Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Substance P–mediated chemokine production promotes monocyte migration

The neuropeptide SP has physiologic and pathophysiologic roles in CNS and peripheral tissues and is involved in crosstalk between nervous and immune systems in various conditions, including HIV and SIV infection. Increased SP levels were demonstrated in plasma of HIV+ individuals as well as in the CNS of SIV‐infected, nonhuman primates. SP increases HIV infection in macrophages through interaction with its receptor, NK1R. The SP effect on immune system is both pro‐ and anti‐inflammatory and includes up‐regulation of a number of cytokines and cell receptors. The main goal of this study was to determine whether there is interplay between monocyte exposure to SP and recruitment into sites of inflammation. We now demonstrate that exposure of either human macrophages or PBMCs to SP leads to increased production of chemokines, including MCP‐1, for which expression is limited to cells of the myeloid lineage. This effect is inhibited by the NK1R antagonist, aprepitant. Exposure to conditioned medium derived from SP‐treated PBMCs resulted in increased monocyte migration through semipermeable membranes and an in vitro human BBB model. Monocyte migration was blocked by anti–MCP‐1 antibodies. Our results suggest that increased SP levels associated with HIV and other inflammatory conditions may contribute to increased monocyte migration into the CNS and other tissues through a MCP‐1–dependent mechanism.
Discovery of Pantoea stewartii ssp. stewartii genes important for survival in corn xylem through a Tn-Seq analysis.

The bacterium Pantoea stewartii ssp. stewartii causes Stewart's wilt disease in corn. Pantoea stewartii is transmitted to plants via corn flea beetles, where it first colonizes the apoplast causing water-soaked lesions, and then migrates to the xylem and forms a biofilm that blocks water transport. Bacterial quorum sensing ensures that the exopolysaccharide production necessary for biofilm formation occurs only at high cell density. A genomic-level transposon sequencing (Tn-Seq) analysis was performed to identify additional bacterial genes essential for survival in planta and to provide insights into the plant-microbe interactions occurring during wilt disease. A mariner transposon library of approximately 40 000 mutants was constructed and used to inoculate corn seedlings through a xylem infection model. Cultures of the library grown in Luria-Bertani (LB) broth served as the in vitro pre-inoculation control. Tn-Seq analysis showed that the number of transposon mutations was reduced by more than 10-fold for 486 genes in planta compared with the library that grew in LB, suggesting that they are important for xylem survival. Interestingly, a small set of genes had a higher abundance of mutants in planta versus in vitro conditions, indicating enhanced strain fitness with loss of these genes inside the host. In planta competition assays retested the trends of the Tn-Seq data for several genes, including two outer membrane proteins, Lon protease and two quorum sensing-associated transcription factors, RcsA and LrhA. Virulence assays were performed to check for correlation between growth/colonization and pathogenicity. This study demonstrates the capacity of a Tn-Seq approach to advance our understanding of P. stewartii-corn interactions.
Mothers’ Perceptions of Toddler Beverages

Background: The prevalence of obesity among Australian pre-school children is a major concern with links to poor health outcomes. One contributing factor is excess energy intake. Sugar-sweetened beverages are energy-dense, nutrient-poor, readily available and have been implicated in the increasing prevalence of obesity. Furthermore, preschooler beverage consumption may develop into dietary habits that track into adulthood. There is little research on factors influencing parents’ decision-making when serving beverages to their preschoolers, or on mothers’ perceptions of preschooler’s beverages. The aim of this study was to explore mothers’ perceptions of commonly consumed preschooler beverages. Methods: The Repertory Grid Technique and the Laddering Technique methodologies were utilized in interviews with 28 mothers from Melbourne, Australia, to explore beverage perceptions. Results: A large number of diverse perceptual categories (‘constructs’) (n = 22) about beverages were elicited, demonstrating the complexity of mothers’ perceptions when making beverage choices for their preschoolers. The five most common categories were related to health, sugar, dairy, packaging, and additives. Thematic analysis of responses from the laddering method identified three major themes: concerns about the types of beverages mothers would like to provide their preschoolers, the healthiness of a beverage, and the sugar content. Conclusions: Mothers’ perceptions of beverages are sophisticated and need to be included in the design of health communication strategies by health promoters and government agencies to influence mothers’ beverage selections for their preschoolers.
Search Ontology Generator (SONG): Ontology-Based Specification and Generation of Search Queries

The observation of medical devices during Post-Market Surveillance (PMS) for identifying safety-relevant incidents is not trivial. A wide range of sources has to be monitored in order to integrate all accessible data about the safety and performance of a medical device. PMS needs to be supported by a clever search strategy and the possibility to create complex search queries by domain experts. Ontologies can support the specification of search queries and can aid the preparation of the document corpus, which contains all relevant documents. In this paper we present the new version of the Search Ontology (SO2), the Excel template based specification of search queries and the Search Ontology Generator (SONG), which is useful for the generation of very complex queries out of the Excel-based specification. Based on our approach a service-oriented architecture was designed, which is able to support domain experts during PMS.
Modeling of Shape Memory Alloys: Phase Transformation/Plasticity Interaction at the Nano Scale and the Statistics of Variation in Pseudoelastic Performance

• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Materials Science and Engineering [2012-2014] The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA. Dissertation: Modeling of Shape Memory Alloys: Phase Transformation/Plasticity Interaction at the Nano Scale and the Statistics of Variation in Pseudoelastic Performance Dissertation committee: Prof. Peter Anderson, Prof. Michael Mills, Prof. Yunzhi Wang • Master of Science (M.S.) in Materials Science and Engineering [2009-2012] The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA. • Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) in Metallurgical Engineering and [2005-2009] Materials Science Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India
Ultra‐Facile Fabrication of Stretchable and Transparent Capacitive Sensor Employing Photo‐Assisted Patterning of Silver Nanowire Networks

Transparent electrodes that can be patterned in a simple manner and remain electrically conductive even under considerable strain are desirable for applications in stretchable and wearable devices. This paper introduces an ultra‐facile, fast, and chemical‐free method to produce silver nanowire (AgNW) patterns on a stretchable polymer. The AgNWs are deposited on thermoplastic urethane (TPU) and irradiated by intense pulsed light. This results in the fusion of the polymer through the surface of the AgNWs, thereby producing an embedded structure of AgNWs/TPU. A photomask is used to limit the areas affected by the radiation. After liquid washing, the AgNWs in areas that are not irradiated are mechanically separated by peeling. This simple procedure enables stretchable and transparent conducting patterns to be fabricated. The fusion procedure ensures that the patterned AgNWs are robustly adhered to the TPU even when stretched by large strains higher than 33%. Stretch‐and‐release testing reveals that the resistance of the electrodes reversibly varied, implying that it has good stretchability. The simple fabrication of a reliable stretchable capacitive sensor is demonstrated by employing this facile approach, in that the sensitivity does not deteriorate after severe stretching.
PREPARATION OF NANO-SIZED SiC REINFORCED NiTi SHAPE MEMORY COMPOSITES AND THEIR MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AND DAMPING BEHAVIOR

NiTi shape memory alloys have attracted significant attention for applications in various fields in the past decades. Although porous NiTi alloys exhibit lower density compared with the dense ones, they are inevitably lower in strength, storage modulus and damping capacity. Therefore, it is imperative to study and improve the compressive performance and storage modulus in porous NiTi alloys. In this study, the nano-sized SiC particle reinforced NiTi shape memory alloy based composites (SiC/NiTi) have been successfully fabricated by means of a step powder-sintering method, which show unique characteristics of lightweight, high strength and stable superelasticity. The fabricated SiC/NiTi composites possess almost the same equivalent strength compared with dense NiTi alloys. On the other hand, they are in the nature of higher strength, including compressive strength and equivalent compressive strength, than porous NiTi alloys. Furthermore, the strength increases with increasing contents of SiC particles. It has been indicated that the addition of SiC particles has a slight influence on the phase composition of the SiC/NiTi composites, while the martensitic phase transformation temperatures of the composites keep unchanged compared with the NiTi alloy without SiC reinforcement. Meanwhile, the fabricated composites inherit the high damping performance of the NiTi matrix, and thus exhibit a high storage modulus.
[The usefulness of transcranial Doppler ultrasonography in the early phase of head injury].

OBJECTIVES 1) To know the transcranial Doppler (TCD) patterns in the early phase of the severe and moderate head injury and its prognostic implications. 2) To ascertain the TCD measurements concordance among different operators. MATERIAL AND METHODS A prospective observational study in 275 consecutive intensive care unit patients with severe or moderate head injury was designed. Within 12 hrs. of the traumatic event a TCD study was done and a second one within the first 24 hrs. All patients were managed following a protocol made with the aim of promoting the early evacuation of the intracranial space occupying mass, preventing delayed brain damage and keeping the intracranial pressure (ICP) < 20 mm Hg and the cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) > 60 mm Hg. The patient outcome was categorized with the Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS) at the discharge of the ICU. The mean velocity (MV) and the pulsatily index (PI) were measured in both middle cerebral arteries (MCA) and in the intracranial part of the internal carotid arteries in order to calculate the Lindegaard index. The presence of hypoperfusion, hyperaemia, vasospasm and cerebral circulatory arrest was registered. The presence of high intracranial pressure (HICP), the ICP peak and mode, the lowest CPP, the CPP mode, the minor medium arterial pressure (MAP) and the MAP mode were also recorded. A concordance analysis was made to ascertain the validity of the TCD data obtained by different operators. RESULTS The concordance analysis among observers showed a kappa index of 0.7863 (p < 0.0001). The median stay in ICU was 7 days (Q1-Q3 of 3-15 days). The intra-ICU mortality was 20.72% (57/275) and the 53.44% of patients (147/275) showed favourable outcome (GOS 4-5) at the discharge of the ICU. The initial TCD showed a MV decreased and a PI increased in the MCA. Eighty of the e 275 patients showed a normal haemodynamic pattern whereas the pattern was abnormal in the remaining 195, degrees the hypoperfusion pattern predominated overall (181/275, 61.87%). HIPO was registered in 123 patients (58.01) an not in 89 (41.99%). A statistic significant correlation was found between the HICP and the DTC data. The early hypoperfusion pattern was related with a higher incidence of HICP (p > 0.05). The decrease in the MV and the increase in the PI were significantly associated with a higher mortality and a worse functional outcome (except for the MV within the first day). The PI was high within the first 24 h in the group of patients who died but was normalised among the survivals group. CONCLUSIONS Early TCD detects a cerebral hypoperfusion status in the severe and moderate head injury that may imply therapeutic considerations. This hypoperfusion strongly correlates with the severity of the injury, the incidence of HICP and the functional outcome at the ICU discharge. In experienced hands, TCD measurements are reliable when done by different operators.
Fabrication of Carbon Nanofiber and Silicon Carbonitride Ceramic Nanomposites by In Situ Growth during Ceramic Formation

Carbon nanofiber (CNF) and silicon carbonitride (SiCN) ceramic nanocomposites (SiCN/CNF) are fabricated by in-situ growth of CNFs in SiCN ceramics during ceramic transformation of polymeric precursors of polysilazanes (PSZ). Metal catalyst precursors are mixed into the polysilazane liquid forming metal particles from decomposition under heating during the pyrolysis. At certain temperatures, ethylene was introduced as a carbon source to induce the growth of CNFs over the metal particles in the ceramic body followed by heating to higher temperatures to complete the pyrolysis. In this way, bulk nanocomposites of SiCN/CNF are obtained as crack-free bodies although some pores are left in the sample. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis performed on the cross-section of nanocomposites revealed the distribution of needle-like nanofibers of diameter ~ 200 nm and exposed length of ~ 2 μm. The CNFs exhibited the unique multiscale nanostructure in micron hollow tubes with branched nanofiber walls. Energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX) detected carbon as the major element from the nanofibers confirming the formation of carbon nanofibers. Moreover, clusters of nanoparticles are formed on the ceramic surface from carbon depositions. The in-situ growth of CNFs in SiCN ceramics provides a one-step process potentially to be developed for fabrication of structural and functional SiCN/CNF nanocomposites.
Metacognitive Reflection as a Moderator of Attitude Strength Versus Attitude Bolstering: Implications for Attitude Similarity and Attraction

“Strong” attitudes often have greater impact than “weak” attitudes. However, emerging research suggests that weak (uncertain) attitudes can substantially influence thinking or behavior. We propose metacognitive reflection as a moderator between traditional strength patterns and these emerging attitude bolstering patterns. Across six studies, research participants encountered a target person who agreed or disagreed with participants’ attitudes. When focused on evaluating the target, attitudes predicted target evaluations better when the attitude was held with certainty (Study 1A), or after certainty had been primed (Studies 2A and 3; strength effects). However, when engaged in attitudinal social comparison (metacognitive reflection), attitudes better predicted target evaluation when the attitudes were held with doubt (Study 1B), or after doubt had been primed (Studies 2B and 3; bolstering effects). Expected change in certainty served as a mediator of attitude effects in metacognitive reflection but not target-focus conditions when doubt had been primed (Study 4).
PharmGKB summary: Macrolide antibiotic pathway, pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics

Departments of Genetics, Bioengineering, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California and Division of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy and Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA Correspondence to Teri E. Klein, PhD, Shriram Center for Bioengineering and Chemical Engineering, 443 Via Ortega, Room 213, MC: 4245 Stanford, CA 94305, USA Tel: + 1 650 725 0659; fax: + 1 650 725 3863; e-mail: feedback@pharmgkb.org
Far-field effect in unipolar electrograms revisited: High-density mapping of atrial fibrillation in humans

Unipolar electrogram can detect local as well as remote electrical activity of the heart. Information on how the amplitude and morphology of the recorded signal changes with the distance from the source tissue undergoing depolarization can help to better understand unipolar electrograms fractionation and provide insights into the passive conduction properties of the atrial tissue. Ten second unipolar atrial fibrillation (AF) electrograms were recorded using high-density electrode array from the posterior left atrium (LA) and right atrium (RA) of 19 (8 persistent - PERS & 11 paroxysmal - PAF) AF patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Conduction along lines of conduction block was detected in the recorded activation patterns by a proposed automated algorithm. Changes of the amplitude of the unipolar electrogram with increasing distance from the conduction blocks were assessed and compared to predictions of a theoretical model. For each recording, the median far-field decay space constant (FF0.5) was calculated. Overall, we found a significant difference between FF0.5 for patients with paroxysmal and persistent AF. Estimation of maximum FF0.5 from both RA and LA resulted in a mean FF0.5 of 1.5±0.2 mm for PERS patients and 2.1±0.6 mm for PAF patients (p=0.03). Moreover, detected conduction blocks demonstrated high spatial organization and appeared in distinctive areas of the mapped area in all patients, regardless of the type of AF, while the total number of detected block lines was higher in PERS patients.
Analysis of Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 1b Resistance Variants in Japanese Patients Treated with Paritaprevir-Ritonavir and Ombitasvir

ABSTRACT Treatment of HCV genotype 1b (GT1b)-infected Japanese patients with paritaprevir (NS3/4A inhibitor boosted with ritonavir) and ombitasvir (NS5A inhibitor) in studies M12-536 and GIFT-I demonstrated high sustained virologic response (SVR) rates. The virologic failure rate was 3% (13/436) across the two studies. Analyses were conducted to evaluate the impact of baseline resistance-associated variants (RAVs) on treatment outcome and the emergence and persistence of RAVs in patients experiencing virologic failure. Baseline paritaprevir resistance-conferring variants in NS3 were infrequent, while Y93H in NS5A was the most prevalent ombitasvir resistance-conferring variant at baseline. A comparison of baseline prevalence of polymorphisms in Japanese and western patients showed that Q80L and S122G in NS3 and L28M, R30Q, and Y93H in NS5A were significantly more prevalent in Japanese patients. In the GIFT-I study, the prevalence of Y93H in NS5A varied between 13% and 21% depending on the deep-sequencing detection threshold. Among patients with Y93H comprising <1%, 1 to 40%, or >40% of their preexisting viral population, the 24-week SVR (SVR24) rates were >99% (276/277), 93% (38/41), and 76% (25/33), respectively, indicating that the prevalence of Y93H within a patient's viral population is a good predictor of treatment response. The predominant RAVs at the time of virologic failure were D168A/V in NS3 and Y93H alone or in combination with other variants in NS5A. While levels of NS3 RAVs declined over time, NS5A RAVs persisted through posttreatment week 48. Results from these analyses are informative in understanding the resistance profile of an ombitasvir- plus paritaprevir/ritonavir-based regimen in Japanese GT1b-infected patients.
Mutations and/or Overexpressions of ERG4 and ERG11 Genes in Clinical Azoles-Resistant Isolates of Candida albicans.

OBJECTIVE We aimed to investigate whether mutations and/or overexpressions of ERG4 and ERG11 genes were involved in drug resistance to azoles in Candida albicans. METHODS Totally, 34 clinical isolates of C. albicans were included in this study. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests, including 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC), amphotericin B (AMB), fluconazole (FCA), itraconazole (ITR), and voriconazole (VRC), were performed by broth microdilution method. Mutations in the ERG4 and ERG11 genes sequence were detected. The messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of ERG4 and ERG11 were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The correlation of the expression levels of ERG4 with ERG11 genes in susceptible isolates and resistant isolates was analyzed by Pearson's correlation analysis. RESULTS Among 34 C. albicans isolates, 52.94%, 70.59%, and 50.00% isolates were resistant to FCA, ITR, and VRC, respectively. Sequencing results revealed that only 2 silent mutations were found in ERG4 gene, while 10 amino acid substitutions, including 6 reported previously and 4 new identified, were frequently found in ERG11 gene. The mRNA levels of ERG4 and ERG11 genes were significantly elevated in resistant compared with susceptible C. albicans isolates. Furthermore, the mRNA level of ERG4 was positively correlated with ERG11 in susceptible but not resistant C. albicans isolates. CONCLUSIONS The resistance to azoles may be associated with the mutations in ERG11 but not ERG4 gene in C. albicans isolates. In addition, overexpressed ERG4 and ERG11 genes are found in resistant C. albicans isolates, and the mRNA levels of ERG4 may be irrelevant to ERG11 in resistant C. albicans isolates.
Reduced Interference From Memory Testing: A Postretrieval Monitoring Account

Initial learning can interfere with subsequent learning (proactive interference [PI]), but recent work indicates initial testing can reduce PI. Here, we tested 2 alternative hypotheses of this effect: Does testing reduce PI by constraining retrieval to the target list, or by facilitating a postretrieval monitoring process? Participants first studied 4 lists of unrelated words. The study-only group performed a distractor task following each list, whereas the tested group recalled each list. After these initial lists, both groups studied and were tested on a final list. Replicating prior work, the tested group recalled more of the final list items and had fewer prior-list intrusions than the study-only group (i.e., initial testing reduced subsequent PI). To test the 2-alternative hypotheses, Experiment 1 used a modified recall test for the final list, whereby participants were asked to recall the final list of words and also report any items from prior lists that inadvertently came to mind. Contrary to the constrained retrieval hypothesis, initial testing did not reduce the number of prior list items that came to mind, but consistent with the postretrieval monitoring hypothesis, testing increased the likelihood that the intrusions would be correctly attributed to prior lists. Experiments 2 and 3 further tested the postretrieval monitoring hypothesis by testing the final list twice. According to the hypothesis, testing all of the lists should render prior testing nondiagnostic of list membership, thereby impairing retrieval monitoring in the test group and minimizing its ability to reduce PI. This prediction was confirmed.