Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
MUC16 Is Lost from the Uterodome (Pinopode) Surface of the Receptive Human Endometrium: In Vitro Evidence That MUC16 Is a Barrier to Trophoblast Adherence1

Abstract In order for the preimplantation embryo to implant into the uterus, the trophoblast cells must initially adhere to the uterine epithelial surface. In preparation, the luminal secretory cells of the epithelium lose their nonadhesive character and their surface microvilli and bulge into the lumen, forming uterodomes (pinopodes; uterodome is used instead of pinopode, since in humans the surface membrane exocytoses rather than endocytoses (Murphy, Hum Reprod 2000; 15:2451–2454). Previous research has led to the hypothesis that loss of the nonadhesive membrane-spanning mucin MUC1 from the uterodome surface allows trophoblast adherence. Immunofluorescence microscopic assay of luminal epithelia on human uterine biopsies taken from LH+0 to LH+13 show that another membrane-spanning mucin, MUC16, was lost from uterodome surfaces in all samples taken during the receptive phase, LH+6 to LH+8 (n = 12), and that MUC1 was present on uterodomes in 4 of 12 samples and on all ciliated cells of the epithelium in the receptive phase. Short interfering RNA (siRNA) knockdown of MUC16 in a uterine epithelial cell line ECC-1 that, like uterine epithelium, expresses MUC16 and MUC1 allowed increased adherence of cells of a trophoblast cell line. In parallel experiments, siRNA knockdown of MUC1 did not affect trophoblast cell adherence. These data indicate that MUC16 is a membrane component of the nonreceptive luminal uterine surface, which prevents cell adhesion, and that its removal during uterodome formation facilitates adhesion of the trophoblast.
snb new microfluidics system with a hand-operated , on-chip actuator for mmunosensor applications reenivasa

This paper presents the realization of a portable, point-of-care and multi-target immunosensing lab-on-achip (LOC). The chip utilizes a novel on-chip actuating mechanism which uses a negative pressure to create thrust inside the channels to facilitate and control the fluid flow. No external instruments and/or sources were used to drive or control the liquid throughout the experimentation. LOC demonstrates a highly sensitive detection and quantification of a cancer marker, human-epidermal growth factor receptor (hEGFR)
Screening for host proteins interacting with Escherichia coli O157:H7 EspF using bimolecular fluorescence complementation.

AIM To screen host proteins that interact with enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 EspF. MATERIALS & METHODS Flow cytometry and high-throughput sequencing were used to screen interacting proteins. Molecular function, biological processes and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways were studied using the DAVID online tool. Glutathione S-transferase pull down and dot blotting were used to verify the interactions. RESULTS 293 host proteins were identified to associate with EspF. They were mainly enriched in RNA splicing (p = 0.005), ribosome structure (p = 0.012), and involved in 109 types of signaling pathways. SNX9 and ANXA6 were confirmed to interact with EspF. CONCLUSION EspF interacts with ANXA6; they may form a complex to manipulate the process of phagocytosis; EspF plays a highlighted pathogenic role in enterohemorrhagic E. coli infection process.
The development and use of a test to identify resistance to the anticoagulant difenacoum in the Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus)

Summary Feeding tests were carried out in the laboratory to obtain basic data on the susceptibility of wild Norway rats to difenacoum. The results were used to derive a standard test procedure for the identification of difenacoum resistance in warfarin-susceptible and resistant rats. Details are given of tests on rats from suspected difenacoum-resistant infestations on farms.
Netrin‐1 induces local translation of down syndrome cell adhesion molecule in axonal growth cones

Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule (DSCAM) plays an important role in many neurodevelopmental processes such as axon guidance, dendrite arborization, and synapse formation. DSCAM is located in the Down syndrome trisomic region of human chromosome 21 and may contribute to the Down syndrome brain phenotype, which includes a reduction in the formation of long‐distance connectivity. The local translation of a select group of mRNA transcripts within growth cones is necessary for the formation of appropriate neuronal connectivity. Interestingly, we have found that Dscam mRNA is localized to growth cones of mouse hippocampal neurons, and is dynamically regulated in response to the axon guidance molecule, netrin‐1. Furthermore, netrin‐1 stimulation results in an increase in locally translated DSCAM protein in growth cones. Deleted in colorectal cancer (DCC), a netrin‐1 receptor, is required for the netrin‐1‐induced increase in Dscam mRNA local translation. We also find that two RNA‐binding proteins—fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) and cytoplasmic polyadenylation element binding protein (CPEB)—colocalize with Dscam mRNA in growth cones, suggesting their regulation of Dscam mRNA localization and translation. Finally, overexpression of DSCAM in mouse cortical neurons results in a severe stunting of axon outgrowth and branching, suggesting that an increase in DSCAM protein results in a structural change having functional consequences. Taken together, these results suggest that netrin‐1‐induced local translation of Dscam mRNA during embryonic development may be an important mechanism to regulate axon growth and guidance in the developing nervous system. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 76: 799–816, 2016
The promise of genomics to identify novel therapeutic targets

The cataloguing of the human genome has provided an unprecedented prospectus for target identification and drug discovery. A current analysis indicates that slightly more than 3000 unique protein encoding loci are potentially amenable to pharmacological intervention (the ‘druggable genome’, which can be queried at http://function.gnf.org/druggable). However, the assessment of genome sequence data has not resulted in the anticipated acceleration of novel therapeutic developments. The basis for this shortfall lies in the significant attrition rates endemic to preclinical/clinical development, as well as the often underestimated complexity of gene function in higher order biological systems. To address the latter issue, a number of strategies have emerged to facilitate genomics-driven target identification and validation, including cellular profiling of gene function, in silico modelling of gene networks, and systematic analyses of protein complexes. The expectation is that the integration of these and other systems-based technologies may enable the conversion of potential genomic targets into functionally validated molecules, and result in practicable gene-based drug discovery pipelines.
Relation of serum sialic acid to blood coagulation activity in type 2 diabetes

The level of serum sialic acid, which is known to reflect atherosclerotic progress and to be related to the incidence of cardiovascular diseases, is increased in patients with diabetes. To elucidate the mechanism of the relation of serum sialic acid to fibrinogen, the relationship between serum sialic acid and markers of blood coagulation activity was investigated in type 2 diabetic patients. The concentration of serum sialic acid showed significant positive correlations with blood platelet count and with plasma concentrations of fibrinogen, D-dimer, thrombin–antithrombin III complex and plasmin–α2 plasmin inhibitor complex. These relationships were still significant after adjustment for age, sex, smoking history, body mass index, hemoglobin A1C, mean arterial pressure and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The correlation coefficient of blood fibrinogen with serum sialic acid was still significant after adjustment for D-dimer, thrombin–antithrombin III complex or plasmin-α2 plasmin inhibitor complex. On the contrary, blood fibrinogen showed no significant correlation with D-dimer, thrombin–antithrombin III complex or plasmin-α2 plasmin inhibitor complex, although an increase in blood fibrinogen is known to be an atherosclerotic risk factor. These results suggest that the serum sialic acid level reflects blood coagulation activity in type 2 diabetic patients and is related to blood fibrinogen level independently of blood coagulation activity.
Spike-Time Precision and Network Synchrony Are Controlled by the Homeostatic Regulation of the D-Type Potassium Current

Homeostatic plasticity of neuronal intrinsic excitability (HPIE) operates to maintain networks within physiological bounds in response to chronic changes in activity. Classically, this form of plasticity adjusts the output firing level of the neuron through the regulation of voltage-gated ion channels. Ion channels also determine spike timing in individual neurons by shaping subthreshold synaptic and intrinsic potentials. Thus, an intriguing hypothesis is that HPIE can also regulate network synchronization. We show here that the dendrotoxin-sensitive D-type K+ current (I D) disrupts the precision of AP generation in CA3 pyramidal neurons and may, in turn, limit network synchronization. The reduced precision is mediated by the sequence of outward I D followed by inward Na+ current. The homeostatic downregulation of I D increases both spike-time precision and the propensity for synchronization in iteratively constructed networks in vitro. Thus, network synchronization is adjusted in area CA3 through activity-dependent remodeling of I D.
Health effects of inhaled engineered and incidental nanoparticles

Engineered nanoscale materials provide tremendous promise for technological advancements; however, concerns have been raised about whether research of the possible health risks of these nanomaterials is keeping pace with products going to market. Research on nanomaterials, including carbon nanotubes, semiconductor crystals, and other ultrafine particles (i.e., titanium dioxide, quantum dots, iridium) will be examined to illustrate what is currently known or unknown about how particle characteristics (e.g., size, agglomeration, morphology, solubility, surface chemistry) and exposure/dose metrics (e.g., mass, size, surface area) influence the biological fate and toxicity of inhaled nanosized particles. The fact that nanosized particles (1) have a potentially high efficiency for deposition; (2) target both the upper and lower regions of the respiratory tract; (3) are retained in the lungs for a long period of time, and (4) induce more oxidative stress and cause greater inflammatory effects than their fine-sized equivalents suggest a need to study the impact of these particles on the body. Achieving a better understanding of the dynamics at play between particle physicochemistry, transport patterns, and cellular responses in the lungs and other organs will provide a future basis for establishing predictive measures of toxicity or biocompatibility and a framework for assessing potential human health risks.
The canopy spiders (Araneae) of the floodplain forest in Leipzig

The canopy spiders of the floodplain forest in Leipzig have become a focus of ecological studies in recent years. In 2006 we sampled 30 tree canopies in the 'Burgaue' nature reserve with pyrethrum knock-down fogging, recording 502 adult spiders belonging to 48 species and 11 families. Based on these data and the results of a previous fogging study, the studied spider community was dominated by forest and forest-edge species with a preference for the shrub and canopy strata as well as by spiders of the web spider feeding guild. The community structure was typical for arboreal spider communities from northern temperate forests but very different from communities in the tropics. Species richness and evenness were similar to the old growth near-primary Bialowieza Forest in Poland. The checklist of 96 canopy spider species of the floodplain forest of Leipzig includes 54 additions to the spider fauna of Leipzig and vicinity by recent canopy studies and eight first canopy records for Leipzig from our field work. The theridiid Dipoena torva (Thorell, 1875) was recorded for the first time in Saxony. The floodplain forest of Leipzig sustains a large and species-rich arboreal spider community and is thus a valuable habitat for a large proportion of endangered species (12%). Zusammenfassung: Die Baumkronenspinnen (Araneae) des Leipziger Auwaldes. Die Spinnen der Baumkronen des Leipziger Auwaldes wurden in den vergangenen Jahren ein Schwerpunkt okologischer Forschung. Im Jahr 2006 untersuchten wir 30 Baumkronen im Naturschutzgebiet "Burgaue" mithilfe der Insektizid-Baumkronenbenebelung und erhielten dabei 502 adulte Spinnen aus 48 Arten und 11 Familien. Basierend auf diesen Daten und Ergeb- nissen einer fruheren Benebelungsstudie fanden wir, dass die untersuchte Spinnengemeinschaft von Wald- und Waldrandarten mit Praferenz fur die Strauch- und Kronenschicht dominiert war. Auf Gildenniveau dominierten die Netzspinnen. Die Gemeinschaftsstruktur war typisch fur eine arboreale Spinnengemeinschaft der nordlichen temperaten Walder aber sehr verschieden von Gemeinschaften in den Tropen. Artenvielfalt und Evenness waren ahnlich dem Urwald von Bialowieza in Polen. Aufgrund der Baumkronenforschungen in Leipzig beinhaltet die Baumkronen-Checkliste der 96 Spinnenarten des Leipziger Auwaldes 54 Erstnachweise fur Leipzig und Umgebung. Acht Arten wurden erstmals durch unsere neuen Feldarbeiten in Leipzig nachgewiesen, die Kugelspinne Dipoena torva (Thorell, 1875) dabei erstmals in Sachsen. Der Leipziger Auwald beherbergt eine grose und artenreiche arboreale Spinnengemeinschaft und ist ein wertvolles Habitat fur einen grosen Anteil gefahrdeter Arten (12 %).
Mobile Learning in Secondary Education: Teachers' and Students' Perceptions And Acceptance Of Tablet Computers

This paper examines the school-wide introduction of the tablet computer as a mobile learning tool in a secondary school in Belgium. Drawing upon the Decomposed Theory of Planned Behavior, we question during three waves of data collection which factors influence teachers' and students' acceptance and use of these devices for educational purposes. The first wave indicated that attitudes towards the rollout are generally positive. Teachers and students are intrinsically motivated, welcoming it as an instrumental, and for students enjoyable, learning tool. However students do report feelings of social pressure. While after three months, the prior expectations hold up for both stakeholders, results of the third wave show a different pattern. Teachers' acceptance seems to be related to attaining a positive attitude, social influence and the sense to master the new technology while regarding students' results; only behavioral control remains significant. These results challenge teaching practices and invite manifold areas for further research.
Efficacy and safety of oral sildenafil (Viagra) in men with erectile dysfunction caused by spinal cord injury

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of 50-mg doses of sildenafil during a 28-day period in patients with erectile dysfunction caused by spinal cord injury (cord level range, T6 through L5). Background: Sildenafil is an orally active, potent, and selective inhibitor of phosphodiesterase type 5, an important regulator of cyclic guanosine monophosphate in the human corpus cavernosum. Methods: To be included in this double-blind, placebo-controlled study, all patients had to be able to achieve at least a partial reflexogenic erectile response to penile vibratory stimulation. The study utilized a single triangular sequential trial design. A total of 27 patients were randomized to receive 50 mg of sildenafil or placebo, taken orally as required (not more than once daily) approximately 1 hour before sexual activity. Results: After 28 days of treatment, nine of 12 patients (75%) on sildenafil and one of 14 patients (7%) on placebo reported that treatment had improved their erections (p = 0.0043). Furthermore, eight of 12 patients (67%) on sildenafil and two of 13 patients (15%) on placebo indicated that they wished to continue treatment (p = 0.018). A significant improvement in satisfaction with their sex life was reported by patients taking sildenafil (p = 0.012). No patients discontinued treatment due to adverse events. Conclusion: Oral sildenafil, taken as required (not more than once daily), significantly improves the quality of erections and satisfaction with sex life in men with erectile dysfunction caused by a spinal cord injury between T6 and L5.
Measurement of voluntary activation of fresh and fatigued human muscles using transcranial magnetic stimulation

Recently, transcranial magnetic stimulation of the motor cortex (TMS) revealed impaired voluntary activation of muscles during maximal efforts. Hence, we evaluated its use as a measure of voluntary activation over a range of contraction strengths in both fresh and fatigued muscles, and compared it with standard twitch interpolation using nerve stimulation. Subjects contracted the elbow flexors isometrically while force and EMG from biceps and triceps were recorded. In one study, eight subjects made submaximal and maximal test contractions with rests to minimise fatigue. In the second study, eight subjects made sustained maximal contractions to reduce force to 60 % of the initial value, followed by brief test contractions. Force responses were recorded following TMS or electrical stimulation of the biceps motor nerve. In other contractions, EMG responses to TMS (motor evoked potentials, MEPs) or to stimulation at the brachial plexus (maximal M waves, Mmax) were recorded. During contractions of 50 % maximum, TMS elicited large MEPs in biceps (> 90 % Mmax) which decreased in size (to ≈70 % Mmax) with maximal efforts. This suggests that faster firing rates made some motor units effectively refractory. With fatigue, MEPs were also smaller but remained > 70 % Mmax for contractions of 50–100 % maximum. For fresh and fatigued muscle, the superimposed twitch evoked by motor nerve and motor cortex stimulation decreased with increasing contraction strength. For nerve stimulation the relation was curvilinear, and for TMS it was linear for contractions of 50‐100 % maximum (r2= 1.00). Voluntary activation was derived using the expression: (1 – superimposed twitch/resting twitch) × 100. The resting twitch was measured directly for nerve stimulation and for TMS, it was estimated by extrapolation of the linear regression between the twitch and voluntary force. For cortical stimulation, this resulted in a highly linear relation between voluntary activation and force. Furthermore, the estimated activation corresponded well with contraction strength. Using TMS or nerve stimulation, voluntary activation was high during maximal efforts of fresh muscle. With fatigue, both measures revealed reduced voluntary activation (i.e. central fatigue) during maximal efforts. Measured with TMS, this central fatigue accounted for one‐quarter of the fall in maximal voluntary force. We conclude that TMS can quantify voluntary activation for fresh or fatigued muscles at forces of 50–100 % maximum. Unlike standard twitch interpolation of the elbow flexors, voluntary activation measured with TMS varies in proportion to voluntary force, it reveals when extra output is available from the motor cortex to increase force, and it elicits force from all relevant synergist muscles.
Comparative analyis of Flux Reversal machine and Fractional slot concentrated winding PMSM

The flux reversal machine (FRM) topology is best suited for low speed low power application. Fractional-slot, concentrated winding, surface permanent magnet machine (FSCWS-PMSM) is also suitable for this application. Comparative study of electro-magnetic performance of FRM and FSCWS-PMSM is carried out. This study is performed for same physical dimensions, rated speed, magnetic and electric loadings. These machines are compared with flux linkage, back-emf, winding inductance, electromagnetic torque and field weakening capability. Flux weakening capability of both machines is studied with d-q equivalent circuit and power density of both machines is evaluated and compared.
Faster simulation of timed Petri nets via distributed simulation

In an earlier work (D. Kumar and S. Harous, 1990; 1994), we presented an approach towards the distributed simulation of timed Petri nets. This approach is based on some major changes to K.M. Chandy and J. Misra's (1979) null message based scheme. These changes were required because the well known distributed simulation schemes for discrete event systems do not directly apply to timed Petri nets due to the nonautonomous nature of place nodes in these systems. Moreover, our scheme incorporated several ideas to increase the degree of concurrency and to reduce the number of overhead messages in distributed simulation. We provide several algorithmic details to implement the above approach. The specific model of timed Petri nets that we assume here was also presented by us in the same earlier work.
Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy and Conductive Probe Atomic Force Microscopy Studies of Hydrogen-Terminated Boron-Doped Diamond Electrodes with Different Doping Levels

The pattern of conductivity and electrochemical activity at the surfaces of hydrogen-terminated boron-doped diamond electrodes, with different boron doping levels, were measured using conductive probe atomic force microscopy (CP-AFM) and scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). CP-AFM showed that the surface was predominantly insulating, with discrete conducting areas of less than 2 μm in diameter, randomly and nonuniformly distributed on the surface. SECM imaging correlated these conductive areas with electrochemical activity and showed that the electrode surface was only partly electrochemically active and that the active area of the electrodes increased with boron doping level. Cyclic voltammograms and SECM approach curves obtained using Ru(NH3)63+/2+ as the redox mediator were characteristic of those obtained at partially blocked electrodes of nonuniform activity, or a microelectrode array. By use of this model, the SECM approach curves could be fit to obtain values of the fraction of the surface t.