Lck and Fyn as well as MEK1/ERK and p38 MAPK were found to regulate MICA expression in anti‐CD28/phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate‐stimulated T cells. Expression of MICA on activated T cells involved interleukin‐2‐dependent signaling routes triggered by Janus tyrosine kinases/signal transducer and activators of transcription and p70S6 kinase, as it could be inhibited by AG490 and rapamycin. This is the first demonstration of the intracellular pathways involved in activation‐induced expression of MICA, which may reveal potential targets for immune intervention to modulate MICA expression in pathological disorders.
Clutter filter wave imaging (CFWI): A new way to visualize and detect mechanical waves propagation

In the last 10 years the advent of high frame rate ultrasound imaging has allowed the visualization and study of mechanical wave propagation in order to estimate the elastic properties of tissue. Theses waves are detected through the estimation of motion induced by the wave propagation. Despite efficient motion estimator such as speckle tracking or Tissue Doppler Imaging (TDI), the detection of mechanical waves still remains challenging. Moreover, such techniques can be time consuming and dependent on several tunable parameters. In this work, we present a new, simple and fast method allowing the detection of mechanical waves without using any motion estimator.
Control of murine gammaherpesvirus infection is independent of NK cells

Numerous studies have shown that NK cells are important in controlling the early stages of infection with alpha‐ or betaherpesviruses. In contrast, little is known about the impact of NK cells on gammaherpesvirus infections. We tested mice with defects in NK cells for their ability to resist murine gammaherpesvirus (MHV‐68) infection. The depletion of NK cells had no effect on the control of the acute or latent stages of the infection. In addition, transgenic mice deficient in NK cells controlled the infection in a comparable manner to wild‐type mice. We also showed that the antiviral CD8 T cell response was unaffected by the presence or absence NK cells. We conclude that NK cells contribute little to the control of MHV‐68 infection, and therefore, NK cells are not essential for controlling all herpesvirus infections.
Oxytocin excites gastric‐related neurones in rat dorsal vagal complex.

1. Dorsal medullary injections of oxytocin (OT) influence gastric motor and secretory function via a vagally mediated mechanism. Thus, it was hypothesized that OT altered the firing rate of brain stem vagal neurones that were specifically related to gastric function. 2. To study this, glass microelectrode/injection pipette arrays were used to record the activity of gastric‐related neurones in the dorsal vagal complex (DVC), which includes vagal sensory neurones in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) and motor neurones in the dorsal motor nucleus (DMN). After identifying such a neurone, spontaneous activity was monitored before and after micropressure injection of OT and vehicle solutions from the pipettes. 3. Two methods were used to identify neurones that were related to gastric function. One method employed a gastric balloon to identify DVC neurones that were responsive to gastric inflation. The second method employed a gastric vagal stimulating electrode, which permitted the identification of gastric‐related NTS and DMN cells via orthodromic or antidromic activation, respectively. 4. Twenty‐four of forty‐two gastric‐inflation‐related neurones responded to administration of OT (100‐400 fmol in 100‐400 pl). The majority of those responding to OT were activated by this peptide (21/24). All the cells tested (n = 13) remained sensitive to gastric inflation after administration of OT. Also, OT was found to excite the majority of cells that were identified as gastric‐related NTS (nine excited; one no effect) or DMN cells (eleven excited; two no effect). 5. These studies support the hypothesis that central oxytocinergic neurones influence gastric motility and secretion by increasing the excitability of central vagal neurones in the NTS and DMN that are related to gastric function.
Highly Efficient Fe–N–C Electrocatalyst for Oxygen Reduction Derived from Core–Shell-Structured Fe(OH)3@Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework

Fe–N–C electrocatalysts represent one of the most promising oxygen reduction catalysts to replace the expensive platinum (Pt)-based catalysts in fuel cells. Herein, we report a highly efficient zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF)-derived Fe–N–C electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in both alkaline and acidic solutions, which involves the formation of a core–shell-structured Fe(OH)3@ZIF-8. The encapsulated Fe(OH)3 in ZIF-8 gradually evolves into iron oxide with the increasing temperature during the carbonization, which plays several roles including creating Fe–Nx active sites, retaining morphology as a rigid template as well as tuning the carbon microstructure. The best-performing C–Fe(OH)3@ZIF-1000 catalyst features a hollow polyhedron (interior cavity: ca. 48 nm) with a thin carbon shell (ca. 5 nm), exhibiting a high Brunauer–Emmet–Teller (BET) surface area of 1021 m2 g–1. In alkaline solution, the ORR activity of C–Fe(OH)3@ZIF-1000 surpasses the benchmark Pt/C catalyst, with the onse.
Carool Kersten. lslam in Indonesia: The Contest for Society, Ideas and Values

Within Indonesia there are wide divergences over the role of religion in public life, and this is particularly the case in Indonesian Islam. Assessing these divergences, commentators have often tended to view Islam as ‘polarised’ into two main groups: conservative and progressive. There has also been a focus on the criticisms by more conservative and reactionary Islamic groups of the country’s democratisation as un-Islamic; these call upon Muslims to criticise Indonesian democracy as overly secular and excessively liberal. Given the weakness of Indonesia’s postSuharto democracy, and the many divisions between its political elites, it has been relatively easy for Islamic groups to pursue their aims and agendas, in particular their hostility towards other religious groups and organisations. Carool Kersten’s text examines the agendas and impact of Islamic groups, showing how the usual dichotomy of conservative/progressive is of limited heuristic value. He also analyses the reaction to Islamic groups by what he terms their relatively more “open-minded and progressive” opponents.
Fat repositioning in lower eyelid blepharoplasty.

Cosmetic lower eyelid surgery is not about removing excess skin, muscle, and fat. Rather, it is about restoring eyelid/midface contour. By the third decade of life, the suborbital orbicularis oculi fat begins to descend and the orbital septum weakens and bows forward creating the classic "double convexity deformity. " The removal of eyelid fat simply converts this deformity to a "concavity/convexity deformity. " The lower eyelid fat redistribution procedure, as described herein, can be used to address this problem.