Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Substance P excites globus pallidus neurons in vivo

Substance P is a member of the neurokinin family. Previous studies have reported the existence of substance P and its high‐affinity receptor, neurokinin‐1 receptor, in globus pallidus. Employing in vivo extracellular recording combined with behavioural tests, the effects of substance P in globus pallidus of rats were studied. Micropressure ejection of the selective neurokinin‐1 receptor agonist [Sar9,Met(O2)11] substance P increased the spontaneous firing rate of pallidal neurons in a concentration‐dependent manner, with increases of 27.3% at 0.01, 33.4% at 0.03, 45.5% at 0.1, 38.4% at 0.3 and 36.4% at 1.0 mm. The selective neurokinin‐1 receptor antagonist SR140333B prevented the excitatory effects induced by [Sar9,Met(O2)11] substance P. In behaving rats, we observed the postural effects of neurokinin‐1 receptor activation in the globus pallidus. Consistent with electrophysiological results, unilateral microinjection of [Sar9,Met(O2)11] substance P (0.1 mm) led to a SR140333B‐sensitive contralateral deflection in the presence of systemic haloperidol administration. Combining electrophysiological and behavioural findings, we concluded that substance P produces excitatory effects on globus pallidus neurons via neurokinin‐1 receptors.
Tests of Executive Function Predict Instrumental Activities of Daily Living in Community-Dwelling Older Individuals

The purpose of this study was to examine the utility of specific tests of executive functioning for predicting instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) in community-dwelling older individuals (n = 30). In addition to tests of frontal and executive functioning, performance based and caregiver-rated evaluations of IADLs were obtained. Results indicated that different tests of executive functioning were associated with outcomes on performance-based versus caregiver-rated assessments of IADLs. Specifically, the Trail Making Test (Part B) made a significant and unique contribution to the prediction of performance-based IADLs. In contrast, verbal fluency performance and Trail Making Test performance made significant independent contributions to the prediction of IADLs as reported by a caregiver. These findings suggest that different aspects of frontal and executive functions may be related to IADLs, depending on the type of assessment instrument used.
FIREBALLS EJECTED FROM SOLIDS AND LIQUIDS BY LOCALIZED MICROWAVES

This paper presents various aspects of our recent fireball studies and new experimental results of fireballs ejected from various solid and liquid substrates (e.g. copper, salty water, silicon, carbides). Our ongoing experimental analyses of these fireballs include measurements of small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) performed at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), optical spectroscopy measurements, plasma diagnostics, and various ex-situ material analyses. The in-situ SAXS measurements reveal the fireballs' nano-structures, and further optical spectral analyses indicate the presence of the originating substrate elements in the floating fireballs (e.g. copper or sodium). Scanning electron microscopy of the dust debris accumulated on the chamber walls is used to verify the in-situ measurements of the dimensions and contents of the fireballs' nanoparticles. Our studies could be relevant to ball-lightning phenomena in nature and to a variety of practical technological applications conceived for these fireballs.
The Factors Responsible for Endodontic Treatment Failure in the Permanent Dentitions of the Patients Reported to the College of Dentistry, the University of Aljouf, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

INTRODUCTION The endodontic failure is a common problem in dentistry. The success of endodontic and re-endodontic treatment depends on many factors. These includes periodontal disease, root fractures, residual necrotic pulp tissue, presence of peri-radicular infection, broken instruments, mechanical perforations, root canal underfillings, root canal overfillings, missed canals or unfilled canals. AIM The present research was aimed at evaluating the different factors responsible for endodontic treatment failure in permanent dentitions of the patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS In the present in vivo cross-sectional study, 90 patients, who reported in endodontic section of Department of Conservative Dentistry, with post endodontic treatment pain, tenderness to percussion, swelling and sinus tract in their permanent dentitions were considered as endodontic failure cases, and were considered for endodontic re-treatment. The teeth with vertical root fracture and badly broken down unrestorable teeth were excluded from the present study. The study subjects were divided into three groups on the basis of their age. Informed consent was taken from the study subjects and the approval was taken for this study from the college ethical committee. RESULTS The results were obtained as frequencies and percentages after analysing the collected informations by using SPSS version 10 computer soft ware. The majority of the endodontic failures were noted in the age group III (41.11%) and minimum endodontic failures were found in the age group I (24.44%). According to the tooth type, the majority of the endodontic failures were noted in maxillary molars (44.4%), mandibular molars (20%) and maxillary premolars (15.5%). The endodontic treatment performed by the general dental practitioners (GDPs) showed the most failure rate (78.8%). The factors which were most responsible for endodontic failures were underfilled canals (33.3%), unfilled and missed canals (17.7%). CONCLUSION This study concluded that endodontic failures are more related with the lack of knowledge on the part of the operator, complex anatomy of the teeth involved and lack of referral of such patients to the specialists.
perspectives in the development of therapeutic strategies targeting cardiac or peripheral angiogenesis . Materials and Methods Cell Culture

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl (HMG)–coenzyme A reductase inhibitors or statins exert direct beneficial effects on the endothelium in part through an increase in nitric oxide (NO) production. Here, we examined whether posttranslational modifications of the endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) could account for the proangiogenic effects of statins. We used endothelial cells (ECs) isolated from cardiac microvasculature, aorta, and umbilical veins, as well as dissected microvessels and aortic rings, that were cultured on reconstituted basement membrane matrix (Matrigel). Tube or precapillary formation was evaluated after statin treatment, in parallel with immunoblotting and immunoprecipitation experiments. Atorvastatin stimulated NO-dependent angiogenesis from both isolated and outgrowing (vessel-derived) ECs, independently of changes in eNOS expression. We found that in macrobut not microvascular ECs, atorvastatin stabilized tube formation through a decrease in caveolin abundance and its inhibitory interaction with eNOS. We also identified the chaperone protein hsp90 as a key target for the proangiogenic effects of statins. Using geldanamycin, an inhibitor of hsp90 function, and overexpression of recombinant hsp90, we documented that the statin-induced phosphorylation of eNOS on Ser1177 was directly dependent on the ability of hsp90 to recruit Akt in the eNOS complex. Finally, we showed that statin promoted the tyrosine phosphorylation of hsp90 and the direct interaction of hsp90 with Akt, which further potentiated the NO-dependent angiogenic processes. Our study provides new mechanistic insights into the NO-mediated angiogenic effects of statins and underscores the potential of these drugs and other modulators of hsp90 and caveolin abundance to promote neovascularization in disease states associated or not with atherosclerosis. (Circ Res. 2001;89:866-873.)
Silicon and silicone: theoretical and clinical implications of breast implants.

In the past 10 years, there have been multiple published reports associating silicone breast implants with scleroderma, morphea, SLE, rheumatoid arthritis, CREST syndrome and "human adjuvant disease. " The alleged offending material, silicone, is a synthetic polymer containing a silicon-oxygen backbone. Beginning with the heating of SiO2 in the presence of carbon, elemental silicon is produced. Methylchloride is added and the resulting product is hydrolyzed to form low molecular weight prepolymers which are linked to form linear silicone polymers and cross-linked to yield silicone rubbers or elastomers. The polymeric and hydrophobic characteristics of silicone and the presence of electrostatic charges and organic sidegroups make silicone a potentially ideal immunogen, leading to cross-reactivity with autoantigens. Silicon is an essential constituent of proteoglycans which theoretically could result in immunological cross-reactions between silicone and connective tissues. Although the literature contains numerous examples of silicone-associated autoimmune disease, there is no consistent pattern of immunological abnormalities observed. There are, however, some intriguing and interesting observations. Further large-scale studies are needed to determine if a link between silicone exposure and autoimmunity exists. Also, since the inducing events of autoimmune diseases are unknown, studies on silicone could provide a model for autoimmune diseases associated with toxicological factors.
Design of high performance CdS/CdTe solar cells by optimization of step doping and thickness of the CdTe absorption layer

We have studied the effect of stepped doping of the absorber layer on performance of a single junction cadmium sulfide/cadmium telluride (CdS/CdTe) solar cell. First, the electrical characteristics of an experimentally-fabricated single junction CdS/CdTe solar cell are studied. Next, a structure with optimized doping and thickness of the absorption layer is presented. It is found that step-doping concentration of the absorber layer can increase the conversion efficiency of the solar cell by about 1.77%. The effects of the fields due to the doping grading in the CdTe layer on important parameters of CdTe solar cells are also studied. It is shown that performance increases considerably with the increase in stepping gradient of the doping of CdTe layer. Under global AM 1.5 conditions, the optimized solar cell structure has an open-circuit voltage of 860 mV, a short-circuit current density of 25.68 mA/cm2, and a fill factor of 81.8%, corresponding to a total area conversion efficiency of 18.07%.
Utility of Dried Blood Spots for Measurement of Cholesterol and Triglycerides in a Surveillance Study

Background: Developing countries are facing a rise in noncommunicable diseases (NCD), which is a cause for concern. The World Health Organization has recommended a stepwise approach for NCD risk factor surveillance. Screening for risk factors in remote populations is difficult due to lack of resources and technical expertise, including standardized laboratory facilities. The collection of samples on filter paper for the assessment of risk factors circumvents the need for blood processing, storage, and shipment at ultralow temperatures. Method: Samples were collected on 3-mm Whatman filter paper from one industry (National Thermal Power Corporation) located in the periphery of Delhi as part of a surveillance carried out in industries from different parts of India. Total cholesterol was measured in serum and dried blood by the cholesterol oxidase/p-aminophenazone method and triglycerides by the glycerophosphate oxidase-peroxidase/aminophenazone method. Values obtained by the two methods were compared using Pearson correlation, and Bland-Altman plots were prepared to assess bias. Results: The correlation coefficient “r” was 0.78 for cholesterol and 0.94 for triglycerides between dried blood spots and serum. Bland-Altman plots suggest that differences in values obtained by the two methods were within two standard deviations for most of the samples. Conclusions: Blood samples dried on filter paper can be a successful option for population screening in remote areas, provided preanalytical variations arising due to the method of blood spot preparation and storage are well controlled.
Variation in life-history traits of Plasmodium mexicanum, a malaria parasite infecting western fence lizards: a longitudinal study

The life history of malaria parasites ( Plasmodium spp.) is directly related to their transmission, virulence, and population dynamics. I followed the life history of Plasmodium mexicanumin naturally infected western fence liz- ards (Sceloporus occidentalis) over a 4-year period, using a mark-recapture technique. The life-history traits measured included peak parasitemias and population growth rates of asexual forms, gametocytes, and total parasites. Among ma- laria infections, variation was high for all measured traits. Growth rates varied up to 11-fold, and among stable infec- tions, average asexual parasitemias ranged from 0.2 to 13.2 and gametocytemias from 0.5 to 66.2 parasites per 1000 erythrocytes. This variation was not related to infection prevalences, which were similar among years and between male and female hosts. Host age and gender were not related to peak parasitemia or average growth rate of asexual forms. However, the growth rate of gametoctyes was higher in older lizards. Gametocytemia and parasitemia were sig- nificantly higher late in the warm season, when sand-fly vectors are active. These data reveal that life-history traits of P. mexicanum are highly variable within an infected host population, and that the variation is partially related to the age of the infected host or the time of year the host was examined.
Expression and regulation of the insulin‐like growth factor axis components in rat liver myofibroblasts

Apart from hepatic stellate cells (HSC), liver myofibroblasts (MF) represent a second mesenchymal cell population involved in hepatic fibrogenesis. The IGF system including the insulin‐like growth factors I and II (IGF‐I, ‐II), their receptors (IGF‐I receptor, IGF‐IR; IGF‐II/mannose 6‐phosphate receptor, IGF‐II/M6‐PR), and six high affinity IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs) participate in the regulation of growth and differentiation of cells of the fibroblast lineage, possibly contributing to the fibrogenic process. The aim of this work was to study the expression and regulation of the IGF axis components in rat liver MF. Methods: Cultures of MF from passages 1 to 4 (P1–4) were studied. IGFBP secretion was analyzed by [125I]‐IGF‐I ligand and immunoblotting. IGF‐I, IGF‐IR, IGF‐II/M6‐PR, and IGFBP messenger RNA (mRNA) expression was assessed by Northern blot hybridization. DNA synthesis was evaluated by 5‐bromo‐2′‐deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation assay. Results: MF from P1 to 4 constitutively expressed mRNA transcripts specific for IGF‐I, IGF‐IR, and IGF‐II/M6‐PR. In MF, biosynthesis of IGFBP‐3 and ‐2 was observed that was stimulated by IGF‐I, insulin, and transforming growth factor β (TGF‐β), whereas platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF‐BB) revealed inhibitory effects. IGF‐I and to a lesser extent insulin increased DNA synthesis of MF. Simultaneous addition of recombinant human IGFBP‐2 or ‐3 with IGF‐I diminished the mitogenic effect of IGF‐I on MF whereas preincubation of MF with IGFBP‐2 or ‐3 further potentiated the IGF‐I stimulated DNA synthesis. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that the IGF axis may play a role in the regulation of MF proliferation in vitro which might be relevant in vivo for the process of fibrogenesis during acute and chronic liver injury. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Sharing Mechanism of Educational Resource System Based on Grid

Because of the heterogeneity of Internet (both of the software and hardware), the education resources cannot be shared sufficiently, and lots of them are redeveloped. Applying grid technology to education field will greatly improve the conditions of distant learning. There are three levels in structure of grid-based educational resource system: Hardware and the resource database, grid server system and users' portal. The foundation of grid-based educational resource sharing system is metadata, resource finding mechanism and resource collecting and publishing mechanism.
Fluconazole Resistance Associated with Drug Efflux and Increased Transcription of a Drug Transporter Gene, PDH1, inCandida glabrata

ABSTRACT Sequential Candida glabrata isolates were obtained from the mouth of a patient infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 who was receiving high doses of fluconazole for oropharyngeal thrush. Fluconazole-susceptible colonies were replaced by resistant colonies that exhibited both increased fluconazole efflux and increased transcripts of a gene which codes for a protein with 72.5% identity to Pdr5p, an ABC multidrug transporter in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The deduced protein had a molecular mass of 175 kDa and was composed of two homologous halves, each with six putative transmembrane domains and highly conserved sequences of ATP-binding domains. When the earliest and most azole-susceptible isolate of C. glabrata from this patient was exposed to fluconazole, increased transcripts of thePDR5 homolog appeared, linking azole exposure to regulation of this gene.
Parallele numerische Simulation instationärer Probleme mit adaptiven Methoden auf unstrukturierten Gittern

Ziel dieser Arbeit ist die Numerische Simulation von partiellen Differentialgleichungen mit den aktuellen Methoden: Mehrgitterverfahren, lokale Gitteradaption und Parallelitat. Besonders Aspekte des Softwareengineerings und der Implementierung werden im Detail betrachtet. Diese Methoden werden durch paralleles I/0 und parallele Graphik zu einer skalierbaren Toolkette erweitert. Anhand von drei Gleichungstypen: Dichtegetriebene Grundwasserstromung, Zweiphasen-Stromung und Elastoplastizitat wird die Leistungsfahigkeit der realisierten Simulationsplattform untersucht. Beispielsweise konnte bei einer Simulation auf 512 Prozessoren eine Beschleungiung von mehr als 300 erzielt werden. The goal of this thesis is the numerical simulation of partial differential equations with the up-to-date methods: multigrid methods, local grid adaption and parallelism. In detail software engineering and implementation aspects are discussed. These methods are extended by parallel I/O and parallel graphics to a scalable tool chain. For three equations types: density-driven flow, twophase flow and elastoplasticity the usability of the realized simulations platform is analyzed. For example a simulation on 512 processors could be performed with a speedup of more than 300.
A Task-Based Model of Perceived Website Complexity

In this study, we propose that perceived website complexity (PWC) is central to understanding how sophisticated features of a website (such as animation, audio, video, and rollover effects) affect a visitor's experience at the site. Although previous research suggests that several elements of perceived complexity (e.g., amount of text, animation, graphics, range and consistency of web pages configuring a website, ease of navigating through it, and clarity of hyperlinks) affect important user outcomes, conflicting results yielded by previous research have created an important debate: does complexity enhance or inhibit user experience at a website. In this study, we draw on the task complexity literature to develop a broad and holistic model that examines the antecedents and consequences of PWC. Our results provide two important insights into the relationship between PWC and user outcomes. First, the positive relationship between objective complexity and PWC was moderated by user familiarity. Second, online task goals (goal-directed search and experiential browsing) moderated the relationship between PWC and user satisfaction. Specifically, the relationship between PWC and user satisfaction was negative for goal-directed users and inverted-U for experiential users. The implications of this finding for the practice of website design are discussed.
Temporal alterations in luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone concentrations in several discrete brain regions: effects of estrogen-progesterone and norepinephrine synthesis inhibition.

Studies were undertaken to identify the brain regions which display temporal changes in LHRH concentrations after progesterone (P) administration (on day 2 at 1000 h) to ovariectomized, estrogen-primed (OVX-EP) rats (day 0). Groups of OVX-EP rats were decapitated at 1000, 1200, 1400, 1600, and 1800 h and the following regions were isolated by microdissection for subsequent analyses of LHRH by RIA: nucleus (N.) preopticus medialis, N. hypothalamicus anterior, N. suprachiasmatic region (NSC), area retrochiasmatic (ARC), N. arcuate (NA) region, and median eminence (ME). In these rats, ME and NA LHRH concentrations first increased 2- and 3-fold, respectively, by 1400 h when serum gonadotropin levels were basal, and later at 1600 h LHRH levels decreased precipitously concomitant with peak serum LH and FSH levels. In the NSC and ARC regions, however, LHRH concentrations declined slowly reaching significantly lower values by 1600–1800 h. P treatment did not influence LHRH concentrations in the N. preopticus medi.
Lacunar cells of nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's disease: An ultrastructural and immunohistologic study

Tissues from 22 cases of nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's disease were studied by light and electron microscopy in conjunction with immunohistologic and cytochemical staining. The presence of lipid in the cytoplasm of lacunar cells suggested that this was responsible for the distinctive “lacunar” appearance of the cells. Marked morphologic similarities between “blast cells” resulting from mitogen stimulation of lymphocytes in vitro, immunoblasts seen in reactive lymphoid tissues, and mononuclear “Hodgkin's” cells in Hodgkin's disease suggested that all three cell types may result from lymphocyte transformation. It also seemed apparent that there was a developmental sequence from lymphocyte to transformed lymphocyte to the abnormal mononuclear Hodgkin's cell, with further progression, through increasing size and nuclear lobulation, to the lacunar cell or, alternatively, to the diagnostic Reed‐Sternberg cell. This proposed sequence was supported by immunoperoxidase studies in which cytoplasmic immunoglobulin was demonstrated in mononuclear Hodgkin's cells, lacunar cells and Reed‐Sternberg cells. The proposed relationship between these cells was also supported by the findings of both kappa and lambda chains in the same cells, a pattern not seen in reactive transformed lymphocytes.