Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cell Division Cycle 7 Is a Novel Regulator of Transforming Growth Factor-β-induced Smooth Muscle Cell Differentiation*

Background: Cell differentiation and proliferation are regulated simultaneously during early development, but the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Results: Cell division cycle 7 (Cdc7) regulates TGF-β-induced smooth muscle cell differentiation. Conclusion: Cdc7 is likely a common factor regulating both cell proliferation and differentiation. Significance: Our data provide a novel mechanism governing the synchronized regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation. Smooth muscle cell (SMC) differentiation and proliferation occur simultaneously during embryonic development. The underlying mechanisms especially common factors regulating both processes, however, remain largely unknown. The present study has identified cell division cycle 7 (Cdc7) as one of the factors mediating both the proliferation and SMC differentiation. TGF-β induces Cdc7 expression and phosphorylation in the initial phase of SMC differentiation of pluripotent mesenchymal C3H10T1/2 cells. Cdc7 specific inhibitor or shRNA knockdown suppresses TGF-β-induced expression of SMC early markers including α-SMA, SM22α, and calponin. Cdc7 overexpression, on the other hand, enhances SMC marker expression. Cdc7 function in inducing SMC differentiation is independent of Dumbbell former 4 or Dbf4, the catalytic subunit of Cdc7 critical for cell proliferation, suggesting that Cdc7 mediates SMC differentiation through a mechanism distinct from cell proliferation. Cdc7 regulates SMC differentiation via activating SMC marker gene transcription. Knockdown of Cdc7 by shRNA inhibits SMC marker gene promoter activities. Mechanistically, Cdc7 interacts with Smad3 to induce SMC differentiation. Smad3 is required for Cdc7 function in inducing SMC promoter activities and marker gene expression. Likewise, Cdc7 enhances Smad3 binding to SMC marker promoter via supporting Smad3 nuclear retention and physically interacting with Smad3. Taken together, our studies have demonstrated a novel role of Cdc7 in SMC differentiation.
Research on extraction technique of transformer core fundamental frequency vibration based on OLCM

This paper presents a new technique based on vibration measurement to diagnose power transformers, which is called the onload current method (OLCM). It can acquire the fundamental frequency component of the core vibration signal without running the transformer at the open-circuit condition. The diagnostic method adopted and the experimental test results are reported. Tests have been performed at normal operating conditions in both the manufactory and the laboratory. With the tests performed in the manufactory, the vibration characteristics of transformer windings and core are described, and then the principle of OLCM is introduced. To verify the validity of OLCM, the laboratory tests are conducted which relates the transformer vibrations to the simulative fault. But the presented method was verified on a 5-kVA transformer which is a very far cry from an actual power transformer. It needs to be developed further before OLCM can be used effectively on the transformer in the field
Thalamic Contribution to Cortical Processing of Taste and Expectation

Taste-related information reaches the gustatory cortex (GC) through two routes: a thalamic and a limbic pathway. While evidence is accumulating on limbic–cortical interactions in taste, very little information is available on the function of the gustatory thalamus in shaping GC activity. Here we rely on behavioral electrophysiological techniques to study taste-evoked activity in GC before and after inactivation of the parvicellular portion of the ventroposteromedial nucleus of thalamus (VPMpc; i.e., the gustatory thalamus). Gustatory stimuli were presented to rats either alone or preceded by an anticipatory cue. The reliance on two different behavioral contexts allowed us to investigate how the VPMpc mediates GC responses to uncued tastants, cued tastants, and anticipatory cues. Inactivation of the thalamus resulted in a dramatic reduction of taste processing in GC. However, responses to anticipatory cues were unaffected by this manipulation. The use of a cue-taste association paradigm also allowed for the identification of two subpopulations of taste-specific neurons: those that responded to gustatory stimulation and to the cue (i.e., cue-and-taste) and those that responded to tastants only (i.e., taste-only). Analyses of these two populations revealed differences in response dynamics and connectivity with the VPMpc. The results provide novel evidence for the role of VPMpc in shaping GC activity and demonstrate a previously unknown association between responsiveness to behavioral events, temporal dynamics, and thalamic connectivity in GC.
Neural Mechanisms of Credit Assignment in a Multicue Environment

In complex environments, many potential cues can guide a decision or be assigned responsibility for the outcome of the decision. We know little, however, about how humans and animals select relevant information sources that should guide behavior. We show that subjects solve this relevance selection and credit assignment problem by selecting one cue and its association with a particular outcome as the main focus of a hypothesis. To do this, we examined learning while using a task design that allowed us to estimate the focus of each subject's hypotheses on a trial-by-trial basis. When a prediction is confirmed by the outcome, then credit for the outcome is assigned to that cue rather than an alternative. Activity in medial frontal cortex is associated with the assignment of credit to the cue that is the main focus of the hypothesis. However, when the outcome disconfirms a prediction, the focus shifts between cues, and the credit for the outcome is assigned to an alternative cue. This process of reselection for credit assignment to an alternative cue is associated with lateral orbitofrontal cortex. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Learners should infer which features of environments are predictive of significant events, such as rewards. This “credit assignment” problem is particularly challenging when any of several cues might be predictive. We show that human subjects solve the credit assignment problem by implicitly “hypothesizing” which cue is relevant for predicting subsequent outcomes, and then credit is assigned according to this hypothesis. This process is associated with a distinctive pattern of activity in a part of medial frontal cortex. By contrast, when unexpected outcomes occur, hypotheses are redirected toward alternative cues, and this process is associated with activity in lateral orbitofrontal cortex.
To be on sick-leave due to heart failure: a qualitative perspective

Abstract Purpose: The aim of the present study was to explore and describe meanings of being on sick leave due to heart failure. Methods: The study was conducted in Sweden during 2011–2012. Five men and one woman, aged 46 to 62, were interviewed. A reflective life-world research approach based on phenomenological philosophy was used. The result of the analysis is presented in three themes. Results: To be on sick leave due to heart failure implies a life situation characterized by anxiety, insecurity and uncertainty. When rehabilitation professionals do not take on their professional responsibility, sick listed people with heart failure perceive they are dismissed and abandoned. If rehabilitation professionals take on their professional responsibility it can be experienced as supportive. Conclusions: People who are on sick leave due to heart failure are abandoned by rehabilitation professionals and they lack opportunities to participate in their own sick leave/rehabilitation processes. Rehabilitation professionals need to take more responsibility and allow the patients to participate by connecting and recognizing patients as equal human beings. The present results can be used by rehabilitation professionals to reflect on and discuss the needs of people on sick leave due to heart failure. Implications for Rehabilitation Heart failure is a chronic condition implying a complicated life-situation. People with heart failure experience abandonment by rehabilitation professionals and lack participation in their own rehabilitation process. In order to support people on sick leave due to heart failure collaboration and coordination between rehabilitation professionals are needed.
Phenytoin, phenobarbital, and midazolam fail to stop status epilepticus‐like activity induced by low magnesium in rat entorhinal slices, but can prevent its development

Objectives – It was shown previously that low‐Mg2+‐induced epileptiform activity in rat entorhinal cortex slices changes with time from a pattern of serial seizure‐like events (SLEs) to a state of continuously recurring epileptiform activity. Valproic acid blocked the early SLEs but not the late activity. It was proposed that the late activity is a model for pharmacoresistant status epilepticus since it was also refractory to phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, and midazolam. In the present study, it is demonstrated that phenytoin (50 μM, n=6), phenobarbital (150 μM, n=7), and midazolam (50 μM, n=5) were able to block the early SLEs but not the late activity at the same concentrations. Carbamazepine (50 μM) reduced the duration of the SLEs from 21±5 s to 4±3 s (P<0.01), the interictal interval from 123±27 s to 27±19 s (P<0.01), the SLE‐associated rise of [K+]0 from 7.7±0.5 mM to 5.7±0.8 mM (n=4, P<0.05), and the spread of the SLE between entorhinal cortex and neocortex from 4.0±0.6 s to 0.8±0.1 s (n=4, P<0.05). Lower concentrations of phenytoin (5 and 10 μM, n=5), carbamazepine (10 μM, n=6), and phenobarbital (50 μM, n=4) had no effect. In conclusion, the hypothesis is supported that low‐Mg2+‐induced epileptiform activity in rat entorhinal cortex is an in vitro model for the transition from pharmacosensitive to pharmacoresistant status epilepticus.
Fast Screening Algorithm for Rotation and Scale Invariant Template Matching

This paper presents a generic pre-processor for expediting conventional template matching techniques. Instead of locating the best matched patch in the reference image to a query template via exhaustive search, the proposed algorithm rules out regions with no possible matches with minimum computational efforts. While working on simple patch features, such as mean, variance and gradient, the fast pre-screening is highly discriminative. Its computational efficiency is gained by using a novel octagonal-star-shaped template and the inclusion-exclusion principle to extract and compare patch features. Moreover, it can handle arbitrary rotation and scaling of reference images effectively. Extensive experiments demonstrate that the proposed algorithm greatly reduces the search space while never missing the best match.
c‐Met identifies a population of matrix metalloproteinase 9‐producing monocytes in peritumoural stroma of hepatocellular carcinoma

Macrophages (Mϕ) are prominent components of solid tumours and exhibit distinct phenotypes in different microenvironments. Previously, we found that tumours could alter the normal developmental process of Mϕ to trigger transient activation of monocytes in the peritumoural stroma of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the present study, we showed that a fraction of monocytes in the peritumoural stroma, but not in HCC cancer nests, expressed surface c‐Met molecules. Monocytes exposed to tumours strongly expressed c‐Met proteins with kinetics similar to their activation status, and significant correlations were found between c‐Met levels and HLA‐DR expression on tumour‐infiltrating monocytes. NF‐κB‐mediated autocrine TNF‐α stimulated the expression of c‐Met on activated monocytes, and by interacting with its ligand hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), c‐Met increased the motility and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 9‐producing capacity of tumour‐associated monocytes. The intensity of c‐Met expression on tumour‐infiltrating monocytes was associated with high mortality and reduced survival of patients with HCC. Therefore, the expression of c‐Met on activated monocytes/Mϕ may represent a novel mechanism by which a tumour actively and precisely regulates the distribution and functions of these cells to facilitate disease progression. Copyright © 2015 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Impact of Afirma gene expression classifier on cytopathology diagnosis and rate of thyroidectomy

The Afirma gene expression classifier (GEC) assesses malignancy risk in patients with indeterminate thyroid nodules. Afirma putatively reduces costs by classifying certain nodules as benign and thereby avoiding unnecessary surgery. Prior studies have evaluated its impact exclusively on GEC‐tested nodules. The objective of the current study was to analyze the effect of Afirma on 1) cytopathology diagnosis, 2) the rate of surgery, and 3) the rate of malignancy on all indeterminate nodules at a high‐volume thyroid center.
X-ray Crystal Structure of Teicoplanin A2-2 Bound to a Catalytic Peptide Sequence via the Carrier Protein Strategy

We report the X-ray crystal structure of a site-selective peptide catalyst moiety and teicoplanin A2-2 complex. The expressed protein ligation technique was used to couple T4 lysozyme (T4L) and a synthetic peptide catalyst responsible for the selective phosphorylation of the N-acetylglucosamine sugar in a teicoplanin A2-2 derivative. The T4L-Pmh-dPro-Aib-dAla-dAla construct was crystallized in the presence of teicoplanin A2-2. The resulting 2.3 Å resolution protein–peptide–teicoplanin complex crystal structure revealed that the nucleophilic nitrogen of N-methylimidazole in the Pmh residue is in closer proximity (7.6 Å) to the N-acetylglucosamine than the two other sugar rings present in teicoplanin (9.3 and 20.3 Å, respectively). This molecular arrangement is consistent with the observed selectivity afforded by the peptide-based catalyst when it is applied to a site-selective phosphorylation reaction involving a teicoplanin A2-2 derivative.
A Planar End-Fire Circularly Polarized Complementary Antenna With Beam in Parallel With Its Plane

Operation principle and design approach of a novel planar end-lire circularly polarized (CP) complementary antenna is proposed. A vertically polarized printed magnetic dipole and a horizontally polarized printed dipole are combined on the same substrate, and a planar CP antenna with end-lire beam in parallel with its plane is thus designed. Prototype antennas centered at 5.80 GHz are then fabricated and measured to validate the operation principle and the design approach. The experimental prototype reported that the impedance bandwidth (20 log |S11| ( <; -10 dB) is about 1.90%, from 5.75 to 5.86 GHz and the 3-dB axial ratio (AR) bandwidth is about 14.48%, from 5.19 to 6.00 GHz. Therefore, the proposed design is applicable as a low-prolile handheld reader antenna in radio-frequency identilication (RFID) systems.
Construction and Characterization of a Derivative of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Strain MS11 Devoid of All opa Genes

ABSTRACT To better understand the role of Opa in gonococcal infections, we created and characterized a derivative of MS11 (MS11Δopa) that had the coding sequence for all 11 Opa proteins deleted. The MS11Δopa bacterium lost the ability to bind to purified lipooligosaccharide (LOS). While nonpiliated MS11Δopa and nonpiliated Opa-expressing MS11 cells grew at the same rate, nonpiliated MS11Δopa cells rarely formed clumps of more than four bacteria when grown in broth with vigorous shaking. Using flow cytometry analysis, we demonstrated that MS11Δopa produced a homogeneous population of bacteria that failed to bind monoclonal antibody (MAb) 4B12, a MAb specific for Opa. Opa-expressing MS11 cells consisted of two predominant populations, where ∼85% bound MAb 4B12 to a significant level and the other population bound little if any MAb. Approximately 90% of bacteria isolated from a phenotypically Opa-negative colony (a colony that does not refract light) failed to bind MAb 4B12; the remaining 10% bound MAb to various degrees. Piliated MS11Δopa cells formed dispersed microcolonies on ME180 cells which were visually distinct from those of piliated Opa-expressing MS11 cells. When Opa expression was reintroduced into MS11Δopa, the adherence ability of the strain recovered to wild-type levels. These data indicate that Opa contributes to both bacterium-bacterium and bacterium-host cell interactions.
A Fast and Efficient Multi-View Depth Image Coding Method Based on Temporal and Inter-View Correlations of Texture Images

Multi-view video plus depth format, which includes texture and depth images, has been recently introduced as a video representation to support depth perception of scenes and efficient view generation at arbitrary positions. Especially, a depth image has been one of the significantly important issues for successful services of 3-D video applications. In this paper, we introduce a fast and efficient multi-view depth image coding method using the texture images. The proposed method determines to skip some blocks of the depth image at the early stage without a normal encoding process including rate-distortion optimization, based on temporal and inter-view correlations between the previously encoded texture images. The skipped blocks are predicted from the neighboring depth images. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method not only achieves the drastically high coding performance but also reduces the complexity of the encoder.
How do ectoparasitic nycteribiids locate their bat hosts?

SUMMARY Nycteribiids (Diptera: Nycteribiidae) are specific haematophagous ectoparasites of bats, which spend nearly all their adult lives on hosts. However, females have to leave bats to deposit their larva on the walls of the roosts, where they later emerge as adult flies. Nycteribiids had thus to evolve efficient sensorial mechanisms to locate hosts from a distance. We studied the sensory cues involved in this process, experimentally testing the role of specific host odours, and general cues such as carbon dioxide, body heat, and vibrations. As models we used two nycteribiids (Penicillidia conspicua and Penicillidia dufourii) and their primary bat hosts (Miniopterus schreibersii and Myotis myotis, respectively). Carbon dioxide was the most effective cue activating and orientating the responses of nycteribiids, followed by body heat and body odours. They also responded to vibration, but did not orientate to its source. In addition, sensory cues combined (carbon dioxide and body heat) were more effective in orientating nycteribiids than either cue delivered alone. Results suggest that nycteribids have some capacity to distinguish specific hosts from a distance, probably through their specific body odours. However, the strong reliance of nycteribiids on cues combined indicates that they follow these to orientate to nearby multispecies bat clusters, where the chances of finding their primary hosts are high. The combination of sensory cues seems therefore an effective strategy used by nycteribiids to locate bat hosts at a distance.
Interaction between genetic and environmental risk factors for Alzheimer's disease: A reanalysis of case‐control studies

To study the interaction among genetic and environmental risk factors, a reanalysis of case‐control studies of Alzheimer's disease (AD) was conducted based on the original data of all studies carried out to January 1, 1990. Seven studies were included in the present analysis, comprising a total of 814 AD patients and 894 control subjects. When comparing those with a positive and negative family history of dementia, similar odds ratio were found for late maternal age [1.7; 95% confidence interval (0.6–4.8) vs. 2.0 (1.1–3.5)], head trauma [1.7 (0.7–4.2) vs. 1.9 (1.1–3.2)], and history of depression [2.0 (0.2–19.8) vs. 2.1 (0.8–1.7)]. This suggests a model in which these risk factors increase the risk for AD independent of family history of dementia. Among those with a positive family history of dementia, the odds ratios for family history of Down's syndrome [4.2 (0.9–20.0))] and of Parkinson's disease [3.3 (0.4–28.2)] tended to be higher than among those with a negative family history of dementia [2.6 (0.8–8.5) and 2.4 (0.8–7.0), respectively]. However, for both disorders the difference in odds ratio was not statistically significant. For history of cigarette smoking, there was no association to AD for those with no first degree relatives with dementia and an inverse relation with AD for those with a positive family history. Although in all analyses, family history of dementia remained significantly associated with AD in the absence of other factors, the odds ratio associated with family history of dementia tended to be lower for those with a positive smoking history, particularly for those with two or more affected relatives. These findings suggest that smoking may interact specifically with a genetically determined process. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The basic helix-loop-helix-zipper domain of TFE3 mediates enhancer-promoter interaction

Binding sites for three families of sequence-specific DNA-binding proteins, microE3, C/EBP, and OCT, are found in both the promoters and the intronic enhancer of the immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene. We have used a cotransfection system to investigate how proteins binding these sites may participate in enhancer-promoter interactions. Basic helix-loop-helix-zipper (BHLHZIP) proteins TFE3 and TFEB activate from a distance in this assay, but the basic zipper (BZIP) protein NF-IL6 and endogenous OCT-binding proteins do not. Our results suggest that remotely bound TFE3 is recruited to the initiation site by association with proximally bound TFE3; this interaction is mediated by the BHLHZIP domain and not by activation domains of TFE3. The BZIP domain of Ig/EBP lacks this activity, revealing an important functional difference between these structurally related dimerization domains. We also show that TFE3 can exist as a tetramer in solution and that tetramerization is determined by the HLHZIP domain. These data support a model in which protein-protein interactions between proximally and remotely bound TFE3 recruit TFE3 to the initiation site for activation. The IgH gene is the first example of a cellular gene in which proximal and distal binding sites are found for a protein capable of mediating enhancer-promoter interaction.
RATIONALE FOR THE HISTOLOGICAL SPECTRUM OF TUBERCULOSIS. A BASIS FOR CLASSIFICATION

&NA; There is need to re‐appraise the cellular response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Histological analysis of 54 untreated patients with established disease demonstrated a continuous spectrum of tissue responses in which six groups correlated with evidence of resistance to bacterial multiplication. A predominance of cases in the two middle groups (82%) signified an immunological equilibrium in middle grade resistant patients that is absent in related diseases such as leprosy and cutaneous leishmaniasis. The dominant feature was necrosis, which increased progressively across the spectrum. Its form varied from minimal fibrinoid change, through fine eosinophilic necrosis, to basophilic necrosis characterized by neutrophil karyorrhexis, and finally to an almost acellular lesion with many bacilli. Cytological differentiation of the granuloma was of subsidiary significance, mature epithelioid cells being found only in high resistant cases. No correlation was found for the number of lymphocytes. This classification is thought to be an accurate reflection of the immune state in relation to antigenic load. It raises a hitherto unconsidered possibility that “caseation”, a loosely applied macroscopic term, may embrace immunologically distinct states. The classification of multiple lesions was consistent. Histology offers a promising basis for further immunopathological investigation.