Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Limited immune surveillance in lymphoid tissue by cytolytic CD4+ T cells during health and HIV disease

CD4+ T cells subsets have a wide range of important helper and regulatory functions in the immune system. Several studies have specifically suggested that circulating effector CD4+ T cells may play a direct role in control of HIV replication through cytolytic activity or autocrine β-chemokine production. However, it remains unclear whether effector CD4+ T cells expressing cytolytic molecules and β-chemokines are present within lymph nodes (LNs), a major site of HIV replication. Here, we report that expression of β-chemokines and cytolytic molecules are enriched within a CD4+ T cell population with high levels of the T-box transcription factors T-bet and eomesodermin (Eomes). This effector population is predominately found in peripheral blood and is limited in LNs regardless of HIV infection or treatment status. As a result, CD4+ T cells generally lack effector functions in LNs, including cytolytic capacity and IFNγ and β-chemokine expression, even in HIV elite controllers and during acute/early HIV infection. While we do find the presence of degranulating CD4+ T cells in LNs, these cells do not bear functional or transcriptional effector T cell properties and are inherently poor to form stable immunological synapses compared to their peripheral blood counterparts. We demonstrate that CD4+ T cell cytolytic function, phenotype, and programming in the peripheral blood is dissociated from those characteristics found in lymphoid tissues. Together, these data challenge our current models based on blood and suggest spatially and temporally dissociated mechanisms of viral control in lymphoid tissues.
Metastasis in context: modeling the tumor microenvironment with cancer-on-a-chip approaches

ABSTRACT Most cancer deaths are not caused by the primary tumor, but by secondary tumors formed through metastasis, a complex and poorly understood process. Cues from the tumor microenvironment, such as the biochemical composition, cellular population, extracellular matrix, and tissue (fluid) mechanics, have been indicated to play a pivotal role in the onset of metastasis. Dissecting the role of these cues from the tumor microenvironment in a controlled manner is challenging, but essential to understanding metastasis. Recently, cancer-on-a-chip models have emerged as a tool to study the tumor microenvironment and its role in metastasis. These models are based on microfluidic chips and contain small chambers for cell culture, enabling control over local gradients, fluid flow, tissue mechanics, and composition of the local environment. Here, we review the recent contributions of cancer-on-a-chip models to our understanding of the role of the tumor microenvironment in the onset of metastasis, and provide an outlook for future applications of this emerging technology. Summary: This Review evaluates the recent contributions of cancer-on-a-chip models to our understanding of the tumor microenvironment and its role in the onset of metastasis. The authors also provide an outlook for future applications of this emerging technology.
Layer-by-layer surfactants on silica nanoparticles for active corrosion protection

Developing active corrosion protection coatings for metals and alloys is one of the important issues for several industries. The present study aimed to assess the corrosion protection efficiency of 2024 aluminium alloy (AA2024) by employing surfactant modified silica nanocontainers capable of releasing entrapped corrosion inhibitors in a controllable manner. Inhibitor loaded silica nanocontainers were synthesised by layer-by-layer (LbL) deposition of surfactants and corrosion inhibitor on silica nanoparticles. The LbL deposition process was confirmed by light scattering (Zetasizer) and UV-vis spectroscopy results. The kinetic assessments of the inhibitor release from nanocontainers showed increasing acidity and temperature increases concentration of inhibitors. The anti-corrosion assessments including low corrosion current density and other electrochemical parameters of paint coating doped with 5 wt-% nanocontainers on the AA2024 revealed beneficial effect of inhibitor loaded nanocontainers on passive and active corrosion protection.
The potential relevance of the endocannabinoid, 2-arachidonoylglycerol, in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is an aggressive, genetically heterogenerous disease and the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma among adults. To gain further insights into the etiology of DLBCL and to discover potential disease-related factors, we performed a serum lipid analysis on a subset of individuals from a population-based NHL case-control study. An untargeted mass-spectrometry-based metabolomics platform was used to analyze serum samples from 100 DLBCL patients and 100 healthy matched controls. Significantly elevated levels of the endocannabinoid, 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), were detected in the serum of DLBCL patients (121%, P < 0.05). In the male controls, elevated 2-AG levels were observed in those who were overweight (BMI ≥ 25 - < 30 kg/m2; 108%, P < 0.01) and obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2; 118%, P < 0.001) compared to those with a BMI < 25 kg/m2. DLBCL cell lines treated with exogenous 2-AG across a range of concentrations, exhibited heterogenous responses: proliferation rates were markedly higher in 4 cell lines by 22%-68% (P < 0.001) and lower in 8 by 20%-75% (P < 0.001). The combined findings of elevated 2-AG levels in DLBCL patients and the proliferative effects of 2-AG on a subset of DLBCL cell lines suggests that 2-AG may play a potential role in the pathogenesis or progression of a subset of DLBCLs.
Chapter 13 Patterns for Self-Adaptation in Cyber-Physical Systems

Engineering Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) is challenging, as these systems have to handle uncertainty and change during operation. A typical approach to deal with uncertainty is enhancing the system with self-adaptation capabilities. However, realizing self-adaptation in CPS, and consequently also in Cyber-Physical Production Systems (CPPS) as a member of the CPS family, is particularly challenging due to the specific characteristics of these systems, including the seamless integration of computational and physical components, the inherent heterogeneity and large-scale of such systems, and their open-endedness. In this chapter we survey CPS studies that apply the promising design strategy of combining different self-adaptation mechanisms across the technology stack of the system. Based on the survey results, we derive recurring adaptation patterns that structure and consolidate design knowledge. The patterns offer problem-solution pairs to engineers for the design of future CPS and CPPS with self-adaptation capabilities. Finally, the chapter outlines the potential of Collective Intelligence Systems for CPPS and their engineering based on the survey results.
THE ‘ABC’ OF GABA RECEPTORS: A BRIEF REVIEW

1. In the mammalian central nervous system, GABA is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter. GABA is a highly flexible molecule and, thus, can exist in many low‐energy conformations. Conformationally restricted analogues of GABA have been used to help identify three major GABA receptors, termed GABAA, GABAB and GABAC receptors.
Early Fertility and Labor Market Segmentation: Evidence from Madagascar

Women represent the majority of informal sector workers in developing countries, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa where adolescent pregnancy rates are high. Little empirical evidence exists concerning the relationship between teen fertility and the likelihood that a woman will be employed in the informal sector. Using a panel survey in Madagascar designed to capture the transition from adolescence to adulthood, we estimate a multinomial logit model to capture the effect of the timing of first birth on female selection into four categories: non-participation, informal, formal, and student. To address the endogeneity of fertility and labor market outcomes, we instrument the timing of first birth using young women's community-level access, and duration of exposure to family planning. Our results suggest that motherhood increases the probability of employment for young women and that women whose first birth occurs during adolescence largely select into low-quality informal jobs. This effect is partially, but not entirely, mediated by the effect of teen pregnancy on schooling.
The Effect of UV Treatment on the Osteoconductive Capacity of Zirconia-Based Materials

Objective: Improvements in the bioactivity of zirconia implants for accelerated healing and reduced morbidity have been of continuing interest in the fields of dentistry and orthopedic surgery. The aim of the present study was to examine whether UV treatment increases the osteoconductivity of zirconia-based materials. Materials and Methods: Smooth and rough zirconia-based disks and cylindrical implants were treated with UV light for 15 min and subsequently placed in rat femurs. Surface characterization was performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and contact angle measurements. Results: In vivo histomorphometry revealed that the percentage of bone-implant contact and the amount of bone volume, formed around UV-treated implants, increased by 3–7-fold for smooth surfaces and by 1.4–1.7-fold for rough surfaces compared to non-treated specimens at Weeks 2 and 4 of healing, respectively. A biomechanical test showed that UV treatment accelerated the establishment of bone-zirconia integration and enhanced the strength of the bone-implant interface by two-fold. Additionally, surface characterization of the zirconia disks revealed that UV treatment decreased the amount of surface carbon and converted the hydrophilic status from hydrophobic to superhydrophilic. Conclusions: This study indicates that UV light pretreatment enhances the osteoconductive capacity of zirconia-based materials.
Current Progress of Virus-mimicking Nanocarriers for Drug Delivery

Nanomedicines often involve the use of nanocarriers as a delivery system for drugs or genes for maximizing the therapeutic effect and/or minimizing the adverse effect. From drug administration to therapeutic activity, nanocarriers must evade the host's immune system, specifically and efficiently target and enter the cell, and release their payload into the cell cytoplasm by endosomal escape. These processes constitute the early infection stage of viruses. Viruses are a powerful natural nanomaterial for the efficient delivery of genetic information by sophisticated mechanisms. Over the past two decades, many virus-inspired nanocarriers have been generated to permit successful drug and gene delivery. In this review, we summarize the early infection machineries of viruses, of which the part has so far been utilized for delivery systems. Furthermore, we describe basics and applications of the bio-nanocapsule, which is a hepatitis B virus-mimicking nanoparticle harboring nearly all activities involved in the early infection machineries (i.e., stealth activity, targeting activity, cell entry activity, endosomal escaping activity).
Subcutaneous Dissociative Conscious Sedation a new approach to Endobronchial Intubation: Awake Endobronchial Intubation

Introduction: Lung isolation and one lung ventilation are inseparable components of thoracic surgery and thoracic an- esthesia to provide patent airway and adequate surgical exposure. Endobronchial intubation is usually done under general anesthesia. The aim of this study is the evaluation of the feasibility of awake Double Lumen endobronchial intubation. Subcutaneous Dissociative conscious sedation (as a recently introduced method) is defined as using subcutaneous injection of ketamine in conjunction with intravenous narcotics and topical oropharyngeal anesthesia to achieve an acceptable level of sedation, amnesia and pain relief for airway manipulation. This clinical trial was planned in order to evaluate subcutane- ous Dissociative Conscious Sedation versus general anesthesia for endobronchial intubation. Methods and Materials: This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 100 patients. In group A, patients were admin- istered ketamine subcutaneously and morphine sulfate as premedication and general anesthesia was induced by adminis- tration of Na-thiopental and atracurium. In group B patients underwent DCS and were on spontaneous ventilation and received supplemental oxygen by simple mask before intubation. Hemodynamic variables were recorded. Side effects were recorded as well. Results: In comparison to general anesthesia there was no significant hemodynamic instability, and no statistically signifi - cant increase in the incidence of nausea and vomiting was detected in this method. Despite cooperation during laryngos- copy and endobronchial intubation all the patients were amnestic. Conclusion: Dissociative conscious sedation is an acceptable alternative to general anesthesia for endobronchial intubation.
Clinicopathological factors and gastric cancer prognosis in the iranian population: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND Gastric cancer is the most common cancer in the Iranian population. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of clinicopathological factors on prognosis by meta-analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS A literature search was conducted using MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane library and extensive literature search using the Persian databases until February 2011. Prospective follow up studies with multivariate analysis of overall survival of the patients with gastric cancer were included in this review. The data were analyzed by CMA.2. Publication bias are checked by funnel plot and data are shown as Forest plots. RESULTS From a total of 63 articles, 14 retrospective studies which examined 5 prognostic factors and involving 10,500 patients were included. Tumor size (>35mm) was the main significant factor predicting an unfavorable prognosis for the patients with gastric cancer (RR=1.829 , p<0.001) followed by presence of distant metastases (RR=1.607 , p<0.001), poor differentiation (RR=1.408 , p<0.001) and male sex (RR=1.194, p<0.001). Lymph node metastases (RR=1.058, p=0.698) and moderate differentiation (RR=0.836, p=0.043) were not statistically significant as prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS This meta-analysis suggests that tumor size>35mm, poor differentiation, presence of distant metastasis and male gender are strongly associated with a poor prognosis in Iranian patients with gastric cancer.
Charge Transfer Spectrophotometric Determination of Zolmitriptan in Pure and Dosage Forms

A facile, accurate, sensitive and validated spectrophotometric method for the determination of zolmitriptan (ZMT) in pure and dosage forms is described. The methods are based on the formation of charge transfer reactions between ZMT and chromogenic reagents 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ); p-chloranilic acid (P-CLA), quinalizarin (Quiz) and alizarin red S (ARS) producing charge transfer complexes which showed an absorption maximum at 840, 532, 554 and 534 nm for TCNQ, P-CLA, Quiz and ARS, respectively. The optimization of the reaction conditions such as the type of solvent, reagent concentration and reaction time were investigated. Beer’s law is obeyed in the concentration ranges 1.0-140 μg mL -1 . The molar absorptivity, Sandell sensitivity, detection and quantification limits are also calculated. The correlation coefficient was ≥0.9991 (n=6) with a relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) of ≤ 1.01. The proposed methods were successfully applied for simultaneous determination of zolmitriptan in tablets with good accuracy and precision and without interferences from common additives and the validity assesses by applying the standard addition technique, which compared with those obtained using the reported method.
Activities of chitinase enzymes in the oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) in interactions with pathogenic and non-pathogenic fungi

Ganoderma boninense Pat. is a fungal pathogen that causes basal stem rot disease in the oil palm (Elaeis guineensis jacq.). Chitinases are important defence enzymes in plants. In this study, the activities of chitinase was analyzed at various time points in roots and leaves of oil palm in the presence of G. boninense and Trichoderma harzianum (a biocontrol fungus used to combat G. boninense infection), either alone or together. At two weeks post infection, G. boninense alone treatment showed significant chitinase activity of 35.28 and 30.83 U/mg in the roots and in leaves of oil palms, respectively. In the treatments with T. harzianum alone or in combination with G. boninense the chitinase activity was significantly increased (compared to control plants) to 15.14 and 18.8 U/mg in leaf tissue, and 26.11 and 22.08 U/mg in root tissue, respectively at two weeks post inoculation. This suggests that the chitinase enzyme activity induced by T. harzianum in oil palms may have a role in the defence response against microbial pathogen infections.
Hsp40/70/110 chaperones adapt nuclear protein quality control to serve cytosolic clients

Misfolded cytosolic proteins are degraded by the ubiquitin proteasome system through quality control (QC) pathways defined by E3 ubiquitin ligases and associated chaperones. Although they work together as a comprehensive system to monitor cytosolic protein folding, their respective contributions remain unclear. To bridge existing gaps, the pathways mediated by the San1 and Ubr1 E3 ligases were studied coordinately. We show that pathways share the same complement of chaperones needed for substrate trafficking, ubiquitination, and degradation. The significance became clear when Ubr1, like San1, was localized primarily to the nucleus. Appending nuclear localization signals to cytosolic substrates revealed that Ydj1 and Sse1 are needed for substrate nuclear import, whereas Ssa1/Ssa2 is needed both outside and inside the nucleus. Sis1 is required to process all substrates inside the nucleus, but its role in trafficking is substrate specific. Together, these data show that using chaperones to traffic misfolded cytosolic proteins into the nucleus extends the nuclear protein QC pathway to include cytosolic clients.
THE CANCER TREATMENT SYSTEM AT HYOGO ION BEAM MEDICAL CENTER (HIBMC)

Hyogo Ion Beam Medical Center is a new ion beam treatment facility which was opened in April 2001. Ion beam treatment at this center comprises an irradiation system, a treatment planning system and a treatment verification system. The irradiation system consists of huge machines that might seem to play a major role in ion beam therapy, however, two other systems also play absolutely important role . Holistic and highly precise functions of these three systems are essential and cooperative work among radiation oncologists, medical physicists, radiological technologists and nurses is more important than anything else in performing this highly sophisticated treatment.
Influence of Blue Mussel (Mytilus edulis) Intake on Disease Activity in Female Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: The MIRA Randomized Cross-Over Dietary Intervention

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease. This study evaluates the effect of blue mussel intake on disease activity and quality of life in women with RA. Thirty-nine women with established RA and a disease activity score 28 (DAS28) >3.0 were recruited to a randomized 2 × 11-week cross-over dietary intervention. The participants continued with their medication and habitual diet and exchanged one cooked meal a day, five days a week, with a meal including 75 g blue mussels or 75 g meat. Diets were switched after an eight week washout period. Data regarding quality of life (SF-36), blood lipids, erythrocyte sediment rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) and tender and swollen joints were examined at the start and end of each dietary period. Thirty women completed one period, and twenty-three completed both. Intake of the blue mussel diet led to a significant reduction of DAS28-CRP (p = 0.048), but not DAS28. The number of EULAR (European League Against Rheumatism) criteria moderate and good responders were higher when consuming blue mussel diet (p = 0.036). Blood lipids did not change. To conclude, blue mussel intake reduced disease symptoms in women with RA and improved perceived health. The reported effects need to be confirmed by non-patient reported outcomes, such as inflammation markers.
Physiological and genetic control of vigour in a 'Ramsey' × 'Riparia Gloire de Montpellier' population

Vigour control in grapevine can be achieved by grafting with particular rootstocks, and may become especially important under climate change. This research studied the F1 progeny from the cross of 'Ramsey' × 'Riparia Gloire de Montpellier' rootstocks, known to confer high and low vigour, respectively. We hypothesized that vigour correlates with growth rate, leaf area, biomass partitioning, plant hydraulics and gas exchange; and that these variables could be associated with genetic markers. We evaluated 138 seedlings from this cross, three replicates each, for 60 days in a greenhouse at UC Davis, California, during summer 2014 and 2015. Each plant was pruned to a single shoot and watered daily. Shoot growth rate, leaf area and dry biomass were measured for the complete population, both years. In 2014, after day 45, 40 genotypes were subjected to a 50% water deficit, based from initial weight at full pot capacity, and plant and root hydraulic conductance's, stomatal conductance and water potential were measured. The progeny showed transgressive segregation and significant differences in vigour. A PCA analysis showed a strong role for shoot growth rate, specific leaf area, plant hydraulics and partitioning indices for vigour determination. Under water stress, larger plants showed less specific hydraulic and stomatal conductance's, indicating higher sensibility upon drought. Significant QTLs for leaf area, specific leaf area and partitioning indices were found on chromosomes 1, 4, 16, and 5; accounting for 20% of explained variability for leaf area, and from 10 to 14% of explained variability for specific leaf area and partitioning indices in 2014. Mapping data from 2015 is being analysed.
Correlation of oncoprotein 18/stathmin expression in human breast cancer with established prognostic factors

Oncoprotein 18/stathmin (Op18) is a conserved cytosolic phosphoprotein that regulates microtubule dynamics. The microtubule destabilizing activity is regulated by phosphorylation, mediated by both growth factor stimulated- and cell-cycle regulating kinases. The protein is highly expressed in a variety of human malignancies. In human breast carcinoma, Op18 has previously been shown to be up-regulated in a subset of the tumours, however, no correlation with clinicopathologic characteristics has been reported so far. In the present study we have examined Op18 protein expression by quantitative Western blot analysis in a panel of 151 semi-consecutive breast carcinoma samples. Op18 levels were negatively correlated with oestrogen receptor (OR) expression and positively correlated with a high fraction of aneuploid cells, proliferation measured by proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression, tumour size and histopathologic grade. Taken together, and in contrast to what has been previously reported, the present study shows that high Op18 expression correlates with general predictive factors and is not restricted to a specific sub-group of breast carcinoma. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaign