Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mast cell involvement in normal human skin wound healing: expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 is correlated with recruitment of mast cells which synthesize interleukin‐4 in vivo

Mast cells (MCs) are known as key cells of immediate type hypersensitivity reactions. It has recently been shown that MCs regulate fibroblast proliferation by heterotypic cell–cell contact and secretion of interleukin‐4 (IL‐4) in vitro. It was therefore hypothesized that MCs may contribute to wound repair in vivo. Using immunohistology and in situ hybridization, the time course of mast cell recruitment and the expression of MC‐attractant chemokines were analysed in a human skin wound‐healing model, and the production of IL‐4 by MCs in vivo was investigated. The data obtained indicate that the five‐fold increase of the tryptase+ MCs at the fibrotic border of the wound within the first 10 days is the result of increased recruitment/survival of MCs or MC precursors, but not of increased local proliferation. Recruitment of MCs is paralleled by the expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (MCP‐1), but not by other chemokines such as RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted) and/or MIP (macrophage inflammatory protein)‐1α/β. Notably, 60–70% of MCs exhibited strong and selective IL‐4 immunoreactivity, whereas other resident and passenger cells were rather quiescent. The data suggest that MC contribute significantly to the cytokine network of wound repair via MC‐derived IL‐4 and stimulation of fibroblast proliferation. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Myogenin is required for late but not early aspects of myogenesis during mouse development

Mice with a targeted mutation in the myogenic basic helix-loop-helix regulatory protein myogenin have severe muscle defects resulting in perinatal death. In this report, the effect of myogenin's absence on embryonic and fetal development is investigated. The initial events of somite differentiation occurred normally in the myogenin-mutant embryos. During primary myogenesis, muscle masses in mutant embryos developed simultaneously with control siblings, although muscle differentiation within the mutant muscle masses was delayed. More dramatic effects were observed when secondary myofibers form. During this time, very little muscle formation took place in the mutants, suggesting that the absence of myogenin affected secondary myogenesis more severely than primary myogenesis. Monitoring mutant neonates with fiber type-specific myosin isoforms indicated that different fiber types were present in the residual muscle. No evidence was found to indicate that myogenin was required for the formation of muscle in one region of the embryo and not another. The expression patterns of a MyoD- lacZ transgene in myogenin-mutant embryos demonstrated that myogenin was not essential for the activation of the MyoD gene. Together, these results indicate that late stages of embryogenesis are more dependent on myogenin than early stages, and that myogenin is not required for the initial aspects of myogenesis, including myotome formation and the appearance of myoblasts.
Everyday use of assistive technology devices in school settings

Abstract Purpose: To gain more knowledge about ATDs as social–cultural objects in school settings, particularly from the children’s perspective. Methods: Nine children with cerebral palsy, aged five to six years, were observed 3 days in kindergarten and twice in the first year at primary school. At the primary school, we interviewed the children. During the interviews, the children were shown photos taken during the observations. In addition, dialogues with parents, therapists and school staff were carried out. Results and discussions: ATDs seem to have the potential both to exacerbate disability and to enhance selfhood, embodied capacities and participation. Through use, ATDs become social objects with symbolic values that influence their use. Devices corporally embedded into the child’s body schema appeared as facilitators for participation in culturally valued activities. In contrast, devices prescribed as medical interventions tended to be greeted with ambivalence by the children themselves, their parents and school staff. A device incorporated into one situation was not necessarily relevant for use in another. Conclusions: In recognizing the value of exploring children’s experiences, professionals are left with the challenge of creating space for children to reflect on the worthiness of an ATD across place, time and functionality. Implications for Rehabilitation Used in everyday life, ATDs become social objects with potential both to exacerbate disability and to enhance selfhood, embodied capacities and participation. The child’s everyday environment is a vulnerable setting for implementing rehabilitation interventions, such as ATDs. Creating space for children to reflect on the worthiness of an ATD, regarding place, time and functionality, may enhance their participation in everyday life.
Bacteremia due to Staphylococcus aureus in patients with cancer: report on 45 cases in adults and review of the literature.

The frequency, predisposing factors, therapy, and outcome of 45 episodes of bacteremia due to Staphylococcus aureus were reviewed in adult cancer patients. A poor performance status (i.e., patients largely bedridden), progressive neoplastic disease, and compromise of the mucocutaneous defense barriers characterized the patients with S. aureus sepsis. Seventeen patients died soon after the onset of infection: seven (16%) as direct result of staphylococcal sepsis, seven of factors unrelated to infection, and three of secondary sepsis due to gram-negative bacilli. The data presented here and reported by others indicated that (1) the incidence of staphylococcal sepsis in cancer patients has recently increased from a low point of 5% to a level as high as 30%; (2) breaches in the epithelium are the most important factors determining risk; (3) there are three effective approaches to therapy depending upon the clinical setting; and (4) the outcome appears to be determined by the status of the neoplastic disease and by early institution of appropriate antimicrobial therapy.
Crowdworking - a New Digital Divide? Is Design and Research Implications

The ubiquitous penetration of Internet technologies in modern societies has created new forms of working, one such being microtask crowdsourcing. This phenomenon requires further research, especially when the attendant ethical issues are considered. In this paper, we investigate crowdworking – the individual behaviors associated with microtask crowdsourcing work. In particular, we address two questions: (1) how do individuals participate in crowdworking? (2) do their participation behaviors differ? Our findings point to the emergence of a new digital divide – one that is present on our own doorstep, not in some distant land. We analyze data collected from 150 crowdworkers registered on Amazon Mechanical Turk. A mixed research approach is adopted. Quantitative data analysis reveals significant differences in the degree of participation by individuals from different demographic backgrounds. Qualitative data analysis confirms prior studies in that job autonomy and workplace flexibility make crowdworking attractive but in addition we identify that disadvantaged groups (lower education; otherwise unemployed) perceive these attractions differently from more privileged groups. Our contributions include extending understanding of microtask crowdsourcing and our conceptualization of a new form of digital divide. We also offer ethical considerations with regard to the design of crowdworking platforms, to account for differences in the reported use and perceived value of the IT-enabled platforms for crowdworkers.
Human Umbilical Cord Perivascular (HUCPV) Cells: A Source of Mesenchymal Progenitors

We describe the isolation of a nonhematopoietic (CD45−, CD34−, SH2+, SH3+, Thy‐1+, CD44+) human umbilical cord perivascular (HUCPV) cell population. Each HUCPV cell harvest (2–5 × 106, depending on the length of cord available) gave rise to a morphologically homogeneous fibroblastic cell population, which expressed α‐actin, desmin, vimentin, and 3G5 (a pericyte marker) in culture. We determined the colony‐forming unit‐fibro‐blast (CFU‐F) frequency of primary HUCPV cells to be 1:333 and the doubling time, which was 60 hours at passage 0 (P0), decreased to 20 hours at P2. This resulted in a significant cell expansion, producing over 1010 HUCPV cells within 30 days of culture. Furthermore, HUCPV cells cultured in nonosteogenic conditions contained a subpopulation that exhibited a functional osteogenic phenotype and elaborated bone nodules. The frequency of this CFU‐osteogenic subpopulation at P1 was 2.6/105 CFU‐F, which increased to 7.5/105 CFU‐F at P2. Addition of osteogenic supplements to the culture medium resulted in these frequencies increasing to 1.2/104 and 1.3/104 CFU‐F, respectively, for P1 and P2. CFU‐O were not seen at P0 in either osteogenic or non‐osteogenic culture conditions, but P0 HUCPV cells did contain a 20% subpopulation that presented neither class I nor class II cell‐surface major histocompatibility complexes (MHC−/−). This population increased to 95% following passage and cryopreservation (P5). We conclude that, due to their rapid doubling time, high frequencies of CFU‐F and CFU‐O, and high MHC−/− phenotype, HUCPV cells represent a significant source of cells for allogeneic mesenchymal cell‐based therapies.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells as Vehicles for Gene Delivery

Mesenchymal stem cells contribute to the regeneration of mesenchymal tissues such as bone, cartilage, muscle, ligament, tendon, adipose, and marrow stroma. Transduction of mesenchymal stem cells from species other than humans is required for the development of disease models in which mesenchymal stem cells-based gene delivery is evaluated. Attempts to transduce mesenchymal stem cells from some species with amphotropic retroviral vectors were unsuccessful, leading to comparative mesenchymal stem cells transductions with xenotropic and gibbonape leukemia virus envelope-pseudotyped retroviral vectors. Human, baboon, canine, and rat mesenchymal stem cells were transduced optimally with amphotropic vector supernatants. In contrast, sheep, goat, and pig mesenchymal stem cells showed highest transduction levels with xenotropic retroviral vector supernatant, and rabbit mesenchymal stem cells were transduced optimally with gibbon-ape-enveloped vectors. Using a myeloablative canine transplantation model and gene-marked canine mesenchymal stem cells, the biodistribution of infused and ex vivo expanded mesenchymal stem cells were examined. The majority of transduced canine mesenchymal stem cells were found in the bone marrow samples. The current study shows the use of mesenchymal stem cells as a delivery vehicle for gene transfer studies, and validates the feasibility of delivering mesenchymal stem cells to the marrow compartment for stromal regeneration after cancer-associated cytotoxic therapies.
Designing and implementing quality control for multi‐center screening of mutations in the ATM gene among women with breast cancer

Epidemiologic studies of breast and other cancers are increasingly turning toward large, multi‐center designs in order to obtain adequate power to detect low‐penetrance susceptibility alleles. The size of such studies often makes it necessary to distribute the genetic screening efforts to multiple sites. Careful standardization of screening methodology and quality control across sites is required for such multi‐center screening designs to be efficient. In this report, we illustrate our approach to these challenges in the context of the WECARE (Women's Environment, Cancer and Radiation Epidemiology) Study, a multi‐center population‐based genetic epidemiologic study of women with unilateral and bilateral breast cancer. We provide optimized conditions for screening the ataxia‐telangiectasia gene (ATM) for variation by denaturing high‐performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) and describe the results of two independent quality control studies at four international centers employing these conditions. Finally, we report novel mutations in the ATM gene identified both in patients with ataxia‐telangiectasia and in patients with unilateral or bilateral breast cancer. Hum Mutat 21:542–550, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Up‐regulation of breast cancer resistance protein expression in hepatoblastoma following chemotherapy: A study in patients and in vitro

Aim: Hepatoblastoma (HB), the most common pediatric malignant liver tumor, is treated with chemotherapy to facilitate surgical resection. Previous studies suggest that HB acquires chemoresistance via increased expression of multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1, ABCC1). There is no well established evidence that this also occurs in the clinical setting and little is known about the effects of chemotherapeutic treatments on HB in situ.
Coagulation factor VII variants resistant to inhibitory antibodies

Summary Replacement therapy is currently used to prevent and treat bleeding episodes in coagulation factor deficiencies. However, structural differences between the endogenous and therapeutic proteins might increase the risk for immune complications. This study was aimed at identifying factor (F)VII variants resistant to inhibitory antibodies developed after treatment with recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) in a FVII-deficient patient homozygous for the p.A354V-p.P464Hfs mutation, which predicts trace levels of an elongated FVII variant in plasma. We performed fluorescent bead-based binding, ELISA-based competition as well as fluorogenic functional (activated FX and thrombin generation) assays in plasma and with recombinant proteins. We found that antibodies displayed higher affinity for the active than for the zymogen FVII (half-maximal binding at 0.54 ± 0.04 and 0.78 ± 0.07 BU/ml, respectively), and inhibited the coagulation initiation phase with a second-order kinetics. Isotypic analysis showed a polyclonal response with a large predominance of IgG1. We hypothesised that structural differences in the carboxyl-terminus between the inherited FVII and the therapeutic molecules contributed to the immune response. Intriguingly, a naturally-occurring, poorly secreted and 5-residue truncated FVII (FVII-462X) escaped inhibition. Among a series of truncated rFVII molecules, we identified a well-secreted and catalytically competent variant (rFVII-464X) with reduced binding to antibodies (half-maximal binding at 0.198 ± 0.003 BU/ml) as compared to the rFVII-wt (0.032 ± 0.002 BU/ml), which led to a 40-time reduced inhibition in activated FX generation assays. Taken together our results provide a paradigmatic example of mutation-related inhibitory antibodies, strongly support the FVII carboxyl-terminus as their main target and identify inhibitor-resistant FVII variants.
FERC's Expansive Authority to Transform the Electric Grid

Using an unprecedented historical analysis of over 100 years of law dating to the Progressive Era, this Article concludes that the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) v. Electric Power Supply Association properly asserted that FERC has ample authority to pursue broad environmental and energy goals in transforming the electric grid. Building on the Court’s finding that FERC may regulate “practices” that “directly affect” rates in wholesale electricity markets, the analysis develops a detailed standard that is consistent with interpretation of regulatory statutes in each of three distinct eras: the Progressive Era, the era of regulation of utilities under firm-specific tariffs, and the modern, market-based era. This Article also sets forth and discusses in depth four guiding principles that specify how FERC may use the “directly affecting” standard to take sweeping measures to inject new values in the wholesale electricity markets, such as accounting for environmental externalities. Analyzing FERC’s initiatives to promote demand response (techniques for reducing electricity consumption, upheld in FERC v. EPSA) and a hypothetical carbon price imposed on bids in wholesale markets, the Article broadens our understanding of what FERC can regulate and what states can regulate, aiming to lessen ongoing jurisdictional tension and provide a means for addressing difficult cases involving preemption of state laws. The hope is that additional clarity about jurisdictional boundaries will allow for more valuable innovation and experimentation in refashioning the electric grid.
Dual Effects of Body-Weight Supported Treadmill Training on Cardiovascular Fitness and Walking Ability Early After Stroke

Background. Body-weight-supported treadmill training (BWSTT) to train both fitness and ambulation has not been investigated. Objective. To compare the effectiveness of BWSTT to dose-equivalent usual care (UC) in improving cardiovascular fitness and walking early after stroke. Methods. Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 interventions: BWSTT + UC or UC. All individuals participated in 60-minute physiotherapy sessions 5 times weekly as inpatients for 6 weeks and 3 times weekly as outpatients for another 6 weeks. Baseline, posttraining, 6-, and 12-month follow-up outcome measures were as follows: primary, fitness (peak oxygen consumption, VO2peak) and walking ability (6-Minute Walk Test [6MWT] and 10-m walk); secondary, Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and motor impairment (Chedoke-McMaster Stages of Recovery [CMSR] Leg and Foot). Results. In all, 50 individuals (mean age, 60 ± 14 years; mean event-to-randomization, 23 ± 5 days; 29 men) participated. No adverse events occurred. BWSTT improved VO2peak by 30%, which was significantly greater than the 8% improvement observed for UC (P = .004 between groups). Similarly, there were significant Time × Group interactions for 6MWT and CMSR Foot, with BWSTT outperforming UC for gains in distance (P = .15; 48% vs 19%, respectively) and stage (P = .01; 1.0 vs 0.3, respectively). No group effect was seen for 10-m walk speed, BBS, or CMSR Leg, with both groups demonstrating significant gains. In general, gains observed were preserved for 12 months. Conclusions. BWSTT elicits greater improvements in cardiovascular fitness and walking endurance than UC in the subacute poststroke period. These gains are largely sustained for 1 year.
Biochemical Characterization of the Diaphanous Autoregulatory Interaction in the Formin Homology Protein FHOD1*

Diaphanous related formins (DRFs) are cytoskeleton remodeling proteins that mediate specific upstream GTPase signals to regulate cellular processes such as cytokinesis, cell polarity, and organelle motility. Previous work on the Rho-interacting DRF mDia has established that the biological activity of DRFs is regulated by an autoinhibitory interaction of a C-terminal diaphanous autoregulatory domain (DAD) with the DRF N terminus. This autoinhibition is released upon competitive binding of an activated GTPase to the N terminus of the DRF. Analyzing autoregulation of the Rac1-interacting DRF FHOD1, we utilized in vitro binding studies to identify a 60-amino acid DAD at the protein C terminus that recognizes an N-terminal formin homology (FH) 3 domain. Importantly, the FH3 domain of FHOD1 does not overlap with the proposed Rac1-binding domain. The FHOD1 DAD was found to contain one functional hydrophobic autoregulatory motif, while a previously uncharacterized basic cluster that is conserved in all DRF family DADs also contributed to the FH3-DAD interaction. Simultaneous mutation of both motifs efficiently released autoinhibition of FHOD1 in NIH3T3 cells resulting in the formation of actin stress fibers and increased serum response element transcription. A second putative hydrophobic autoregulatory motif N-terminal of the DAD belongs to a unique FHOD subdomain of yet undefined function. NMR structural analysis and size exclusion chromatography experiments revealed that the FHOD1 DAD is intrinsically unstructured with a tendency for a helical conformation in the hydrophobic autoregulation motif. Together, these data suggest that in FHOD1, DAD acts as signal sequence for binding to the well folded and monomeric FH3 domain and imply an activation mechanism that differs from competitive binding of Rac1 and DAD to one interaction site.
Carbon Monoxide Measurements in the Troposphere

During the second flight of the space shuttle, the measurement of air pollution from satellites (MAPS) experiment in the OSTA-1 payload acquired approximately 35 hours of radiometric measurements of the carbon monoxide mixing ratio in the middle troposphere, upper troposphere, and lower stratosphere. A gas filter radiometer operating in the 4.67-micrometer band was used to acquire the data over the region from 38�N to 38�S during both daytime and nighttime. The performance of the measurement system was excellent. The data reduced to date indicate the presence of significant gradients in the middle tropospheric carbon monoxide mixing ratio with both latitude and longitude over the North Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Middle East. On the basis of comparisons with directly measured values, the accuracy of the measurements is approximately 15 percent. Comparisons of data taken on successive orbits over the same geographic region indicate that the repeatability of the measurements is approximately 5 percent.
Differential expression patterns of candidate genes pertaining to productive and immune functions in hepatic tissue of heat-stressed Salem Black goats

ABSTRACT A study was conducted with the primary objective to assess the impact of heat stress on the expression patterns of different candidate genes pertaining to productive and immunological functions in Salem Black goats. The study was conducted for a period of 45 days in 12, 10-month to 1-year-old female Salem Black breed goats randomly allocated into 2 groups of 6 animals each, C (n = 6; Salem Black control) and HS (n = 6; Salem Black heat stress). The expression pattern of growth hormone receptor,insulin-like growth factor 1 gene, interleukin-2 (IL-2),IL-6, IL-18, tumour necrosis factor α and interferon β (IFN-β) in hepatic tissue was significantly (P < 0.05) lower in HS group as compared to C group. The results generated from this study point towards the compromised growth and immune status of Salem Black breed probably to support life-sustaining activities to adapt to heat stress challenges. Abbreviations: IL: Interleukin; GHR: growth hormone receptor; IGF-1: insulin-like growth factor 1; TNFα: tumour necrosis factor α; IFN-β: interferon β; TLRs: toll-like receptors; HPA: hypothalamo–pituitary–adrenal axis; HSF 1: heat shock factor; NK: natural killer cell; THI: temperature humidity index; GAPDH: glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase; HPRT1: hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase 1; SDHA: succinate dehydrogenase
Extended Model of Raw Data Signals for Space-Time Adaptive Processing and Moving Target Indicators

This paper presents a multi-channel synthetic aperture radar (SAR) signal model. Its purpose is to study nonstationary raw SAR signals in moving target indication (MTI) systems. This is opposed to the traditional approach in which only stationary (harmonic) signals are considered. The principal difference is that the autocorrelation function of a non-stationary signal is much sharper than the autocorrelation of a harmonic one. It will be demonstrated that this can play a significant role in the space-time adaptive processing (STAP) yielding easier and faster algorithms.