Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Up-regulation of proteoglycan 4 in temporomandibular osteoarthritic synovial cells by hyaluronic acid.

BACKGROUND Hyaluronic acid (HA) injection is widely used in the treatment of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) osteoarthritis (OA). Proteoglycan 4 (PRG4) is another joint lubricant that protects surface of articular cartilage. But few studies had explored the role of HA in regulation of PRG4 expression in TMJ OA. In this study, the effects of HA on the expression of PRG4 in osteoarthritic TMJ synovial cells were investigated in hypoxia, which was similar to the TMJ physiologically. METHODS Synovial cells were isolated from the TMJ OA patients and were treated with or without HA under normoxia or hypoxia for indicated time periods. The proliferation of synovial cells was measured using Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8). The gene expression of HAS2, VEGF, and PRG4 was detected by quantitative real-time PCR, and the secretion of PRG4 and VEGF was assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Immunofluorescence was used to examine the protein expression of hypoxia-induced factor-1α (HIF-1α). RESULTS Hyaluronic acid markedly increased the proliferation of osteoarthritic synovial cells in hypoxia. The expression of HAS2 and PRG4 mRNA of osteoarthritic synovial cells under hypoxia was enhanced by HA treatment. However, HA had no effect on reducing the VEGF and HIF-1α expression in synovial cells in hypoxia. CONCLUSIONS Hyaluronic acid could promote the expression of HAS2 and PRG4, but could not modulate HIF-1α and VEGF expression of TMJ osteoarthritic synovial cells in hypoxia.
The Challenges of Studying the Anaerobic Microbial World

Studies on strictly anaerobic microorganisms represent one of the most challenging areas of research, because anaerobic conditions (oxygen-free) need to be reconstructed to understand microbial activities and to obtain enrichments and pure culture. It is well-known that the micro/macro anaerobic environments are present everywhere on the Earth, and anaerobes comprise complex communities that play an important role in the carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles on earth (49). Microbial community studies using 16S rRNA gene, as well as various functional genes, have offered new insights into anaerobic microbial ecology. Furthermore, numerous new lines of evidence offered by recent omics-driven and high-throughput sequencing studies provide a new vision of the anaerobic microbial world.
Articular fractures: does an anatomic reduction really change the result?

The effects of injury to the articular cartilage sustained during articular fracture and the effect of treatment interventions on joint function and preservation are poorly understood. Surgeons do not have good data on which to base treatment decisions, and widely held beliefs are not always supported by data. Which fractures benefit from surgery to restore the articular surface? To what degree does the articular surface need to be reduced to predict a favorable outcome? How can we accurately assess the amount of displacement? What is the effect of the articular injury compared with residual displacement on the eventual outcome? These questions were addressed at a symposium presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Orthopaedic Association in June 2001. The evidence to answer the question that was raised in the title of the symposium-"Does an anatomic reduction really change the result? "-is not necessarily adequate. The purpose of the symposium, on which this article is based, was to explore the current state of our knowledge of basic and clinical research on articular fractures. In the process, important unanswered questions were identified and an agenda for meaningful research was developed. To accomplish these goals, the basic-science studies on articular cartilage injury, incongruity, and the capacity for remodeling were reviewed. The ability to accurately measure the articular reduction, which is critical to clinical research, was assessed, and clinical data for four representative articular fractures-those of the tibial plateau, acetabulum, distal aspect of the radius, and tibial plafond-are described. Together the data on these four fractures fairly represent what generally is and is not known about outcomes of articular fractures. The data challenge the widely held assumption that the quality of the reduction is closely associated with the outcome. Areas requiring additional research are defined. ### Effects of Articular Injury On the basis of the type of tissue damage, …
Self-oscillating contactless resonant converter with phase detection contactless current transformer

A secondary winding shorted current transformer (CT), called phase detection contactless current transformer (PDCCT) is proposed to provide passive current phase detection solution for self-oscillating contactless resonant converter (SOCRC). The proposed PDCCT can detect the current phase from the secondary side of a contactless resonant converter (CRC) and feedback to the primary side rapidly and accurately regardless of the variable air gap. To guarantee the operation of SOCRC, the time delay in control circuitry are studied and compensated. Steady state and dynamic state experimental results on a 60W SOCRC with PDCCT show the validity of both the accurate detection of PDCCT and the rapidly response of SOCRC.
Synthesis of cyclic peptide homologs of glutathione as potential antitumor agents.

Two cyclic tripeptide homologs, cyclo(Glu[Cys-beta-Ala-]-OH) 8a, and cyclo(Glu[Cys-Gaba-]-OH) 8b, were synthesized by the pentafluorophenyl ester method in solution. These cyclic peptides are cyclo homologs of glutathione and are designed as potential antitumor agents. The 1H- and 13C-n.m. r. spectral parameters of cyclo(Glu[Cys(Bzl)-beta-Ala-]-OH) 7a were measured in DMSO-d6 and a possible conformation has been proposed. The cyclic peptide 8a showed low cytotoxic activities against three human tumor cell lines: KB, HeLa, and Colo 205.
Radix Polygoni Multiflori Praeparata and Dioscorea Bulbifera Rhizome Decoctions Display Combined Effects Detected by a Three-Probe Drug Cocktail with Substrates of Rat Hepatic Cytochrome P450 Enzymes

Objectives: Radix Polygoni Multiflori Praeparata (RPMP) and Dioscorea Bulbifera Rhizomes (DBR) are used in Chinese herbal medicine and have been frequently reported for adverse reactions on liver. In this research, we aimed to evaluate in vivo effects of RPMP and DBR on rat cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYP1A2, CYP2E1 and CYP3A2) with their respective substrates as probes. Methods: Rats were orally administered RPMP, DBR and RPMP/DBR combination at 12, 10 and (12 + 10) g/kg, respectively, or saline as a control, once daily for 7 days. Thereafter, a cocktail containing 10 mg/kg caffeine, 20 mg/kg chlorzoxazone and 10 mg/kg dapsone was tail vein injected to rats. At defined time points, plasma drug concentrations were simultaneously evaluated by HPLC. Pharmacokinetic parameters simulated by DAS software were used to assess RPMP and/or DBR effects on cytochrome P450 enzymes activity. ANOVA and Dunnett’s test were used for data analysis. Results: Caffeine metabolism was enhanced in RPMP animals and reduced after pretreatment with DBR, but no effect was observed in RPMP/DBR combination group. Chlorzoxazone and dapsone metabolism was enhanced in both RPMP and DBR groups and consequently in combination group. The data suggested that RPMP independently induces rat CYP1A2, CYP2E1 and CYP3A2 activity, while DBR independently inhibits activity of rat CYP1A2 and induces that of CYP2E1 and CYP3A2. RPMP/DBR combination showed no significant benefit compared with the two drugs alone and even showed a neutralized effect in CYP1A2 activity. Conclusions: Caution is needed when RPMP and/or DBR are co-administered with drugs metabolized by human CYP1A2, CYP2E1 and CYP3A4.
How Diverse Is Your Audience? Exploring Consumer Diversity in Recommender Systems

On-line recommender systems have different challenges to overcome to provide content to users. One of these is the potential of isolating users from a diverse set of items by recommending very narrow content. In this paper we propose an item-centric view of a recommender system, looking at the exposure of items to groups of consumers, and how diverse those groups are, to identify if items are recommended to narrower groups of consumers. This is opposite to current practice where diversity of content is typically analysed. Preliminary results on the MovieLens 20M dataset show that recommender systems expose items to narrower groups of consumers, and these groups are less diverse.
Low-frequency and resonance magnetoelectric effects in lead zirconate titanate and single-crystal nickel zinc ferrite bilayers

The nature of magnetoelectric (ME) interactions has been investigated in lead zirconate titanate (PZT) and (111) or (110) single-crystal nickel zinc ferrites. Data on the dependence of low-frequency ME voltage coefficients on static magnetic field orientation show (i) highest ME coefficients for bias field H along [100] and the smallest for H parallel to [110] and (ii) strongest ME interactions for transverse fields and for samples with Zn concentration of 0.3. Measurements on frequency dependence of ME coefficients reveal resonance enhancement due to bending and radial acoustic modes. The highest voltage coefficient is measured for radial modes in a sample with Zn concentration of 0.2. Theoretical estimates of low-frequency and resonance ME parameters are in very good agreement with data.
Isolation and characterization of antimicrobial proteins and peptide from chicken liver

Endogenous antimicrobial peptides and proteins are crucial components of the innate immune system and play an essential role in the defense against infection. Antimicrobial activity was detected in the acid extract of livers harvested from healthy adult White Leghorn hens, Gallus gallus. Two antimicrobial proteins and one antimicrobial polypeptide were isolated from the liver extract by cation‐exchange and gel filtration chromatography, followed by two‐step reverse‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography (RP‐HPLC). These antimicrobial components were identified as histones H2A and H2B.V, and histone H2B C‐terminal fragment using peptide mass fingerprinting and partial sequencing by tandem nanoelectrospray mass spectrometry. The proteins and the peptide identified in the present study, which exhibited antimicrobial activity against both Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria, were thermostable and showed salt‐resistant activity. The antimicrobial properties of histones and histone fragment in chicken provide further evidence that histones, in addition to their role in nucleosome formation, may play an important role in innate host defense against intracellular or extracellular microbe invasion in a wide range of animal species. Copyright © 2007 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The glutamine story: where are we now?

Purpose of reviewA recent editorial proclaimed, ‘Glutamine, a life saving nutrient, but why? ’ This review will assess if recent data support glutamine as a life-saving nutrient in critical illness, and, if so, utilize new understanding of gene–nutrient interactions to address potential mechanisms by which glutamine may be ‘life-saving’. Recent findingsUpdated meta-analysis data reveal that glutamine appears to exert a beneficial effect on mortality in critical illness. The questions remaining to be answered regard in what settings and via what method of administration does this phamaconutrient show optimal benefit? It is likely that examination of molecular mechanisms by which glutamine functions will lead to an understanding of how best to utilize glutamine as a pharmacologic agent. Recent laboratory data reveal that these mechanisms include tissue protection, attenuation of inflammation, improved tissue metabolic function, and attenuation of oxidant stress. SummaryGlutamine may be potentially ‘life-saving’ in critical illness, particularly when administered in doses greater then 0.3 g/kg/day. Present data indicate that glutamine functions as a ‘stress signaling molecule’ following illness/injury and thus, needs to be given as a pharmacologic agent, rather then as nutritional replacement. Presently, multicenter clinical trials utilizing glutamine as a drug, independent of nutritional needs, are indicated.
FBC's Potential of 6F2 Single Cell Operation in Multi-Gbit Memories Confirmed by a Newly Developed Method for Measuring Signal Sense Margin

A 6F2 single cell (one-cell-per-bit) operation of the floating body RAM (FBRAM) is successfully demonstrated for the first time with more than 60% yield of 16Mbit area in a wafer. The signal sense margin (SSM) at actual read conditions is found to well back up the functional results. The parasitic resistance in the source and drain formed under the FBC's spacers can be optimized for making the SSM as large as 8muA at plusmn 4.5sigma without sacrificing the retention time.
Altered urinary profiles of endogenous steroids in postmenopausal women with adenocarcinoma endometrii

Objective. The potential role of androgen metabolism as co-factors in the development of carcinoma endometrii was investigated. Design. The urinary concentration of 23 androgen, progesterone and corticoid metabolites was quantitatively determined by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry with selected ion-monitoring. We obtained 24-h urine samples from 13 patients with adenocarcinoma endometrii and from 10 age-matched normal female subjects. In the course of the urinary steroid determination, we observed changes in the steroid profiles in the disease examined compared to the same age and same sex control group. Profiling urinary steroids has to give comprehensive information about the synthesis of steroids including the glandular and peripheral steroid metabolisms. Results. The concentrations of 16-hydroxy- dehydroepiandrosterone, pregnanediol and pregnenediol were not significantly different in the two groups. The concentrations of androsterone, etiocholanolone, 11β-hydroxy-androsterone, 11β-hydroxy-etiocholanolone, pregnanetriol, pregnenetriol, tetrahydrocortisone, tetrahydro-11-dehydrocorticosterone, tetrahydro-corticosterone, allo-tetrahydro-corticosterone, tetrahydrocortisol, allo-tetrahydrocortisol, α-cortolone, β-cortolone and α-cortol were significantly lower in the postmenopausal women with adenocarcinoma than in the controls. Conclusion. The changes in the concentrations of single metabolites point out the important role of steroid group, thus providing help in the recognition and treatment of diseased states.
Ribosomal DNA Sequence Markers Differentiate Two Species of the Anopheles maculatus (Diptera: Culicidae) Complex in the Philippines

Abstract The Anopheles maculatus Theobald complex includes important vectors of malaria. Based on chromosomal and morphological evidence, two species in this complex occur in the Philippines. Because separation of these species, An. dispar Rattanarithikul & Harbach and An. greeni Rattanarithikul & Harbach, is problematic due to the difficulty or unreliability of the identification methods currently available, we sought a molecular technique for identifying these two species. We sequenced two regions of nuclear ribosomal DNA; the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) and the third domain (D3) of the 28S gene, from An. maculatus sensu lato (s.l.) collected throughout the Philippines. Two sequence groups were identified that corresponded morphologically to An. dispar and An. greeni. Four percent of the 318–320 bp ITS2 and 2.5% of the 367 bp D3 differed between the two species. No evidence of intraspecific variation in sequences was found. From the sequence data, we developed a more reliable and easier method for identifying An. dispar and An. greeni, based on a HaeII restriction fragment-length polymorphism in a polymerase chain reaction amplified fragment of ITS2. This method will facilitate future vector studies, which will be necessary, as previous data collected on An. maculatus s.l. in the Philippines is unreliable given the multispecies nature of this taxon.
Exponentiated combination of two scores for image quality assessment

Digital images are distorted by processing, transmission, compression etc. We need objective image quality assessment (IQA) to check each processing performance. The objective IQA should be matched to human eyes perceptually. Up to now, a variety of objective IQA measures have been proposed. They are suitable for a specific type of noise images. In this paper we propose a new objective IQA method by combining two scores of objective IQA. This combining is suitable commonly for the JPEG compressed images and the white Gaussian noise images as well as the contrast change images. By experiments, the performance of the proposed method is validated.
Effect of intercalating drugs on the release of uterine nuclear estrogen receptors.

Ethidium bromide has been reported to extract estrogen receptors from uterine nuclei whereas actinomycin D appears to block nuclear receptor “processing” in MCF-7 cells. We have examined the effect of these drugs on the nuclear estrogen receptor during the [3H]estradiol exchange assay. Uterine nuclear fractions were prepared from ovariectomized rats that had received a 5-pg subcutaneous injection of e&radio1 1 h prior to killing. Incubation of nuclear fractions with [3H]estradiol at 37°C resulted in a rapid labeling of nuclear estrogen receptor within 30 min which was followed by a loss of receptor sites that qualitatively resembled nuclear estrogen receptor processing. The addition of actinomycin D or ethidium bromide blocked this loss of nuclear estrogen receptor, resulting in a prolonged elevation of specific nuclear [3H]estradiol binding. Examination of the DNA by polyacrylamide-agarose gel electrophoresis showed extensive fragmentation that could be inhibited by actinomycin D in a dose-dependent manner. These findings suggest that a nuclease(s) present in crude nuclear fractions was responsible for the DNA fragmentation and loss of nuclear estrogen receptor complexes. Nuclear estrogen receptor release and DNA hydrolysis did not occur in highly purified nuclei. Nuclear estrogen receptor lost at 37°C could be recovered in the supernatant fraction as a family of soluble macromolecular complexes. Low salt sucrose gradients of this fraction showed specifically bound [3H]estradiol in an aggregate fraction that sedimented to the bottom of the gradient, and a free 8 S form. Both of these were converted to a 6 S form in gradients containing 0.4
In Vivo Treatment of Class II MHC-Deficient Mice with Anti-TCR Antibody Restores the Generation of Circulating CD4 T Cells and Optimal Architecture of Thymic Medulla 1

TCR ligation by the self-peptide-associated MHC molecules is essential for T cell development in the thymus, so that class II MHC-deficient mice do not generate CD4+CD8− T cells. The present results show that the administration of anti-TCR mAb into class II MHC-deficient mice restores the generation of CD4+CD8− T cells in vivo. The CD4 T cells were recovered in the thymus, peripheral blood, and the spleen, indicating that the anti-TCR treatment is sufficient for peripheral supply of newly generated CD4 T cells. Unlike peripheral CD4 T cells that disappeared within 5 wk after the treatment, CD4+CD8− thymocytes remained undiminished even after 5 wk, suggesting that CD4 T cells in the thymus are maintained separately from circulating CD4 T cells and even without class II MHC molecules. It was also found that the mass of medullary region in the thymus, which was reduced in class II MHC-deficient mice, was restored by the anti-TCR administration, suggesting that the medulla for CD4+CD8− thymocytes is formed independently of the medulla for CD4−CD8+ thymocytes. These results indicate that in vivo anti-TCR treatment in class II MHC-deficient mice restores the generation of circulating CD4 T cells and optimal formation of the medulla in the thymus, suggesting that anti-TCR Ab may be useful for clinical treatment of class II MHC deficiencies.
Dietary Supplement Use and Prostate Cancer Risk in the Carotene and Retinol Efficacy Trial

We investigated dietary supplement use and prostate cancer risk in the Carotene and Retinol Efficacy Trial (CARET). CARET was a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial testing a daily dose of 30 mg β-carotene + 25,000 IU retinyl palmitate for lung cancer prevention (1985-1996; active follow-up occurred through 2005). Secondary outcomes, including prostate cancer, were also assessed. Participants were queried about dietary supplements, health history, family history of cancer, smoking, and lifestyle habits. Cox proportional hazards regression estimated multivariate-adjusted relative risk [and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI)] of prostate cancer for dietary supplement users and nonusers with or without the high-dose CARET vitamins during the intervention and postintervention phases. After an average of 11 years of follow-up, 890 prostate cancer cases were reported. Neither the CARET nor other supplements were associated with total prostate cancer risk. For aggressive prostate cancer, men in the CARET intervention arm who used additional supplements had a relative risk for aggressive prostate cancer (Gleason ≥7 or stage III/IV) of 1.52 (95% CI, 1.03-2.24; P < 0.05), relative to all others. These associations disappeared in the postintervention period (0.75; 95% CI, 0.51-1.09). Conversely, there was no association of CARET + other supplements with nonaggressive disease, relative to all others. There was no effect modification by smoking or time on CARET intervention in any analyses. CARET only included smokers, so findings reported here may not apply to nonsmokers. Our results are consistent with other studies suggesting that dietary supplements may influence prostate cancer risk. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2009;18(8):2202–6)
Long-term 3-Dimensional Volume Assessment After Fat Repositioning Lower Blepharoplasty.

IMPORTANCE First reported 3-dimensional quantitative study of the lower periorbital area after lower blepharoplasty using the fat repositioning technique. OBJECTIVE To determine the volumetric effects lower blepharoplasty with fat repositioning provides to the tear trough and deep fat compartments of the upper cheek. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A retrospective electronic medical chart review (16-month study with a minimum of 10-month postoperative evaluation) was performed on 12 initial patients recruited to a private practice; 2 patients were lost to long-term follow-up. Patients were recruited between May 2014 and November 2014. To fulfill recruitment criteria, patients must have undergone a lower blepharoplasty performed using the fat repositioning technique with a minimum of 10 months follow-up. Patients who had undergone additional procedures or had a history of filler to the tear trough or cheek area before or during the study period were excluded. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Volume (mL) measurement of a defined anatomical area in postoperative patients. RESULTS Overall, 10 patients (mean [range] age, 56 [37-66] years) who had undergone a lower blepharoplasty performed using the fat repositioning technique had volume gain in the areas evaluated. The mean (range) follow-up time was 12 (10-16) months. The average volume gain was 0.64 mL (left side, 0.61 mL; right side, 0.67 mL). There was no statistical difference when the 2 sides were compared (P = .49). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE The fat repositioning technique in lower blepharoplasty improves pseudofat herniation while simultaneously adding volume to the lower periorbital and cheek areas. The results are reproducible with long-term aesthetic improvement in the tear trough and upper cheek areas. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4.