Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dynamic Localization of Vapor Fraction in Turbo Pump Inducers by X-Ray Tomography

An experimental study of the instantaneous local behavior of cavitation in turbo-pump inducers is presented in this article. Experiments held on a hydrodynamic facility equipped with an Ariane 5 inducer permitted achieving the aim. Cavitation is attained by reducing the pressure in a turbo machine having an inducer rotating at 4000 rpm. An X-ray tomography system developed specially for this aim, was used to measure the cavitation. The system employed an industrial X-ray generator and scintillation detectors. The generator/detectors system was fixed while the inducer was rotating. Vapor fraction was determined instantaneously, which confirms the applicability and the precision of the method in such type of measurements despite the constraints imposed by the geometry and the rotation speed. The dense composition of the system components introduced difficulties in the measurement especially at the inducer axis. However, prior information concerning the vapor regime as well as its stationary behavior in certain time intervals helped overcome this problem. Consequently a quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the vapor fraction is obtained. Results show a cavitation regime mostly synchronous with the rotation of the inducer thus permitting the use of tomographic reconstruction for the localization of vapor in the machine. An algebraic reconstruction algorithm (ML-EM) was used to achieve image reconstruction.
The making of a feather: Homeoproteins, retinoids and adhesion molecules

We have been using feather development as a model for understanding the molecular basis of pattern formation and to explore the roles of homeoproteins, retinoids and adhesion molecules in this process. Two kinds of homeobox (Hox) protein gradients in the skin have been identified: a ‘microgradient’ within a single feather bud and a ‘macrogradient’ across the feather tract. The asynchronous alignment of different Hox macrogradients establishes a unique repertoire of Hox expression patterns in skin appendages within the integument, designated here as the ‘Hox codes of skin appendages’. It is hypothesized that these Hox codes contribute to the phenotypic determination of skin appendages. High doses of retinoic acid cause a morphological transformation between feather and scale, while low doses of retinoic acid cause an alteration of the axial orientation of skin appendages. We have tested the ability of molecules directly involved in the feather formation process to mediate the action of the Hox codes, and surmise that adhesion molecules are potential candidates. Using specific Fabs to suppress the activity of adhesion molecules, we have found that L‐CAM is involved in the formation of the hexagonal pattern, N‐CAM is involved in mediating dermal condensations, tenascin is involved in feather bud growth and elongation, and integrin β‐1 is essential for epithelial‐mesenchymal interactions. More work is in progress to fully understand the molecular pathways regulating the feather formation process.
Modulation of Voltage- and Ca2+-dependent Gating of CaV1.3 L-type Calcium Channels by Alternative Splicing of a C-terminal Regulatory Domain

Low voltage activation of CaV1.3 L-type Ca2+ channels controls excitability in sensory cells and central neurons as well as sinoatrial node pacemaking. CaV1.3-mediated pacemaking determines neuronal vulnerability of dopaminergic striatal neurons affected in Parkinson disease. We have previously found that in CaV1.4 L-type Ca2+ channels, activation, voltage, and calcium-dependent inactivation are controlled by an intrinsic distal C-terminal modulator. Because alternative splicing in the CaV1.3 α1 subunit C terminus gives rise to a long (CaV1.342) and a short form (CaV1.342A), we investigated if a C-terminal modulatory mechanism also controls CaV1.3 gating. The biophysical properties of both splice variants were compared after heterologous expression together with β3 and α2δ1 subunits in HEK-293 cells. Activation of calcium current through CaV1.342A channels was more pronounced at negative voltages, and inactivation was faster because of enhanced calcium-dependent inactivation. By investigating several CaV1.3 channel truncations, we restricted the modulator activity to the last 116 amino acids of the C terminus. The resulting CaV1.3ΔC116 channels showed gating properties similar to CaV1.342A that were reverted by co-expression of the corresponding C-terminal peptide C116. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer experiments confirmed an intramolecular protein interaction in the C terminus of CaV1.3 channels that also modulates calmodulin binding. These experiments revealed a novel mechanism of channel modulation enabling cells to tightly control CaV1.3 channel activity by alternative splicing. The absence of the C-terminal modulator in short splice forms facilitates CaV1.3 channel activation at lower voltages expected to favor CaV1.3 activity at threshold voltages as required for modulation of neuronal firing behavior and sinoatrial node pacemaking.
The effects of acute restraint stress on nociceptive responses evoked by the injection of formalin into the temporomandibular joint of female rats

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) formalin test was used to evaluate the effects of acute restraint stress on the nociceptive behavioral responses of female rats during proestrus and estrus phases of the estrous cycle. Rats were subjected to one session of restraint stress (15, 30 min or 1 h). They were then either immediately killed to allow the collection of blood for hormonal radioimmunoassay determinations or subjected to TMJ formalin test to evaluate nociception. All stress protocols significantly raised the plasma concentrations of corticosterone. The performance of rats subjected to 15 and 30 min of restraint stress was similar to that of control rats, whereas rats that were stressed for 1 h showed a decrease in nociceptive responses, during both proestrus and estrus phases. The stress-induced analgesia (SIA) was greater in the proestrus phase. To evaluate the role of κ-opioid receptors, the selective receptor κ-opioid antagonist nor-binaltorphimine (nor-BNI; 200 μg or saline) was injected into the TMJ 24 h prior to the 1 h stress period and the TMJ formalin test. The local administration of nor-BNI partially reversed the SIA during the proestrus phase. These findings suggest that (1) acute stress for 1 h can produce analgesia both during proestrus and estrus phases; this effect is greater during the proestrus phase and (2) κ-opioid receptor activation is involved in the SIA observed in the proestrus phase.
Multiply Recurrent Trichilemmal Carcinoma With Perineural Invasion and Cytokeratin 17 Positivity

BACKGROUND Trichilemmal carcinoma is an uncommon cutaneous malignancy that is thought to be the malignant counterpart of the trichilemmoma. Despite histologic features such as pronounced cytologic atypia, trichilemmal carcinoma is often described as having a rather benign clinical course. Cases of tumor recurrence after therapy are uncommon, and tumor neurotropism has never been described. OBJECTIVE A case of multiply recurrent trichilemmal carcinoma with perineural invasion is described. The outer root sheath differentiation of this neoplasm is confirmed with the use of novel antibodies directed toward cytokeratins that are expressed in this area of the hair follicle. METHODS The trichilemmal carcinoma was excised using the Mohs surgical technique. Tissue obtained during the extirpation of the tumor was subjected to immunohistochemical staining for cytokeratin 15, cytokeratin 17, and c-erb-B2. RESULTS Tumor neurotropism was noted. The trichilemmal carcinoma demonstrated abundant cytoplasmic staining for cytokeratin 17 and c-erb-B2. CONCLUSIONS In distinction to previous reports, this case reveals that trichilemmal carcinoma can demonstrate significant biological aggression, as reflected by tumor neurotropism and by failure to respond to multiple surgical excisions. The purported outer root sheath differentiation of this neoplasm is confirmed with the use of novel immunohistochemical staining. This immunohistochemical staining may be useful in differentiating trichilemmal carcinoma from other clear cell neoplasms.
HMR 3647 human-like treatment of experimental pneumonia due to penicillin-resistant and erythromycin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae.

An experimental Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia model in rabbits was used to assess the efficacy of amoxycillin, erythromycin and a new ketolide, telithromycin (HMR 3647). The MICs of amoxycillin, erythromycin and HMR 3647 for the three clinical S. pneumoniae strains used were, respectively, (mg/L): 0.01, 16 and 0.02 (strain 195); 2, 0.25 and 0.02 (strain 16089); 8, >64 and 0.02 (strain 11724). Antibiotic therapy reproduced human serum pharmacokinetics (amoxycillin 1 g iv tds or erythromycin 500 mg qds or HMR 3647 800 mg bd). Forty-eight hours of therapy with HMR 3647 and amoxycillin resulted in significant bacterial clearance in the lungs and spleen of rabbits infected by S. pneumoniae strain 195 and strain 16089 (at least 3 log(10) cfu/g decrease, P < 0.001). Erythromycin was active against only the erythromycinsusceptible strain (3 log(10) cfu/g decrease at 48 h, P < 0.001). None of the antibiotics showed significant efficacy with strain 11724. All agents produced significant bacterial clearance when time above MBC was >33%, and microbiological failure when it was <25%, whereas MIC was not correlated with microbiological outcome with HMR 3647. Our findings suggest that pharmacodynamic data integrating MBC may be predictive of microbiological success or failure with greater accuracy than with MIC. HMR 3647 produced significant bacterial clearance in both penicillin- and erythromycin-resistant pneumonia, but was less effective against the highly erythromycin-resistant S. pneumoniae strain.
Overexpression Models: Lentiviral Modeling of Brain Cancer

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the most common and most malignant of the brain tumors. Gliomas can be classified into four different grades according to their histologic characteristics; the most aggressive of the gliomas is glioblastoma multiforme (grade IV). Despite optimal treatment, the median survival is only 12 to 15 months. In the past few years, important advances were made in understanding the biology and pathology of malignant gliomas. A mouse model of brain tumors using inducible lentiviral vectors is described here. In this approach, a lenti‐vector with loxP sites flanking the gene of interest (oncogene) is injected into mice expressing Cre recombinase under the control of a brain‐specific promoter. The steps to perform cell‐type/region‐specific injection of Cre‐loxP‐controlled lentiviral vectors in the brain of adult mice are described here in detail. Curr. Protoc. Mouse Biol. 3:121‐139 © 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Autoimmune Sensitization to Cardiac Myosin Leads to Acute Rejection of Cardiac Allografts in Miniature Swine

Background. Recent studies in mice and patients suggest that posttransplantation induction of autoimmune responses to tissue-specific antigens contributes to the rejection of major histocompatibility complex mismatched allotransplants. The relevance of this phenomenon to the rejection of major and minor histocompatibility-mismatched allografts performed in large-animal models remains to be established. Methods. Miniature swine were immunized with cardiac myosin (CM) in Freund's adjuvant and received heterotopic, minor antigen-mismatched heart transplants. T-cell (proliferation and delayed type hypersensitivity [DTH]) and B-cell (antibody) responses specific to CM were measured. The rejection of heart transplants was assessed histologically. Results. Three of four swine that were immunized with CM before receiving a minor antigen-mismatched heart transplant exhibited potent DTH, T-cell proliferation and antibody responses to CM and rejected their grafts acutely. The fourth swine, which failed to mount a significant DTH response to CM and displayed low and transient anti-CM antibody titers, demonstrated long-term allograft survival. Conclusions. This large-animal study supports the relevance of autoimmunity to CM in the rejection of minor antigen disparate cardiac allotransplants.
Prescribing in general practice for people with coronary heart disease; equity by age, sex, ethnic group and deprivation

Objective. Differences in drug prescribing for coronary heart disease have previously been identified by age, sex and ethnic group. Set in the UK, our study utilises routinely collected data from 98 general practices serving a socially diverse population in inner East London, to examine differences in prescribing rates among patients aged 35 years and over with coronary heart disease. Design. 10,933 patients aged 35 years or more, with recorded coronary heart disease, from 98 practices in two Primary Care Trusts (PCT) in East London during 2009/2010 were included for this cross-sectional study. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the odds of prescribing for recommended coronary heart disease drugs by age, sex, ethnicity, social deprivation, co-morbidity and recorded reasons for not prescribing. Results. Women are prescribed fewer recommended coronary heart disease drugs than men; Black African/Caribbean patients are prescribed fewer lipid modifying drugs and other cardiovascular drugs than White patients. Patients over age 84 are prescribed fewer lipid modifying drugs and beta blockers than patients aged 45–54. South Asian patients had the highest levels of prescribing and higher prevalence of coronary heart disease and diabetes co-morbidity. No difference in prescribing rates by social deprivation was found. Discussion. Overall levels of prescribing are high but small differences between sex and ethnic groups remain and prescribing may be inequitable for women, for Black/African Caribbeans and at older ages. These differences were not explained by recorded intolerance, contraindications or declining treatment.
Evaluation of Whole Blood Viscosity in Patients with Aortic Sclerosis

Background: Blood viscosity and aortic sclerosis (AS) are strong predictors of cardiovascular events. The effects of blood viscosity on AS have not been studied adequately. We aimed to investigate the potential connection between whole blood viscosity (WBV) and AS. Methods: AS was detected by transthoracic echocardiography. The estimation of WBV was carried out at both high shear rate (HSR) (208/s) and low shear rate (LSR) (0.5/s) by previously validated formulae using hematocrit (HcT) and total protein (TP) in g/L. WBV at HSR (208/s) is: (0.12 × HcT) + 0.17 (TP - 2.07) and WBV at LSR (0.5/s) is: (1.89 × HcT) + 3.76 (TP - 78.42). Comparisons of WBV at both HSR and LSR were made between patients with and without AS. Results: We included 94 patients with AS (male = 30.9%, mean age = 67.5 y) and 97 control subjects without AS (male =26.6%, mean age = 69.1 y). Almost all of the clinical, echocardiographic, and biochemical characteristics were similar, but TP values were significantly higher in the AS group than in the control group (72.9 ± 5 g/L vs. 75.8 ± 6.1 g/L; p value < 0.001). Hemoglobin and HcT levels were similar (p value = 0.604 and p value = 0.431, respectively). In the AS group, WBV at LSR and HSR was higher than that in the control group (p value = 0.001 for both LSR and HSR). In multiple stepwise logistic regression analysis, WBV was an independent predictor of AS (p value < 0.001). Conclusion : We found higher WBV in patients with AS than in patients without AS at both LSR (0.5/s) and HSR (208/s). WBV at both LSR and HSR was independently associated with AS.
Optimism and Death

The course of depression in relation to myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as heart attack, and the consequences for mortality are not well characterized. Further, optimism may predict both the effects of MI on depression as well as mortality secondary to MI. In the current study, we utilized a large population-based prospective sample of older adults (N = 2,147) to identify heterogeneous trajectories of depression from 6 years prior to their first-reported MI to 4 years after. Findings indicated that individuals were at significantly increased risk for mortality when depression emerged after their first-reported MI, compared with resilient individuals who had no significant post-MI elevation in depression symptomatology. Individuals with chronic depression and those demonstrating pre-event depression followed by recovery after MI were not at increased risk. Further, optimism, measured before MI, prospectively differentiated all depressed individuals from participants who were resilient.
Engineering Escherichia coli BL 21 Genome to Improve the Heptanoic Acid Tolerance by using CRISPR-Cas 9 System

Acid tolerance is one of the critical factors to determine the quality of the industrial production strains. Therefore, we have investigated the introduction of the acid tolerance genes into the genome of Escherichia coli BL21 by using CRISPR-Cas9 system. The dsrA and rcsB genes of E. coli K-12, which are involved in the heptanoic acid tolerance, were inserted into the genome of E. coli BL21 without scar. The native transcription unit (TU) of dsrA and the synthetic TU of rcsB were integrated in E. coli BL21 genome. We found that the position of genomic coordinate of 1,300,270 was more efficient to integrate dsrA and rcsB than genomic coordinate of 3,876,428. Furthermore, the rcsB was successfully expressed in the resulting engineered strains (i.e., rcsB or dsrA rcsB strains). The engineered strains expressing dsrA and/or rcsB showed the higher survival rate and specific growth rate under n-heptanoic acid stress than wild-type E. coli BL21. These results indicate that the newly introduced acid-tolerance systems were active in the E. coli BL21 strain.
The Stressful Impact of News of Risk for Premature Heart Disease

&NA; Efforts at prevention of disease include case‐finding of individuals at high risk and offering to these identified people an intervention to reduce their risk. Although the intention of intervention is to reduce risk, the impact of discovering that one is at high risk may also lead to intrusive ideas and feelings that characterize psychological stress response syndromes. The present study examined these issues with a sample of 1,447 men who were advised of their risk for coronary heart disease in the collaborative Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial. Comparisons over three yearly data collections between a usual care and special intervention group showed that the special intervention group reported a far greater level of coping and mastery efforts regarding their risk status. This was accompanied by a much smaller tendency to be bothered by intrusive thoughts, but amount of reported upset did not differ. Finally, a small group of men in both groups indicated continuing high levels of upset across the three years. Clinicians are advised to be watchful for these persons for whom mastery of the news appears to be difficult.
Identification of oestrogen receptors and oestrogen receptor mRNA in human adipose tissue

The distribution of adipose tissue has a major impact on the morbidity and mortality associated with obesity. Furthermore, the distribution of adipose tissue seems to be regulated by sex hormones. Controversy exists over whether the effects of sex hormones (oestrogen and testosterone) on human adipose tissue are an indirect or a direct effect as contradictory results have been obtained when investigating the existence of these receptors in human adipose tissue. In the present study the authors reinvestigated the possible existence of oestrogen receptors (ERs) in human adipose tissue. Human adipocytes from both genders were found to contain specific oestrogen binding sites determined by ligand‐binding techniques. The binding protein had a molecular weight of 65 kD (which is similar to that of the ER found elsewhere) and it was found that adipocytes contained mRNA encoding the ER. Moreover, human preadipocytes had no oestrogen‐binding capacity and did not possess mRNA encoding the ER. Finally, the authors detected regional differences in receptor density. Women had an equal oestrogen‐binding capacity in adipose tissue from the subcutaneous abdominal and the visceral depot, whereas men had twice as high oestrogen‐binding capacity in subcutaneous adipose tissue compared with adipose tissue in the visceral fat depot. These findings indicate that mature human adipocytes possess ERs and thus, might be an oestrogen‐ responsive tissue and that oestrogen may be acting directly in mature adipocytes via its specific receptor. Human preadipocytes, however, seemed not to be an oestrogen‐responsive tissue. Finally, preliminary data suggest that there might be differences in ER densities in different fat depots.
Contribution of beta 3-adrenoceptor activation to ephedrine-induced thermogenesis in humans.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the contribution of beta 3-adrenoceptor activation to sympathetic stimulation of thermogenesis in humans using a sympathomimetic (ephedrine) in combination with a non-selective beta-adrenoceptor antagonist (nadolol). DESIGN Three doses (2.5, 5 and 10 mg) of nadolol were used to estimate what fraction of the thermogenic response to ephedrine (30 mg) remained after inhibition of beta 1- and beta 2-adrenoceptor mediated responses. SUBJECTS Nine healthy, young male volunteers at rest after an overnight fast. MEASUREMENTS Energy expenditure, respiratory quotient, heart rate, blood pressure and plasma potassium, glucose, lactate, glycerol, NEFA and triglycerides were measured before, and for 3 h after treatment with placebo, ephedrine and ephedrine plus three doses of nadolol. RESULTS Ephedrine produced significant increases in energy expenditure (thermogenesis), heart rate, systolic blood pressure and plasma glucose; the other parameters measured did not change significantly. Nadolol caused significant inhibition of all responses, but 43% of the thermogenic response to ephedrine remained after the 2.5 mg dose of nadolol, whereas the same dose completely inhibited the heart rate and plasma glucose responses. CONCLUSION All three beta-adrenoceptor subtypes (beta 1, beta 2 and beta 3) may be involved in ephedrine-induced thermogenesis, but the resistance to complete inhibition by the non-selective antagonist nadolol indicates that at least 40% of the response is mediated by an atypical receptor, which is presumed to be the beta 3-adrenoceptor.
A fully constraint abundance estimation algorithm with high accurateness

Hyperspectral image provides a way to analyze component and the fraction by spectral unmixing. The classical method is Least Squares algorithm. But it is defined without any constraint on the abundance. The Fully constrained Least Squares (FCLS) algorithm allows resulted abundances satisfying sum-to-one and non-negative, which is practical. It has been widely used till now because it may work quickly with a small unmxing error. But when the number of endmembers is large, it gets much slow. And unmxing error is high if the endmembers are not found out completely. As for improving the speed of the algorithm, there have been many research works. But fewer algorithms are developed for increasing accurateness. Here in this paper, a primal-dual interior-point method is tested for the fully constraint unmixing with the linear unmixing model being modified slightly. A dual problem is established firstly, and then the process of the algorithm is designed to decrease distance between original problem and the dual problem based on result of FCLS. In order to promise high unmxing accurateness, the unmxing error of resulted abundances is added into the optimizing goal. Several algorithms of fully constraint abundance estimation are tested on both simulation and real hyperspectral images. The experimental results show that the prompted algorithm may find the optimal abundance for existing endmembers even though the endmember set is not complete. Accurateness of unmxing is increased, especially on the real image.