Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tissue regeneration based on tissue engineering technology

ABSTRACT Recent development of biomedical engineering as well as basic biology and medicine has enabled us to induce cell‐based regeneration of body tissue to self‐repair defective tissue or substitute biological functions of damaged organs. For successful tissue regeneration, it is indispensable to give cells an environment suitable for regeneration induction. Tissue engineering is a newly emerging biomedical technology for creating an environment for tissue regeneration with various biomaterials. The paper presented here overviews recent research data on tissue regeneration based on tissue engineering, and briefly explains the key technology of tissue engineering.
Endothelial Cell-Pericyte Interactions Stimulate Basement Membrane Matrix Assembly: Influence on Vascular Tube Remodeling, Maturation, and Stabilization

Abstract Extracellular matrix synthesis and deposition surrounding the developing vasculature are critical for vessel remodeling and maturation events. Although the basement membrane is an integral structure underlying endothelial cells (ECs), few studies, until recently, have been performed to understand its formation in this context. In this review article, we highlight new data demonstrating a corequirement for ECs and pericytes to properly deposit and assemble vascular basement membranes during morphogenic events. In EC only cultures or under conditions whereby pericyte recruitment is blocked, there is a lack of basement membrane assembly, decreased vessel stability (with increased susceptibility to pro-regressive stimuli), and increased EC tube widths (a marker of dysfunctional EC-pericyte interactions). ECs and pericytes both contribute basement membrane components and, furthermore, both cells induce the expression of particular components as well as integrins that recognize them. The EC-derived factors—platelet derived growth factor-BB and heparin binding-epidermal growth factor—are both critical for pericyte recruitment to EC tubes and concomitant vascular basement membrane formation in vitro and in vivo. Thus, heterotypic EC-pericyte interactions play a fundamental role in vascular basement membrane matrix deposition, a critical tube maturation event that is altered in key disease states such as diabetes and cancer.
Design of an Energy Aware Petaflops Class High Performance Cluster Based on Power Architecture

In this paper we present D.A. V.I. D.E. (Development for an Added Value Infrastructure Designed in Europe), an innovative and energy efficient High Performance Computing cluster designed by E4 Computer Engineering for PRACE (Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe). D.A. V.I. D.E. is built using best-in-class components (IBM’s POWER8-NVLink CPUs, NVIDIA TESLA P100 GPUs, Mellanox InfiniBand EDR 100 Gb/s networking) plus custom hardware and an innovative system middleware software. D.A. V.I. D.E. features (i) a dedicated power monitor interface, built around the BeagleBone Black Board that allows high frequency sampling directly from the power backplane and scalable integration with the internal node telemetry and system level power management software; (ii) a custom-built chassis, based on OpenRack form factor, and liquid cooling that allows the system to be used in modern, energy efficient, datacenter; (iii) software components designed for enabling fine grain power monitoring, power management (i.e. power capping and energy aware job scheduling) and application power profiling, based on dedicated machine learning components. Software APIs are offered to developers and users to tune the computing node performance and power consumption around on the application requirements. The first pilot system that we will deploy at the beginning of 2017, will demonstrate key HPC applications from different fields ported and optimized for this innovative platform.
Gr upSM Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Muscular Dystrophies

Mitochondria are being regarded as key players in the pathogenesis of Muscular Dystrophies (MDs). Mitochondria, as seen by the electron microscope, are stiff elongated cylindrical organelles located in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells that play a vital role in energy metabolism [1]. Mitochondrial function is an important determinant of skeletal muscle homeostasis and its abnormalities have been associated with a series of MDs, such as dysregulation in mitochondrial Oxidative Phosphorylation (OXPHOS) as well as mitochondrial complex activity is associated with various skeletal muscle pathologies [2]. In addition, MDs harbor mitochondrial structure abnormalities [3], genomic mutations in mtDNA [4], altered energy metabolism, defect in mitochondrial fusion and fission [5] and calcium ion signaling [6]. Presented below are some reports implicating mitochondrial dysfunction in MDs for some of the experimentally studied MDs. Emma Tabe Eko Niba1* 1Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation, Kobe Gakuin University, Japan *Corresponding author: Emma Tabe Eko Niba, Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation, Kobe Gakuin University, 518 Arise Ikawadani cho, Nishi-ku, Kobe 651-2180 Hyogo, Japan, Email: emma@reha.kobegakuin. ac.jp
Cryptic duplication and deletion of 9q34.3 → qter in a family with a t(9;22)(q34.3;p11.2)

A newborn male was referred for genetic evaluation because of multiple congenital abnormalities. Physical findings included a round face, telecanthus, hypertelorism, a short upturned nose with anteverted nares, small ears, micrognathia, short toes, and congenital heart disease. Chromosome analysis detected a possible deletion of 9qter because of satellite material on 9qter. Delineation by FISH and microarray CGH studies showed 46,XY,der(9)t(9;22)(q34.3;p11.2). The mother and maternal grandfather had a balanced t(9;22)(q34.3;p11.2) rearrangement. Also, the maternal great‐aunt of the propositus was found to have a duplication of 9q34.3 → qter. FISH was required to delineate her karyotype, which was 46,XX.ish der(22)t(9;22)(q34.3;p11.2). This maternal great‐aunt and one of her daughters (cytogenetics not done) have a relatively normal phenotype, only reporting mild learning disabilities in school. Since the 22p material involved in this rearrangement is clinically irrelevant, this report describes an individual with a pure deletion of 9q34.3 → qter and another with a pure duplication of 9q34.3 → qter. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Enhanced passive acoustic localization with an array of non-identical sensors using blind Gauss-Markov estimate

For a stationary radiating source, the optimum time-delay vector estimation at a receiving sensor array is realized using the Generalized Cross Correlation (GCC) function. The estimates are combined with the correlator error matrix, expressed in terms of the sensor signal spectra and background noise spectra, to obtain a linear minimum variance unbiased estimate of the time delay vector, known as the Gauss-Markov estimate. In this estimation procedure, the signal power spectral density (PSD) is assumed to be the same at the different sensors which will be approximately true for distant sources. This PSD is replaced in practice by the a priori known source PSD. In the absence of a priori information, the PSD is required to be estimated at the sensors of the receiver array. This modified algorithm has been called the “blind” Gauss-Markov estimation algorithm. It provides better estimates of inter-sensor time delay, source range and bearing compared to the respective estimates obtained with the classical correlator system in terms of mean square error (MSE) measure. For a wide-aperture array, the use of PSD estimation based Gauss-Markov algorithm has been proposed earlier by the authors through two algorithms. In the first algorithm, the signal spectrum estimate at the closest sensor is used, while in the second algorithm, the signal spectra estimates at individual sensors are used. These proposed algorithms improve the estimates obtained from the correlator system in MSE terms. For a wide aperture array, the individual sensor PSD based Gauss-Markov estimate is more accurate than the closest sensor PSD based Gauss-Markov estimate as it utilizes the signal amplitude gradient information across the sensors of the array. This paper investigates the use of arrays with non-identical sensors along with the second algorithm in which the signal spectrum estimation is done at the individual sensors. Analytic explanation of the same shall be presented. The algorithm has been implemented and studied for an underwater acoustic experiment based on a three-element, non-uniform, perturbed linear array. It is found to give enhanced parameter estimation compared to the classical Gauss-Markov algorithm that uses constant PSD across the sensors. The proposed algorithm can be useful in providing more accurate localization of radiating underwater sources in applications like underwater robotics, diver guidance system, underwater object handling, and tracking of maneuvering vessels.
Transport of mitochondrial precursor proteins: their conformational competence and related factors.

Most mitochondrial proteins are encoded by nuclear genes and translated in the cytosol as larger precursors containing NH2-terminal cleavable extrapeptides known as presequences. The precursors are synthesized on free polysomes and released into a cytosolic pool, and then transported into the mitochondria. The half life of the precursors is less than several minutes. During or soon after the transport, the precursors are processed to respective mature enzymes by a matrix-localized processing protease. Recent studies revealed pertinent information on the nature and function of these transient presequences. They comprise 20-60 amino acid residues, are rich in positively charged amino acids, are devoid of acidic residues, and have no stretch of hydrophobic amino acids. The potential to form an amphiphilic helix is a property shared by many presequences, but as there is no direct evidence that such a structure is necessary for uptake by the mitochondria, its importance has been questioned. Gene fusion experiments have shown that the NH2-terminal presequence is necessary, and in most cases, sufficient for targeting and import of the fusion protein. In these experiments, fusion proteins consisting of the presequence of a mitochondrial precursor protein fused to the NH2-terminus of a "passenger" protein, are often efficiently imported into the mitochondria in vitro or in vivo. The passenger protein can be a mitochondrial protein lacking its own presequence or a protein not normally imported into the mitochondria (see Refs. 1 and 2 for reviews). Transport of proteins into the mitochondria is post-translational. The precursor proteins remain in the cytosol in a completed form for a few to several minutes until imported into the organelle. The precursors bind to the outer surface of the mitochondria, probably to the "receptor", and transverse the mitochondrial membranes. The precursors are then transported across the membranes presumably in an unfolded state. Therefore, the cytosolically released precursor proteins must be unfolded or be maintained in an unfolded conformation prior to import (see below). In 1981, we showed that the in vitro synthesized precursors for mitochondrial carbamyl phosphate synthetase and ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) have aggregation states and conformations different from those of the respective mature enzymes (3), thus suggesting that the presequences affect conformations of these proteins directly or indirectly. However, molecular detailes and the significance of our findings remained to be determined. This minireview deals with recent progress in in-
Evaluation of Antidiabetic Activity of Ginkgo Biloba in Streptozotocin Induced Diabetic Rats

The objective of the study was to evaluate the antidiabetic activity of Ginkgo biloba and to probe into its mechanism of action. Methods. Albino wistar rats with streptozotocin induced diabetes were divided into 4 groups of 10 each. Gum acacia, troglitazone 36 mg/kg, Ginkgo biloba 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg, were administered to group I (control), group II (standard), group III and group IV respectively. After 10 and 15 days of drug administration fasting blood sugar (FBS), blood glutathione (GSH) and serum ceruloplasmin were estimated. Results. Ginkgo biloba in a high dose of 100 mg/kg produced a significant reduction in FBS of 31% and increase in blood GSH (57.6%) that is however much less than the fall in FBS produced by troglitazone (47%). However treatment with troglitazone and Ginkgo biloba at both doses did not alter the serum ceruloplasmin levels significantly. Conclusion. The antidiabetic activity of Ginkgo biloba may be attributed to its antioxidant activity without having a role in metal ion mediated lipid peroxidation.
The colloidal stabilization of carbon with carbon: carbon nanobubbles as both dispersant and glue for carbon nanotubes.

The superior physical properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have led to their broad application. Intrinsically, CNTs tend to agglomerate from hydrophobic interactions, which is highly undesirable for solution processing and device fabrication. Commonly, a stabilizer consisting of organic surfactants or polymers is used to disperse CNTs. Recently, we synthesized nitrogen-doped carbon hollow nanospheres (25-90 nm), termed carbon "nanobubbles". They bear superior dispersability in water and distinctive graphitic order. Herein, we describe the nanobubble-assisted dispersion of CNTs in aqueous solution upon sonication. This process relies on the π-π interaction between the two aromatic carbon nanostructures, which can process their carbon mixture in water into conductive filter membranes, ink, and discs. This stabilization can be extended to other aromatic carbons. In addition, the π-π interaction may create a new type of carbon p-n junction that can be used to improve charge separation.
Parasympathetic Cardiac Nerve Stimulation with Implanted Coronary Sinus Lead

A patient with drug‐refractory paroxysmal atrial fibrillation associated with rapid ventricular rate underwent biatrial pacemaker implantation. During elective replacement of the pacemaker, a significant voltage‐ and frequency‐dependent decrease in ventricular rate was achieved by high‐frequency electrical stimulation (17 Hz) of parasympathetic cardiac nerves innervating the AV node with the implanted bipolar coronary sinus electrode. The negative dromotropic effect of parasympathetic stimulation was eliminated by intravenous administration of 1‐mg atropine. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 15, pp. 588‐590, May 2004)
Antipsychotic Metabolic Effects: Weight Gain, Diabetes Mellitus, and Lipid Abnormalities

Objective: To review published and nonpublished literature describing changes in weight, glucose homeostasis, and lipid milieu with antipsychotics. Methods: A Medline search was completed using the words weight gain, diabetes mellitus, cholesterol, triglycerides, risperidone, clozapine, olanzapine, quetiapine, ziprasidone, predictors, prolactin, obesity, and conventional antipsychotics. Publications, including original articles, review articles, letters to the editor, abstracts or posters presented at professional meetings in the last 4 years, and references from published articles, were collected. Manufacturers, including Eli Lilly Canada Inc, Janssen-Ortho Inc, Pfizer Canada Inc, AstraZeneca Inc, and Novartis Pharmaceuticals, were contacted to retrieve additional medical information. Results: The topic of antipsychotic-induced weight gain is understudied, and there are relatively few well-controlled studies. Weight gain as a side effect has been described with both conventional and atypical antipsychotics. Moreover, some atypical antipsychotics are associated with de novo diabetes mellitus and increased serum triglyceride levels. Predictors of weight gain may be age, baseline body mass index, appetite stimulation, previous antipsychotic exposure, and antipsychotic treatment duration. Conclusion: Significant weight gain is reported with the existing atypical antipsychotics. The weight gain described is highly distressing to patients, may reduce treatment adherence, and may increase the relative risk for diabetes mellitus and hypertriglyceridemia. Physicians employing these agents should routinely monitor weight, fasting blood glucose, and lipid profiles.
Additional DNA in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and molecular cloning of mec-specific DNA

Additional DNA was shown to be present in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus by one- and two-dimensional restriction endonuclease analyses of the chromosomal DNA. A 3.5-kilobase Bg/II fragment, which was present in methicillin-resistant strains but not in the isogenic methicillin-sensitive parental strain, was cloned into newly constructed plasmid pWDB1 in Escherichia coli. Hybridization of this 3.5-kilobase Bg/II fragment with different methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant S. aureus clinical isolates indicated that the fragment represents part of the methicillin resistance determinant (mec). In addition, the fragment carries a sequence that is present in some large staphylococcal plasmids, as well as in penicillinase plasmid pI524.
Divide et Impera: The Dictum of Peroxisomes

Peroxisomes are unique organelles which display properties of autonomous organelles, as they can multiply by fission of pre‐existing ones. Peroxisomes, however, can also develop from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). This process has convincingly been shown in peroxisome‐deficient yeast cells, upon reintroduction of the corresponding gene. Whether peroxisomes also are formed from the ER in wild‐type cells that contain peroxisomes is still under debate. Also, the existence of vesicular transport pathways between peroxisomes and the ER is still unresolved.
Some Unusual Features of Mesangioproliferative Glomerulonephritis in Horses

Seven horses ranging from three to 15 years of age had nephrotic syndrome; at necropsy, renal tissue of all seven horses had the morphologic lesions of mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis (membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis). Homogeneous eosinophilic material which filled the glomerular capillary lumina was found in five horses. Ultrastructurally, this material primarily consisted of electron-dense deposits with a fibrillar pattern in five horses and in one horse, rhomboid crystalline deposits which resembled deposits seen in human cryoglobulinemia. The association of mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis with cryoglobulinemia is well documented in man. The presence of intracapillary deposits, with the histologic and ultrastructural lesion of mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis, suggests a similar association in these horses.
Noise Spectrum Estimation Based on SNR Discrepancy for Speech Enhancement

SUMMARY This letter proposes a noise spectrum estimation algorithm for speech enhancement. The algorithm incorporates the speech presence probability, which is calculated from SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) discrepancy. The discrepancy is measured based on the estimation of the a priori and a posteriori SNR. The proposed algorithm is found to be e ﬀ ective in rapidly switched noise environments. This is conﬁrmed by the experimental results which indicate that the proposed algorithm when integrated in a speech enhancement scheme performs better than conventional noise estimation algorithms
[Corporate influences on epidemiology].

Corporate influences on epidemiology have become stronger and more pervasive in the last few decades, particularly in the contentious fields of pharmacoepidemiology and occupational epidemiology. For every independent epidemiologist studying the side effects of medicines and the hazardous effects of industrial chemicals, there are several other epidemiologists hired by industry to attack the research and to debunk it as ‘junk science’. In some instances these activities have gone as far as efforts to block publication. In many instances, academics have accepted industry funding which has not been acknowledged, and only the academic affiliations of the company-funded consultants have been listed. These activities are major threats to the integrity of the field, and its survival as a scientific discipline. There is no simple solution to these problems. However, for the last two decades there has been substantial discussion on ethics in epidemiology, partly in response to the unethical conduct of many industry-funded consultants. Professional organizations, such as the International Epidemiological Association, can play a major role in encouraging and supporting epidemiologists to assert positive principles of how science should work, and how it should be applied to public policy decisions, rather than simply having a list of what not to do.
HIF-1 Regulation of Chondrocyte Apoptosis: Induction of the Autophagic Pathway

The goal of our investigation was to explore the mechanism by which hypoxia regulates growth plate chondrocyte survival. At low O2 tension, chondrocytes were refractory to a staurosporine (i.e., apoptosis-inducing) challenge. To determine whether hypoxic survival was due to the expression of HIF-1, we evaluated the response of HIF silenced cells to staurosporine. Both, silenced cells and control chondrocytes were equally sensitive to the apoptogen challenge. To learn if resistance was mediated by the proteins of the autophagic pathway, we examined the expression of Beclin 1 and LC3. Both proteins were present in the growth plate as well as in N1511 chondrocytes. Moreover, silencing of Beclin 1 resulted in enhanced chondrocyte death. Thus, this gene served to maintain chondrocyte survival activity. Besides serving a cytoprotective role, it is known that autophagy can function in cell death. Accordingly, to ascertain if autophagy might also sensitize cells to apoptosis, we activated autophagy and examined viability following exposure to an apoptogen. Treatment with the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine rendered the chondrocytes refractory to killing, suggesting that sustained autophagy promoted cell death. We next examined expression of BID and caspase-8. When autophagy was suppressed, chondrocytes promoted caspase-8 activation and activated BID. Finally, we explored the relationship between HIF-1 and Beclin 1. We noted a decrease in Beclin 1 expression and loss of caspase-8 activation in HIF silenced cells and Beclin 1-Bcl-2 association was maintained upon serum starvation. This study indicates that HIF-1 serves to regulate both autophagy and apoptosis.
First-principles atomistic study of surfaces of Fe-rich Fe–Cr

The surface properties of Fe-rich ferromagnetic Fe–Cr alloys are investigated using a first-principles quantum-mechanical method. In dilute alloys, the surfaces are dominated by Fe, whereas the Cr-containing surfaces become favorable when the bulk Cr concentration exceeds the limit of ∼ 10 atomic per cent. The abrupt change in the surface behavior is the consequence of complex competing magneto-chemical interactions between the alloying atoms. Considering the quantities of various features: equilibrium surface profiles, chemical potentials, segregation energies, surface energies, magnetic moments, mixing energies and pair interactions, within a wider range of bulk and surface concentrations enables us to build a comprehensive picture of the physics of Fe–Cr surfaces. Using the present achievements many previously controversial results can now be merged into a consistent model of Fe-rich Fe–Cr alloys.