Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
TRAF6‐NF‐κB pathway is essential for interleukin‐1‐induced TLR2 expression and its functional response to TLR2 ligand in murine hepatocytes

We have previously reported that the expressions of TLR2 and TLR4 mRNA are differentially regulated in mouse liver and in the parenchymal cells. In the present study, we investigated the mechanism of the up‐regulatory effects of interleukin‐1α (IL‐1α), tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or bacterial lipoprotein (BLP) on TLR2 mRNA expression in primary cultured murine hepatocytes. Although TLR2 mRNA stability was not affected, these treatments enhanced NF‐κB activity and TLR2 gene transcription simultaneously. The up‐regulation of TLR2 transcription in response to these reagents was completely inhibited by blocking the NF‐κB activation pathway, demonstrating a pivotal role of NF‐κB activation in the regulation of hepatocyte TLR2 transcription. The expression of TLR2 protein by hepatocytes was also remarkably up‐regulated by IL‐1α and, to a lesser extent, by TNF‐α as well, but not by LPS or BLP. In addition, pretreatment of mice with IL‐1α markedly increased the BLP (a ligand for TLR2)‐induced serum level of serum amyloid A (SAA), an acute‐phase protein predominantly produced by hepatocytes, indicating that IL‐1α may also up‐regulate functional TLR2 in vivo. These results demonstrate that IL‐1α, through activating the TRAF6‐NF‐κB pathway, serves as the most potent inducer for TLR2 up‐regulation, and plays an important role in the regulation of hepatocyte functions by augmenting the hepatocyte response to bacteria or bacterial products.
Use of radio-tagging to map spatial organization and social interactions in insects

SUMMARY Understanding of the organization of animal societies often requires knowledge of the identity of group members and their spatial location. We propose an original experimental design to track automatically the position of individuals using radio frequency identification technology (RFID). Ants equipped with passive transponders were detected by a reader mounted on a mobile arm moving across the nest surface. We developed an algorithm to accurately extract the positions of individuals moving in two dimensions. Our method was validated on synthetic test cases and then used for characterization of the spatial distribution of ants within nests. This approach provides an amenable system for monitoring large populations of individuals over long periods of time.
Identification of sensory information in mixed nerves using multi-channel cuff electrodes for closed loop neural prostheses

The addition of sensory feedback is expected to greatly enhance the performance of motor neuroprostheses. In the case of stroke or spinal cord injured patients, sensory information can be obtained from electroneurographic (ENG) signals recorded from intact nerves in the non-functioning limb. Here, we aimed to identify sensory information recorded from mixed nerves using a multi-channel cuff electrode. ENG afferent signals were recorded in response to mechanical stimulation of the foot corresponding to three different functional types of sensory stimuli, namely: nociception, proprioception and touch. Offine digital signal processing was used to extract features for use as inputs for classification. A quadratic support vector machine was used to classify the data and the five fold cross validation error was measured. The results show that classification of nociceptive and proprioceptive stimuli is feasible, with cross validation errors of less than 10%. However, further work is needed to determine whether the touch information can be extracted more reliably from these recordings.
Assessing acute toxicity of effluent from a textile industry and nearby river waters using sulfur‐oxidizing bacteria in continuous mode

Bioassays are becoming an important tool for assessing the toxicity of complex mixtures of substances in aquatic environments in which Daphnia magna is routinely used as a test organism. Bioassays outweigh physicochemical analyses and are valuable in the decision‐making process pertaining to the final discharge of effluents from wastewater treatment plants as they measure the total effect of the discharge which is ecologically relevant. In this study, the aquatic toxicity of a textile plant effluent and river water downstream from the plant were evaluated with sulfur‐oxidizing bacterial biosensors in continuous mode. Collected samples were analysed for different physicochemical parameters and 1,4‐dioxane was detected in the effluent. The effluent contained a relatively high chemical oxygen demand of 60 mg L−1, which exceeded the limit set by the Korean government for industrial effluent discharges. Results showed that both the effluent and river waters were toxic to sulfur‐oxidizing bacteria. These results show the importance of incorporating bioassays to detect toxicity in wastewater effluents for the sustainable management of water resources.
Expression of the vesicular glutamate transporters during development indicates the widespread corelease of multiple neurotransmitters

Three closely related proteins transport glutamate into synaptic vesicles for release by exocytosis. Complementary patterns of expression in glutamatergic terminals have been reported for VGLUT1 and VGLUT2. VGLUT3 shows expression by many cells not considered to be glutamatergic. Here we describe the changes in VGLUT expression that occur during development. VGLUT1 expression increases gradually after birth and eventually predominates over the other isoforms in telencephalic regions. Expressed at high levels shortly after birth, VGLUT2 declines with age in multiple regions, in the cerebellum by 14‐fold. In contrast, Coexpression of the two isoforms occurs transiently during development as well as permanently in a restricted subset of glutamatergic terminals in the adult. VGLUT3 is transiently expressed at high levels by select neuronal populations, including terminals in the cerebellar nuclei, scattered neurons in the cortex, and progenitor‐like cells, implicating exocytotic glutamate release in morphogenesis and development. VGLUT3 also colocalizes extensively during development with the neuronal vesicular monoamine transporter VMAT2, with the vesicular acetylcholine transporter VAChT, and with the vesicular γ‐aminobutyric acid transporter VGAT. Such coexpression occurs particularly at some specific developmental stages and is restricted to certain sets of cells. In skeletal muscle, VGLUT3 localizes to granular organelles in the axon terminal as well as in the muscle sarcoplasm. The results suggest novel mechanisms and roles for regulated transmitter release. J. Comp. Neurol. 480:264–280, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Evolution of Abnormal Insulin Secretory Responses During 48-h In Vivo Hyperglycemia

Recent in vitro studies have shown that insulin release caused by continuous exposure to high glucose concentration markedly falls within a few hours. We wanted to determine if a similar effect occurs in vivo with chronic intravenous infusions in normal rats. Male CD rats (200–250 g) were infused with 50% glucose at 2 ml/h for 6, 14, 24, or 48 h, whereas controls received 0.45% NaCl, and insulin responses were tested with the in vitro isolated perfused pancreas. Plasma glucose averaged 352 ± 20 mg/dl after 4 h and 396 ± 11 mg/dl after 24 h versus 137 ± 5 mg/dl in controls; plasma insulin at the same times was 8.94 ± 1.44 and 12.1 ± 2.62 ng/ml versus 1.69 ± 0.19 ng/ml in controls. The incremental insulin response caused by an increase in perfusate glucose from 2.8 to 16.7 mM was not significantly reduced after 24 h of glucose infusion; in contrast, paradoxical suppression was seen after 48 h. A second protocol examined glucose potentiation by giving 10 mM arginine at 2.8 and 16.7 mM glucose; a hyperresponse to arginine at the lower glucose level was present after just 14 h of infusion. Therefore, these results do not support the hypothesis that β-cells lose their sensitivity to glucose within hours of being exposed to higher than normal glucose concentrations.
Muscle Specificity Encoded by Specific Serum Response Factor-binding Sites*

Serum response factor (SRF) is a MADS box transcription factor that regulates muscle-specific and growth factor-inducible genes by binding the consensus sequence CC(A/T)6GG, known as a CArG box. Because SRF expression is not restricted solely to muscle, its expression alone cannot account for the muscle specificity of some of its target genes. To understand further the role of SRF in muscle-specific transcription, we created transgenic mice harboring lacZ transgenes linked to tandem copies of different CArG boxes with flanking sequences. CArG boxes from the SM22 and skeletal α-actin promoters directed highly restricted expression in developing smooth, cardiac, and skeletal muscle cells during early embryogenesis. In contrast, the CArG box and flanking sequences from the c-fos promoter directed expression throughout the embryo, with no preference for muscle cells. Systematic swapping of the core and flanking sequences of the SM22 and c-fos CArG boxes revealed that cell type specificity was dictated in large part by sequences immediately flanking the CArG box core. Sequences that directed widespread embryonic expression bound SRF more strongly than those that directed muscle-restricted expression. We conclude that sequence variations among CArG boxes influence cell type specificity of expression and account, at least in part, for the ability of SRF to distinguish between growth factor-inducible and muscle-specific genes in vivo.
Processes underlying young women's decisions to eat fruits and vegetables.

OBJECTIVE To relate the use of identified processes that college women use to eat enough fruits and enough vegetables to their stages of readiness to change and their fruit and vegetable (F/V) intakes. METHOD A cross-sectional assessment of college women 18-24 years of age (n = 236) was conducted to assess stage of readiness to eat F/V. Use of seven processes, earlier confirmed in a separate sample of college students the same age (health concerns, self-reevaluation, social liberation, health commitment/action, interpersonal control, external reinforcement and helping relationships) was compared with stage of change for F/V and 3 days of dietary intakes. RESULTS In these young college women, use of self-reevaluation, a cognitive process for change, peaked in the preparation stage for both F/V. Use of health commitment/action, a post-action process including counter-conditioning, peaked in those in action/maintenance for F/V. Weight concerns related to the counter-conditioning processes women used to eat more fruit. CONCLUSION Health practitioners should focus on weight management, appearance and health benefits of eating fruits and vegetables for this demographic group.
Evidence of compounded disturbance effects on vegetation recovery following high-severity wildfire and spruce beetle outbreak

Spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) outbreaks are rapidly spreading throughout subalpine forests of the Rocky Mountains, raising concerns that altered fuel structures may increase the ecological severity of wildfires. Although many recent studies have found no conclusive link between beetle outbreaks and increased fire size or canopy mortality, few studies have addressed whether these combined disturbances produce compounded effects on short-term vegetation recovery. We tested for an effect of spruce beetle outbreak severity on vegetation recovery in the West Fork Complex fire in southwestern Colorado, USA, where much of the burn area had been affected by severe spruce beetle outbreaks in the decade prior to the fire. Vegetation recovery was assessed using the Landsat-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) two years after the fire, which occurred in 2013. Beetle outbreak severity, defined as the basal area of beetle-killed trees within Landsat pixels, was estimated using vegetation index differences (dVIs) derived from pre-outbreak and post-outbreak Landsat images. Of the seven dVIs tested, the change in Normalized Difference Moisture Index (dNDMI) was most strongly correlated with field measurements of beetle-killed basal area (R2 = 0.66). dNDMI was included as an explanatory variable in sequential autoregressive (SAR) models of NDVI2015. Models also included pre-disturbance NDVI, topography, and weather conditions at the time of burning as covariates. SAR results showed a significant correlation between NDVI2015 and dNDMI, with more severe spruce beetle outbreaks corresponding to reduced post-fire vegetation cover. The correlation was stronger for models which were limited to locations in the red stage of outbreak (outbreak ≤ 5 years old at the time of fire) than for models of gray-stage locations (outbreak > 5 years old at the time of fire). These results indicate that vegetation recovery processes may be negatively impacted by severe spruce beetle outbreaks occurring within a decade of stand-replacing wildfire.
Effect of laminated hydroxyapatite/gelatin nanocomposite scaffold structure on osteogenesis using unrestricted somatic stem cells in rat

Bone matrix consists of two major phases at the nanoscale: organic and hydroxyapatite. Nanotechnology as a diverse and interdisciplinary area of research has the capacity to revolutionise many areas of applications such as bone tissue engineering. Nanohydroxyapatite/gelatin composite has higher osteoblast attachment and proliferation than micro‐sized ones, and shorter culturing period and lower cell seeding density compared to pure gelatin. A nanostructured scaffold was fabricated by three methods for bone repair using nanohydroxyapatite and gelatin as the main components. Its biocompatibility, alizarin red test on the 14th and 21st days, gene expression on the 21st day in in vitro using and histomorphometry after 4 and 8 weeks post‐implantation in the rat were investigated. Cultured unrestricted somatic stem cells used for in vitro study showed an excellent level of cell attachment to the scaffold. Cells induced more osteoblast differentiation on the scaffold than in 2D cell culture. Osteoblast differentiation and bone regeneration results of in vitro and in vivo investigation on scaffold were extremely significant, better than control and treatment groups. These effects could be attributed to the shape and size of nanoHA particles and good architecture of the scaffold. The results confirm the feasibility of bone regeneration using synthesised scaffold as a temporary bone substitute.
Genetically alike Syrian hamsters display both bifoliate and trifoliate aortic valves

The bifoliate, or bicuspid, aortic valve (BAV) is the most frequent congenital cardiac anomaly in man. It is a heritable defect, but its mode of inheritance remains unclear. Previous studies in Syrian hamsters showed that BAVs with fusion of the right and left coronary leaflets are expressions of a trait, the variation of which takes the form of a phenotypic continuum. It ranges from a trifoliate valve with no fusion of the coronary leaflets to a bifoliate root devoid of any raphe. The intermediate stages are represented by trifoliate valves with fusion of the coronary aortic leaflets, and bifoliate valves with raphes. The aim of this study was to elucidate whether the distinct morphological variants rely on a common genotype, or on different genotypes. We examined the aortic valves from 1 849 Syrian hamsters belonging to a family subjected to systematic inbreeding by full‐sib mating. The incidence of the different trifoliate aortic valve (TAV) and bifoliate aortic valve (BAV) morphological variants widely varied in the successive inbred generations. TAVs with extensive fusion of the leaflets, and BAVs, accounted for five‐sixths of the patterns found in Syrian hamsters considered to be genetically alike or virtually isogenic, with the probability of homozygosity being 0.999 or higher. The remaining one‐sixth hamsters had aortic valves with a tricuspid design, but in most cases the right and left coronary leaflets were slightly fused. Results of crosses between genetically alike hamsters, with the probability of homozygosity being 0.989 or higher, revealed no significant association between the valvar phenotypes in the parents and their offspring. Our findings are consistent with the notion that the BAVs of the Syrian hamster are expressions of a quantitative trait subject to polygenic inheritance. They suggest that the genotype of the virtually isogenic animals produced by systematic inbreeding greatly predisposes to the development of anomalous valves, be they bifoliate, or trifoliate with extensive fusion of the leaflets. We infer that the same underlying genotype may account for the whole range of valvar morphological variants, suggesting that factors other than genetic ones are acting during embryonic life, creating the so‐called intangible variation or developmental noise, and playing an important role in the definitive anatomic configuration of the valve. The clinical implication from our study is that congenital aortic valves with a trifoliate design, but with fusion of coronary aortic leaflets, may harbour the same inherent risks as those already recognised for BAVs with fusion of right and left coronary leaflets.
A 42–46.4% PAE continuous class-F power amplifier with Cgd neutralization at 26–34 GHz in 65 nm CMOS for 5G applications

This paper presents a wideband high efficiency continuous class-F (CCF) power amplifier (PA) at mm-Wave frequencies for the first time. A tuned load with a high-order harmonic resonance network is used to shape the current and voltage waveforms for the proposed CCF CMOS PA. Further, a transformer with a tunable coupling-coefficient (ktune) is incorporated in the tuned load network to address the detrimental feedback effect caused by the increased transistor gate-drain capacitance (Cgd) in deep submicron CMOS technology. This technique allows precise neutralization of Cgd, reducing undesirable influence on the tuned load, and maximizing power-efficiency and stability. The CCF PA prototype, implemented in 65 nm CMOS exhibits more than 42% power added efficiency (PAE) over 8 GHz bandwidth (26–34 GHz), while delivering saturated output power (Psat) of 14.75 dBm at 30 GHz. This design presents one of the highest reported PAEs among mm-Wave CMOS PAs, achieving 46.4% peak PAE at 29 GHz.
Experimental evaluation of an assist chair for sit-to-stand on speed of flipping up a seat of chair

Assist chairs with simple mechanism to flip up a seat at the front edge to assist sit-to-stand (STS) is well known as commercial products developed from around 1980. The speed of flipping up the seat on the assist chairs would play a key role how to adjust assisting STS in individual cases, but there is almost no discussion how the speed of flipping up the seat affects the benefit of assisting STS. The aim of study is to investigate the optimised speed of flipping up the seat of the assist chairs. As a first step, a motorised assist chair with controllable speed of flipping up the seat was developed and tested with four healthy participants in three seat height conditions; High:520mm, Middle:420mm, and Low:320mm without and with flipping up the seat at maximum speed 30degree/second. Significant main effect of assisting was found on peak vGRF at Low seat height (p<0.005) by Wilcoxon rank test. There was no significant effect at Middle (p=0.126) and High seat height (p=0.507). With assisting at the Low seat height, the reduction of peak vGRF means that the flipping up the seat successfully supports trunk movement and knee function to lift up the hip from the seat. All participants felt the assisting was effective to reduce the hardness of STS at the Low seat height. With further studies to optimise the speed of flipping the seat, the motorised assist chair in this study would provide a proper assist for individual STS movement, with leaving certain part of physical load for keeping muscle functioning.
Implications of the International Society of Urological Pathology modified Gleason grading system.

CONTEXT Histologic grading is the clinically most useful tissue-based predictor of prognosis for prostate cancer. Over the years, there has been a gradual shift in how the Gleason grading is applied in practice, with a general trend toward upgrading. A consensus conference was organized in 2005 by the International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) for standardizing both the perception of histologic patterns and how the grade information is compiled and reported. OBJECTIVE To review the implications of the ISUP modified Gleason grading system. DATA SOURCES Personal experience and review of the current literature. CONCLUSIONS The recommendations regarding pattern interpretation and reporting are summarized. The practical consequences of the ISUP modification of the Gleason grading are reported. The prognostic importance of the Gleason score, its reproducibility, and its preoperative assessment are discussed. Subsequent proposals for slight modifications to the ISUP grading system are described.
Wireless power supplying flexible and wearable systems

In this paper we first overview CAD techniques for the optimization of energy harvesting and storage systems designed to exploit EM sources available in the ambient. For a successful operation an accurate prediction of the minimum received power is needed to ensure the rectifier turn-on and the start-up of the energy storage control circuit. The proposed method is based on a first step dedicated to the simulation/optimization of the rectenna nonlinear regimes to determine reference values of the received signals. The second step is carried out in the time domain and is devoted to the optimization of the power management unit with the goal of dynamically keeping the rectenna at its optimum loading conditions. During this process the dispersive behavior of rectenna is accurately accounted for. The procedure validation is then discussed for a textile multi-layer multi-frequency rectenna using fabric for both the substrates and the metallic layers. The presented system is thought to recover RF energy upon user request from GSM 900, GSM 1800 and WiFi sources.