Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Molecular Cross-talk between MEK1/2 and mTOR Signaling during Recovery of 293 Cells from Hypertonic Stress*

To investigate the role for initiation factor phosphorylation in de novo translation, we have studied the recovery of human kidney cells from hypertonic stress. Previously, we have demonstrated that hypertonic shock causes a rapid inhibition of protein synthesis, the disaggregation of polysomes, the dephosphorylation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor (eIF)4E, 4E-BP1, and ribosomal protein S6, and increased association of 4E-BP1 with eIF4E. The return of cells to isotonic medium promotes a transient activation of Erk1/2 and the phosphorylation of initiation factors, promoting an increase in protein synthesis that is independent of a requirement for eIF4E phosphorylation. As de novo translation is associated with the phosphorylation of 4E-BP1, we have investigated the role of the signaling pathways required for this event by the use of cell-permeable inhibitors. Surprisingly, although rapamycin, RAD001, wortmannin, and LY294002 inhibited the phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 and its release from eIF4E, they did not prevent the recovery of translation rates. These data suggest that only a small proportion of the available eIF4F complex is required for maximal translation rates under these conditions. Similarly, prevention of Erk1/2 activity alone with low concentrations of PD184352 did not impinge upon de novo translation until later times of recovery from salt shock. However, U0126, which prevented the phosphorylation of Erk1/2, ribosomal protein S6, TSC2, and 4E-BP1, attenuated de novo protein synthesis in recovering cells. These results indicate that the phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 is mediated by both phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-dependent rapamycin-sensitive and Erk1/2-dependent signaling pathways and that activation of either pathway in isolation is sufficient to promote de novo translation.
Constrained optimization of image restoration filters.

A preprocessing method to correct for image degradation is proposed which can be thought of as a generalization and extension of previous work by Smith (1966) and Stuller (1972). This method accomodates the problem of noncircularly symmetric imaging system point-spread functions, provides for controlled extent of the preprocessing filter to minimize distortion due to transients resulting from truncation errors and edge effects, can be used with various kinds of system noise, and can be readily extended to provide constraint of other system parameters. The analysis relates to a line-scanner system, although it is applicable in principle to many other system configurations.
Hydrodynamic Damping of Tooth Movement

SYNOPSIS IN INTERLINGUA AMORTIMENTO HYDRODYNAMIC DEL MOBILITATE DE DENTES. —Numeros de Reynold calculate ab le velocitate de intrusion del incisores maxillar del ratto esseva bassissime, lo que indica le predominantia de fortias viscose. Le constantes de resorto calculate ab le periodo de oscillation del dentes monstrava differentias significative, permittente concluder al presentia de un mechanismo amortitori actuate per fortias inertial durante le fluxo de liquido extracellular. Viste que le intrusion monstrava un systema biphasic, le interpretation es hasardate que liquido interstitial, agente como un pellicula resiliente, es le prime factor amortitori active durante le intrusion de un dente ad in su alveolo e que, quando iste pellicula es exhaurite e non replenate, un secunde mechanismo amortitori entra in action resultante ab un stenose de minor vasos sanguinee per fibras periodontal con le accompaniamento de exogene aneurysmas cirsoide que es lentemente deplete a transverso le parietes vascular.
Surface properties of Streptococcus salivarius HB and nonfibrillar mutants: measurement of zeta potential and elemental composition with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

To characterize the functional cell surface, the zeta potentials and elemental surface composition of Streptococcus salivarius HB and a range of mutants with known molecular surface structures were determined. Zeta potentials of fully hydrated cells were measured as a function of pH in dilute potassium phosphate solutions, yielding isoelectric points of the strains. Elemental composition (O, C, N, and P) of the outer 2 to 5 nm of the freeze-dried cell surfaces were measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. An increasing loss of proteinaceous fibrillar surface antigens of the mutants was found to be accompanied by a progressive decrease in the N/C ratio from 0.104 in the parent strain HB to 0.053 in mutant HBC12. Simultaneously, the value of the isoelectric point shifted from 3.0 to 1.3. In a previous study (A.H. Weerkamp, H.C. van der Mei, and J. W. Slot, Infect. Immun. 55:438-455, 1987) on the cell surfaces of the same strains, it was shown that removal of fibrils led to increased exposure of (lipo)teichoic acid at the surface, which explains the low isoelectric point caused by the low pKa of the phosphate groups.
POS Terminal Authentication Protocol to Protect EMV Contactless Payment Cards

The original EMV protocol was designed to operate in a situation where the card holder removes their card from their wallet and insert the card into a Point of Sale (POS) terminal. The protocol operates predominantly in plaintext which was not a problem because the attackers needed to tamper with the POS to gain access to the information on the card. The introduction of contactless EMV cards exposes the mainly plaintext EMV protocol to a wireless interface. This allows attackers to use an off-the-shelf NFC reader to access the card without the cardholders knowledge and potentially whilst the card is still in their wallet. Research has demonstrated that contactless EMV cards are vulnerable to various attacks carried out using off-the- shelf equipment which is both cheap and easy to obtain. The proposed solution addresses these issues by having the card request that any NFC reader, attempting to initiate communication, must authenticate itself as a genuine bank issued POS. The POS does this using a Bank issued private key to sign a nonce provided by the card.
Sleep deprivation and adaptive hormonal responses of healthy men.

To study the effects of sleep deprivation on the pituitary-testis axis physiology, we measured the circulating levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin (PRL), testosterone (T), androstanedione (A), dihydrotestosterone (DHT), estradiol (E2), and cortisol (C) in eight healthy men as follows: phase I (control), phase II (24-h restless period), phase III (48-h restless period), and phase IV (24-h recovery period). All samples were taken at 8:00 a.m. There was a significant decrease of T, A, DHT, and E2 in phase II but no decrease in FHS, LH, PRL, or C. In phase III there was no further decrease in any androgen, although E2 decreased along with the increase of PRL. In phase IV E2 and PRL tended to return to baseline values, and the androgens were very similar to the controls. FHS, LH, and C showed no change under the effects of phase III. These data extend the adaptive androgenic response and the association of the role of E2 and PRL to restricted or disturbed sleep in men.
Interleukin-6 mediates pulmonary vascular permeability in a two-hit model of ventilator-associated lung injury

ABSTRACT To test the hypothesis that interleukin-6 (IL-6) contributes to the development of ventilator-associated lung injury (VALI), IL-6–deficient (IL6−/–) and wild-type control (WT) mice received intratracheal hydrochloric acid followed by randomization to mechanical ventilation (MV + IT HCl) or spontaneous ventilation (IT HCl). After 4 hours, injury was assessed by estimation of lung lavage protein concentration and total and differential cell counts, wet/dry lung weight ratio, pulmonary cell death, histologic inflammation score (LIS), and parenchymal myeloperoxidase (MPO) concentration. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentration was measured in lung lavage and homogenate, as IL-6 and stretch both regulate expression of this potent mediator of permeability. MV-induced increases in alveolar barrier dysfunction and lavage VEGF were attenuated in IL6−/− mice as compared with WT controls, whereas tissue VEGF concentration increased. The effects of IL-6 deletion on alveolar permeability and VEGF concentration were inflammation independent, as parenchymal MPO concentration, LIS, and lavage total and differential cell counts did not differ between WT and IL6−/− mice following MV + IT HCl. These data support a role for IL-6 in promoting VALI in this two-hit model. Strategies to interfere with IL-6 expression or signaling may represent important therapeutic targets to limit the injurious effects of MV in inflamed lungs.
Hormonal synergism in mammary growth

Much of this report will consist of a summary of the mammary work done in the Department of Anatomy during the past 25 years in collaboration with Professor H. M. Evans’s group in the Institute of Experimental Biology and Professor Choh Hao Li of the Laboratory of Hormone Research, all of the University of California. Such a summary may be made most conveniently by using a schema and some photographs representing our main findings in the Long-Evans rat. The more difficult task is to fit this research into proper perspective involving, as it must, some reference to a mass of literature on the mammary gland. Rather than attempt a thorough review of the thousands of papers in this field, relatively few key examples have been chosen to indicate the trend of thought and theory during and just preceding the period of our investigations. For more complete reviews on this subject the reader is referred to Mayer & Klein (1948, 1949), Cowie & Folley (1955) and Folley (1956). Of historical interest is de Rothschild’s (1900) list of about 10 000 references to the literature prior to 1900, with supplements in 1901 and 1902. If a quarter of a century seems a long time to be engaged in elucidating the problem of hormonal control of the mammary gland, some explanation may be found in the fact that this was the period of isolation of the many hormones involved, and of developing satisfactory techniques for multiple endocrinectomies. That the problem would become a complicated one might have been suspected from the knowledge that the mammary gland arrived late, if not last, in the phylogenetic scale of organ evolution. Further, proof that such suspicion was well founded has been adduced in the many experiments showing that the main phases of mammary growth and function are dependent upon all of the hypophysial hormones and their target organ hormones, plus the secretions of that latest arrival on the endocrine scene—the placenta.
Quickest detection for sequential decentralized decision systems

Quickest detection procedures are techniques used to detect sudden or abrupt changes (also called disorders) in the statistics of a random process. The goal is to determine as soon as possible that the change occurred, while at the same time minimizing the chance of falsely signaling the occurrence of a disorder before the change. In this work the distributed quickest detection problem when the disorder occurs at an unknown time is considered. The distributed local detectors utilize a simple summing device and threshold comparator, with a binary decision at the output. At the fusion center, the optimal maximum likelihood (ML) procedure is analyzed and compared with the more practical Page procedure for quickest detection. It is shown that the two procedures have practically equivalent performance. For the important case of unknown disorder magnitudes, a version of the Hinkley procedure is also examined. Next, a simple method for choosing the thresholds of the local detectors based on an asymptotic performance measure is presented. The problem of selecting the local thresholds usually requires optimizing a constrained set of nonlinear equations; our method admits a separable problem, leading to straightforward calculations. A sensitivity analysis reveals that the resulting threshold settings are optimal for practical purposes. The issue of which sample size to use for the local detectors is investigated, and the tradeoff between decision delay and communication cost is evaluated. For strong signals, it is shown that the relative performance deteriorates as the sample size increases, that is, as the system cost decreases. Surprisingly, for the weak signal case, lowering the system cost (increasing the sample size) does not necessarily result in a degradation of performance.
Identificação da biodiversidade microbiana nativa presente durante a biolixiviação de sulfetos de cobre

A biolixiviação representa 20%, aproximadamente, da extração mundial de cobre e está sendo utilizada em cerca de 20 minas no mundo. O resultado da ação de micro-organismos nos rejeitos minerais contendo sulfetos, a exemplo da pirita, é a geração de drenagens ácidas, conhecidas há milhares de anos, que são disponibilizadas nos corpos d’água. Entretanto, foi somente em 1947 que os micro-organismos foram identificados como os responsáveis por esse processo (Pro Cobre, 2011). O que torna a técnica da biolixiviação uma alternativa muito interessante, na substituição dos processos convencionais, é a capacidade de certos micro-organismos oxidantes de ferro ou enxofre, como os gêneros Acidithiobacillus e Leptospirillum, crescerem em ambientes altamente ácidos e em presença de metais pesados (Gibbs et al., 1985).
Expression of the MyoD1 muscle determination gene defines differentiation capability but not tumorigenicity of human rhabdomyosarcomas

Several human rhabdomyosarcoma cell lines, cultured primary tumor explants, and biopsies of tumor and normal skeletal muscle tissue expressed a 2.0-kilobase transcript that hybridized to the mouse muscle determination gene MyoD1. This transcript was found in tumor cell lines and primary explants that developed multinucleated myotubes but was absent in Wilms' tumors or cell lines and primary explants that developed multinucleated myotubes but was absent in Wilms' tumors or cell lines derived from other mesenchymal tumor cell types. Expression of the human homolog of MyoD1 therefore can define a tumor as a rhabdomyosarcoma. Transfection of the mouse MyoD1 gene into the human rhabdomyosarcoma cell line RD increased the ability of the tumor cells to differentiate into multinucleated myotubes and enhanced myosin heavy-chain gene expression but did not decrease tumorigenicity in nude mice.
Environments for testing software systems

As software becomes a larger part of many products, thorough testing becomes increasingly important. The testing process begins before the requirements are finished and continues until the product is discontinued. In this paper, we discuss the software testing process, its difficulties and costs. We set forth the features of a testing support system and how the Buster test support system — currently in use at over 50 sites throughout AT&T — helps realize those features. We also discuss further steps to increase the effectiveness of software testing and increase the value of the final product.
Ethno- Medical Uses of Plants in the Treatment of Various Skin Diseases in Ovia North East, Edo State, Nigeria

2 Abstract: This study was investigated in 9 rural communities in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State. The i nvestigation i ncluded names and plant p arts used , ailments cured, preparation and administration of these herbs. Facts were obtained with the aid of well structured questionnaires and interviews of old and experienced r ural people a s well as herbalists. The use of traditional medicine was observed to be widespread a nd pr evalent in most area studied over orthodox medicines. An inventory of 41 plant species f rom 29 families f or whi ch 1 3 were trees, 11 shrubs and 17 herbaceous plants were observed, an indication of high plant biodiversity. There were 57 medicinal plant uses out of which leaves, stem bark, seeds/roots, fruits, flowers/buds were used in 35 , 1 0, 7 , 3 and 2 ca ses respectively. The findings are documented.
TCF21 and PCDH17 methylation: An innovative panel of biomarkers for a simultaneous detection of urological cancers

The three main types of urological cancers are mostly curable by surgical resection, if early detected. We aimed to identify novel DNA methylation biomarkers common to these three urological cancers, potentially suitable for non-invasive testing. From a candidate list of markers created after gene expression assessment of pharmacologically treated cell lines and tissue samples, two genes were selected for further validation. Methylation levels of these genes were quantified in a total of 12 cancer cell lines and 318 clinical samples. PCDH17 and TCF21 methylation levels provided a sensitivity rate of 92% for bladder cancer, 67% for renal cell tumors and 96% for prostate cancer. Methylation levels were significantly different from those of cancer free individuals (n = 37) for all tumor types (p < 0.001), providing 83% sensitivity and 100% specificity for cancer detection. Although in urine samples the sensitivity was 60%, 32% and 26% for bladder, renal, and prostate tumors, respectively (39% overall), absolute specificity was retained. We identified novel and highly specific methylation markers common to the three main urological cancers. However, additional efforts are required to increase the assay’s sensitivity, enabling the simultaneous non-invasive screening of urological tumors in a single voided urine analysis.
Packet Switch Engineering Procedures when Customer Characteristics are Uncertain

A method for packet-switch provisioning which accounts for the effects of uncertainty in estimating customer characteristics is demonstrated. The method models the traffic parameters of the customers as random variables. It is used to calculate the maximum number of customers that can be accommodated while controlling the probability that their traffic control is beyond the nominal capacity of the system. It is shown that, depending on the degree of uncertainty in estimating parameters for the arrival process, the application of the method can have a substantial impact on the provisioning of the switch. Examples in which the effects of uncertainty on engineering are quantified are given. >
Finite-temperature Néel transition in the (2+1)-dimensional infinite-N CPN-1 model with one periodic spatial dimension.

We consider the finite-temperature Neel transition of the (2+1)-dimensional infinite-[ital N] CP[sup [ital N][minus]1] model with one periodic (or finite) spatial dimension by the effective-potential method. Long-range Neel order (LRNO) and the equation of the critical line are obtained. Our model has a region in the phase diagram where LRNO appears.
Inhibition of prostate cancer growth by vitamin D: Regulation of target gene expression

Prostate cancer (PCa) cells express vitamin D receptors (VDR) and 1,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) inhibits the growth of epithelial cells derived from normal, benign prostate hyperplasia, and PCa as well as established PCa cell lines. The growth inhibitory effects of 1,25(OH)2D3 in cell cultures are modulated tissue by the presence and activities of the enzymes 25‐hydroxyvitamin D3 24‐hydroxylase which initiates the inactivation of 1,25(OH)2D3 and 25‐hydroxyvitamin D3 1α‐hydroxylase which catalyses its synthesis. In LNCaP human PCa cells 1,25(OH)2D3 exerts antiproliferative activity predominantly by cell cycle arrest through the induction of IGF binding protein‐3 (IGFBP‐3) expression which in turn increases the levels of the cell cycle inhibitor p21 leading to growth arrest. cDNA microarray analyses of primary prostatic epithelial and PCa cells reveal that 1,25(OH)2D3 regulates many target genes expanding the possible mechanisms of its anticancer activity and raising new potential therapeutic targets. Some of these target genes are involved in growth regulation, protection from oxidative stress, and cell–cell and cell–matrix interactions. A small clinical trial has shown that 1,25(OH)2D3 can slow the rate of prostate specific antigen (PSA) rise in PCa patients demonstrating proof of concept that 1,25(OH)2D3 exhibits therapeutic activity in men with PCa. Further investigation of the role of calcitriol and its analogs for the therapy or chemoprevention of PCa is currently being pursued. J. Cell. Biochem. 88: 363–371, 2003. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Possible role of calcitonin gene‐related peptide in trigeminal modulation of glomerular microcircuits of the rodent olfactory bulb

Chemosensation in the mammalian nose comprises detection of odorants, irritants and pheromones. While the traditional view assigned one distinct sub‐system to each stimulus type, recent research has produced a more complex picture. Odorants are not only detected by olfactory sensory neurons but also by the trigeminal system. Irritants, in turn, may have a distinct odor, and some pheromones are detected by the olfactory epithelium. Moreover, it is well‐established that irritants change odor perception and vice versa. A wealth of psychophysical evidence on olfactory‐trigeminal interactions in humans contrasts with a paucity of structural insight. In particular, it is unclear whether the two systems communicate just by sharing stimuli, or whether neuronal connections mediate cross‐modal signaling. One connection could exist in the olfactory bulb which performs the primary processing of olfactory signals and receives trigeminal innervation. In the present study, neuroanatomical tracing of the mouse ethmoid nerve illustrates how peptidergic fibers enter the glomerular layer of the olfactory bulb, where local microcircuits process and filter the afferent signal. Biochemical assays reveal release of calcitonin gene‐related peptide from olfactory bulb slices and attenuation of cAMP signaling by the neuropeptide. In the non‐stimulated tissue, the neuropeptide specifically inhibited the basal activity of calbindin‐expressing periglomerular interneurons, but did not affect the basal activity of neurons expressing calretinin, parvalbumin, or tyrosine hydroxylase, nor the activity of astrocytes. This study represents a first step toward understanding trigeminal neuromodulation of olfactory‐bulb microcircuits and provides a working hypothesis for trigeminal inhibition of olfactory signal processing.
Implications of increased susceptibility to predation for managing the sylvatic cycle of Echinococcus multilocularis

The ability to increase the chances that infectious prey are taken by predators is an observed feature of many parasites that rely on one or more predator-prey relationships to complete their life-cycle. In the sylvatic life-cycle of Echinococcus multilocularis – the causative agent of human alveolar echinococcosis – foxes are the final host, with voles acting as intermediate hosts. Here we review the evidence that E. multilocularis causes increased susceptibility to predation and present a general mathematical model for the sylvatic life-cycle. The ability to increase susceptibility to predation in the intermediate host reduces the sensitivity of the parasite population to adverse conditions. For example, there is no critical density of foxes below which the parasite is expected to die out, even if the effect of the parasite on infected prey is very small. We suggest that increased susceptibility to predation is a plausible explanation for the observed resilience of E. multilocularis during and following field trials of praziquantel baiting.
Th17 memory cells: live long and proliferate

The development of immune memory is a double‐edged sword, helping to maintain health by preventing repeated infections but also driving chronic inflammation when dysregulated. Th17 cells are now well‐known as major drivers of autoimmune disease but also play roles in protective immune responses against pathogens. This mini‐review will focus on the recent evidence for long‐lived, robust Th17 memory cell populations in mouse models and humans, and their functional roles in mediating host protection and chronic disease states.