Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pertussis Toxin Inhibits Induction of Tissue-Specific Autoimmune Disease by Disrupting G Protein-Coupled Signals

Pertussis toxin (PTX) has been used for many years as an adjuvant that promotes development of tissue-specific experimental autoimmune diseases such as experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU), and others. Enhancement of vascular permeability and of Th1 responses have been implicated in this effect. Here we report a surprising observation that, in a primed system, PTX can completely block the development of EAU. Disease was induced in B10.RIII mice by adoptive transfer of uveitogenic T cells, or by immunization with a uveitogenic peptide. A single injection of PTX concurrently with infusion of the uveitogenic T cells, or two injections 7 and 10 days after active immunization, completely blocked development of EAU. EAU also was prevented by a 1-h incubation in vitro of the uveitogenic T cells with PTX before infusing them into recipients. Uveitogenic T cells treated with PTX in vitro and lymphoid cells from mice treated with PTX in vivo failed to migrate to chemokines in a standard chemotaxis assay. Neither the isolated B-oligomer subunit of PTX that lacks ADP ribosyltransferase activity nor the related cholera toxin that ADP-ribosylates Gs (but not Gi) proteins blocked EAU induction or migration to chemokines. We conclude that PTX present at the time of cell migration to the target organ prevents EAU, and propose that it does so at least in part by disrupting signaling through Gi protein-coupled receptors. Thus, the net effect of PTX on autoimmune disease would represent an integration of enhancing and inhibitory effects.
Pravastatin Attenuates Left Ventricular Remodeling and Diastolic Dysfunction in Angiotensin II-Induced Hypertensive Mice

Background: A substantial proportion of patients with heart failure have a normal ejection fraction and diastolic dysfunction. However, there are few data available to guide the therapy of these patients. The effects of statins on cardiac remodeling are well documented in animal models and it is reported that statin therapy revealed a survival benefit in patients with diastolic heart failure (DHF). However, the exact mechanisms of statins possibly explaining the decreased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients with DHF have not been elucidated. Methods: We used 8-week-old male C57BL/6J mice, in which angiotensin II was subcutaneously infused for 4 weeks to mimic cardiac remodeling and fibrosis. They were treated with either normal saline or pravastatin in daily doses, which did not lower the serum cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Results: Pravastatin improved diastolic dysfunction in angiotensin II-induced hypertensive mice, which was associated with the amelioration of left ventricular hypertrophy and remodeling. However, statin treatment showed no effect on the increased systolic blood pressure or cholesterol levels by angiotensin II infusion. The cardioprotective effects of pravastatin were closely associated with the downregulation of collagen I, transforming growth factor-beta, matrix metalloproteinases-2 and -3, atrial natriuretic factor, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, ROCK1 gene expression, and the upregulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene expression. Conclusions: The beneficial effects of pravastatin on DHF and structural remodeling are through cholesterol- independent mechanism of statins or “pleiotropic” effects of statins involving improving or restoring endothelial function and decreasing vascular inflammation. These findings suggest the potential involvement of ROCK1. Thus, treatment with pravastatin might be beneficial in patients with DHF.
Temporal Correlations between Tick Abundance and Prevalence of Ticks Infected with Borrelia burgdorferi and Increasing Incidence of Lyme Disease

ABSTRACT The abundance of host-seeking Ixodes scapularis nymphs, the principal vector for the Lyme disease agent, Borrelia burgdorferi, in Old Lyme, Lyme, and East Haddam, Connecticut, was compared with the incidence of reported human Lyme disease in the 12-town area around the Connecticut River and the State of Connecticut for the period 1989 to 1996. Ticks were sampled from lawns and woodlands by dragging flannel over the vegetation and examined for the presence of B. burgdorferi by indirect fluorescent antibody staining. The infection rate of the nymphal ticks by B. burgdorferi during the 9-year period was 14.3% (of 3,866), ranging from 8.6% (1993) to 24.4% (1996). The incidence of Lyme disease was positively correlated with tick abundance in the 12 town area (r = 0.828) and the State of Connecticut (r = 0.741). An entomological risk index based upon the number of I. scapularis ticks infected by B. burgdorferi was highest in 1992, 1994, and 1996 and was highly correlated with the incidence of Lyme disease in Connecticut (r = 0.944). The number of Lyme disease cases has been influenced, in part, by annual changes in population densities ofI. scapularis and, presumably, a corresponding change in the risk of contact with infected ticks. Based upon tick activity and spirochetal infection rates, epidemiologically based Lyme disease case reports on a regional scale appear to reflect real trends in disease.
Noninvasive assessment of left ventricular remodeling: concepts, techniques, and implications for clinical trials.

BACKGROUND Over the past decade, our understanding of the cellular and biochemical mechanisms that underlie global changes in ventricular morphology and function has grown enormously. Nevertheless, although the sequence of events that lead to overt changes in the ventricle begin at the cellular level, in living patients we rarely have the opportunity to assess these phenomena as they occur. Thus, to study the process of remodeling in practice and in clinical trials, we have relied on assessments and measurements derived from cardiac imaging tests. METHODS AND RESULTS Since the initial angiographic based methods for assessing ventricular remodeling in humans, a variety of techniques has been developed that have been used for assessment of ventricular size, shape, and function for both clinical and research studies. As two-dimensional echocardiography has emerged as the predominant noninvasive diagnostic method for clinical use in evaluating left ventricular function, this modality has become the most widely used technique to assess ventricular remodeling. Nevertheless, nuclear techniques that have proven both reliable and highly reproducible have also been used in clinical and research setting and, more recently, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging has offered the potential to obtain extremely high-quality images of the heart at much higher resolution than either of the other techniques. CONCLUSIONS Each of these techniques carries specific advantages and disadvantages for assessment of remodeling in individual patients and in the context of large-scale clinical trials.
Enhanced Neural Responses to Imagined Primary Rewards Predict Reduced Monetary Temporal Discounting

The pervasive tendency to discount the value of future rewards varies considerably across individuals and has important implications for health and well-being. Here, we used fMRI with human participants to examine whether an individual's neural representation of an imagined primary reward predicts the degree to which the value of delayed monetary payments is discounted. Because future rewards can never be experienced at the time of choice, imagining or simulating the benefits of a future reward may play a critical role in decisions between alternatives with either immediate or delayed benefits. We found that enhanced ventromedial prefrontal cortex response during imagined primary reward receipt was correlated with reduced discounting in a separate monetary intertemporal choice task. Furthermore, activity in enhanced ventromedial prefrontal cortex during reward imagination predicted temporal discounting behavior both between- and within-individual decision makers with 62% and 73% mean balanced accuracy, respectively. These results suggest that the quality of reward imagination may impact the degree to which future outcomes are discounted. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We report a novel test of the hypothesis that an important factor influencing the discount rate for future rewards is the quality with which they are imagined or estimated in the present. Previous work has shown that temporal discounting is linked to individual characteristics ranging from general intelligence to the propensity for addiction. We demonstrate that individual differences in a neurobiological measure of primary reward imagination are significantly correlated with discounting rates for future monetary payments. Moreover, our neurobiological measure of imagination can be used to accurately predict choice behavior both between and within individuals. These results suggest that improving reward imagination may be a useful therapeutic target for individuals whose high discount rates promote detrimental behaviors.
Radiative Relaxation Quantum Yields for Synthetic Eumelanin¶

Abstract We report absolute values for the radiative relaxation quantum yield of synthetic eumelanin as a function of excitation energy. These values were determined by correcting for pump beam attenuation and emission reabsorption in both eumelanin samples and fluorescein standards over a large range of concentrations. Our results confirm that eumelanins are capable of dissipating >99.9% of absorbed UV and visible radiation through nonradiative means. Furthermore, we have found that the radiative quantum yield of synthetic eumelanin is excitation energy dependent. This observation is supported by corrected emission spectra, which also show a clear dependence of both peak position and peak width on excitation energy. Our findings indicate that photoluminescence emission in eumelanins is derived from ensembles of small chemically distinct oligomeric units that can be selectively pumped. This hypothesis lends support to the theory that the basic structural unit of eumelanin is oligomeric rather than heteropolymeric.
Causal biostratigraphy

Causal biostratigraphy means an approach to stratigraphic problems based on ecosystem analysis of interrelations between geological events and organic evolution. Thc succession of ecosystems is controlled mainly by climatic cycles. Stratigraphic units correspond to palececosystems. The units of higher ranks which are defined by changes of major biomes correspond to paleobiospheres. Their boundaries are designated by replacement of dominant types within the stratoecotones. Reconstruction of catenae, analysis of vicarious catenae systems, and correlation by cliserer are among the most useful methods of causal biostratigraphy.
Fabrication of optical fiber gratings through focused ion beam techniques for sensing applications

Fiber Bragg gratings and long-period fiber gratings are widely used in optical communication systems and sensing applications. These structures are fabricated by UV-induced index changes along the core of a fiber, with fine control over the grating period and refractive index profile. Further flexibility and control over these structures can be achieved with focused ion beam (FIB) techniques, by fabricating fiber gratings through nano- and micro-machining. These FIB techniques enable the fabrication of gratings with larger index contrast and stronger interaction with environmental samples (ideal for chemical sensing applications). The sub-micron milling of the fibers allows modulating the refractive index with air voids, which can be filled with the sample fluid to be monitored. In this work we explore the design and fabrication of novel fiber grating configurations for sensing applications, inscribed on single-mode fibers using FIB. A single Fabry-Perot cavity is fabricated by milling a hole through the fiber (cladding and core), as well as a long-period grating based on a cascade of partially-etched-through cavities.
X ray CT inspection algorithm to correct missing data

X ray CT is for nondestructive inspection in industrial field. In X ray CY inspection, the problem is called “metal artifact” on the reconstructed image is one of the biggest issue. This study aims to reduce metal artifact. Metal artifact is caused primarily by missing projection data from every projection angle. So, we propose the algorithm for correcting the missing projection data and confirm availability for nondestructive inspection in industrial field.
Dual Role of CO2/HCO3− Buffer in the Regulation of Intracellular pH of Three-dimensional Tumor Growths*

Intracellular pH (pHi), a major modulator of cell function, is regulated by acid/base transport across membranes. Excess intracellular H+ ions (e.g. produced by respiration) are extruded by transporters such as Na+/H+ exchange, or neutralized by HCO3− taken up by carriers such as Na+-HCO3− cotransport. Using fluorescence pHi imaging, we show that cancer-derived cell lines (colorectal HCT116 and HT29, breast MDA-MB-468, pancreatic MiaPaca2, and cervical HeLa) extrude acid by H+ efflux and HCO3− influx, largely sensitive to dimethylamiloride and 4,4′-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2′-disulfonate (DIDS), respectively. The magnitude of HCO3− influx was comparable among the cell lines and may represent a constitutive element of tumor pHi regulation. In contrast, H+ efflux varied considerably (MDA-MB-468 > HCT116 > HT29 > MiaPaca2 > HeLa). When HCO3− flux was pharmacologically inhibited, acid extrusion in multicellular HT29 and HCT116 spheroids (∼10,000 cells) was highly non-uniform and produced low pHi at the core. With depth, acid extrusion became relatively more DIDS-sensitive because the low extracellular pH at the spheroid core inhibits H+ flux more than HCO3− flux. HCO3− flux inhibition also decelerated HCT116 spheroid growth. In the absence of CO2/HCO3−, acid extrusion by H+ flux in HCT116 and MDA-MB-468 spheroids became highly non-uniform and inadequate at the core. This is because H+ transporters require extracellular mobile pH buffers, such as CO2/HCO3−, to overcome low H+ ion mobility and chaperone H+ ions away from cells. CO2/HCO3− exerts a dual effect: as substrate for membrane-bound HCO3− transporters and as a mobile buffer for facilitating extracellular diffusion of H+ ions extruded from cells. These processes can be augmented by carbonic anhydrase activity. We conclude that CO2/HCO3− is important for maintaining uniformly alkaline pHi in small, non-vascularized tumor growths and may be important for cancer disease progression.
The facial nucleus of the rat: Representation of facial muscles revealed by retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase

The representation of facial muscle groups in the facial nucleus of rat was examined by retrograde transport of HRP. Motoneurons supplying muscle groups are arranged in longitudinal columns. Those supplying nasolabial muscles are located in the lateral and ventral intermediate segments, posterior auricular muscles in a medial column, platysma in an intermediate column; the lower lip and ocular muscles are in the ventral and dorsal segments respectively of the intermediate column. The posterior belly of the digastric muscle is supplied by motoneurons extending from the dorsal aspect of the facial nucleus to the caudal pole of the trigeminal motor nucleus.
Antifungal prophylaxis in liver transplant recipients: one size does not fit all

Targeted antifungal prophylaxis against Candida species or against Candida species and Aspergillus species, according to individual patient risk factors (RFs), is recommended by experts. However, recent studies have reported fluconazole is as effective as broader spectrum antifungals for preventing invasive fungal infection (IFI) after liver transplantation (LT).
The Heckscher-Ohlin Model: Features, Flaws, and Fixes *

The Heckscher-Ohlin (H-O) Model is a marvelous theoretical tool for understanding the world economy. It explains not only the sources of international comparative advantage, but also the effects that trade will have on patterns of specialization and on real returns to factors of production. In the simple and familiar 2-factor, 2-good, and often 2-country textbook version of the H-O Model, trade, production, and factor prices all respond simply and plausibly to the opening of trade and to changes in any barriers to trade. However, if we extend the model in obvious ways to include additional goods and/or additional countries, the model begins to display behaviors that are not so plausible. This series of lectures focuses on these “flaws” in the H-O Model and on various ways that the model might be, or has been, modified to remedy these flaws. The 2×2×2 H-O Model has each country producing relatively more of the good that uses relatively intensively its relatively abundant factor, but unless factor endowments of the countries differ substantially, it permits both countries to continue to produce both goods. Furthermore, if trade costs such as transport costs are included in the model in a simple way (most simply, via Samuelson’s (1952) “iceberg” assumption that the goods themselves are used up in trade), trade, production, and factor prices all vary continuously and smoothly with changes in these trade costs. If trade costs fall from a sufficiently high level, the countries move smoothly from not trading at all, through trading while incompletely specializing, and then (if factor endowments differ sufficiently) to trading even more while one or both countries specialize in producing a single good. Thus the model tells a very plausible story, and it describes behavior that seems roughly to match what we see in the world, except of course that the world has more than two factors and far more than two goods and countries. Allowing for larger numbers of goods and/or countries, however, causes anomalies in the H-O Model. One of these has long been well known: that if free trade and other conditions for factor price equalization (FPE) are met, patterns of production and trade become indeterminate if the number of goods exceeds the number of factors (see Samuelson (1953) and Melvin (1968)). Thus the model that is intended to predict trade fails to do so in any precise way. This indeterminacy can easily be removed by precluding FPE, for example by assuming trade costs. But then the model predicts a degree of specialization, in either production or trade, that itself is more extreme than one might like. That is, only a limited number of goods can be both produced and traded by each country. And that becomes even more the case as the number of countries also expands. It can be shown that as the number of countries increases, the fraction of all possible bilateral trade flows that can be positive in equilibrium becomes very small, asymptotically approaching zero.
Uninformed Trading and Asset Prices

This paper examines the relationship between uninformed trading and asset prices. We outline a simple market clearing model in which some traders have demands shocks that are uncorrelated with asset fundamentals. We verify the predictions of the model empirically using an untapped dataset that allows ex ante identification of uninformed demand shocks. Our results show pervasive price pressure at a daily, weekly and monthly frequency. A zero-cost portfolio based on past uninformed trades earns up to 171 bp (before transaction costs) over the subsequent three week period. Returns of this zero-cost portfolio cannot be explained by known sources of systematic risk. Within the same modeling framework, we show that uninformed trading is also related to permanent price differences across stocks. Stocks that are subject to more volatile uninformed trading earn higher average returns. Our results provide insights into the limits of arbitrage and a market's ability to absorb aggregate demand shocks.
Perceptions of Job Insecurity before, during, and after the Great Recession

This Research Note documents how insecure workers were feeling before, during, and after the Great Recession, using the American General Social Surveys, and highlights disparities and inequalities by gender, race, age, and education. This study confirms that, like unemployment rates, fear of job loss varies significantly across race, gender, and age groups. I find two unexpected results. First, both male and female workers’ perceptions of job insecurity seem to have increased equally, despite the term “man-cession. ” Second, older workers felt much more insecure than the middle-aged workers, despite their higher level of experience and lower likelihood of unemployment.
Polymethylmethacrylate particles inhibit osteoblastic differentiation of MC3T3‐E1 osteoprogenitor cells

Orthopedic wear debris has been implicated as a significant inhibitory factor of osteoblast differentiation. Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) particles have been previously shown to inhibit the differentiation of osteoprogenitors in heterogeneous murine marrow stromal cell cultures, but the effect of PMMA particles on pure osteoprogenitor populations remains unknown. In this study, we challenged murine MC3T3‐E1 osteoprogenitor cells with PMMA particles during their initial differentiation in osteogenic medium. MC3T3‐E1 cultures challenged with PMMA particles showed a gradual dose‐dependent decrease in mineralization, cell number, and alkaline phosphatase activity at low particle doses (0.038–0.150% v/v) and complete reduction of these outcome parameters at high particle doses (≥0.300% v/v). MC3T3‐E1 cultures challenged with a high particle dose (0.300% v/v) showed no rise in these outcome parameters over time, whereas cultures challenged with a low particle dose (0.075% v/v) showed a normal or reduced rate of increase compared to controls. Osteocalcin production was not significantly affected by particles at all doses tested. MC3T3‐E1 cells grown in conditioned medium from particle‐treated MC3T3‐E1 cultures showed a significant reduction in mineralization only. These results indicate that direct exposure of MC3T3‐E1 osteoprogenitors to PMMA particles results in suppression of osteogenic proliferation and differentiation. © 2008 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 26:932–936, 2008
Linking Customer Engagement to Trust and Word-of-Mouth on Facebook Brand Communities: An Empirical Study

ABSTRACT Given the rise of social networking sites, particularly Facebook, companies have started engaging with customers in this newly emerged digital space. This study explores the role of customer engagement in enhancing trust and word-of-mouth on brand communities over Facebook. The effect of customer involvement on customer engagement is also checked. This study also investigates the direct relationship of customer involvement with trust and word-of-mouth. A pen-and-paper questionnaire survey of 450 Facebook account holder students was used. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results reveal that a higher level of involvement with the brand community leads to a higher level of customer engagement. Customer engagement leads to customer trust and word-of-mouth activities. The results further suggest a direct positive relationship of customer involvement with trust and word-of-mouth, but the mediation of customer engagement strengthens the mentioned effect.