Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cytokine Networks between Innate Lymphoid Cells and Myeloid Cells

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are an essential component of the innate immune system in vertebrates. They are developmentally rooted in the lymphoid lineage and can diverge into at least three transcriptionally distinct lineages. ILCs seed both lymphoid and non-lymphoid tissues and are locally self-maintained in tissue-resident pools. Tissue-resident ILCs execute important effector functions making them key regulator in tissue homeostasis, repair, remodeling, microbial defense, and anti-tumor immunity. Similar to T lymphocytes, ILCs possess only few sensory elements for the recognition of non-self and thus depend on extrinsic cellular sensory elements residing within the tissue. Myeloid cells, including mononuclear phagocytes (MNPs), are key sentinels of the tissue and are able to translate environmental cues into an effector profile that instructs lymphocyte responses. The adaptation of myeloid cells to the tissue state thus influences the effector program of ILCs and serves as an example of how environmental signals are integrated into the function of ILCs via a tissue-resident immune cell cross talks. This review summarizes our current knowledge on the role of myeloid cells in regulating ILC functions and discusses how feedback communication between ILCs and myeloid cells contribute to stabilize immune homeostasis in order to maintain the healthy state of an organ.
Waist‐to‐height ratio, body mass index and waist circumference for screening paediatric cardio‐metabolic risk factors: a meta‐analysis

Waist‐to‐height ratio (WHtR) is superior to body mass index and waist circumference for measuring adult cardio‐metabolic risk factors. However, there is no meta‐analysis to evaluate its discriminatory power in children and adolescents. A meta‐analysis was conducted using multiple databases, including Embase and Medline. Studies were included that utilized receiver‐operating characteristics curve analysis and published area under the receiver‐operating characteristics curves (AUC) for adiposity indicators with hyperglycaemia, elevated blood pressure, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome and other cardio‐metabolic outcomes. Thirty‐four studies met the inclusion criteria. AUC values were extracted and pooled using a random‐effects model and were weighted using the inverse variance method. The mean AUC values for each index were greater than 0.6 for most outcomes including hypertension. The values were the highest when screening for metabolic syndrome (AUC > 0.8). WHtR did not have significantly better screening power than other two indexes in most outcomes, except for elevated triglycerides when compared with body mass index and high metabolic risk score when compared with waist circumference. Although not being superior in discriminatory power, WHtR is convenient in terms of measurement and interpretation, which is advantageous in practice and allows for the quick identification of children with cardio‐metabolic risk factors at an early age.
BcXYG1, a Secreted Xyloglucanase from Botrytis cinerea, Triggers Both Cell Death and Plant Immune Responses1

A cell death-inducing apoplastic protein facilitates necrosis and establishment of the pathogen Botrytis cinerea but also is recognized by the plant immune system and triggers a defense response. In search of Botrytis cinerea cell death-inducing proteins, we found a xyloglucanase (BcXYG1) that induced strong necrosis and a resistance response in dicot plants. Expression of the BcXYG1 gene was strongly induced during the first 12 h post inoculation, and analysis of disease dynamics using PathTrack showed that a B. cinerea strain overexpressing BcXYG1 produced early local necrosis, supporting a role of BcXYG1 as an early cell death-inducing factor. The xyloglucanase activity of BcXYG1 was not necessary for the induction of necrosis and plant resistance, as a mutant of BcXYG1 lacking the xyloglucanase enzymatic activity retained both functions. Residues in two exposed loops on the surface of BcXYG1 were found to be necessary for the induction of cell death but not to induce plant resistance. Further analyses showed that BcXYG1 is apoplastic and possibly interacts with the proteins of the plant cell membrane and also that the BcXYG1 cell death-promoting signal is mediated by the leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinases BAK1 and SOBIR1. Our findings support the role of cell death-inducing proteins in establishing the infection of necrotrophic pathogens and highlight the recognition of fungal apoplastic proteins by the plant immune system as an important mechanism of resistance against this class of pathogens.
Character-based Language Model

Abstract. Language modelling and also other natural language process-ing tasks are usually based on words. I present here a more general yetsimpler approach to language modelling using much smaller units of textdata: character-based language model (CBLM). 1 In this paper I describethe underlying data structure of the model, evaluate the model using stan-dard measures (entropy, perplexity). As a proof-of-concept and an extrin-sic evaluation I present also a random sentence generator based on thismodel. Keywords: language model, sufﬁx array, LCP, trie, character-based, ran-dom text generator, corpus 1 Introduction Current approaches to language modelling are based almost utterly on words.To work with words, the input data needs to be tokenized which might bequite tricky for some languages. The tokenization might cause errors whichare propagated to following processing steps. But even if the tokenizationwas 100% reliable, another problem emerges: word-based language modelstreat similar words as completely unrelated. Consider two words platypusand platypuses. The former is contained in the latter yet they will be treatedcompletely independently. This issue can be sorted out partially by usingfactored language models [1] where lemmas and morphological information(here singular vs. plural number of the same lemma) are treated simultaneouslywith the word forms.In most systems, word-based language models are based on n-grams(usually 3–4) and on Markov chain of the corresponding order where only aﬁnite and ﬁxed number of previous words is taken into account. I propose amodel which tackles with the above-mentioned problems. The tokenizationis removed from the process of building the model since the model usessequences of characters (or bytes) from the input data. Words (byte sequences)which share preﬁx of characters (bytes) are stored on the same place in the
Association of microRNAs with Types of Leaf Curvature in Brassica rapa

Many vegetable crops of Brassica rapa are characterized by their typical types of leaf curvature. Leaf curvature in the right direction and to the proper degree is important for the yield and quality of green vegetable products, when cultivated under stress conditions. Recent research has unveiled some of the roles of miRNAs in Brassica crops such as how they regulate the timing of leafy head initiation and shape of the leafy head. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the variability in leaf curvature in B. rapa remains unclear. We tested the hypothesis that the leaf curvature of B. rapa is affected by miRNA levels. On the basis of leaf phenotyping, 56 B. rapa accessions were classified into five leaf curvature types, some of which were comparable to miRNA mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana in phenotype. Higher levels of miR166 and miR319a expression were associated with downward curvature and wavy margins, respectively. Overexpression of the Brp-MIR166g-1 gene caused rosette leaves to change from flat to downward curving and folding leaves to change from upward curving to flat, leading to the decrease in the number of incurved leaves and size of the leafy head. Our results reveal that miRNAs affect the types of leaf curvature in B. rapa. These findings provide insight into the relationship between miRNAs and variation in leaf curvature.
Aging of Cotton/Kraft Blend Insulation Paper in Natural Ester Dielectric Fluid

Previous studies show that both plain and thermally upgraded Kraft insulation paper age at a much slower rate in natural ester (vegetable oil) dielectric fluid than in conventional transformer mineral oil. This study compares the aging rate of electrical grade Kraft/cotton blend insulation paper in natural ester to that in mineral oil. Sealed steel aging tubes containing copper, aluminum, Kraft/cotton paper, and dielectric fluid (mineral oil or natural ester) were aged at 170oC for 500, 1000, and 1500 hours. The degree of paper degradation after aging is determined using paper tensile strength and paper degree of polymerization. Paper degradation and water contents of fluids and papers are compared. The Kraft/cotton paper degraded at a significantly slower rate in natural ester than in mineral oil.
The effect of celecoxib on DNA methylation of CDH13, TFPI2, and FSTL1 in squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus in vivo

This study examined the in-vivo effect of the NSAID celecoxib on DNA methylation in the promoter region of the tumor-suppressor genes cadherin 13, tissue factor pathway inhibitor 12, and follistatin-like protein 1, and on apoptosis, in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Forty-five patients who underwent an esophagectomy for ESCC were allocated to either a treatment group (n=22) or a control group (n=23). Patients in the treatment group were administered 800 mg/day of celecoxib for 14 days before surgery. Patients in the control group did not take any type of NSAID. Biopsies of the tumor were collected before surgery and tissue from the resection specimens after surgery. Methylation-specific PCR was used to measure DNA methylation and apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry. There was no difference in the proportion of patients with methylation for each of the genes between the patient groups before treatment. In those patients with pretreatment methylation, there was a significant reduction in the proportion with methylation and a significant increase in the corresponding messenger RNA expression after treatment with celecoxib. In those tissues in which there was a reduction in methylation following celecoxib treatment, there was a significant increase in the percentage of apoptotic cells, but not in the tissues with no change in methylation. In ESCC, in-vivo treatment with celecoxib is associated with a reduction in DNA methylation and increase in messenger RNA expression of tumor-suppressor genes, and increases in apoptosis.
Bürgy Die wahnhafte Depression . Diagnostik , Phänomenologie und Therapie

Depressive delusion is the key symptom of psychotic depression also known as major depressive disorder with psychotic features (ICD-10: F 32.3). Delusional topics are limited to guilt, impoverishment and hypochondria. Kurt Schneider described these as being the three primordial fears of human beings. Psychotic depression is distinguished by the particular severity and frequency of the episodes of illness as well as by increased suicidal tendencies. Although one in five patients with a major depression experiences psychotic symptoms, this condition is all too easily overlooked and the appropriate therapy is not initiated. Here we use case histories to illustrate some of the obstacles to diagnosis arising from the difficulty of identifying delusions hidden in a person’s experience of depression, life history and personality. A targeted active exploration of these difficulties is significant taking into account the observable symptoms and not only the subjectively experienced symptoms. A phenomenological approach is chosen to explore the matter of depressive delusion and to investigate the interaction of delusion and affect and the special importance of anxiety for the genesis of delusion. In accordance with the current treatment recommendations and against this background, it is proposed that the pharmacological strategy should be supplemented by the use of benzodiazepines more often than has it has been in the past.
Nigrostriatal and Mesolimbic D2/3 Receptor Expression in Parkinson's Disease Patients with Compulsive Reward-Driven Behaviors

The nigrostriatal and mesocorticolimbic dopamine networks regulate reward-driven behavior. Regional alterations to mesolimbic dopamine D2/3 receptor expression are described in drug-seeking and addiction disorders. Parkinson's disease (PD) patients are frequently prescribed D2-like dopamine agonist (DAgonist) therapy for motor symptoms, yet a proportion develop clinically significant behavioral addictions characterized by impulsive and compulsive behaviors (ICBs). Until now, changes in D2/3 receptor binding in both striatal and extrastriatal regions have not been concurrently quantified in this population. We identified 35 human PD patients (both male and female) receiving DAgonist therapy, with (n = 17) and without (n = 18) ICBs, matched for age, disease duration, disease severity, and dose of dopamine therapy. In the off-dopamine state, all completed PET imaging with [18F]fallypride, a high affinity D2-like receptor ligand that can measure striatal and extrastriatal D2/3 nondisplaceable binding potential (BPND). Striatal differences between ICB+/ICB− patients localized to the ventral striatum and putamen, where ICB+ subjects had reduced BPND. In this group, self-reported severity of ICB symptoms positively correlated with midbrain D2/3 receptor BPND. Group differences in regional D2/3 BPND relationships were also notable: ICB+ (but not ICB−) patients expressed positive correlations between midbrain and caudate, putamen, globus pallidus, and amygdala BPNDs. These findings support the hypothesis that compulsive behaviors in PD are associated with reduced ventral and dorsal striatal D2/3 expression, similar to changes in comparable behavioral disorders. The data also suggest that relatively preserved ventral midbrain dopaminergic projections throughout nigrostriatal and mesolimbic networks are characteristic of ICB+ patients, and may account for differential DAgonist therapeutic response. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The biologic determinants of compulsive reward-based behaviors have broad clinical relevance, from addiction to neurodegenerative disorders. Here, we address biomolecular distinctions in Parkinson's disease patients with impulsive compulsive behaviors (ICBs). This is the first study to image a large cohort of ICB+ patients using positron emission tomography with [18F]fallypride, allowing quantification of D2/3 receptors throughout the mesocorticolimbic network. We demonstrate widespread differences in dopaminergic networks, including (1) D2-like receptor distinctions in the ventral striatum and putamen, and (2) a preservation of widespread dopaminergic projections emerging from the midbrain, which is associated with the severity of compulsive behaviors. This clearly illustrates the roles of D2/3 receptors and medication effects in maladaptive behaviors, and localizes them specifically to nigrostriatal and extrastriatal regions.
Effects of radiation on the temporal bone in patients with head and neck cancer

Radiotherapy is a key component in the treatment of many head and neck cancers, and its potential to cause long‐term adverse effects has become increasingly recognized. In this review, we describe the short‐term and long‐term sequelae of radiation‐associated changes in and injury to the temporal bone and its related structures. The pathophysiology of radiation‐induced injury and its clinical entities, including sensorineural hearing loss, chronic otitis media, osteoradionecrosis, and radiation‐associated malignancies, are described. We also discuss radiation dose to the head and neck as it relates to these conditions. An improved understanding of radiation's effects on the temporal bone will enable physicians and researchers to continue efforts to reduce radiotherapy‐related sequelae and guide clinicians in diagnosing and treating the various otologic conditions that can arise in patients with head and neck cancer who have received radiotherapy. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: 1428–1435, 2016
Mobile-based collaborative learning in the fitness center: A case study on the development of English listening comprehension with a context-aware application

Abstract: Mobile applications on the go have been adopted in many fields and areas. However, there has been little research regarding the development and use of a context‐aware application for users to improve their English listening comprehension through collaboration. This research aimed at helping users improve their listening comprehension with a combination of context‐aware tools and video‐based materials and attempted to investigate the learning strategies used in groups. Therefore, the researchers designed a Ubiquitous Fitness English Listening Comprehension System (UFELCS) incorporating collaborative listening activities into a fitness center. The researchers conducted mixed methods research using both qualitative and quantitative methods. The results indicate that the participants' learning performance was significantly improved. Moreover, the analysis of the interview data showed that the interviewees and their own groups held positive attitudes towards the creative ways of language learning, and their use of listening strategies was also revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
A Comparison of a New Neuroadaptive Controller Architecture with the σ- and e- Modification Architectures

This paper presents a neuroadaptive full-state feedback controller design for the Boeing unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), and a neuroadaptive output feedback controller design for a damped van der Pol oscillator model. The proposed neuroadaptive controllers employ a novel controller architecture involving additional terms in the update laws that are constructed using a moving window of the integrated system uncertainty. These terms can be used to identify the ideal system weights of the neural network as well as effectively suppress system uncertainty and actuator system failures.
The Retina of Asian and African Elephants: Comparison of Newborn and Adult

Elephants are precocial mammals that are relatively mature as newborns and mobile shortly after birth. To determine whether the retina of newborn elephants is capable of supporting the mobility of elephant calves, we compared the retinal structures of 2 newborn elephants (1 African and 1 Asian) and 2 adult animals of both species by immunohistochemical and morphometric methods. For the first time, we present here a comprehensive qualitative and quantitative characterization of the cellular composition of the newborn and the adult retinas of 2 elephant species. We found that the retina of elephants is relatively mature at birth. All retinal layers were well discernible, and various retinal cell types were detected in the newborns, including Müller glial cells (expressing glutamine synthetase and cellular retinal binding protein; CRALBP), cone photoreceptors (expressing S-opsin or M/L-opsin), protein kinase Cα-expressing bipolar cells, tyrosine hydroxylase-, choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)-, calbindin-, and calretinin-expressing amacrine cells, and calbindin-expressing horizontal cells. The retina of newborn elephants contains discrete horizontal cells which coexpress ChAT, calbindin, and calretinin. While the overall structure of the retina is very similar between newborn and adult elephants, various parameters change after birth. The postnatal thickening of the retinal ganglion cell axons and the increase in ganglion cell soma size are explained by the increase in body size after birth, and the decreases in the densities of neuronal and glial cells are explained by the postnatal expansion of the retinal surface area. The expression of glutamine synthetase and CRALBP in the Müller cells of newborn elephants suggests that the cells are already capable of supporting the activities of photoreceptors and neurons. As a peculiarity, the elephant retina contains both normally located and displaced giant ganglion cells, with single cells reaching a diameter of more than 50 µm in adults and therefore being almost in the range of giant retinal ganglion cells found in aquatic mammals. Some of these ganglion cells are displaced into the inner nuclear layer, a unique feature of terrestrial mammals. For the first time, we describe here the occurrence of many bistratified rod bipolar cells in the elephant retina. These bistratified bipolar cells may improve nocturnal contrast perception in elephants given their arrhythmic lifestyle.
Constraining Upper Limb Synergies of Hemiparetic Patients Using a Robotic Exoskeleton in the Perspective of Neuro-Rehabilitation

The aim of this paper was to explore how an upper limb exoskeleton can be programmed to impose specific joint coordination patterns during rehabilitation. Based on rationale which emphasizes the importance of the quality of movement coordination in the motor relearning process, a robot controller was developed with the aim of reproducing the individual corrections imposed by a physical therapist on a hemiparetic patient during pointing movements. The approach exploits a description of the joint synergies using principal component analysis (PCA) on joint velocities. This mathematical tool is used both to characterize the patient's movements, with or without the assistance of a physical therapist, and to program the exoskeleton during active-assisted exercises. An original feature of this controller is that the hand trajectory is not imposed on the patient: only the coordination law is modified. Experiments with hemiparetic patients using this new active-assisted mode were conducted. Obtained results demonstrate that the desired inter-joint coordination was successfully enforced, without significantly modifying the trajectory of the end point.
Effects of Y361‐auto‐phosphorylation on structural plasticity of the HIPK2 kinase domain

The dual‐specificity activity of the homeodomain interacting protein kinase 2 (HIPK2) is regulated by cis‐auto‐phosphorylation of tyrosine 361 (Y361) on the activation loop. Inhibition of this process or substitution of Y361 with nonphosphorylatable amino acid residues result in aberrant HIPK2 forms that show altered functionalities, pathological‐like cellular relocalization, and accumulation into cytoplasmic aggresomes. Here, we report an in vitro characterization of wild type HIPK2 kinase domain and of two mutants, one at the regulating Y361 (Y361F, mimicking a form of HIPK2 lacking Y361 phosphorylation) and another at the catalytic lysine 228 (K228A, inactivating the enzyme). Gel filtration and thermal denaturation analyzes along with equilibrium binding experiments and kinase assays performed in the presence or absence of ATP‐competitors were performed. The effects induced by mutations on overall stability, oligomerization and activity support the existence of different conformations of the kinase domain linked to Y361 phosphorylation. In addition, our in vitro data are consistent with both the cross‐talk between the catalytic site and the activation loop of HIPK2 and the aberrant activities and accumulation previously reported for the Y361 nonphosphorylated HIPK2 in mammalian cells.