Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Frequency‐domain double‐plane‐wave least‐squares reverse time migration

Least‐squares reverse time migration is often formulated as an iterative updating process, where estimating the gradient of the misfit function is necessary. Traditional time domain shot‐profile least‐squares reverse time migration is computationally expensive because computing the gradient involves solving the two‐way wave equation several times in every iteration. To reduce the computational cost of least‐squares reverse time migration, we propose a double‐plane‐wave least‐squares reverse time migration method based on a misfit function for frequency‐domain double‐plane‐wave data. In double‐plane‐wave least‐squares reverse time migration, the gradient is computed by multiplying frequency‐domain plane‐wave Green's functions with the corresponding double‐plane‐wave data residual. Because the number of plane‐wave Green's functions used for migration is relatively small, they can be pre‐computed and stored in a computer's discs or memory. We can use the pre‐computed plane‐wave Green's functions to obtain the gradient without solving the two‐way wave equation in each iteration. Therefore, the migration efficiency is significantly improved. In addition, we study the effects of using sparse frequency sampling and sparse plane‐wave sampling on the proposed method. We can achieve images with correct reflector amplitudes and reasonable resolution using relatively sparse frequency sampling and plane‐wave sampling, which are larger than that determined by the Nyquist theorem. The well‐known wrap‐around artefacts and linear artefacts generated due to under‐sampling frequency and plane wave can be suppressed during iterations in cases where the sampling rates are not excessively large. Moreover, implementing the proposed method with sparse frequency sampling and sparse plane‐wave sampling further improves the computational efficiency. We test the proposed double‐plane‐wave least‐squares reverse time migration on synthetic models to show the practicality of the method.
Proteomic screening and identification of microRNA‐128 targets in glioma cells

Brain‐enriched miR‐128 is repressed in glioma cells, and could inhibit the proliferation of gliomas by targeting genes such as E2F3a and BMI1. To identify more targets of miR‐128 in glioblastoma multiforme, the pulse stable isotope labeling with amino acids in cell culture (pSILAC) technique was used to test its impact on whole protein synthesis in T98G glioma cells. We successfully identified 1897 proteins, of which 1459 proteins were quantified. Among them, 133 proteins were downregulated after the overexpression of miR‐128. Through predictions using various bioinformatics tools, 13 candidate target genes were chosen. A luciferase assay validated that 11 of 13 selected genes were potential targets of miR‐128, and a mutagenesis experiment confirmed CBFB, CORO1C, GLTP, HnRNPF, and TROVE2 as the target genes. Moreover, we observed that the expression of CORO1C, TROVE2, and HnRNPF were higher in glioma cell lines compared to normal brain tissues and presented a tendency toward downregulation after overexpression of miR‐128 in T98G cells. Furthermore, we have validated that CORO1C, TROVE2, and HnRNPF could inhibit glioma cell proliferation. In sum, our data showed that the integration of pSILAC and bioinformatics analysis was an efficient method for seeking the targets of miRNAs, and plentiful targets of miR‐128 were screened and laid the foundation for research into the miR‐128 regulation network.
Infliximab use in Crohn's disease: impact on health care resources in the UK

Objective To quantify the impact of infliximab therapy on health care resource utilization in the UK. Methods A retrospective audit was undertaken at seven centres in the UK, which reviewed patient notes for a period of 6 months before and 6 months after an initial infliximab infusion. Details of hospital admissions, outpatient visits, operations, diagnostic procedures, drug usage, and overall efficacy were collected. Results were compared for the two 6 month study periods. Results A total of 205 patients (62% female, median age 33 years) with moderate/severe Crohn's disease were audited. The majority of patients had chronic active disease (62%) and most received one infusion initially (72%). Clinicians rated 74% of responses as good to excellent and patients 72%. Most patients had concomitant immunosuppression (pre: 75%, post: 75%). Approximately half of the patients (45%) stopped taking steroids, with a further 34% having a dosage reduction. A fall of 1093 inpatient days was seen (1435 vs. 342) in the 6 months following infliximab administration. There were seven fewer operations, 33 fewer examinations under anaesthetic, and 99 fewer diagnostic procedures. Outpatient visits were similar pre- versus post- (555 vs. 534). The total reduction in direct costs amounted to an estimated £591 006. Three hundred and fifty-three infliximab infusions were administered at an estimated cost of £562 719. Thus, there was a net reduction of £28 287 or £137.98 per patient. Conclusions Infliximab appears to be a potentially cost effective treatment for selected patients based on the reduced number of inpatient stays, examinations under anaesthetic, and diagnostic procedures over a 6 month period.
Hepatic Blood Flow in Humans During Isoflurane‐N2O and Halothane‐N2O Anesthesia

Hepatic blood flow (HBF) (assessed by plasma clearance and hepatic extraction of indocyanine green), cardiac index, and hepatic venous oxygen saturation were measured in patients before and after induction of anesthesia with thiopental, fentanyl, and N2O, and again during halothane (1 MAC)-N2O (n = 5) or isoflurane (1 MAC)-N2O (n = 6) anesthesia before the start of surgery. Induction of anesthesia decreased HBF and cardiac index. Before administration of volatile anesthetics, both groups had similar values of HBF, cardiac index, and hepatic venous oxygen saturation. During anesthesia cardiac index remained stable in both groups, whereas HBF increased significantly with isoflurane but did not change significantly with halothane. Hepatic venous oxygen saturation was also significantly greater during isoflurane than during halothane anesthesia. We conclude that isoflurane increases HBF in anesthetized patients and is associated with a higher hepatic venous oxygen saturation than is halothane.
CNS myelinogenesis in vitro: Time course and pattern of rat oligodendrocyte development

Oligodendrocyte precursor cells that develop into myelin‐forming cells of the central nervous system (CNS) were cultured from newborn rat brain to study how they proliferate and differentiate in normal conditioning medium, and their cell development was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation and immunocytochemical studies.
Three Teachers’ Initial Efforts to Use Twitter for Teaching English in Public Schools

Twitter is perhaps the most widely recognized social network services (SNSs) worldwide. This study attends to the value of Twitter from the EFL pedagogical perspective. The purpose of this study is to investigate how three Korean English teachers in an elementary, middle, and high school used Twitter for three weeks with their students. The qualitative case study yielded findings particularly with regard to the teachers’ use of patterns, interaction with students, and perceptions on using Twitter for instruction by analyzing the teachers’ tweets, interviews, and their students’ postings. The teachers employed microblogging differently depending on their students’ ages, computer experience, their L2 belief, and perceptions concerning the use of technology in the classroom. Interaction patterns with their students also were noticeably different when using Twitter. However, the three teachers agreed that Twitter enables good writing practice for students of any age and provides a great opportunity for them to use English for authentic purposes spontaneously.
The GABAergic System: An Overview of Physiology, Physiopathology and Therapeutics

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, where it is widely distributed. GABA has an important role in neurodevelopment, and depending on the period of development, its action can be excitatory or inhibitory. In prenatal stages, GABA is excitatory, and in the adult stage, GABA acquires an inhibitory function in the nervous system and modulates the function of other organs and systems including the endocrine system and the immune system. Disorders in the function of GABA are responsible for various pathologies, both neurological and non-neurological, and include epilepsy, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, endocrine disorders and immunological disorders. In the present narrative review, we show that the activity of GABA depends on the synthesis, degradation, membrane transport and the presence of specific GABA receptors, present in both nervous tissue and non-neural tissue. We describe general aspects of the physiology, physiopathology, and pharmacotherapeutics of the GABA system, and finally, we emphasize that although there are multiple GABAergic therapeutic options, more research is required into the GABA system since future applications may be broad.
Aberrant expression of Smad4 results in resistance against the growth‐inhibitory effect of transforming growth factor‐β in the SiHa human cervical carcinoma cell line

Smad proteins activated by TGF‐β form complexes with Smad4. Upon activation, these complexes translocate to the nucleus of the cell, where they induce transcription of genes related to inhibition of cell growth, cell differentiation and apoptosis. We investigated the role of Smads in the TGF‐β–mediated signal‐transduction cascade in 4 human cervical cancer cell lines: HeLa, Caski, HT‐3 and SiHa. Based on our results, SiHa cells show low mRNA expression of mutated Smad4 (Gly230Ala, Ala488Val) and of Smads 2, 3, 5 and 6. SiHa cells were likewise defective in TGF‐β signaling, as evidenced by a lack of significant growth inhibition following TGF‐β treatment. In addition, TGF‐β did not induce transcription of the PAI‐1 gene or change Smad protein levels. Introduction of Smad3 and/or Smad4 into SiHa cells restored TGF‐β signaling, as determined by activation of the 3TP‐lux reporter gene and by prominent apoptotic cell death with PAI‐1 induction. Analysis of the downstream targets activated by TGF‐β yielded rapid activation of p38 with subsequent phosphorylation of the transcription factor ATF‐2 but unchanged SAPK/JNK activation in the 4 cervical cancer cell lines. Our findings demonstrate that (i) decrease of Smad4 mRNA expression is closely associated with defective TGF‐β response and lack of growth inhibition, (ii) activation of PAI‐1 by TGF‐β may be Smad4‐dependent and (iii) the Smad and the p38 cascades are triggered by TGF‐β independently of each other in human cervical cancer. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cultivation and Growth Characteristics of a Diverse Group of Oligotrophic Marine Gammaproteobacteria

ABSTRACT Forty-four novel strains of Gammaproteobacteria were cultivated from coastal and pelagic regions of the Pacific Ocean using high-throughput culturing methods that rely on dilution to extinction in very low nutrient media. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the isolates fell into five rRNA clades, all of which contained rRNA gene sequences reported previously from seawater environmental gene clone libraries (SAR92, OM60, OM182, BD1-7, and KI89A). Bootstrap analyses of phylogenetic reliability did not support collapsing these five clades into a single clade, and they were therefore named the oligotrophic marine Gammaproteobacteria (OMG) group. Twelve cultures chosen to represent the five clades were successively purified in liquid culture, and their growth characteristics were determined at different temperatures and dissolved organic carbon concentrations. The isolates in the OMG group were physiologically diverse heterotrophs, and their physiological properties generally followed their phylogenetic relationships. None of the isolates in the OMG group formed colonies on low- or high-nutrient agar upon their first isolation from seawater, while 7 of 12 isolates that were propagated for laboratory testing eventually produced colonies on 1/10 R2A agar. The isolates grew relatively slowly in natural seawater media (1.23 to 2.63 day−1), and none of them grew in high-nutrient media (>351 mg of C liter−1). The isolates were psychro- to mesophilic and obligately oligotrophic; many of them were of ultramicrobial size (<0.1 μm3). This cultivation study revealed that sporadically detected Gammaproteobacteria gene clones from seawater are part of a phylogenetically diverse constellation of organisms mainly composed of oligotrophic and ultramicrobial lineages that are culturable under specific cultivation conditions.
C-reactive protein as a predictor of outcome after discharge from the intensive care: a prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND Recent studies have found plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) to be a predictor of outcome after discharge from the intensive care unit (ICU). To assess the generalizability of this finding, we assessed the value of CRP on the day of ICU discharge as a predictor of unplanned ICU readmission and unexpected death within 2 weeks. Plasma albumin and white cell count at discharge were also considered as markers associated with ongoing inflammation. METHODS This was a single-centre observational study involving a medical-surgical ICU in a university teaching hospital. Data were prospectively collected from 1487 admissions involving 1401 patients over a 12 month period. Patients' admission details and APACHE II score were collected in addition to plasma CRP, white cell count, and albumin values from the day of discharge from ICU. We assessed the difference in these variables between patients who were readmitted, who died unexpectedly, and those who did not. RESULTS We found that 9.9% of patients discharged were either readmitted (7.0%) or died unexpectedly (2.9%). Patients who were readmitted had a lower plasma albumin concentration [20 (16, 24) vs 22 (19, 27), P<0.001] and a higher admission APACHE II score [median (inter-quartile range, IQR) 16.5 (13, 21) vs 15 (12, 18), P=0.02]. Patients who died unexpectedly on the ward were older [mean (sd): 76 (12) vs 59 (19), P<0.001] and had a higher APACHE II score [21 (17.25, 26) vs 15 (12, 18), P<0.001]. There was not a statistically significant difference in CRP concentration between patients who either required ICU readmissions or died unexpectedly on the ward and those who did not. CONCLUSIONS In a mixed medical-surgical intensive care, plasma CRP measured at the day of discharge from intensive care is not a predictor of readmissions or deaths.
Eating disturbance and body image: a comparison of a community sample of adult black and white women.

OBJECTIVE This study examined racial differences in eating disorder symptomatology in a community-based sample of middle-aged adult Black and White women and investigated predictors of body image dissatisfaction in these two different racial groups, since most research has focused on young adult White women. METHOD Subjects (538 Black and White women) completed the Eating Disorder Inventory and measures of social pressures about thinness and negative attitudes about overweight. RESULTS Black and White women reported comparable levels of eating disturbance. However, after controlling for degree of overweight, White women had significantly greater rates of body dissatisfaction than Black women. Nonetheless, both racial groups reported considerable body image dissatisfaction and similar factors were found to predict body dissatisfaction for Black and White women. DISCUSSION Our data and other recent data indicate that eating disturbance occurs across a much broader age, race, and socioeconomic distribution than previously suspected. Research implications are discussed.
Synthesis and Characterization of Hybrid Mesoporous Materials Prepared with Triblock-Copolymer and Bridged Silsesquioxane

In this study functionalized SBA-15 mesoporous silica materials have been synthesized through a simp le co-condensation approach of bis-(3-(t rimethoxyosily l)propyl) amine (BTPA) and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) using xy lene like swelling agent, amphih ilic trib lock-copolymer (PEO-PPO-PEO) Pluronic P123 as structural direct ing agent under acidic condition, and inorganic salt has been used to improve mesostructure ordering and tailor framework porosity. The influence of amount of BTPA on the structural properties of the resultant materials was investigated. The resultant materials have been characterized by powder X-ray d iffraction, FT-IR, 29 Si MAS NMR, 13 C CP MAS NM R, SEM and elemental analysis. In order to examine the potential of these materials as adsorbents for heavy metals Hg (II) adsorption experiments were also performed. The results from 29 Si MAS NM R and elemental analysis showed that with increasing the amount of BTPA in the synthesis mixture leads to increasing the incorporation of organic groups in the silica framewo rk. Adsorption of Hg (II) ions fro m aqueous solutions showed high adsorption capacities suggested that these materials have good potential to be used as adsorbents for Hg (II) ions in acid solutions.
p53-independent elevation of p21 expression by PMA results from PKC-mediated mRNA stabilization.

The p21 (cip1/waf1) protein induces cell cycle arrest through inhibition of the activity of cdk (cyclin dependent kinase)/cyclin complexes. Expression of p21 is induced in a p53-dependent manner by DNA damage. p21 can also be induced independently of p53 by phorbol ester or okadaic acid. In this study, we have addressed the role of the PKC (protein kinase C) signaling pathway in the induction of p21 in response to PMA (phorbol myristate acetate) and okadaic acid. Levels of p21 (protein and mRNA) rapidly increased (within approximately 4 h) in U937 cells treated with PMA. The PKC-specific inhibitors RO 31-8220 and GF109203X down-regulated PMA or okadaic acid-induced p21 expression. Following persistent PKC activation, p21 mRNA levels remained elevated, indicating an enhanced stability of the mRNA. Using actinomycin D to measure mRNA stability and p21 promoter luciferase assays to measure activity, we provide evidence to support a role for the PKC signaling pathway in p21 mRNA stability. Thus, PKC regulates the amount of p21 in U937 cells at the level of mRNA accumulation and translation.
Analysis of differentially expressed proteins in late‐stationary growth phase of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a causative agent of tuberculosis (TB). The ability of M. tuberculosis to be quiescent in the cell has caused the emergence of latent infection. A comprehensive proteomic analysis of M. tuberculosis H37Rv over three growth phases, namely mid‐log (14‐day culture), early stationary (28‐day culture), and late stationary (50‐day culture), was performed in order to study the change in proteome from the mid‐log phase to late‐stationary phase. Combination methods of two‐dimensional electrophoresis (2‐DE) and tandem mass spectrometry were used to generate proteome maps of M. tuberculosis at different growth phases. Ten proteins were detected differentially expressed in the late‐stationary phase compared with the other two phases. These proteins were SucD, TrpD, and Rv2161c, which belong to metabolic pathway proteins; FadE5, AccD5, DesA1, and Rv1139c are proteins involved in cell wall or lipid biosynthesis, whereas TB21.7 and Rv3224 are conserved hypothetical proteins with unknown function. A surface antigen protein, DesA1, was not detectable in the late‐stationary phase, although present in both log and early‐stationary phases. The changes in the expression levels of these proteins were in line with the growth environment changes of the bacteria from mid‐log phase to late‐stationary phase. The information gathered may be valuable in the intervention against latent TB infection.
Identification, characterization and analysis of expression of genes encoding arylalkylamine N‐acetyltransferases in the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum

Most organisms exhibit some kind of rhythmicity in their behaviour and/or physiology as an adaptation to the cyclical movements of the Earth. In addition to circadian rhythms, many organisms have an annual rhythmicity in certain activities, such as reproduction, migration or induction of diapause. Current knowledge of the molecular basis controlling seasonal rhythmicity, especially in insects, is scarce. One element that seems to play an essential role in the maintenance of both circadian and seasonal rhythms in vertebrates is the hormone melatonin. In vertebrates, the limiting enzyme in its synthesis is the arylalkylamine N‐acetyltransferase (AANAT). Melatonin is also present in insects but the precise biochemical pathway and the enzymes involved in its synthesis are unknown. Insects possess phylogenetically distant arylalkylamine N‐acetyltransferases but their involvement in melatonin synthesis still needs to be fully demonstrated. Aphids have a seasonally rhythmical life cycle, reproducing parthenogenetically by viviparity in favourable seasons but, in unfavourable seasons, they produce a single generation of sexual individuals. The length of the photoperiod is the main environmental factor that controls the mode of reproduction in aphids. Taking advantage of the availability of the genome of the aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum, we searched for genes encoding aphid arylalkylamine N‐acetyltransferase homologues that could be candidates for participation in seasonal rhythmicity. We identified four AANAT genes, of which at least two (Ap‐AANAT1 and Ap‐AANAT3) showed highly significant variation in transcription levels depending on the photoperiod conditions. These results are discussed in the context of how seasonality can be controlled in aphids.
Hypoxia and Sprint Swimming Performance of Juvenile Striped Bass, Morone saxatilis

Annual hypoxia in the Chesapeake Bay has expanded to the point where Darwinian fitness of juvenile striped bass (Morone saxatilis) may depend on their ability to perform in low-oxygen environments. The locomotion they use in predator/prey dynamics relies primarily on white (type II) muscle that is powered by anaerobic metabolic pathways and has generally been thought to be immune to aquatic hypoxia. We tested the sprint performance of 15 juvenile striped bass twice under acute hypoxia (20% air saturation [AS]) 5 wk apart and once under normoxia (>85% AS) in between. Average sprint performance was lower under the first hypoxia exposure than in normoxia and increased in the second hypoxia test relative to the first. The rank order of individual sprint performance was significantly repeatable when comparing the two hypoxia tests but not when compared with sprint performance measured under normoxic conditions. The maximum sprint performance of each individual was also significantly repeatable within a given day. Thus, sprint performance of striped bass is reduced under hypoxia, is phenotypically plastic, and improves with repetitive hypoxia exposures but is unrelated to relative sprint performance under normoxia. Since energy to fuel a sprint comes from existing ATP and creatine phosphate stores, the decline in sprint performance probably reflects reduced function of a part of the reflex chain leading from detection of aversive stimuli to activation of the muscle used to power the escape response.