Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multihormonal regulation of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfotransferase messenger ribonucleic acid levels in adult rat liver.

Hydroxysteroid sulfotransferases (DHEA ST) represent a family of enzymes that catalyze the conversion of dehydroepiandrosterone and other 3 beta-hydroxysteroids into more hydrophilic water-soluble sulfate conjugates. The present study was designed to investigate the regulation of hepatic DHEA ST expression by sex steroids and pituitary hormones, namely GH and PRL, in both male and female rats. DHEA ST mRNA levels were measured by dot blot hybridization using a 332-basepair fragment of rat DHEA ST (ST-20) cDNA as a probe. Hepatic DHEA ST mRNA levels were 2.8-fold higher in females than in males. A 15-day gonadectomy did not affect DHEA ST mRNA levels in the male liver; in females, a 35% decrease in DHEA ST mRNA levels compared with those in intact controls was observed. Administration of 17 beta-estradiol (E2; 1 microgram/kg, twice daily) alone had no effect on the accumulation of DHEA ST mRNA, but the same treatment completely reversed the marked inhibitory effect of dihydrotestosterone (DHT; 400 micrograms/kg, twice daily) on this parameter in both gonadectomized males and females. In female rats, 24-day hypophysectomy (HYPOX) decreased DHEA ST mRNA levels by 62%, whereas no change was detected in males. In HYPOX animals, treatment with E2 or DHT for 9 days starting 15 days after surgery had no effect on hepatic DHEA ST mRNA levels in rats of both sexes. In intact males, the presence of pituitary implants under the kidney capsule increased DHEA ST mRNA levels by 190% (above the control), which reached levels similar to those in intact females, whereas pituitary implants exerted no effect on this parameter in intact females. However, treatment of HYPOX rats with ovine PRL (oPRL; 4 mg/kg, twice daily) had no significant effect on the accumulation of DHEA ST mRNA in male and female animals. In HYPOX females, administration of rat GH (80 micrograms/kg, twice daily) had no effect on DHEA ST mRNA levels, whereas continuous infusion of rat GH (3.6 micrograms/h), using osmotic minipumps to mimic the female GH secretory pattern, increased this parameter by 290% (above the control value), thus completely reversing the effect of hypophysectomy. In HYPOX males, both modes of GH administration increased DHEA ST mRNA levels by 70-90% (above the control). The present study demonstrates that in both gonadectomized male and female rats, administration of E2 completely blocks the marked inhibitory effect of DHT on hepatic DHEA ST mRNA levels. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Respiratory Movement of Upper Airway Tissue in Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

STUDY OBJECTIVES To measure real-time movement of the tongue and lateral upper airway tissues in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) subjects during wakefulness using tagged magnetic resonance imaging. DESIGN Comparison of the dynamic imaging of three groups of increasing severity OSA and a control group approximately matched for age and body mass index (BMI). SETTING Not-for-profit research institute. PARTICIPANTS 24 subjects (apnea hypopnea index [AHI] range 2-84 events/h, 6 with AHI < 5 events/h). METHODS The upper airway was imaged awake in two planes using SPAtial Modulation of Magnetization (SPAMM). Tissue displacements were quantified with harmonic phase analysis. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS All subjects had dynamic airway opening in the sagittal plane associated with inspiration. In the nasopharynx, the increase in airway cross-sectional area during inspiration correlated with minimal cross-sectional area of the airway (R = 0.900, P < 0.001). AHI correlated negatively with movement of the nasopharyngeal lateral walls (R = - 0.542, P = 0.006). Four movement patterns were observed during inspiration: "en bloc" anterior movement of the whole posterior tongue; movement of only the oropharyngeal posterior tongue; bidirectional movement; or minimal movement. Some subjects showed different inspiratory movement patterns with different breaths. A low AHI (< 5) was associated with en bloc movement (P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS Inspiratory movement of the tongue varied between and within subjects, likely as a result of local and neural factors. However, in severe OSA inspiratory movement was minimal. CITATION Brown EC; Cheng S; McKenzie DK; Butler JE; Gandevia SC; Bilston LE. Respiratory movement of upper airway tissue in obstructive sleep apnea. SLEEP 2013;36(7):1069-1076.
Exploring the Relationship between Formal and Informal Institutions, Social Capital, and Entrepreneurial Activity in Developing and Developed Countries

Most research on entrepreneurial activities and institutions focuses on identifying certain relationships between formal and informal institutions and entrepreneurship across economies. In this study, we advance entrepreneurship research by examining how social capital as a characteristic of the institutional environment affects the relationship between formal and informal institutions and entrepreneurial activities, differentially, in developing and developed economies. Supporting institutional theory and social capital theory, the results from our sample of 39 countries from 2001 to 2014, which contains over 30,000 identified individuals, indicate that social capital has a stronger influence in the relations between institutions and entrepreneurship. In developing countries, this influence is greater in the relationship between property rights, access to credit, subjective insecurity, and entrepreneurial activity. In developed countries, the greater effect of social capital is on the relationship between corruption and entrepreneurial activity.
Exploration of broadly neutralizing antibody fragments produced in bacteria for the control of HIV

ABSTRACT While broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) are a promising preventative and therapeutic tool for HIV infection, production is difficult and expensive. Production of antibody-like fragments in bacterial cytoplasm provides a cheaper alternative. This work explored the transplantation of the complementarity determining regions of the anti-HIV bnAbs PGT121 and 10E8 onto a single-chain variable fragment (scFv) scaffold, previously discovered through a novel screening platform. The scaffolded 10E8 scFv, but not the scaffolded PGT121 scFv, was soluble in bacterial cytoplasm, enabling efficient production in bacteria. Three additional multimeric constructs employing the scaffolded 10E8 scFv were also generated and soluble versions produced in bacteria. However, the constructs were found to have substantially lost anti-HIV binding function and had completely abrogated neutralizing activity. Overall, while this study provides a proof-of-concept for anti-HIV bnAb construct production in bacterial cytoplasm, future refinement of these technologies will be required to realize the goal of producing inexpensive and effective bnAb-like tools for the control of HIV.
A noncontact, nondestructive method for quantifying intratissue deformations and strains.

The function of soft connective tissues is frequently characterized by quantifying tissue strain (e.g., during joint motion). Conventional techniques for quantifying tendon and ligament strain typically provide surface measures, using markers, stain lines or instrumentation that may influence the tissue. An alternative approach is to quantify intratendinous strain by applying texture correlation analysis to magnetic resonance (MR) images. This paper reports the accuracy and reproducibility of this approach by (1) assessing the reproducibility of MR images, (2) assessing texture correlation accuracy using simulated displacements, and (3) comparing texture correlation measures of displacement and strain from MR images to conventional techniques.
The self in autobiographical memory: Effects of self-salience on narrative content and structure

Contemporary models of autobiographical memory attribute a prominent role to the conceptualisation of the self. In an attempt to better understand the impact of the self as an organising feature of autobiographical memory, narratives of personal episodes were elicited, either after a questionnaire about the self (self-prime condition) or after a distractor task (control condition). Participants also wrote a narrative of a turning-point memory, which is by definition a self-focused narrative. Narratives were divided into propositions and analysed for the types of statements used. As predicted, when writing self-focused turning-point narratives participants included more statements relating to the meaning of an event and connecting it to the self, and fewer statements focusing on the who, what, where, and when of the narrative. Narratives written after the self-prime also demonstrated characteristics that were similar to turning-point narratives, although not on all measures. This shift in narrative focus in turning-point and self-primed memory narratives indicates an increased attempt to fulfil goals of coherence rather than correspondence (Conway, 2005). These findings lend insight into the nature of the relationship between the semantic conceptualisation of the self, and the process of retrieving event-specific knowledge in episodic memory.
Sensitivity of acid-adapted and acid-shocked Shigella flexneri to reduced pH achieved with acetic, lactic, and propionic acids.

Survival and growth characteristics of unadapted, acid-adapted, and acid-shocked Shigella flexneri 2a cells in acidified (pH 3.5 to 5.5) tryptic soy broth with 0.25% glucose (TSB) and tryptic soy agar (TSA) were determined. S. flexneri was grown at 37 degrees C for 18 h in tryptic soy broth without glucose (TSBNG) (unadapted) and TSBNG supplemented with 1% glucose (TSBG) (acid-adapted). Cells grown in TSBNG were acid shocked by adjusting 16-h cultures to pH 5.05 +/- 0.05 with lactic acid. Cells were then inoculated into TSB acidified with acetic, lactic, or propionic acids to pH 5.5, 4.5, or 3.5 and incubated at 37 degrees C for 6 h. The order of lethality at a given pH was lactic acid < acetic acid < propionic acid. Significantly (P < or = 0.05) higher numbers of acid-adapted cells, compared to acid-shocked and unadapted cells, were recovered from TSB acidified (pH 3.5) with lactic or acetic acids. None of the cells survived a 30-min exposure in TSB acidified with propionic acid to pH 3.5. When the three cell types were plated on TSA acidified with lactic, acetic, or propionic acids at pH < or = 4.5, < or = 5.5, and < or = 5.5, respectively, visible colonies were not detected. Viable unadapted, acid-adapted, and acid-shocked cells were, however, recovered from TSA acidified with all three acids at pH > or = 4.5. Acid-adapted and, to a lesser extent, acid-shocked cells survived at lower pH than did unadapted cells, indicating that prior exposure to mild acidic environment results in increased acid resistance. Survival of S. flexneri at a given pH was influenced by the type of acidulant used, a response characteristic exhibited by other gram-negative enteric pathogens.
Optimal Timing for Venous Systemic Oxygen Persufflation Supplemented with Nitric Oxide Gas in Cold-Stored, Warm Ischemia-Damaged Experimental Liver Grafts

Background/Aim: Worldwide shortage of donor organs has increased the use of donation after cardiac death (DCD). The aim of this study was to analyze the best time point for venous systemic oxygen persufflation (VSOP) supplemented with nitric oxide (NO) gas during the 1st and 24th hour of cold storage (CS) in warm ischemia (WI)-damaged experimental liver grafts. Materials and Methods: Liver grafts (n = 5) were retrieved after 30 min of WI induced by cardiac arrest and CS in histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate solution at 4°C. The 1st hour group was immediately persufflated with a VSOP plus NO (VSOP+NO) mixture for 1 h followed by 23 h of static CS (DCD+NO 1st hour). The 24th hour group entailed CS for 23 h followed by 1 h of VSOP+NO persufflation (DCD+NO 24th hour). CS livers without WI but with VSOP served as controls. CS livers with WI represented the fourth group (DCD). Viability of the liver grafts was assessed by normothermic isolated reperfusion for 45 min with oxygenated Krebs-Henseleit buffer. Results: Data are presented as mean ± SEM (control vs. DCD vs. DCD+NO 1st hour vs. DCD+NO 24th hour). After 45 min of reperfusion, the DCD+NO 1st hour group showed significantly lower aspartate aminotransferase (13.4 ± 5.3, 63.2 ± 17.3, 25.6 ± 3.9, and 82.8 ± 27.3 U/l) and lactate dehydrogenase levels (289.4 ± 41.2, 2,139.4 ± 542.7, 577.2 ± 117.2, and 2,429 ± 221.6 U/l). Malondialdehyde levels were significantly abrogated (1.0 ± 0.3, 2.7 ± 1, 1.0 ± 0, and 3.9 ± 1.2 nmol/ml). Significantly higher levels of portal venous pressure were recorded in the DCD+NO 24th hour group (12.0 ± 1, 21.2 ± 3.1, 16.1 ± 1, and 23.2 ± 3.5 mm Hg). NO levels were recorded after 5 min of reperfusion (1.42 ± 0.17, 1.8 ± 0.2, 2.7 ± 0.2, and 2.6 ± 0.1 μmol/l). Bile production levels showed no statistical significance (23.2 ± 3.8, 27.3 ± 1.8, 43.5 ± 18, and 31 ± 2.5 μl/45 min). Conclusion: Our results present the beneficial effects of NO combined with VSOP during the 1st hour of CS of WI-damaged experimental liver grafts.
Cardiac Computed Tomography Angiography With Automatic Tube Potential Selection: Effects on Radiation Dose and Image Quality

Purpose: Automatic exposure control (AEC) algorithms are widely available in coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) and have been shown to reduce radiation doses by adjusting tube current to patient size. However, the effects of anthropometry-based automatic potential selection (APS) on image quality and radiation dose are unknown. We sought to investigate the effect of an APS algorithm on coronary CTA radiation dose and image quality. Materials and Methods: For this retrospective case-control study we selected 38 patients who had undergone coronary CTA for coronary artery assessment in whom tube potential and tube current were selected automatically by a combined automatic tube potential and tube current selection algorithm (APS-AEC) and compared them with 38 controls for whom tube voltage was selected according to standard body mass index (BMI) cutoffs and tube current was selected using automatic exposure control (BMI-AEC). Controls were matched for BMI, heart rate, heart rhythm, sex, acquisition mode, and indication for cardiac CTA. Image quality was assessed as contrast-to-noise ratio and signal-to-noise ratio in the proximal coronary arteries. Subjective reader assessment was also made. Total radiation dose (volume-weighted computed tomography dose index) was measured and compared between the 2 groups. In the study group, comparison was made with conventional BMI-guided prior protocols (site protocols and Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography recommendations) through disagreement analysis. Results: The APS-AEC cases received 29.8% lower overall radiation dose compared with controls (P=not significant). APS-AEC resulted in a significantly higher signal-to-noise ratio of the proximal coronary arteries (P<0.01) and contrast-to-noise ratio of the left main (P=0.01). In the study cases, the APS resulted in a change in tube potential versus site protocols and Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography recommendations in 45% (n=17) and 50% (n=19) of patients, respectively. Conclusion: Automated tube potential selection software resulted in significantly improved objective image quality versus standard BMI-based methods of tube potential selection, without increased radiation doses.
Flexural Strength and Fracture Toughness of Dicor Glass-ceramic after Embedment Modification

Previous studies on the surface properties of Dicor castable glass-ceramic have shown the formation of a specific crystalline phase at the glass-ceramic/embedment interface. If this phase is not removed by grinding, it leads to an undesirable strength decrease. The aims of this study were: (1) to determine the nature of this surface layer, (2) to promote the formation of a different crystalline phase at the surface with the intention of improving the properties of the glass-ceramic, by modification of the composition of the Dicor ceramming embedment, and (3) to evaluate the fracture toughness and flexural strength of Dicor glass-ceramic after embedment modification. Modifications were made to the embedment by incorporation of 2.5 wt% of lithium fluoride and ceramming at various temperatures. X-ray diffraction was used to determine the crystalline nature of the surface layer. Fracture toughness was investigated by the indentation technique. The maximum bi-axial stresses were calculated after the samples were fractured in water on a ball-on-ring fixture at 0.5 mm/min. With the recommended embedment and ceramming cycle, the crystalline phase constituting the ceram layer was a calcium magnesium silicate CaMg(SiO3)2 (diopside). The crystalline composition of the ceram layer was successfully modified by addition of 2.5 wt% lithium fluoride to the embedment. This promoted the crystallization of mica in the ceram layer and increased the fracture toughness of the glass-ceramic when the ceramming temperature was 950 or 975°C. The flexural strength was significantly increased when the ceramming temperature was 1000°C.
Flexible In2O3 Nanowire Transistors on Paper Substrates

Flexible In<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> nanowire transistors gated by microporous SiO<sub>2</sub>-based solid electrolytes are fabricated on paper substrates at room temperature. Low-voltage (1.0 V) operation of these devices is realized owing to the large electric-double-layer capacitance of (1.73 <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${\mu }\text{F}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>/cm<sup>2</sup> at 20 Hz) of the microporous SiO<sub>2</sub> solid electrolytes, which were deposited at room temperature. The subthreshold swing, current on/off ratio, and field-effect mobility of the paper-based nanowire transistors are estimated to be 74 mV/decade, <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$1.7\times 10^{6}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, and 218.3 cm<sup>2</sup>/<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{V}\cdot \text{s}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, respectively. These low-voltage paper-based nanowire transistors show promise for use in portable flexible paper electronics and low-cost portable sensors.
Age‐dependent differential regulation of genes encoding APP and α‐synuclein in hippocampal synaptic plasticity

We investigated the modulation of the messenger RNA (mRNA) encoding the amyloid precursor protein (APP) and α‐synuclein following induction of long‐term potentiation (LTP) in the dentate gyrus of young and aged rats. Three hours after tetanic stimulation, LTP induced in the young rats was maintained; the aged rats, however, fell into two subgroups: those in which LTP was maintained, and those in which LTP had declined to basal levels. In young rats, the global expression of mRNAs of all isoforms of APP and in particular that of the isoform lacking the KPI domain were significantly upregulated. In aged rats, the global expression of mRNAs of all isoforms of APP was not modified, regardless of whether LTP was maintained or not. The level of mRNA encoding the Kunitz protease‐inhibitory (KPI)‐minus isoform of APP, however, was increased in aged rats in which LTP was maintained, suggesting that the gene of this isoform may be more specifically regulated by synaptic plasticity. In contrast, we found that the gene encoding α‐synuclein showed a trend towards being downregulated at the mRNA level in young rats following LTP, and significantly so in aged rats in which LTP was maintained, whereas it was not downregulated in aged rats with decremental LTP. These data suggest that the regulated expression of APP isoforms is part of the transcriptional response associated with the enduring forms of synaptic plasticity and is altered with age. Whereas the level of α‐synuclein mRNA is not apparently modified in normal LTP, it may reflect a mechanism of apoptotic cell death in aging that is in part responsible for decremental synaptic plasticity. Hippocampus 2002;12:55–62. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A Lightweight XMPP Publish/Subscribe Scheme for Resource-Constrained IoT Devices

The development of wireless technology like Internet Protocol version 6 over Low power Wireless Personal Area Networks, which defines IP communication for resource-constrained networks enables communication on the lower layers, while the diverging and incompatible application layer protocols lead to barriers in the way of information transferring between heterogeneous networks. Fortunately, extensible messaging and presence protocol (XMPP) is a preferential protocol to solve the problem of interoperability between heterogeneous networks. Hence, it is attractive to extend XMPP to the Internet of Things (IoT). However, XMPP protocol is initially designed for the Internet where the equipment is rich in resources, considering the characteristics of the IoT, the XMPP protocol needs to be optimized to meet the requirements of IoT, e.g., downsized protocol, publish/subscribe service and sleeping mechanism. In this paper, by staying true to the IoT visions, we propose a lightweight XMPP publish/subscribe scheme for resource-constrained IoT devices to perform data exchange either periodically or upon any value change. According to the subscriber’s needs, the publisher can adjust the data information published to the server. Inherit the merits of XEP-0060, the server maintains and manages the publish/subscribe relationships with multiple subscribers, as well as distributes the received data sent by publisher to all subscribers, yielding less complexity of publication and energy efficiency. In addition, the proposed scheme strongly supports publish/subscribe architecture of the sleeping clients that actually prolongs the lifetime of battery-powered devices. Thus, based on the standardized XMPP protocol, we present a down-sized and trimmed XMPP to implement this scheme. Through the experimental results, we demonstrate our work on optimizing and improving XMPP publish/subscribe scheme for resource-constrained IoT devices and show the simplicity and efficiency of this scheme.
Angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma in an ankylosing spondylitis patient treated with etanercept

Angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma (AITL) is a rare non-Hodgkin lymphoma that presents with profound immune dysfunction and immunodeficiency. The clinical and laboratory findings associated with AITL are similar to those of rheumatic disease, and AITL has been reported to be concurrent in patients with several rheumatic diseases. We present one case of AITL occurring in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) after treatment with etanercept. Constitutional symptoms and aggravation of peripheral arthritis in elderly AS patients may be due not only to flare-ups of AS but also to other complicating diseases, such as lymphoma. Although the occurrence of lymphoma in AS patients treated with etanercept has only rarely been reported, clinicians should keep in mind that instances of aggravation of peripheral arthritis in elderly AS patients occurring after immunosuppressant treatment may be due to other complicating systemic diseases such as AITL, rather than the rheumatic disease itself. Further study is needed in order to investigate whether or not using a TNF-α blocker such as etanercept increases the risk of lymphoma, especially for cases associated with Epstein–Barr virus.