Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Production of antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti‐HBs) by murine hepatitis B virus carriers: neonatal tolerance versus antigen presentation by dendritic cells

The inability of hepatitis B virus (HBV) transgenic mice, which express abundant hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in sera from the neonatal period onwards, to produce antibody to HBsAg (anti‐HBs) is considered to be due to defective function of lymphocytes. The defective function is thought to result from neonatal tolerance because antigenic challenge during the neonatal period is considered to be a tolerogenic event rather than an immunogenic one. However, a series of mixed culture experiments in vitro showed that lymphocytes taken from transgenic mice that had been injected with HBsAg in complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA) constitutively produced anti‐HBs when cultured with dendritic cells from age‐, sex‐ and major histocompatibility complex (MHC)‐matched normal mice, but not when cultured with dendritic cells from transgenic mice. The expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II and B 7.2 (CD86) antigens on dendritic cells was significantly lower in transgenic mice compared with the same from the normal mice (P<0·05). Treatment of transgenic mice with interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) resulted in up‐regulation of MHC class II on dendritic cells, and lymphocytes from HBsAg‐injected transgenic mice produced anti‐HBs in vitro when cultured with dendritic cells from IFN‐γ‐treated transgenic mice, but not when cultured with the dendritic cells from untreated transgenic mice. These experiments have shown that defective function of antigen‐presenting cells (APC), not immunogenic tolerance, is responsible for the inability of murine HBV‐carriers to produce anti‐HBs. Production of anti‐HBs by lymphocytes from HBsAg‐injected transgenic mice in the presence of dendritic cells that express higher levels of MHC class II and CD86 antigens has inspired optimism that a more effective vaccine therapy can be developed for chronic HBV‐carriers, injecting vaccine containing HBsAg with modulator(s) of APC function of dendritic cells.
Recent Advances in Ligand and Structure Based Screening of Potent Quorum Sensing Inhibitors Against Antibiotic Resistance Induced Bacterial Virulence.

BACKGROUND Antibiotic resistance is a growing threat in the treatment of bacterial diseases. Bacterial invasion and its virulence can cause damage to the host cells via quorum sensing mechanism which is responsible for the intercellular communication among bacteria that regulates expression of many genes. Quorum sensing (QS) differentially expresses specific sets of genes which may produce resistance. Researchers have been devoted to develop more potent compounds against bacterial resistant quorum sensing inhibitors. METHODS A number of anti-quorum sensing approaches have been documented to screen potent inhibitors against quorum sensing induced bacterial virulence. Experimental screening of a large chemical compound library against a quorum sensing biological target is an established technology for lead identification but it is expensive, laborious and time consuming. Therefore, computer-aided high throughput ligand and structure based virtual screening are most effective pharmacoinformatic tools prior to experiment in this context. RESULTS Ligand based screening includes quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) and pharmacophore generation whereas techniques of structure based virtual screening include molecular docking. The study in this direction can increase the findings of hit rates and decrease cost of drug design and development by producing potent natural as well as synthetic anti-quorum sensing compounds. CONCLUSION Most recent patent coverage on ligand and structure based design of novel bioactive quorum sensing inhibitors has been presented here. The paper has also critically reviewed the screening and design of potent quorum sensing inhibitor leads that would help in patenting novel leads active against bacterial virulence and minimizing antibiotic resistance among bacterial pathogens.
Overexpression of ctr1Δ300, a high‐affinity copper transporter with deletion of the cytosolic C‐terminus in Saccharomyces cerevisiae under excess copper, leads to disruption of transition metal homeostasis and transcriptional remodelling of cellular processes

In an approach to generating Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains with increased intracellular copper amounts for technical applications, we overexpressed the copper transporter CTR1 and a variant of CTR1 with a truncation in the C‐terminus after the 300th amino acid (ctr1Δ300). We determined the copper sensitivity of the generated strains and used inductively coupled plasma spectrometry analysis (ICP–OES and ICP–MS) to investigate the effects of overexpression of both constructs under excess copper on the cellular content of different elements in S. cerevisiae. In addition, we performed DNA microarray analysis to obtain the gene expression profile under the changed element contents. Overexpression of CTR1 increased the copper content in the cells to 160% and 78 genes were differentially regulated. Overexpression of the truncated ctr1Δ300 resulted in an increased copper, iron and zinc content of > 200% and 980 genes showed differential expression. We found that transition metal ion homeostasis was disrupted in ctr1Δ300‐overexpressing strains under excess copper and that this was combined with a transcriptional remodelling of cellular processes. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cisplatin and radiotherapy with or without erlotinib in locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: a randomized phase II trial.

PURPOSE The combination of cisplatin and radiotherapy is a standard treatment for patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). Cetuximab-radiotherapy is superior to radiotherapy alone in this population, validating epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) as a target. Erlotinib is a small-molecule inhibitor of EGFR. Adding EGFR inhibition to standard cisplatin-radiotherapy may improve efficacy. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with locally advanced SCCHN were randomly assigned to receive cisplatin 100 mg/m(2) on days 1, 22, and 43 combined with 70 Gy of radiotherapy (arm A) or the same chemoradiotherapy with erlotinib 150 mg per day, starting 1 week before radiotherapy and continued to its completion (arm B). The primary end point was complete response rate (CRR), evaluated by central review. The secondary end point was progression-free survival (PFS). Available tumors were tested for p16 and EGFR by fluorescent in situ hybridization. RESULTS Between December 2006 and October 2011, 204 patients were randomly assigned. Arms were well balanced for all patient characteristics including p16, with the exception of more women on arm A. Patients on arm B had more rash, but treatment arms did not differ regarding rates of other grade 3 or 4 toxicities. Arm A had a CRR of 40% and arm B had a CRR of 52% (P = .08) when evaluated by central review. With a median follow-up time of 26 months and 54 progression events, there was no difference in PFS (hazard ratio, 0.9; P = .71). CONCLUSION Erlotinib did not increase the toxicity of cisplatin and radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced HNSCC but failed to significantly increase CRR or PFS.
Choline up-regulates BDNF and down-regulates TrkB neurotrophin receptor in rat cortical cell culture

In this study, possible involvements of choline and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in neurotrophic-related neuronal plasticity were investigated. Primary cell cultures from rat cerebral cortex were exposed for 72 h to the &agr;7 nAChR selective agonist choline and protein expression levels of the neurotrophin receptors p75, TrkA, TrkB and TrkC were examined. The results revealed a choline-induced attenuation of the TrkB expression, whereas the other neurotrophin receptors were not affected. Further analysis of choline-exposed cell cultures showed an increased protein level of the TrkB ligand brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). This increase was obtained in cell cultures where the &agr;7 nAChR subunit was detected, but not in younger cell cultures where this subunit could not be detected. It is speculated that a choline-induced change of &agr;7 nAChRs activity may have resulted in the observed increase of BDNF level and down-regulation of the TrkB receptor.
Identification and distribution of 5‐HT3 recognition sites in the rat gastrointestinal tract

1 Tritiated derivatives of the potent and selective 5‐HT3 receptor antagonists GR65630 and LY278584 were used to identify 5‐HT3 recognition sites in the rat gastrointestinal tract. 2 Binding studies were carried out in homogenates of the rat oesophagus, the cardia, fundus, body and antrum of the stomach, regions of the small intestine, caecum and large intestine. The specific binding of a single concentration of GR65630 (0.5 nm) defined by granisetron (10 μm) in these areas indicated that the density of 5‐HT3 recognition sites varied from 2.4 ± 1.0 to 10.1 ± 1.0 fmol mg−1 protein. 3 Saturable binding of [3H]‐GR65630 could only be demonstrated in the terminal regions of the small intestine (Bmax in the range of 13.83 ± 4.54–21.19 ± 0.89 fmol mg−1 protein; mean ± s.e.mean) and of high affinity (Kd in the range of 0.42 ± 0.18–0.79 ± 0.24 nm). Use of [3H]‐LY278584 revealed a similar binding density (Bmax 19.54 ± 0.26 fmol mg−1 protein) and affinity (Kd 1.04 ± 0.07 nm) in the terminal small intestine. 4 Binding of [3H]‐GR65630 and [3H]‐LY278584 to the terminal region of the small intestine was inhibited by 5‐HT3 receptor ligands ondansetron and S‐zacopride (and 5‐hydroxytryptamine), but not by 5‐HT1, 5‐HT2, catecholamine, γ‐aminobutyric acid and opioid receptor ligands. 5 These data demonstrate that there are regional variations in the density of 5‐HT3 recognition sites within the rat gastrointestinal tract. Such data are relevant to the potential use of 5‐HT3 receptor ligands to modify secretory and contraction responses in the gastrointestinal system.
The Cytosolic/Nuclear HSC70 and HSP90 Molecular Chaperones Are Important for Stomatal Closure and Modulate Abscisic Acid-Dependent Physiological Responses in Arabidopsis1[W]

Cytosolic/nuclear molecular chaperones of the heat shock protein families HSP90 and HSC70 are conserved and essential proteins in eukaryotes. These proteins have essentially been implicated in the innate immunity and abiotic stress tolerance in higher plants. Here, we demonstrate that both chaperones are recruited in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) for stomatal closure induced by several environmental signals. Plants overexpressing HSC70-1 or with reduced HSP90.2 activity are compromised in the dark-, CO2-, flagellin 22 peptide-, and abscisic acid (ABA)-induced stomatal closure. HSC70-1 and HSP90 proteins are needed to establish basal expression levels of several ABA-responsive genes, suggesting that these chaperones might also be involved in ABA signaling events. Plants overexpressing HSC70-1 or with reduced HSP90.2 activity are hypersensitive to ABA in seed germination assays, suggesting that several chaperone complexes with distinct substrates might tune tissue-specific responses to ABA and the other biotic and abiotic stimuli studied. This study demonstrates that the HSC70/HSP90 machinery is important for stomatal closure and serves essential functions in plants to integrate signals from their biotic and abiotic environments.
Masculinity and the persistence of AIDS stigma

With the expansion of access to HIV testing and antiretroviral therapy in sub-Saharan Africa, questions have emerged as to whether stigma remains a useful concept for understanding the effects of AIDS. There is, however, a paucity of research on how HIV-positive Africans – especially African men – experience living with AIDS. This paper addresses this gap and draws on findings from ethnographic fieldwork in 2004 and 2009 with a support group for HIV-positive men in Kampala, Uganda. The paper demonstrates that stigma is central to how men in this context coped with HIV and AIDS and it provides a conceptual framework that links men's experiences of AIDS stigma to conceptions of masculinity. In so doing, findings highlight both the possibilities and challenges of involving African men more fully in HIV prevention.
Türkiye'de Kadına Yönelik Şiddet

Turkiye’de kadina yonelik siddet uzerine yapilmis arastirma sayisi yok denecek kadar azdir. Elimizdeki sinirli veriler, yerel veya bolgesel calismalara dayanmaktadir. T.C. Basbakanlik Aile Arastirma Kurumu tarafindan 1993-1994 yillarinda yurutulen Aile Ici Şiddetin Sebep ve Sonuclari arastirmasindan sonra bu konuda yapilmis ulusal capta bir alan arastirmasi bulunmamaktadir; niteliksel calismalar ise belirli iller ve kuruluslarla sinirli kalmistir. TUBITAK tarafindan desteklenen ve 18 ay suren “Toplumsal Cinsiyete Dayali Şiddet: Sorun Tespiti ve Mucadele Yontemlerinin Analizi” baslikli arastirmamiz bu boslugu doldurmayi hedeflemistir. Bu arastirmada Turkiye’de kadina yonelik siddetin nasil tanimlandigini, nasil algilandigini ve gerek sivil toplum gerekse devlet duzeyinde ne tur mucadele yontemleri gelistirildigini inceledik. Arastirmamizin niteliksel bolumunde, 27 ilden yaklasik 50 kadin kurulusundan 150’ye yakin kadinla gorusme yaparak kadin kuruluslarinin ve devletin kadina yonelik siddeti sorunsallastirmalarini, mucadelelerinin zaman icinde gelismesini ve bunun sonuclarini inceleyerek bu deneyimlerin guclu ve zayif noktalarini degerlendirdik. Arastirmanin niceliksel ayaginda ise Turkiye capinda temsili bir orneklemle secilmis 1800 evli kadinla 56 ile dagilmis yerlesim yerinde (il, ilce ve koy) yuruttugumuz alan arastirmasinda, kadinlarin eslerinden yasadiklari siddetle ilgili deneyimlerini ve goruslerini tespit ettik.
Single spinal montoneurons excitable from two different antidromic pathways.

1. Intracellular recording of spike potentials from single motoneurons in toad's spinal cord revealed that some motoneurons were excitable from two different ventral roots (mostly IXth and Xth roots). 2. Between these two antidromic pathways, differences were found in their latent times, slopes of initial part of the spikes and liability to blockade of antidromic conduction. Same conduction velocities were found in the extraspinal part of both routes, which indicated that, in both pathways, alpha fibers were concerned.3. Action potentials were recorded from a few fibers in one ventral root upon stimulating the other ventral root.4. Efferent discharges were detected in a small number of ventral root fibers in response to antidromic impulses backfired through the same ventral root.5. In order to account for these findings, seven types of correlation between two pathways were presented and their possibilities were discussed. In conclusion, the most likely neuronal configuration is a double motoneuron with dendritic liaison, though ephaptic transmission between motoneurons cannot be exclubed to a certainty.
Changes in staging and advances in treatment for gynecological malignancies: The impact on cytopathology

Major changes in the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) and the American Joint Commission on Cancer (AJCC) staging systems for gynecologic cancers of the vulva, cervix, and endometrium were adopted in 2008/2009. Changes in the FIGO staging for ovarian, fallopian tube, and peritoneal malignancies have recently been published online. Treatment protocols have also expanded with the introduction of neoadjuvant chemotherapy administered before cytoreductive surgery as an option for patients with advancedstage gynecologic cancers. Changes in both staging and treatment protocols for gynecologic malignancies will have a significant impact on the practice of cytopathology.
60-HZ interference in electrocardiography.

One of the major problems encountered in recording ECG's is the appearance of unwanted 60-Hz interference in the output. This paper examines the many possible sources of interference, and for each provides a description, an identifying test, and a remedy. Then we look at possible equipment imperfections and guidelines for amplifier design to aid in the evaluation of new developments in the field of electrocardiography. As an illustrative example, we apply the procedure for isolating the source of interference to an exposition display in which each visitor could rapidly view his own ECG.
Monolithic integration of bulk micro-machined capacitive accelerometer and signal conditioning circuit

This paper presents a bulk micro-machined single axis accelerometer with analog signal conditioning circuit on a single chip. Design advantages include combining electrical isolation structures and mechanical connection structures with insulating materials refilled trenches to increase transducer sensitivity by minimizing parasitic capacitance, and lower package cost due to post-CMOS process. Several easy-tune techniques have been used to decrease the offset and increase the output signal amplitude.
The Effects of Mediolateral Episiotomy on Pelvic Floor Function After Vaginal Delivery

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of mediolateral episiotomy on puerperal pelvic floor strength and dysfunction (urinary and anal incontinence, genital prolapse). METHODS: Five hundred nineteen primiparous women were enrolled 3 months after vaginal delivery. Puerperae were divided in 2 groups: group A (254 women) comprised the women who received mediolateral episiotomy and group B (265 women) the women with intact perineum and first- and second-degree spontaneous perineal lacerations. Each woman was questioned about urogynecological symptoms and examined by digital test, vaginal perineometry, and uroflowmetric stop test score. Data were subjected to Student t test and Fisher exact test to assess, respectively, the difference between the mean values and the proportions within the subpopulations. Using a simple logistic regression model to test an estimate of relative risk, we expressed the odds ratios of the variables considered with respect to the control population (group B). RESULTS: No significant difference was found with regard to the incidence of urinary and anal incontinence and genital prolapse, whereas dyspareunia and perineal pain were significantly higher in the episiotomy group (7.9% versus 3.4%, P = .026; 6.7% versus 2.3%, P = .014, respectively). Episiotomy was associated with significantly lower values, both in digital test (2.2 versus 2.6; P < .001) and in vaginal manometry (12.2 versus 13.8 cm water; P < .001), but not in uroflowmetric stop test. CONCLUSION: Mediolateral episiotomy does not protect against urinary and anal incontinence and genital prolapse and is associated with a lower pelvic floor muscle strength compared with spontaneous perineal lacerations and with more dyspareunia and perineal pain. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II-2
Cooperative control of discrete-time agents with delayed information exchange: A receding-horizon approach

Cooperative control by a team of distributed agents is considered in this paper. Each agent is assumed to evolve in discrete-time and exchange delayed state information with a subset of neighboring or cooperating agents. The control design formulation is based on the definition of a finite-horizon cost function that includes both the regulation and cooperation objectives. The cooperative control problem is formulated in a receding-horizon framework, where the control law can be explicitly broken up in two components: one due to feedback from the local state variables and the other based on delayed information gathered from cooperating neighboring agents. The global stability and performance analysis of the overall system is shown and simulation results are used to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.
Where do food desert residents buy most of their junk food? Supermarkets

Abstract Objective To examine where residents in an area with limited access to healthy foods (an urban food desert) purchased healthier and less healthy foods. Design Food shopping receipts were collected over a one-week period in 2013. These were analysed to describe where residents shopped for food and what types of food they bought. Setting Two low-income, predominantly African-American neighbourhoods with limited access to healthy foods in Pittsburgh, PA, USA. Subjects Two hundred and ninety-three households in which the primary food shoppers were predominantly female (77·8 %) and non-Hispanic black (91·1 %) adults. Results Full-service supermarkets were by far the most common food retail outlet from which food receipts were returned and accounted for a much larger proportion (57·4 %) of food and beverage expenditures, both healthy and unhealthy, than other food retail outlets. Although patronized less frequently, convenience stores were notable purveyors of unhealthy foods. Conclusions Findings highlight the need to implement policies that can help to decrease unhealthy food purchases in full-service supermarkets and convenience stores and increase healthy food purchases in convenience stores.
Ammonium‐evoked alterations in intracellular sodium and pH reduce glial glutamate transport activity

The clearance of extracellular glutamate is mainly mediated by pH‐ and sodium‐dependent transport into astrocytes. During hepatic encephalopathy (HE), however, elevated extracellular glutamate concentrations are observed. The primary candidate responsible for the toxic effects observed during HE is ammonium (NH4+/NH3). Here, we examined the effects of NH4+/NH3 on steady‐state intracellular pH (pHi) and sodium concentration ([Na+]i) in cultured astrocytes in two different age groups. Moreover, we assessed the influence of NH4+/NH3 on glutamate transporter activity by measuring D‐aspartate‐induced pHi and [Na+]i transients. In 20–34 days in vitro (DIV) astrocytes, NH4+/NH3 decreased steady‐state pHi by 0.19 pH units and increased [Na+]i by 21 mM. D‐Aspartate‐induced pHi and [Na+]i transients were reduced by 80–90% in the presence of NH4+/NH3, indicating a dramatic reduction of glutamate uptake activity. In 9–16 DIV astrocytes, in contrast, pHi and [Na+]i were minimally affected by NH4+/NH3, and D‐aspartate‐induced pHi and [Na+]i transients were reduced by only 30–40%. Next we determined the contribution of Na+, K+, Cl−‐cotransport (NKCC). Immunocytochemical stainings indicated an increased expression of NKCC1 in 20–34 DIV astrocytes. Moreover, inhibition of NKCC with bumetanide prevented NH4+/NH3‐evoked changes in steady‐state pHi and [Na+]i and attenuated the reduction of D‐aspartate‐induced pHi and [Na+]i transients by NH4+/NH3 to 30% in 20–34 DIV astrocytes. Our results suggest that NH4+/NH3 decreases steady‐state pHi and increases steady‐state [Na+]i in astrocytes by an age‐dependent activation of NKCC. These NH4+/NH3‐evoked changes in the transmembrane pH and sodium gradients directly reduce glutamate transport activity, and may, thus, contribute to elevated extracellular glutamate levels observed during HE. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Mutualism between tree shrews and pitcher plants

Three species of Nepenthes pitcher plants from Borneo engage in a mutualistic interaction with mountain tree shrews, the basis of which is the exchange of nutritional resources. The plants produce modified "toilet pitchers" that produce copious amounts of exudates, the latter serving as a food source for tree shrews. The exudates are only accessible to the tree shrews when they position their hindquarters over the pitcher orifice. Tree shrews mark valuable resources with faeces and regularly defecate into the pitchers when they visit them to feed. Faeces represent a valuable source of nitrogen for these Nepenthes species, but there are many facets of the mutualism that are yet to be investigated. These include, but are not limited to, seasonal variation in exudate production rates by the plants, behavioral ecology of visiting tree shrews, and the mechanism by which the plants signal to tree shrews that their pitchers represent a food source. Further research into this extraordinary animal-plant interaction is required to gain a better understanding of the benefits to the participating species.