Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hypo-osmotic stress induces calcium-dependent actin reorganization in articular chondrocytes.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of hypo-osmotically induced calcium (Ca(2+)) transients on the organization of the actin cytoskeleton in articular chondrocytes. The secondary hypothesis tested was that actin restructuring following hypo-osmotic stress is mediated by gelsolin. METHODS Isolated porcine chondrocytes were exposed to hypo-osmotic stress, and [Ca(2+)](i)was monitored using laser scanning microscopy. Calcium transients were monitored using fluorescent ratiometric imaging. The intracellular distribution of actin was examined using fluorescent immunohistochemistry and transient transfection with the pEGFP-actin plasmid. The intracellular distribution of gelsolin was investigated using fluorescent immunohistochemistry. RESULTS Osmotic stress induced transient increases in [Ca(2+)](i)caused reorganization of intracellular actin through a mechanism that required Ca(2+)in the extracellular media. Fluorescence microscopy revealed that gelsolin was colocalized with F-actin immediately following hypo-osmotic stress but dissociated over time. CONCLUSION These results indicate that hypo-osmotic stress induces a gelsolin-mediated reorganization of actin through a transient increase in [Ca(2+)](i).
Quality-related Action Programs: Their Impact on Quality Performance and Firm Performance

From analyses of the direct effects of 10 quality action programs on six firm performance outcomes, as well as their indirect effects through eight quality performance dimensions, two routes from action programs through quality performance to firm performance in the automotive supply industry are identified. The first is the product quality route, whose landmarks are superior quality performance on Conformance and Design Quality dimensions; the second is the relationship quality route, with superior Customer Responsiveness and Service. Both the product quality and the relationship quality routes lead to superior ROI; the former also leads to enhanced ROA, and the latter to enhanced market share performance. Associated key action programs are Committed Leadership, Cross-Functional Quality Teams, Employee Empowerment, Supplier Development, and Closer Customer Relationships. The first three are internally focused, while the latter two are boundary-spanning supply chain programs.
Intracortical and Thalamocortical Connections of the Hand and Face Representations in Somatosensory Area 3b of Macaque Monkeys and Effects of Chronic Spinal Cord Injuries

Brains of adult monkeys with chronic lesions of dorsal columns of spinal cord at cervical levels undergo large-scale reorganization. Reorganization results in expansion of intact chin inputs, which reactivate neurons in the deafferented hand representation in the primary somatosensory cortex (area 3b), ventroposterior nucleus of the thalamus and cuneate nucleus of the brainstem. A likely contributing mechanism for this large-scale plasticity is sprouting of axons across the hand–face border. Here we determined whether such sprouting takes place in area 3b. We first determined the extent of intrinsic corticocortical connectivity between the hand and the face representations in normal area 3b. Small amounts of neuroanatomical tracers were injected in these representations close to the electrophysiologically determined hand–face border. Locations of the labeled neurons were mapped with respect to the detailed electrophysiological somatotopic maps and histologically determined hand–face border revealed in sections of the flattened cortex stained for myelin. Results show that intracortical projections across the hand–face border are few. In monkeys with chronic unilateral lesions of the dorsal columns and expanded chin representation, connections across the hand–face border were not different compared with normal monkeys. Thalamocortical connections from the hand and face representations in the ventroposterior nucleus to area 3b also remained unaltered after injury. The results show that sprouting of intrinsic connections in area 3b or the thalamocortical inputs does not contribute to large-scale cortical plasticity. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Long-term injuries to dorsal spinal cord in adult primates result in large-scale somatotopic reorganization due to which chin inputs expand into the deafferented hand region. Reorganization takes place in multiple cortical areas, and thalamic and medullary nuclei. To what extent this brain reorganization due to dorsal column injuries is related to axonal sprouting is not known. Here we show that reorganization of primary somatosensory area 3b is not accompanied with either an increase in intrinsic cortical connections between the hand and face representations, or any change in thalamocortical inputs to these areas. Axonal sprouting that causes reorganization likely takes place at subthalamic levels.
Presentation, treatment, and outcome of oral cavity cancer: a National Cancer Data Base report.

BACKGROUND Oral cancer has been identified as a significant public health threat. Systematic evaluation of the impact of this disease on the US population is of great importance to health care providers and policy makers. METHODS This study used the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) to evaluate associations between demographic and disease characteristics, treatment, and survival for patients with oral cavity cancer in the United States. Of patients diagnosed between 1985 and 1996, 58,976 were extracted from the NCDB. ANOVAs were performed on selected cross-tabulations, and relative survival was used to calculate outcome. RESULTS Median age of patients was 64.0 years. Men made up 60.2% of patients. Pathologic diagnosis was squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in 86.3% of cases. Younger patients had a much higher frequency of non-SCC, and this was related to survival in these patients. African-Americans (independent of income), lower income patients, and patients with higher grade disease were seen more frequently with advanced-stage SCC. Five-year relative survival for SCC cases was lower for older patients, men, and African-Americans. CONCLUSIONS This study addressed many issues related to oral cancer that have been previously discussed in the literature. The demographic, site, stage, histologic, and survival data available for this large number of cases in the NCDB allowed an accurate characterization of the contemporary status of oral cancer in the United States.
Fractal Kinetic Study of Septic Wastewater Utilization in Packed Bed Microbial Fuel Cell ( MFC )

The use of packed bed microbial fuel cell (MFC) for septic waste water remediation and electricity generation was carried out for 18 days retention period. In the study, the multistage microbial fuel cells were designed. Septic wastewater qualities such as Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), nitrate, TSS, and pH of both the raw and treated wastewater were determined in the laboratory on three days basis for the MFC loaded with external resistors ranging from 50 -1000Ω. Also Fractal Model for the prediction of substrate utilization in the microbial fuel cells was developed and used to predict the substrate in the cells. The fractal model is                        1 ) 1 ) 1 ( 1 exp exp 1 h o o x o t t h K S S   can predict accurately the percentage BOD removal rate and the efficiency of the cell (reactor) can be predicted using E = 1                        1 ) 1 ) 1 ( 1 exp exp 1 h o
ABO-incompatible heart transplantation in infants.

BACKGROUND Transplantation of hearts from ABO-incompatible donors is contraindicated because of the risk of hyperacute rejection mediated by preformed antibodies in the recipient to blood-group antigens of the donor. This contraindication may not apply to newborn infants, who do not yet produce antibodies to T-cell-independent antigens, including the major blood-group antigens. METHODS We studied 10 infants 4 hours to 14 months old (median, 2 months) who had congenital heart disease or cardiomyopathy and who received heart transplants from donors of incompatible blood type between 1996 and 2000. Serum isohemagglutinin titers were measured before and after transplantation. Plasma exchange was performed during cardiopulmonary bypass; no other procedures for the removal of antibodies were used. Standard immunosuppressive therapy was given, and rejection was monitored by means of endomyocardial biopsy. The results were compared with those in 10 infants who received heart transplants from ABO-compatible donors. RESULTS The overall survival rate among the 10 recipients with ABO-incompatible donors was 80 percent, with 2 early deaths due to causes presumed to be unrelated to ABO incompatibility. The duration of follow-up ranged from 11 months to 4.6 years. Two infants had serum antibodies to antigens of the donor's blood group before transplantation. No hyperacute rejection occurred; mild humoral rejection was noted at autopsy in one of the infants with antibodies. No morbidity attributable to ABO incompatibility has been observed. Despite the eventual development of antibodies to antigens of the donor's blood group in two infants, no damage to the graft has occurred. Because of the use of ABO-incompatible donors, the mortality rate among infants on the waiting list declined from 58 percent to 7 percent. CONCLUSIONS ABO-incompatible heart transplantation can be performed safely during infancy before the onset of isohemagglutinin production; this technique thus contributes to a marked reduction in mortality among infants on the waiting list.
Aminoguanidine inhibits caspase‐3 and calpain activation without affecting microglial activation following neonatal transient cerebral ischemia

Microglial cells, the resident macrophages of the CNS, can be both beneficial and detrimental to the brain. These cells play a central role as mediators of neuroinflammation associated with many neurodegenerative states, including cerebral ischemia. Because microglial cells are both a major source of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)/nitric oxide (NO) production locally in the injured brain and are activated by NO‐mediated injury, we tested whether iNOS inhibition reduces microglial activation and ischemic injury in a neonatal focal ischemia‐reperfusion model. Post‐natal day 7 rats were subjected to a 2 h transient middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion. Pups with confirmed injury on diffusion‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) during occlusion were administered 300 mg/kg/dose aminoguanidine (AG) or vehicle at 0, 4 and 18 h after reperfusion, and animals were killed at 24 or 72 h post‐reperfusion. The effect of AG on microglial activation as judged by the acquisition of ED1 immunoreactivity and proliferation of ED1‐positive cells, on activation of cell death pathways and on injury volume, was determined. The study shows that while AG attenuates caspase 3 and calpain activation in the injured tissue, treatment does not affect the rapidly occurring activation and proliferation of microglia following transient MCA occlusion in the immature rat, or reduce injury size.
Differential Kinetics of Primitive Hematopoietic Cells Assayed In Vitro and In Vivo During Serum‐Free Suspension Culture of CD34+ Blood Progenitor Cells

So far, blood progenitor cells (BPC) expanded ex vivo in the absence of stromal cells have not been demonstrated to reconstitute hematopoiesis in myeloablated patients. To characterize the fate of early hematopoietic progenitor cells during ex vivo expansion in suspension culture, human CD34+‐enriched BPC were cultured in serum‐free medium in the presence of FLT3 ligand (FL), stem cell factor (SCF) and interleukin 3 (IL‐3). Both CD34 surface expression levels and the percentage of CD34+ cells were continuously downregulated during the culture period. We observed an expansion of colony‐forming units granulocyte‐macrophage (CFU‐GM) and BFU‐E beginning on day 3 of culture, reaching an approximate 2‐log increase by days 5 to 7. Limiting dilution analysis of primitive in vitro clonogenic progenitors was performed through a week 6 cobblestone‐area‐forming cell (CAFC) assay, which has previously been shown to detect long‐term bone marrow culture‐initiating cells (LTC‐IC). A maintenance or a slight (threefold) increase of week 6 CAFC/LTC‐IC was found after one week of culture. To analyze the presence of BPC mediating in vivo engraftment, expanded CD34+ cells were transplanted into preirradiated NOD/SCID mice at various time points. Only CD34+ cells cultured for up to four days successfully engrafted murine bone marrow with human cells expressing myeloid or lymphoid progenitor phenotypes. In contrast, five‐ and seven‐day expanded human BPC did not detectably engraft NOD/SCID mice. When FL, SCF and IL‐3‐supplemented cultures were performed for seven days on fibronectin‐coated plastic, or when IL‐3 was replaced by thrombopoietin, colony forming cells and LTC‐IC reached levels similar to those of control cultures, yet no human cell engraftment was recorded in the mice. Also, culture in U‐bottom microplates resulting in locally increased CD34+ cell density had no positive effect on engraftment. These results indicate that during ex vivo expansion of human CD34+ cells, CFC and LTC‐IC numbers do not correlate with the potential to repopulate NOD/SCID mice. Our results suggest that ex vivo expanded BPC should be cultured for limited time periods only, in order to preserve bone‐marrow‐repopulating hematopoietic stem cells.
Reproductive choice in men and women living with HIV: evidence from a large representative sample of outpatients attending French hospitals (ANRS-EN12-VESPA Study)

Background:In France, the third decade of the HIV epidemic is characterized by a lower age among women who have been recently infected with HIV. This study analysed factors associated with the desire for a child in a sample of heterosexual women and men of reproductive age living with HIV. Methods:Individuals of reproductive age within the VESPA study were included in the analysis. Desire for a child was analysed according to reproductive potential, cultural aspects and HIV-related health condition (CD4 cell count, plasma HIV load and being on treatment). Results:A total of 555 women and 699 men who self-identified as heterosexual and did not report a medical diagnosis of infertility, were included in the analysis. Among them, 33% of the women and 20% of the men stated that they expected to have children in the future. In multivariate analysis, significant predictors of the desire for a child included factors associated with reproductive potential (younger age, already being a parent, regular relationship), the HIV status of the regular partner and ethnicity (African origin). HIV-related health status did not affect reproductive intentions among men and women. Conclusions:For both men and women, reproductive potential, ethnicity and partner's HIV status influenced the desire for a child, whereas the person's own clinical condition in relation to HIV had low impact. Reproductive counselling integrated into HIV care should take into account cultural aspects in order to help people living with HIV examine issues of parenthood.
CLINICAL SPECTRUM OF MACULAR-FOVEAL CAPILLARIES EVALUATED WITH OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY ANGIOGRAPHY

Purpose: To describe macular-foveal capillaries (MFC) by means of optical coherence tomography angiography and to identify the clinical spectrum of this angiographic feature. Methods: Patients with MFC presenting at the Medical Retina & Imaging Unit of the Department of Ophthalmology, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele in Milan were recruited. Patients underwent a complete ophthalmologic examination that included slit-lamp examination, fundus examination, measurement of best-corrected visual acuity, fundus autofluorescence, and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (Spectralis HRA + OCT; Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany). Fluorescein angiography was performed in selected cases. Optical coherence tomography angiography was performed through Zeiss prototype (AngioPlex, CIRRUS HD-OCT models 5000; Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc, Dublin, OH). Results: Twelve eyes of 10 consecutive white patients (5 men and 5 women; 50%) presenting MFC were included. Mean age was 66.2 ± 10.2 years (range, 53–79 years); mean best-corrected visual acuity was 0.1 ± 0.13 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (range, 0–0.4 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution, corresponding to 20/20 to 20/50). Mean central macular thickness was 348 ± 57.6 &mgr;m. Two patients were affected by macular pucker, two by postsurgical macular edema, two by age-related macular degeneration, one by diabetic retinopathy, one by dome-shaped macula, one presented with chronic serous chorioretinopathy, and one with branch artery occlusion. Six eyes disclosed a complete absence of the foveal avascular zone, whereas the six other cases showed a partial foveal avascularity. No significant difference was found between complete and incomplete MFC with regards to best-corrected visual acuity (P = 0.272) and central macular thickness (P = 0.870). Conclusion: Cases of persistent MFC are heterogeneous in demographic characteristics, fundus appearance, and visual function. However, MFC, presenting either as complete absence of the foveal avascular zone or only partial foveal avascularity, may complicate different retinal abnormalities or represents a coincident finding.
The applicability and the inter‐rater reliability of the Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale in an elderly clinical population

Psychopathological rating scales are developed and tested on a relatively young population. Their applicability and psychometric performance in the elderly (aged above 60–65 years) are mostly unknown. It is unknown how factors related to ageing or mild cognitive dysfunction influence the applicability and the reliability of these scales. We tested the applicability and the inter‐rater reliability of the Dutch version of the Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale (CPRS) on an elderly (age > 60 years) inpatient population.
Productive Coupling of Accessible Vβ14 Segments and DJβ Complexes Determines the Frequency of Vβ14 Rearrangement1

To elucidate mechanisms that regulate Vβ rearrangement, we generated and analyzed mice with a V(D)J recombination reporter cassette of germline Dβ-Jβ segments inserted into the endogenous Vβ14 locus (Vβ14Rep). As a control, we first generated and analyzed mice with the same Dβ-Jβ cassette targeted into the generally expressed c-myc locus (c-mycRep). Substantial c-mycRep recombination occurred in both T and B cells and initiated concurrently with endogenous Dβ to Jβ rearrangements in thymocytes. In contrast, Vβ14Rep recombination was restricted to T cells and initiated after endogenous Dβ to Jβ rearrangements, but concurrently with endogenous Vβ14 rearrangements. Thus, the local chromatin environment imparts lineage and developmental stage-specific accessibility upon the inserted reporter. Although Vβ14 rearrangements occur on only 5% of endogenous TCRβ alleles, the Vβ14Rep cassette underwent rearrangement on 80–90% of alleles, supporting the suggestion that productive coupling of accessible Vβ14 segments and DJβ complexes influence the frequency of Vβ14 rearrangements. Strikingly, Vβ14Rep recombination also occurs on TCRβ alleles lacking endogenous Vβ to DJβ rearrangements, indicating that Vβ14 accessibility per se is not subject to allelic exclusion.
A Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Anti-G Protein F(ab′)2 Monoclonal Antibody Suppresses Mucous Production and Breathing Effort in RSV rA2-line19F-Infected BALB/c Mice

ABSTRACT Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) belongs to the family Paramyxoviridae and is the single most important cause of serious lower respiratory tract infections in young children, yet no highly effective treatment or vaccine is available. Increased airway resistance and increased airway mucin production are two manifestations of RSV infection in children. RSV rA2-line19F infection induces pulmonary mucous production and increased breathing effort in BALB/c mice and provides a way to assess these manifestations of RSV disease in an animal model. In the present study, we investigated the effect of prophylactic treatment with the F(ab′)2 form of the anti-G protein monoclonal antibody (MAb) 131-2G on disease in RSV rA2-line19F-challenged mice. F(ab′)2 131-2G does not affect virus replication. It and the intact form that does decrease virus replication prevented increased breathing effort and airway mucin production, as well as weight loss, pulmonary inflammatory-cell infiltration, and the pulmonary substance P and pulmonary Th2 cytokine levels that occur in mice challenged with this virus. These data suggest that the RSV G protein contributes to prominent manifestations of RSV disease and that MAb 131-2G can prevent these manifestations of RSV disease without inhibiting virus infection.
Why do mentors and lecturers assess Mathematics and Science student teachers on teaching practice differently?

Abstract This study investigates reasons for different mentor and lecturer assessments of mathematics and science student teachers on teaching practice. The student teachers' raw marks from mentors, lecturers and the external examiner were triangulated with interviews in order to explore the variations of the assessments. A one-way ANOVA established a significant difference (p<.01) between mentors' and lecturers' assessments but no significant difference between lecturers' and the external examiners’. Differences were caused by mentors and lecturers emphasising different teaching methods and professional skills, having different relationships with the student teachers, and having different standards of professional practice. These results can inform debate on strategies for assisting student teachers to marry theory with practice whilst on teaching practice and develop a synergy of professional skills.
Achieving autonomous navigation in ground robotic vehicles

A long-held dream for robotics researchers is the creation of vehicles that can move to a goal without human supervision, adapting as required to changing circumstances. While today’s ground robots are still far from achieving such complete autonomy, substantial progress has been attained. In this paper we describe the state-of-the-art in autonomous ground vehicle navigation as observed in the recently completed DARPA PerceptOR program, and we suggest new research directions where we see opportunities for leaps in performance.
Assessment of borderzone ischemia with a combined MR imaging‐MR angiography‐MR spectroscopy protocol

We attempted to assess whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)‐MR angiography (MRA)‐MR spectroscopy (MRS) measurements can be used in the differentiation of patients in whom severe carotid lesions result in chronically hypoperfused regions and in whom the collateral capacity is sufficient to maintain a normal cerebral blood flow. Sixty‐six patients with severe stenosis of the internal carotid artery (ICA) and 19 control subjects underwent MRI, 1H MRS, and MRA. Anaerobic metabolic changes in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory were studied by assessing N‐acetyl‐L‐aspartate (NAA)/choline and lactate/NAA ratios. Quantitative flow was measured in the ICA, in the basilar artery, and in the MCA. Thirty‐four patients had borderzone infarcts, 16 patients had territory infarcts, and 16 patients had no infarcts on MRI. Patients with borderzone infarcts had significantly reduced flow in the ICA (P < 0.001) and in the MCA (P < 0.05) and decreased NAA/choline ratios (P < 0.001) in non‐infarcted regions compared with control subjects (P < 0.001) but also compared with patients with territory infarcts (P < 0.05) and patients without infarcts (P < 0.05). Flow measurements in the ICA and MCA and metabolic measurements in the MCA territory can be applied to select patients in whom cerebral perfusion pressure is insufficient to maintain normal cellular integrity. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 1999;9:1–9 © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.