Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
16 Bamboo Regeneration via Embryogenesis and Organogenesis

Bamboo is a member of grass family (Poaceae: Bambusoideae) (Wu & Raven, 2006). With the characteristics of short rotation, marketability of culms every year and immediate returns, bamboos are the fast growing multipurpose plants of high economic and environmental value that converts solar radiation into useful goods and services better than most tree species (Franklin, 2006; Kassahun, 2000). Besides producing fresh edible shoots and culms for timber, furniture and handicraft or as a raw material for pulping, bamboo serves as an efficient agent for conservation of water and soil (Christanty et al., 1996, 1997; Kassahun, 2003; Kleinhenz & Midmore, 2001; Mailly et al., 1997). Additionally, new products such as bamboo charcoal, bamboo vinegar, bamboo juice, bamboo healthy food, bamboo fiber product have been developed. World-wide interest in bamboo as a source of biofuel or bioenergy has also increased rapidly in recent years (Fu, 2001; Scurlock, 2000).
99mTc-Labeled Tricarbonyl His-CNA35 as an Imaging Agent for the Detection of Tumor Vasculature

Given the importance of angiogenesis for a tumor's survival and growth, several therapeutic strategies rely on the selective inhibition of angiogenesis and the destruction of existing tumor vasculature. These strategies raise the need for a noninvasive tool to evaluate tumor vasculature. We describe the radiosynthesis and evaluation of an imaging tracer that specifically binds tumor subendothelial collagen and thereby images tumor vasculature. Methods: 99mTc-tricarbonyl was prepared and labeled with His–collagen-binding adhesion protein 35 (CNA35). After in vitro specificity testing, in vivo biodistribution and dosimetric studies were performed in healthy nude mice via planar imaging. 99mTc-(CO)3 His-CNA35 was evaluated for in vivo imaging of tumor vasculature in a HT29 colorectal carcinoma xenograft. Results: The labeling procedure yielded a compound with 95%–99% radiochemical purity and good in vitro stability. An in vitro binding test confirmed specificity and functionality. 99mTc-(CO)3 His-CNA35 rapidly cleared from the blood and predominantly accumulated in the kidneys and liver. The effective dose for a proposed single injection of 500 MBq of 99mTc-(CO)3 His-CNA35 is 3.70 mSv per organ or 2.01 mSv/g of tissue. Tumors were successfully visualized, and uptake correlated with ex vivo immunohistochemical staining of tumor vasculature. Conclusion: 99mTc-(CO)3 His-CNA35 may be a useful radioligand for the in vivo detection of tumor vasculature through subendothelial collagen binding. A noninvasive method of imaging tumor vasculature that could provide a reliable assessment of tumor vasculature would allow evaluation of the effectiveness of commonly used antiangiogenic therapies and determination of their optimal dosing and scheduling.
Localized growth of suspended SWCNTs by means of an "all-laser" process and their direct integration into nanoelectronic devices

We have successfully developed an "all-laser" processing for the localized growth of suspended single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) on prepatterned SiO/sub 2//Si substrates. Our "all-laser" process stands out by its exclusive use of the same KrF excimer laser, first, to deposit the embedded-catalyst electrodes with a controllable architecture and, second, to grow SWCNTs through the pulsed laser ablation of a pure graphite target. Under the optimal growth conditions, the suspended SWCNTs are shown to bridge laterally adjacent electrodes separated by a gap of /spl sim/2 /spl mu/m. These SWCNTs (having diameters in the 1.25-1.64-nm range) generally tend to auto-assemble into bundles of /spl sim/5--15 nm in diameter. The "all-laser" process here developed offers the advantage of a direct integration of the SWCNTs into field-effect-transistor-like devices with no postprocessing, thereby permitting the investigation of their electrical transport properties. Thus, the suspended SWCNT bundles are shown to behave collectively as an ambipolar transistor with ON/OFF switching ratios as high as /spl sim/10/sup 4/.
Circuits thalamocorticaux de la prise de décision

La capacite des organismes a survivre dans un environnement changeant dependlargement de leur aptitude a prendre des decisions adaptees. Cette fonction complexeresulte notamment de l’integration de processus de prediction et de controle de l’action,classiquement etudies dans le corpus theorique et methodologique des apprentissagesassociatifs. Les bases neurobiologiques de ces processus sont largement distribues au seinde circuits au sein desquels le cortex prefrontal et son afference principale, le thalamusmediodorsal (MD) jouent un role important. Dans ce contexte, le travail entrepris au coursde ce travail de these visait a determiner le role fonctionnel des echanges entre ces deuxstructures dans le cadre de la prise de decision.Une premiere partie de ce travail a vise a confirmer le role specifique du MD dans lesprocessus de prise de decision. Par l’utilisation d’un protocole experimental necessitantl’integration des contingences instrumentales et Pavloviennes pour obtenir unerecompense, nous avons demontre que des rats porteurs d’une lesion du MD n’etaient pascapables d’adapter leur comportement en fonction des changements de valeur de larecompense, confirmant ainsi le role fondamental du MD dans la representation du but.Surla base de ce resultat, nous avons ensuite entrepris une etude d’anatomie descriptive visanta caracteriser finement l’architecture des projections thalamocorticales issues du MD. Cetteetude nous a permis de demontrer que de multiples voies thalamocorticales issues du MDtrouvent leur origine dans des populations neuronales thalamiques essentiellementsegregees mais egalement que la region orbitofrontale etait innervee par une regionthalamique meconnue, le thalamus submedian. Pour eprouver les fonctions de cesdifferentes voies, nous avons d’abord mis en place une strategie d’inactivation reversible depopulations neuronales selectionnees sur la base de leurs projections specifiques par unemethode pharmacogenetique conditionnelle. L’utilisation de cette methode nous a permisde reveler que la capacite de l’animal a se representer la valeur ou la relation actionrecompensedepend de la direction des echanges entre le MD et le cortex prefrontalmedian. Par ailleurs, une approche lesionnelle comparee plus classique nous a permisd’identifier un role fonctionnel specifique du thalamus submedian dans la mise a jour descontingences Pavloviennes.12Pris dans leur ensemble, ces resultats sont en accord avec l’idee que des bouclesthalamocorticales distinctes sont impliquees dans les processus de prediction et de controlede l’action necessaires a une prise de decision adaptee.
Reverse Transcriptase PCR Detection of Astrovirus, Hepatitis A Virus, and Poliovirus in Experimentally Contaminated Mussels: Comparison of Several Extraction and Concentration Methods

ABSTRACT Four methods of extraction and three methods of concentration of three enteric viruses from mussels were comparatively evaluated by reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR). Shellfish were experimentally contaminated by immersion in seawater seeded with astrovirus, hepatitis A virus, or poliovirus. Sixty-gram samples of mussel tissues were processed by using borate buffer, glycine solution, saline beef, and saline beef-Freon extraction methods. The viruses were concentrated by precipitation with polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG 6000) or PEG 8000 or by organic flocculation. RT-PCR was performed with RNA extracts from crude shellfish extracts and concentrates with and without Sephadex LH20 filtration. The glycine solution and borate buffer extraction methods resulted in significantly more RT-PCR-positive samples than the saline beef extraction method. We assessed the efficiency of 20 combinations of extraction and concentration methods. The borate buffer-organic flocculation, borate buffer-PEG 6000, and glycine solution-PEG 6000 combinations gave RT-PCR-positive results for all 27 samples analyzed for the three viruses. Detoxification of the samples by Sephadex LH20 filtration significantly decreased the efficiency of RT-PCR virus detection.
Literature Survey on Building 3-D Models of underwater Objects

Three-dimensional object recognition is a topic of active interest motivated by a desire to build computers with “humanlike” visual capabilities, and also by a pragmatic need to aid numerous real world applications such as robot bin-picking, autonomous navigation, automated visual inspection and parts assembly tasks. Building 3D models from multiple image sequences is a classical but challenging area in computer vision and computer graphics research. We propose a 3D modeling method that drastically improves robustness over existing approaches, and explicitly deals with underwater objects. Generated 3D models can be used to represent 3D objects in the first stage of underwater 3D target recognition system for Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs).
De macht van de dood en de kracht van God: Enkele Bijbelse perspectieven

The might of death and the power of God: Some biblical perspectives. This article investigates how the might of death and the power of God are related in biblical writings. Factually, there are various biblical images concerning this relationship. Four of them are discussed in this contribution. Firstly, according to many texts, there is no afterlife and God’s power is limited and he is not able to save people after they have died. Secondly, view is disputed in other texts in which it is emphasised that the life of people who are faithful to God and his Torah, will have an open ending. This hope is based on God’s power and not on an indestructible personal core or some divine dimension deep within human beings. Thirdly, the most well known idea is the concept of resurrection which originated in Judaism and emerged when in the second century BCE martyrs died because of their religious convictions. Fourthly, this model has been applied to Jesus, who after having been rescued from death by God, was placed in a position that in many respects is similar to God’s position. In this article recent discoveries about developments in biblical ideas about God’s and Jesus’ competence and functions are integrated.
Omega-3 and Omega-6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Bipolar Disorder: A Review of Biomarker and Treatment Studies.

OBJECTIVE There is growing evidence that inflammation is an important mediator of pathophysiology in bipolar disorder. The omega-3 (n-3) and omega-6 (n-6) polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) metabolic pathways participate in several inflammatory processes and have been linked through epidemiologic and clinical studies to bipolar disorder and its response to treatment. We review the data on PUFAs as biomarkers in bipolar disorder and n-3 PUFA used as treatment for bipolar disorder. DATA SOURCES PubMed and CINAHL were searched for articles on PUFA and bipolar disorder published in the English language through November 6, 2013, with an updated search conducted on August 20, 2015. Keywords searched included omega 3 fatty acids and bipolar disorder, omega 3 fatty acids and bipolar mania, omega 3 fatty acids and bipolar depression, omega 3 fatty acids and mania, omega 3 fatty acids and cyclothymia, omega 3 fatty acids and hypomania, fatty acids and bipolar disorder, essential fatty acids and bipolar disorder, polyunsaturated fatty acids and bipolar disorder, DHA and bipolar disorder, and EPA and bipolar disorder. STUDY SELECTION Studies selected measured PUFAs as biomarkers or introduced n-3 PUFA as treatment. RESULTS We identified 17 relevant human clinical articles that either compared PUFA levels between a bipolar disorder group and a control group or used a PUFA intervention to treat depression or mania in bipolar disorder. Human studies suggest low n-3 red blood cell PUFA concentrations and correlations with clinical severity in studies of plasma concentrations in symptomatic bipolar disorder. Results of published n-3 PUFA dietary supplementation trials for bipolar disorder indicate efficacy in treatment for mania or depression in 5 of 5 open-label trials, efficacy in treatment of depression in 1 of 7 randomized controlled trials, and a signal for treatment of depression in 1 meta-analysis. CONCLUSIONS Biomarker studies of PUFA and treatment studies of n-3 PUFA in bipolar disorder show promise for indicating a way forward in the study of PUFA in bipolar disorder. Investigation of the intake and metabolism of the n-3 and n-6 PUFA when supplementation is provided in treatment trials might offer clues for identification of when and how PUFA may be important for treatment in bipolar disorder.
Prognostic factors in acute renal failure due to sepsis. Results of a prospective multicentre study. The French Study Group on Acute Renal Failure.

BACKGROUND Sepsis is a major cause of acute renal failure in hospital patients, but its incidence and the associated prognostic factors have rarely been assessed prospectively by multivariate analysis. METHODS We conducted a prospective 6-month study in 20 multidisciplinary intensive care units to assess the prognosis of patients hospitalized with acute renal failure due to sepsis. Sepsis syndrome and septic shock were defined according to the criteria of the Society of Critical Care Medicine Consensus Conference. Severity scoring indexes (SAPS, APACHE II, and organ system failure (OSF)) were measured on ICU admission and on inclusion. The end-point was hospital mortality. RESULTS Acute renal failure had a septic origin in 157 patients (Group 1), comprising 68 with septic shock and 89 with sepsis syndrome, and did not result from infection in 188 patients (Group 2). Patients with septic acute renal failure were older (mean age: 62.2 versus 57.9 years, P<0.02) and had on inclusion a higher SAPS (19.3 versus 16.1, P<0.001), APACHE II (29.6 versus 24.3, P<0.001), and OSF (2.07 versus 1.52, P<0.001) than patients with non-septic acute renal failure. They had a higher need for mechanical ventilation (69.1% versus 47.3%, P<0.001), and acute renal failure was more often delayed during the ICU stay than was present on admission (47.7% versus 32.4% respectively, P<0.005). Hospital mortality was higher in patients with septic acute renal failure (74.5%) than in those whose renal failure did not result from sepsis (45.2%, P<0.001). Mortality was influenced by the presence of a septic shock (79.4%) or of a sepsis syndrome on inclusion (70.8%). Using a stepwise logistic regression model, sepsis was an independent predictor of hospital mortality (OR, 2.51; 95% CI, 1.44-4.39) as well as a delayed occurrence of acute renal failure, oliguria, an altered previous health status hospitalization prior to ICU, need for mechanical ventilation, age and severity scoring indexes on inclusion. In total patients, mortality was higher in dialyzed than in non-dialyzed patients (P<0.001), and in those treated by continuous compared to intermittent techniques (P<0.01). Patients dialyzed with biocompatible membranes had a lower mortality than those treated with cellulose membranes (P<0.005). CONCLUSIONS Patients with acute renal failure due to sepsis have a worse prognosis than those with non-septic acute renal failure. Sepsis and the above-defined predictive factors are to be considered in studies on prognosis of ARF patients. Our results suggest that the use of biocompatible membranes may reduce significantly mortality in these patients.
Dynamic properties of visual evoked potentials in the tectum of cartilaginous and bony fishes, with neuroethological implications.

We have extended the study of Bullock ('84), who reported on visually evoked potentials (VEP) in the tectum of 10 species of elasmobranchs, by adding further stimulus regimes, multichannel recording, and additional taxa, particularly addressing the question of flicker fusion frequency by electrophysiological signs in central processing centers. Using principally the guitarfish, Platyrhinoidis and Rhinobatos, and the bass, Paralabrax, with some additional data from 32 other species, the findings support the following conclusions: 1. Latency of the first main VEP peak, a sharp surface negativity, to a diffuse white flash of submaximal intensity while the eye is moderately light adapted varies from less than 20 ms in some teleosts to greater than 120 ms in agnathans, holocephalans, and some rays. Among the elasmobranchs tested, the sharks are generally faster than the rays. Among the teleosts tested, some species are at least three times slower than others. There is little overlap between the fastest elasmobranchs and the slowest teleosts. 2. After the first VEP peak, later components are more diverse than the classic descriptions of one late surface-negative hump; they may include also sharp peaks, slow humps, and oscillatory waves extending out to greater than 1 s postflash. These are highly labile, variable and similar to OFF responses after a long light pulse. All these components occur already in the retina, whether the optic nerve is intact or cut. Many records do not show the late components; in the same preparation, some tectal loci may and others may not. 3. Ongoing activity (the micro-EEG, over all frequency bands) is depressed between early and late waves after a flash as well as during a long light pulse. 4. Repeated flashes above a few per second do not so much cause fatigue of the VEPs as reduce or prevent them by a sustained inhibition; large late waves are released as a rebound excitation any time the train of flashes stops or is delayed or sufficiently weakened. 5. Repeated flashes depress first the early waves; later waves follow 1:1 up to an upper following frequency (UFF) of approximately 13 Hz in the guitarfishes at optimal intensity and light adaptation (15-17 degrees C). A transition zone of gradual fusion from 15 to 30 Hz is marked by sputtering or irregular sharp VEPs; above a lower fusion frequency (LFF) of 30-40 Hz, the flash train becomes equivalent to steady light. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Attitudes of "Progressive" Trade-Union Leaders

The roles of husband and father subject the "progressive" trade-union leader to conflicting demands. This problem may be resolved either by the redefining of his roles as leader or husband-father or the relinquishing of them. Such conflicts, however, appear to operate within limits set by the whole social structure. During the war the improvement in the labor market increased the prestige of the major social norms, particularly the goal of individual success, conventionally obtained. Thus, there was relatively less pressure on the leaders to conform to the deviant value-system of their union.
Superiority of demeclocycline over lithium in the treatment of chronic syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone.

We evaluated demeclocycline and lithium therapy in 10 patients with the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone. Despite severe water restriction, all patients had hyponatremia (mean +/- S.E.M. serum sodium of 122 +/- 1.1 meq per liter) and elevated urine osmolality (744 +/- 59 mOsm per kilogram) before treatment. Demeclocycline (600 to 1200 mg daily) restored serum sodium concentration to 139 +/- 1.1 meq per liter within five to 14 days, permitting unrestricted water intake in all patients. In three patients given lithium carbonate (900 mg daily) the serum sodium concentration, urine osmolality and urine volume were unchanged; since two patients had adverse central-nervous-system symptoms during lithium therapy, further study of this agent was abandoned. A patient with an unusual 22-year history of the syndrome was unresponsive to lithium, whereas long-term treatment with demeclocyline was markedly effective. Demeclocycline is superior to lithium in the treatment of the syndrome and may obviate the need for severe water restriction.
Shedding of Large Functionally Active CD11/CD18 Integrin Complexes from Leukocyte Membranes during Synovial Inflammation Distinguishes Three Types of Arthritis through Differential Epitope Exposure

CD18 integrins are adhesion molecules expressed on the cell surface of leukocytes and play a central role in the molecular mechanisms supporting leukocyte migration to zones of inflammation. Recently, it was discovered that CD11a/CD18 is shed from the leukocyte surface in models of inflammation. In this study, we show that shedding of human CD11/CD18 complexes is a part of synovial inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis and spondyloarthritis but not in osteoarthritis. In vivo and in vitro data suggest that the shedding is driven by TNF-α, which links the process to central events in the inflammatory response. The shed complexes contain multiple heterodimers of CD11/CD18, are variable in size, and differ according to the type of synovial inflammation. Furthermore, the differential structures determine the avidity of binding of the complexes to the ICAM-1. With the estimated concentrations of CD11/CD18 in plasma and synovial fluid a significant coverage of binding sites in ICAM-1 for CD18 integrins is expected. Based on cell adhesion experiments in vitro, we hypothesize that the large soluble complexes of CD11/CD18 act in vivo to buffer leukocyte adhesion by competing with the membrane-bound receptors for ICAM-1 binding sites. As reported here for synovial inflammation changes in the concentration or structure of these complexes should be considered as likely contributors to disease activity.
Diseño de un generador de flujo axial usando el método de elementos finitos

Este articulo presenta las simulaciones y calculos realizados para el diseno basico de un generador de flujo axial usando el metodo de elementos finitos. Durante el proceso de diseno se evalua el comportamiento electromagnetico de los imanes seleccionados, se obtiene la caracteristica B vs distancia, asi mismo se define la geometria a usar para el montaje de las bobinas y los imanes, calculando el flujo maximo. Posteriormente se analiza la variacion del flujo magnetico dentro de la bobina en funcion de la posicion angular, se define el numero minimo de espiras a usar por polo y se calcula la tension inducida en la maquina asumiendo que tiene un sistema de 12 polos.
Heat shock increases antigenic peptide generation but decreases antigen presentation

The heat shock response is a universal and highly conserved cellular response to stress. We describe here the effect of elevated temperature on the capacity of B cells to present antigen. Heat shock markedly affects the ability of these cells to process and present tetanus toxin to class II‐restricted T cell clones. Inhibition of antigen presentation is due neither to a modification of antigen capture nor to a variation of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecule synthesis and cell surface expression. Stressed and nonstressed B cells are able to present peptides loaded at the cell surface with the same efficiency. Nevertheless, heat shock leads to an increase of antigen peptide generation in subcellular compartments; an enhancement of cathepsin B activity is also observed. These data suggest that such a stress induces a failure in the intracellular peptide loading onto MHC class II molecules.