Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Possible involvement of Fyn kinase in ethanol‐stimulated Cas tyrosine phosphorylation in rat cerebellum and cerebral cortex

In the present study, we have investigated the effect of intraperitoneal injection of ethanol (3.5 g/kg) on tyrosine phosphorylation in rat brain. Immunoblot analysis using an antiphosphotyrosine antibody revealed that a 130‐kDa protein band was detected in the brain extract in response to ethanol administration. This ethanol‐stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of the 130‐kDa protein was found in the brain but not in the heart, liver or thymus. The 130‐kDa phosphotyrosine‐containing protein was identified by immunoprecipitation to be Cas, a crk‐associated src substrate. This ethanol‐stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of Cas was observed most prominently in the cerebellum and the cerebral cortex. We further examined the possible involvement of Fyn kinase in ethanol‐stimulated Cas tyrosine phosphorylation. Immunecomplex kinase assay showed that Fyn was activated in the cerebellum and cerebral cortex of ethanol‐administered rats. Immunoprecipitation experiments also showed that Fyn was co‐immunoprecipitated with an anti‐Cas antibody in these regions from ethanol‐administered rats. Furthermore, exogenous Fyn was shown to phosphorylate Cas from cerebellum and cerebral cortex in vitro. These findings indicate that ethanol stimulates tyrosine phosphorylation of Cas in rat cerebellum and cerebral cortex, and that Fyn may be involved in the process.
Influence of food-simulating liquids on bond strength of brackets bonded with a HEMA-free and HEMA-containing self-etching primer.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of food-simulating liquids on bond strengths of brackets bonded with a HEMA-free and a HEMA-containing self-etching primer. MATERIALS AND METHODS Brackets were bonded to 280 bovine incisors that were divided into two groups: (1) Adper Prompt-L-Pop (Adper PLP)/Transbond-XT and (2) Transbond Plus self-etching primer (TSEP, HEMA-free)/Transbond-XT. Each group was evaluated under different storage conditions: 24 hours in water, thermocycling (T), T/12 weeks in water, T/12 weeks in 10% ethanol, T/12 weeks in 50% ethanol, T/12 weeks in 3% acetic acid, and T/12 weeks in olive oil. Shear bond strength was measured with a universal test machine. RESULTS TSEP and Adper PLP showed a significantly higher bond strength at 24 hours than at T/12 weeks in 50% ethanol (P = .000). For Adper PLP, the bond strength at 24 hours was significantly higher than T/12 weeks in water (P = .000). Significant differences were not detected between the two bonding procedures for the different storage conditions (P > .05). CONCLUSION Owing to its hydrophilic nature, the bond strength produced by Adper PLP (a HEMA-containing self-etching primer) decreased significantly after T/12 weeks in water. Brackets bonded with both TSEP and Adper PLP showed significantly higher bond strengths at 24 hours than at T/12 weeks in 50% ethanol, probably due to the effect of ethanol at 50% on Transbond-XT.
The eastern enlargement of the European Union

The idea of an eastern enlargement of the European Union has been the topic of much recent discussion and it is fast becoming a reality as the end of the Twentieth Century approaches. Previous attempts at integration failed to unite Europe mainly because they relied on force. Negotiations are about to begin that will allow some East European states to become members of the EU. This enlargement will not be without its difficulties, but it is generally agreed that the long term benefits are too great to warrant postponement. Economically and politically the long term benefits of an eastern enlargement are enormous. After this enlargement the EU will be the largest trading bloc in the world. What is even more significant is that the EU will have successfully united Europe through peaceful and democratic means. It is the ability of the EU to act as democratizing force in Eastern Europe that is of most significance. By directly aiding in the consolidation of democracy in the East, the EU is fulfilling its founding principles of creating a peaceful and democratic Europe. After this enlargement the EU will have accomplished something no war ever could, the successful unification of Europe and the removal of the political East-West division.
Cryopreservation of adherent human embryonic stem cells

Standard human embryonic stem (HES) cell cryopreservation methodologies, including slow freezing and vitrification of colonies in suspension, are plagued by poor viability and high differentiation rates upon recovery. To facilitate research studies and clinical applications of HES cells, we have developed a cryopreservation technique based on stabilizing HES colonies adherent to or embedded in a Matrigel matrix. This method increases cell viability by over an order of magnitude compared with cryopreservation in suspension and reduces differentiation. Loading adherent HES cells with the disaccharide trehalose prior to cryopreserving in a dimethylsulfoxide‐containing cryoprotectant solution further improves cell viability under certain conditions. Our proposed approach has the potential to reduce the time required to amplify frozen stocks of HES cells, minimize risk of clonal selection during freeze–thaw cycles, and facilitate storage of HES cell clone libraries. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Transgenic Drosophila reveals a functional in vivo receptor for the Bacillus thuringiensis toxin Cry1Ac1

The bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis synthesizes toxins (δ‐endotoxins) that are highly specific for insects. Once ingested, the activated form of the toxin binds to a specific receptor(s) located on the midgut epithelial cells, inserts into the membrane causing the formation of leakage pores and eventual death of the susceptible insect larvae. Manduca sexta larvae are highly susceptible to Cry1Ac1, a toxin that is believed to bind M. sexta Aminopeptidase N, a glycoprotein located on the apical membrane. However, the binding data obtained to date only support the interaction of Cry1Ac1 with APN in vitro. To explore the in vivo role of APN, we have utilized the GAL4 enhancer trap technique to drive the expression of M. sexta APN in both midgut and mesodermal tissues of Cry1Ac1 insensitive Drosophila larvae. Transgenic Drosophila fed the toxin were now killed, demonstrating that APN can function as a receptor for Cry1Ac1 in vivo.
Device design and materials optimization of conformal coating for islets of Langerhans

Significance Cell encapsulation with biocompatible and permeable hydrogels may allow transplantation without immunosuppression. As an alternative to standard microencapsulation approaches that create single-sized capsules around cell clusters of different sizes, we have designed and optimized a novel approach for conformal coating of islets of Langerhans, resulting in thin, complete, and uniform coatings of similar thickness on differently sized islets. Coated islets exhibited no delay in glucose-stimulated insulin release or loss of function during culture, which is often observed with naked islets. The conformal coating reduces transplant volume relative to traditional encapsulation approaches. When transplanted in syngeneic diabetic mice, conformally coated islets restored and maintained euglycemia for more than 100 d with no foreign body reaction and normal revascularization. Encapsulation of islets of Langerhans may represent a way to transplant islets in the absence of immunosuppression. Traditional methods for encapsulation lead to diffusional limitations imposed by the size of the capsules (600–1,000 μm in diameter), which results in core hypoxia and delayed insulin secretion in response to glucose. Moreover, the large volume of encapsulated cells does not allow implantation in sites that might be more favorable to islet cell engraftment. To address these issues, we have developed an encapsulation method that allows conformal coating of islets through microfluidics and minimizes capsule size and graft volume. In this method, capsule thickness, rather than capsule diameter, is constant and tightly defined by the microdevice geometry and the rheological properties of the immiscible fluids used for encapsulation within the microfluidic system. We have optimized the method both computationally and experimentally, and found that conformal coating allows for complete encapsulation of islets with a thin (a few tens of micrometers) continuous layer of hydrogel. Both in vitro and in vivo in syngeneic murine models of islet transplantation, the function of conformally coated islets was not compromised by encapsulation and was comparable to that of unencapsulated islets. We have further demonstrated that the structural support conferred by the coating materials protected islets from the loss of function experienced by uncoated islets during ex vivo culture.
Particle swarm optimization based DSTATCOM with reduced DC-link voltage for load compensation

This paper suggests a Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) based Distribution Static Compensator (D-STATCOM) with non-stiff source for load balancing. A D-STATCOM configuration comprises of voltage Source Inverter (VSI) with spit DC capacitor source to introduce compensating currents in to the system. DC-link voltage of VSI is reduced by employing capacitors in series with the interfacing inductor and in shunt at Point of Common Coupling (PCC) for eliminating high switching frequency constituents of inverter. Switching of VSI is done using Hysteresis Pulse Width Modulation (HPWM) and reference currents required for this are generated using a positive sequence component extraction based Instantaneous Symmetrical Component Theory (ISCT) in non-stiff system. Taking into consideration the issues related with capacitor unbalanced in split DC voltage source inverter, proportional integral (PI) controller using Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) technique is implemented to kept DC link voltage at its desired value. The performance analysis of proposed topology has been verified over traditional topology through an extensive MATLAB simulation.
Navigating Contested Winds: Development Visions and Anti-Politics of Wind Energy in Northern Kenya

State-led development visions and the accompanying large-scale investments at the geographical margins of Kenya rest on the potential of public–private partnerships to fast-tract sustainable development through accelerated investments. Yet, the conceptualisation, planning and implementation of these visions often deploy a depoliticising development discourse that reinforces and expands long-standing misconceptions about the margins primarily directed at pastoral livelihoods and related communal land tenure. This paper illustrates how the implementation of a wind energy project employs the corporate strategies of depoliticising both land claims and development interventions. In Northern Kenya, private sector participation in large-scale wind energy infrastructure has created a complex development apparatus in which players are empowered to undertake the accelerated investments required to shape the delivery of the Kenya Vision 2030 in the region. An analysis of corporate actors’ strategies in the implementation of the contested wind farm presents a depoliticised framing of “low-cost green energy”, representations of pastoral land tenure and corporate social responsibility strategies through which dispossession is justified and legitimised. This case underscores the extent to which corporate counterresistance is shaped by the reproduction of a historical depoliticised discourse about pastoralism and communal tenure and challenges the traditional narrative of government hegemony against local resistance to large-scale land acquisitions (LSLAs).
Profound Inhibition of the PCR Step of CF V3 Multiplex PCR/OLA Assay by the Use of UV-irradiated Plastic Reaction Tubes

Supplies, such as bags of plastic reaction tubes, are sometimes left in the laminar flow hoods unintentionally while the ultraviolet (UV) lamp is illuminated overnight. In addition, UV irradiation is used for sterilization and amplicon inactivation to avoid contamination. The oligonucleotide ligation assay (OLA) is a unique approach to mutation detection of point mutations, small deletions, and small insertions. Recently, we encountered problems with this assay and peak heights were much lower or disappeared. After going through systemic trouble-shooting, we found that profound inhibition of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) step of CF V3 multiplex PCR/OLA assay by the use of UV-irradiated plastic reaction tubes. When UV-irradiated tubes used throughout the assay, tubes exposed for 8 weeks at 0.7 m from the UV source gave a reduction of 60% and 67% in the assay products on the basis of sum of peak heights. Tubes exposed for 3 weeks at 0.1 m from the UV source totally eliminated assay product yielding no peaks. Further experiments showed that the inhibition happened mostly in the PCR step. Burgess and Hall had reported that inhibition of PCR of human glyceraldehydes-3-phosphate dehydrogenase transcripts after UV irradiating the tubes. This showed that the inhibition was not assay-specific. The reason that the inhibition of PCR was more profound could be due to a multiplex PCR assay and small reaction volume. The mechanism of PCR inhibition by UV irradiation is not clear. In conclusion, plastic reaction tubes intended for PCR/OLA assays should not be exposed to UV.
Brain structure, number magnitude processing, and math proficiency in 6- to 7-year-old children born prematurely: a voxel-based morphometry study

The aim of the present voxel-based morphometry study was to examine the link between brain structure and number skills in a group of 6–7-year-old children born prematurely, which are considered to be an at-risk population for mathematical learning disabilities. Therefore, gray and white matter density values were extracted from brain areas previously reported to be relevant for number processing in developing brain systems and, thereafter, correlated with response time results tapping semantic number knowledge [i.e. numerical distance effect (NDE) derived from a number comparison task] as well as with general math proficiency (as indexed by a standardized calculation test). Behavioral results disclosed a significant NDE, thus indicating well-established number magnitude representations for one-digit numerals in our study group. Significant positive correlations between gray matter and NDE emerged in parietal regions (including the right anterior inferior and the left superior parietal lobe) and in the right superior temporal gyrus. Moreover, white matter and NDE were negatively correlated in the right anterior inferior parietal lobe and the right inferior frontal gyrus. Overall, our results are novel insofar as they show that in 6–7-year-old children born prematurely, individual differences in gray and white matter structures are associated with numerical skills. Importantly, in our study group the observed link between brain structure and behavioral performance emerges only regarding an experimental task tapping semantic number knowledge, whereas general math proficiency does not seem to be related to individual differences in brain structure in our study group.
A Multi-institutional Comparison of Perioperative Outcomes of Robotic and Open Pancreaticoduodenectomy

Objectives: Limited data exist comparing robotic and open approaches to pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). We performed a multicenter comparison of perioperative outcomes of robotic PD (RPD) and open PD (OPD). Methods: Perioperative data for patients who underwent postlearning curve PD at 8 centers (8/2011–1/2015) were assessed. Univariate analyses of clinicopathologic and treatment factors were performed, and multivariable models were constructed to determine associations of operative approach (RPD or OPD) with perioperative outcomes. Results: Of the 1028 patients, 211 (20.5%) underwent RPD (4.7% conversions) and 817 (79.5%) underwent OPD. As compared with OPD, RPD patients had higher body mass index, rates of prior abdominal surgery, and softer pancreatic remnants, whereas OPD patients had a higher percentage of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cases, and greater proportion of nondilated (<3 mm) pancreatic ducts. On multivariable analysis, as compared with OPD, RPD was associated with longer operative times [mean difference = 75.4 minutes, 95% confidence interval (CI) 17.5–133.3, P = 0.01], reduced blood loss (mean difference = −181 mL, 95% CI −355–(−7.7), P = 0.04) and reductions in major complications (odds ratio = 0.64, 95% CI 0.47–0.85, P = 0.003). No associations were demonstrated between operative approach and 90-day mortality, clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula and wound infection, length of stay, or 90-day readmission. In the subset of 522 (51%) pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas, operative approach was not a significant independent predictor of margin status or suboptimal lymphadenectomy (<12 lymph nodes harvested). Conclusions: Postlearning curve RPD can be performed with similar perioperative outcomes achieved with OPD. Further studies of cost, quality of life, and long-term oncologic outcomes are needed.
BEX1 acts as a tumor suppressor in acute myeloid leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous disease of the myeloid lineage. About 35% of AML patients carry an oncogenic FLT3 mutant making FLT3 an attractive target for treatment of AML. Major problems in the development of FLT3 inhibitors include lack of specificity, poor response and development of a resistant phenotype upon treatment. Further understanding of FLT3 signaling and discovery of novel regulators will therefore help to determine additional pharmacological targets in FLT3-driven AML. In this report, we identified BEX1 as a novel regulator of oncogenic FLT3-ITD-driven AML. We showed that BEX1 expression was down-regulated in a group of AML patients carrying FLT3-ITD. Loss of BEX1 expression resulted in poor overall survival (hazard ratio, HR = 2.242, p = 0.0011). Overexpression of BEX1 in mouse pro-B and myeloid cells resulted in decreased FLT3-ITD-dependent cell proliferation, colony and tumor formation, and in increased apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. BEX1 localized to the cytosolic compartment of cells and significantly decreased FLT3-ITD-induced AKT phosphorylation without affecting ERK1/2 or STAT5 phosphorylation. Our data suggest that the loss of BEX1 expression in FLT3-ITD driven AML potentiates oncogenic signaling and leads to decreased overall survival of the patients.
Indirect evidence for an endothelium-derived contracting factor release in aorta of deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt hypertensive rats.

In order to investigate the involvement of endothelium-derived vasoactive substances in deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt hypertension, the responses to noradrenaline, acetylcholine, sodium nitroprusside and papaverine were studied in the absence and presence of indomethacin. Noradrenaline was equally effective in evoking a constrictor response of aorta, with or without endothelium, isolated from DOCA-salt hypertensive rats, while in controls, noradrenaline induced higher submaximal responses in rubbed than in unrubbed preparations. A decreased response to acetylcholine, an endothelium-dependent vasodilator, was observed in aorta with endothelium which had been precontracted with noradrenaline isolated from hypertensive rats. The relaxant response was lost after removal of the endothelium in both control and DOCA-salt hypertensive groups. The response to sodium nitroprusside, an endothelium-independent agent, in aorta isolated from hypertensive rats as well as the response to papaverine, an agent partially dependent on the endothelium, was not altered. Indomethacin treatment altered the response to noradrenaline only in unrubbed aorta of hypertensive rats. In these preparations, a biphasic response to noradrenaline was observed. At lower concentrations noradrenaline induced the characteristic constrictor response, while at higher concentrations a relaxant response was obtained that was abolished by methylene blue, a guanylate cyclase inhibitor. This could indicate that noradrenaline induced the release of endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) in aorta of hypertensive rats. Furthermore, indomethacin treatment restored the decreased response to acetylcholine in aorta isolated from DOCA-salt hypertensive rats. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Character Education as a Bridge from Elementary to Middle School: A Case Study of Effective Practices and Processes.

This qualitative single-case study illuminates the significance of effective character education implementation during elementary school years as students transition into middle school. The researcher conducted the study in an American school that consisted of two divisions: K-6 lower division and 7-12 upper division. The lower-school division was a National School of Character winner. Data were collected via individual interviews with educators in both school divisions, one focus-group interview with lower-school teachers, and a review of documents and artifacts. Findings revealed distinctive key practices and processes based on the different roles of participating educators and shared key practices employed by all educators alike. Data also revealed multiple indicators of effectiveness in both school divisions. The researcher also highlighted the main challenges in the way of character education effective implementation based on participants’ responses. The researcher concluded with recommendations for further study and final reflections.
The design of weighted minimax quadrature mirror filters

A technique for converting the constrained nonlinear optimization problem encountered in the design of weighted minimax quadrature mirror filters into an iterative unconstrained nonlinear optimization problem is presented. This renders the design of weighted minimax quadrature mirror filters possible. The technique is very efficient, typically taking about seven iterations to converge. A rapidly converging iterative procedure for solving the above nonlinear unconstrained optimization problem is also presented. This procedure typically requires less than five iterations to converge. >
Plasticity in mRNA expression and localization of orthodenticle within higher Diptera

SUMMARY orthodenticle (otd) genes are found throughout the animal kingdom and encode well‐studied homeodomain transcription factors that share conserved functions in cephalization, head segmentation, brain patterning, and the differentiation of photoreceptors. Otd proteins have been proposed as ancestral key players in anterior determination despite a high level of variation in gene expression at early developmental stages: otd is expressed strictly zygotically in the dipteran Drosophila melanogaster, while otd1 mRNA is contributed maternally to the embryo in the coleopteran Tribolium castaneum and maternal otd1 mRNA is localized to the anterior and posterior pole of the oocyte in the hymopteran Nasonia vitripennis. Here we demonstrate that such changes in otd mRNA expression and localization do not need to represent large phylogenetic distances but can occur even within closely related taxa. We show maternal otd expression in the medfly Ceratitis capitata and maternally localized otd mRNA in the caribfly Anastrepha suspensa, two cyclorrhaphan species closely related to Drosophila. This indicates considerable plasticity in expression and mRNA localization of key developmental genes even within short evolutionary distances.