Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Novel Antiinflammatory Role for Andrographolide in Asthma via Inhibition of the Nuclear Factor-kb Pathway

Rationale: Persistent activation of nuclear factor (NF)-kB has been associated with the development of asthma. Andrographolide, the principal active component of the medicinal plant Andrographis paniculata, has been shown to inhibit NF-kB activity. Objectives: We hypothesized that andrographolide may attenuate allergic asthma via inhibition of the NF-kB signaling pathway. Methods: BALB/c mice sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) developed airway inflammation. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was assessed for total and differential cell counts, and cytokine and chemokine levels. Serum IgE levels were also determined. Lung tissues were examined for cell infiltration and mucus hypersecretion, and the expression of inflammatory biomarkers. Airway hyperres-ponsiveness was monitored by direct airway resistance analysis. Measurements and Main Results: Andrographolide dose-dependently inhibited OVA-induced increases in total cell count, eosinophil count, and IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 levels recovered in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and reduced serum level of OVA-specific IgE. It attenuated OVA-induced lung tissue eosinophilia and airway mucus production, mRNA expression of E-selectin, chitinases, Muc5ac, and inducible nitric oxide synthase in lung tissues, and airway hyperresponsiveness to methacholine. In normal human bronchial epithelial cells, androg-rapholide blocked tumor necrosis factor-a–induced phosphoryla-tion of inhibitory kB kinase-b, and downstream inhibitory kBa degradation, p65 subunit of NF-kB phosphorylation, and p65 nuclear translocation and DNA-binding activity. Similarly, androgra-pholide blocked p65 nuclear translocation and DNA-binding activity in the nuclear extracts from lung tissues of OVA-challenged mice. Conclusions: Our findings implicate a potential therapeutic value of andrographolide in the treatment of asthma and it may act by inhibiting the NF-kB pathway at the level of inhibitory kB kinase-b activation. Allergic asthma is a chronic airway disorder characterized by airway inflammation, mucus hypersecretion, and airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR) (1). Cumulative evidence revealed that these inflammatory responses are mediated by T-helper type 2 (Th2) cells together with mast cells, B cells, and eosinophils, and a number of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines (1, 2). IL-4 is imperative for B cell isotype switching for the synthesis of IgE. Allergen-induced crosslinking of IgE-bound high affinity IgE receptors (FceRI) on the surface of mast cells leads to degranulation and activation of mast cells, and the release of inflammatory mediators, such as histamine, leukotrienes, and cytokines, and immediate bronchoconstriction (3, 4). IL-5 is vital for the growth, differentiation, recruitment, and survival of eosinophils, which contribute to inflammation and even airway remodeling in asthma (5). IL-13 plays a pivotal role in the effector phase of Th2 responses, such as eosinophilic inflammation , mucus hypersecretion, …
Characterizing the Noise for Seismic Arrays: Case of Study for the Alice Springs ARray (ASAR)

A seismic array is defined as a suite of seismometers with similar characteristics. Seismic ar‐ ray were originally built to detect and identify nuclear explosions. Since their development all over the world, seismic arrays have contributed to study interior of volcanoes, continen‐ tal crust and lithosphere, determination of core-mantle boundary and the structure of inner core. Seismic arrays have been used to perform many regional tomographic studies (e.g., Achauer and the KRISP Working Group, 1994; Ritter et al., 1998, 2001); they helped to re‐ solve fine-scale structure well below the resolution level of global seismology in many dif‐ ferent places in the Earth, from the crust using body waves (e.g., Rothert and Ritter, 2001) and surface waves (e.g., Pavlis and Mahdi, 1996; Cotte et al., 2000), the upper mantle (e.g., Rost and Weber, 2001), the lower mantle (e.g., Castle and Creager, 1999), the core-mantle boundary (e.g., Thomas et al., 1999; Rost and Revenaugh, 2001), and the inner core (e.g., Vi‐ dale et al., 2000; Vidale and Earle, 2000; Helffrich et al., 2002). A different branch of seismol‐ ogy that benefited from arrays is “forensic seismology” (Koper et al., 1999; 2001; Koper and Wallace 2003). Studied have been also carried out to track the rapture propagation of large and moderate earthquakes (Goldstein and Archuleta 1991a,b: Spudich and Cranswick 1984; Huang 2001; D’Amico et al. 2010; Sufri et al. 2012; Koper et al. 2012), studies related to the seismic noise have been also developed using seismic arrays (Koper and Fathei, 2007; Ger‐ stoft et al. 2006; D’Amico et al. 2008; Schulte-Pelkum et al., 2004). For example Gerstoft et al. (2006) used beamforming of seismic noise recorded on California Seismic Network to identi‐ fy body and surface waves generated by the Hurricane Katrina. Schulte-Pelkum et al., (2004) measured direction and amplitude of ocean-generated seismic noise in the western United States. Koper and Fatehi (2007) used 950, randomly chose, 4-sec long time windows from 1996 to 2004 at the CMAR array located in Thailand. In their work they found, around 1Hz,
Acoustic full waveform tomography in the presence of attenuation: a sensitivity analysis

Full waveform tomography (FWT) is a powerful velocity building method to exploit the full richness of seismic waveforms in complex media. Most applications today neglect the frequency-dependent amplitude decrease and phase velocity dispersion caused by intrinsic attenuation. In this study, we present a numerical investigation of the inﬂuence of attenuation on the recovered velocity model. Based on the generalized standard linear solid as rheological model, we incorporate attenuation into a 2-D time-domain acoustic FWT scheme. Attenuation is considered here as a modelling and not an inversion parameter. We investigate two reﬂection seismic experiments: (1) a visco-acoustic 1-D model and (2) a visco-acoustic version of the Marmousi model to which realistic quality factors are assigned. In the presence of soft rocks with pronounced absorption we observe a poor recovery of the velocity model when attenuation effects are not taken into account in the modelling. By considering an appropriate attenuation model in the forward modelling of the FWT, the accuracy of the reconstructed velocity model improves signiﬁcantly in both cases. Even a homogeneous background quality factor model might allow a satisfactory recovery of the velocity model, provided that it is a quite good representation of the shallow structures. Our results suggest to consider attenuation as a smooth background modelling parameter in reﬂection seismic conﬁgurations to improve velocity model building by a purely acoustic inversion scheme.
Cardiac MRI in Suspected Acute Myocarditis After COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination Patienten eine akute Myokarditis nach COVID-19-mRNA-Impfung

Purpose To evaluate cardiac MRI characteristics in patients with suspected hypersensitivity myocarditis following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. Materials and Methods Patients clinically suspected of acute myocarditis after COVID-19 vaccination were retrospectively analyzed and compared against a healthy control group.Cardiac MRI protocol included parameters such as T1 and T2 relaxation times, Myokarditis waren vergleichbar mit denen viraler Myokarditiden
Sub‐kilometer thermal plasma structure near 1750 km altitude in the polar cusp/cleft

We present Freja Cold Plasma Analyzer (CPA) measurements from an encounter with the low altitude (∼1750 km) polar cusp during which the CPA measured 2-D images of the thermal (0–16 eV) particle distributions at 1.2 s time resolution, and simultaneously made rapid estimates (600/s) of integrated thermal particle flux into the instrument. The high resolution data show bursty ion flux enhancements of the order of tens of percent on time scales of tens of ms, or alternatively, hundreds of m spatial scales. The flux of electrons from 0–16 eV also varied by tens of percent and on temporal/spatial scales comparable to those in the ion cases. There is some evidence that the thermal particle flux variations are associated with intense low-frequency electromagnetic fluctuations with temporal/spatial scales identical to those seen by the CPA (tens of ms, hundreds of m).
Time and Space Distribution of Coseismic Slip of the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake as Inferred from Tsunami Waveform Data

A multiple time window inversion of 53 high‐sampling tsunami waveforms on ocean‐bottom pressure, Global Positioning System, coastal wave, and tide gauges shows a temporal and spatial slip distribution during the 2011 Tohoku earthquake. The fault rupture started near the hypocenter and propagated into both deep and shallow parts of the plate interface. A very large slip (approximately 25 m) in the deep part off Miyagi at a location similar to the previous 869 Jogan earthquake model was responsible for the initial rise of tsunami waveforms and the recorded tsunami inundation in the Sendai and Ishinomaki plains. A huge slip, up to 69 m, occurred in the shallow part near the trench axis 3 min after the rupture initiation. This delayed shallow rupture extended for 400 km with more than a 10‐m slip, at a location similar to the 1896 Sanriku tsunami earthquake, and was responsible for the peak amplitudes of the tsunami waveforms and the maximum tsunami heights measured on the northern Sanriku coast, 100 km north of the largest slip. The average slip on the entire fault was 9.5 m, and the total seismic moment was 4.2×1022 N·m ( M w 9.0). The large horizontal displacement of seafloor slope was responsible for 20%–40% of tsunami amplitudes. The 2011 deep slip alone could reproduce the distribution of the 869 tsunami deposits, indicating that the 869 Jogan earthquake source could be similar to the 2011 earthquake, at least in the deep‐plate interface. The large tsunami at the Fukushima nuclear power station is due to either the combination of a deep and shallow slip or a triggering of a shallow slip by a deep slip, which was not accounted for in the previous tsunami‐hazard assessments. Online Material: Table of estimated slip for all subfaults at 0.5 min invervals.
SMOS CATDS level 3 global products over land

The Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite is a 2D interferometer in L-band (1.4 GHz). Over land, it enables to probe the earth surface emissivity related to soil moisture in the first centimeters of the soil, with an aimed accuracy better than 4m3.m-3 and an average spatial resolution of 40km. The European Space Agency's (ESA) ground segment provides half-orbit soil moisture products at level 2. The Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES) in France has developed the CATDS (Centre Aval de Traitement des Données SMOS) ground segment in order to produce global maps, known as level 3 and 4 products. Over land, the algorithm is based on the level 2 soil moisture ESA's prototype. The major enhancement of the CATDS concerns the use of multi-orbit retrieval. The level 3 Soil moisture (SM) products are global maps of soil moisture, and other geophysical products (vegetation optical thickness, albedo, soil dielectric constant or surface temperature). For a particular point, the revisit time is between 1 and 3 days, and the entire Earth's surface is covered by SMOS field of view in 3 days. Level 3 SM products are available over different time periods. First, a 1 day global product is generated for each day. Then, 1 day global maps are aggregated in 3-day global products, 10- day and monthly products.
Restratification of the upper ocean after the passage of a tropical cyclone

AbstractThe role of baroclinic instability in the restratification of the upper ocean after the passage of a tropical cyclone (TC) is determined by means of numerical simulations. Using a regional ocean model, the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS), a high-resolution three-dimensional simulation that includes the process of baroclinic instability and is initialized with moderate-amplitude eddy structures reproduces the satellite-observed decay rate of the TC-induced sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly and is also in qualitative agreement with published observations after the passage of Hurricane Fabian in 2003 that showed decaying cold and warm anomalies located in the climatological mixed layer (CML) and upper thermocline, respectively. The model ocean is restratified after approximately one month with a net heat gain in the water column due to anomalous air–sea heat fluxes. The model shows, however, that vertical heat fluxes associated with baroclinic instability dominate over air–sea heat fluxes i.
Global gene expression of Dehalococcoides within a robust dynamic TCE‐dechlorinating community under conditions of periodic substrate supply

A microarray targeting four sequenced strains in the Dehalococcoides (Dhc) genus was used to analyze gene expression in a robust long‐term trichloroethene (TCE)‐degrading microbial community (designated ANAS) during feeding cycles that involve conditions of periodic substrate supply. The Dhc transcriptome was examined at three time‐points throughout a batch feeding cycle: T1 (27 h) when TCE, dichloroethene (DCE), and vinyl chloride (VC) were present; T2 (54 h) when only VC remained; and T3 (13 days) when Dhc had been starved of substrate for 9 days. Ninety percent of the Dhc open reading frames (ORFs) that were detected in the ANAS DNA were found to be expressed as RNA sometime during the time course, demonstrating extraordinary utilization of the streamlined genome. Ninety‐seven percent of these transcripts were differentially expressed during the time course indicating efficiency of transcription through regulation in Dhc. Most Dhc genes were significantly down‐regulated at T3, responding to a lack of substrate as would be expected. The tceA and vcrA genes, which code for proteins with known chlorinated ethene reduction functions, were highly expressed at both T1 and T2, whereas two other putative reductive dehalogenase genes (DET0173 and DET1545) were most highly expressed at T2, likely in response to the presence of VC. Hydrogenases were most highly expressed at T1, reflecting their important role in accumulating electrons used to initiate reductive dechlorination and other biosynthesis pathways. Cobalamin transport genes were preferentially expressed at T2, reflecting an increase in corrinoid transport as chloroethenes were degraded and a decrease in activity of the transport system after dehalogenation was complete. This is the first application of a microarray targeting a known genus, including both core genomes and identified strain‐specific genes, to improve our understanding of transcriptional dynamics within an undefined microbial community. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2013; 110: 1333–1341. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Ezrin / radixin / moesin proteins differentially regulate endothelial 1 hyperpermeability after thrombin 2

45 Endothelial cell (EC) barrier disruption induced by inflammatory agonists such as 46 thrombin leads to potentially lethal physiological dysfunction such as alveolar flooding, 47 hypoxemia and pulmonary edema. Thrombin stimulates paracellular gap and F-actin stress fiber 48 formation, triggers actomyosin contraction and alters EC permeability through multiple 49 mechanisms that include protein kinase C (PKC) activation. We previously have shown that the 50 ezrin, radixin, and moesin (ERM) actin-binding proteins differentially participate in S1P-induced 51 EC barrier enhancement. Phosphorylation of a conserved threonine residue in the C terminus of 52 ERM proteins causes conformational changes in ERM to unmask binding sites and is considered 53 a hallmark of ERM activation. In the present study we test the hypothesis that ERM proteins are 54 phosphorylated on this critical threonine residue by thrombin-induced signaling events and 55 explore the role of the ERM family in modulating thrombin-induced cytoskeletal rearrangement 56 and EC barrier function. Thrombin promotes ERM phosphorylation at this threonine residue 57 (Ezrin-567, Radixin-564, Moesin-558) in a PKC-dependent fashion and induces translocation of 58 phosphorylated ERM to the EC periphery. Thrombin-induced ERM threonine phosphorylation is 59 likely synergistically mediated by protease-activated receptors PAR1 and PAR2. Using the 60 siRNA approach, depletion of either moesin alone, or of all three ERM proteins, significantly 61 attenuates thrombin-induced increase in EC barrier permeability (TER), cytoskeletal 62 rearrangements, paracellular gap formation and accumulation of di-phospho-MLC. In contrast, 63 radixin depletion exerts opposing effects on these indices. These data suggest that ERM proteins 64 play important differential roles in the thrombin–induced modulation of EC permeability, with 65 moesin promoting barrier dysfunction and radixin opposing it. 66
Treatment allocation in controlled trials: why randomise?

Since 1991 the BMJ has had a policy of not publishing trials that have not been properly randomised, except in rare cases where this can be justified.1 Why? The simplest approach to evaluating a new treatment is to compare a single group of patients given the new treatment with a group previously treated with an alternative treatment. Usually such studies compare two consecutive series of patients in the same hospital(s). This approach is seriously flawed. Problems will arise from the mixture of retrospective and prospective studies, and we can never satisfactorily eliminate possible biases due to other factors (apart from treatment) that may have changed over time. Sacks et al compared trials of the same treatments in which randomised or historical controls were used and found a consistent tendency for historically controlled trials to yield more optimistic results than randomised trials.2 The use of historical controls can be justified only in tightly controlled situations of relatively rare conditions, such …
Interaction revisited: the difference between two estimates

We often want to compare two estimates of the same quantity derived from separate analyses. Thus we might want to compare the treatment effect in subgroups in a randomised trial, such as two age groups. The term for such a comparison is a test of interaction. In earlier Statistics Notes we discussed interaction in terms of heterogeneity of treatment effect.1–3 Here we revisit interaction and consider the concept more generally. The comparison of two estimated quantities, such as means or proportions, each with its standard error, is a general method that can be applied widely. The two estimates should be independent, not obtained from the same individuals—examples are the results from subgroups in a randomised trial or from two independent studies. The samples should be large. If the estimates are E 1 and E 2 with standard errors SE( E 1) and SE( E 2), then the difference d = E 1- E 2 has standard error SE( d )=√[SE( E …
Visible-near infrared reflectance spectroscopy for estimating soil total nitrogen contents in the Sanjiang Yuan Regions, China: a case study of Yushu County and Maduo County, Qinghai province

The objective of this paper was to evaluate the prediction ability of visible and near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy(VNIRP) to estimate soil total nitrogen concentration (TN) in the Sanjiang Yuan regions, Qinghai province, China by using partial least squares regression (PLSR) method. A total of 149 soil samples (0-30cm) were collected respectively from Yushu county and Maduo county in August 2012. The soil total nitrogen concentrations were measured using Vario EL Ⅲ elemental analyzer (Germany Elementar Inc), and the soil spectral reflectance of with spectral range 350-2500nm was measured using ASD FieldSpec 4 in the laboratory. PLSR model was used to relate the reflectance spectra and its five different pre-processing transformations including the first order derivative reflectance (FDR), the second order derivative reflectance(SDR), the logarithm of the inverse of the reflectance (Log (1/R)), the depth of the band (Band depth) and the first order derivative of the logarithm of reflectance (( Log R)′) to the soil total nitrogen contents measured. The results showed that the combination of visible-near infrared reflectance spectroscopy and PLSR to estimate TN produced a good prediction ability with R2 < 0.76 and RPD < 2.01 in the Sanjiang Yuan regions. The best prediction ability was obtained by (Log R) ' with R2CV = 0.87, R2V =0.88 and RPD <2.67, followed by Log (1/R), Band Depth, SDR, FDR and Reflectance. Visible and near infrared spectroscopy provided a rapid and effective method for estimating soil TN from five different soil types in the Sanjiang Yuan Regions, Qinghai province.
Automatic Identification System (AIS): Data Reliability and Human Error Implications

This paper examines the recent introduction of the AIS to the ship's bridge and its potential impact on the safety of marine navigation. Research has shown that 80 to 85% of all recorded maritime accidents are directly due to human error or associated with human error. Safety is an important element of marine navigation and many people at different levels are involved in its management. The safe and efficient performance of joint systems, is heavily dependent upon how functions are allocated between the human and the machine. This paper investigates different regulations, supervision for proper use, training, and management of AIS users. It uses previous research and three separate AIS studies to identify problems. The potential of the AIS to cause problems is analysed. The classic human factor “Swiss Cheese” Model of system failure has been modified for the AIS to investigate a possible accident trajectory. The paper then concludes with recommendations and suggestions for improvements and further work.
Lichens from two inland localities in west Greenland and their climatic preferences

Abstract Hansen E. S. , 2012: Lichens from two inland localities in West Greenland and their climatic preferences [Kerpės iš dviejų vidinių vakarinės Grenlandijos vietovių bei jų klimatinės preferencijos]. - Bot. Lith. , 18(1): 19-26. In total, 143 lichen taxa collected from two inland localities in West Greenland are reported and categorized toward their climatic preferences in Greenland. Eighty three lichen taxa were collected in Eqaluit ilorliit in the Ameralik Fjord area in 2000 and 120 lichen taxa were collected in Utaap kuua, east of Sisimiut, in 1998. The two localities share 58 lichen taxa. Almost three fourths of the 143 lichens are more or less equally distributed in continental and oceanic areas in Greenland. About one sixth of the lichens occur most frequently in oceanic areas and more rarely in continental areas, while less than one tenth of the lichens occur frequently in continental areas and more rarely in oceanic areas. The climate of the two localities is low arctic, oceanic. Although they are situated at some distance from the outer coast and close to the continental zone, they are poor in lichens with a mainly continental distribution in Greenland compared to, for example, Kangerlussuaq, which is located in the continental inland region in the southernmost West Greenland.