Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SV40 Tag transformation of the normal invasive trophoblast results in a premalignant phenotype. I. Mechanisms responsible for hyperinvasivess and resistance to anti‐invasive action of TGFβ

Invasion of the uterus by first trimester human placental extravillous trophoblast (EVT) cells depends on mechanisms shared by malignant cells. However, unlike tumor invasion, trophoblast invasion of the uterus is stringently controlled in situ by local molecules such as transforming growth factor (TGF)β. Since EVT cells possess active invasion‐associated genes but are nontumorigenic, our objective was to induce premalignant and then malignant phenotype into a normal EVT cell line in order to identify the molecular basis of tumor progression. Simian virus 40 large T antigen (SV40 Tag) was introduced into a normal human first trimester invasive EVT cell line, HTR8, established in our laboratory. Since the HTR8 line has a limited in vitro lifespan of 12–15 passages, SV40 Tag‐transformed cells were selected on the basis of extended lifespan. A long‐lived line, RSVT‐2, was produced and an immortalized subclone, RSVT2/C, was further derived under a forced crisis regimen. We examined transformation‐induced alterations in proliferative and invasive abilities, responses to the invasion and proliferation‐regulating growth factor TGFβ and changes in gene expression for invasion‐associated enzymes or enzyme inhibitors. RSVT‐2 and RSVT2/C cell lines were hyperproliferative and hyperinvasive when compared with the parental HTR8 cell line. They were also variably resistant to the anti‐proliferative and anti‐invasive signals from TGFβ. Since both cell lines remained non‐tumorigenic in nude mice, these properties indicate that they attained a premalignant phenotype. Both cell lines showed reduced expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteases (TIMP)‐1, while TIMP‐2 and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)‐1 expression was was also reduced in RSVT2/C cells, thus contributing to their hyperinvasiveness. Their resistance to the anti‐invasive action of TGFβ was explained by the failure of TGFβ to upregulate TIMPs and PAI‐1, in contrast to the TGFβ‐induced upregulation noted in parental HTR8 cells. Int. J. Cancer 77:429–439, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Direct Inversion of the Three-Dimensional Pseudo-polar Fourier Transform

The pseudo-polar Fourier transform is a specialized nonequally spaced Fourier transform, which evaluates the Fourier transform on a near-polar grid known as the pseudo-polar grid. The advantage of the pseudo-polar grid over other nonuniform sampling geometries is that the transformation, which samples the Fourier transform on the pseudo-polar grid, can be inverted using a fast and stable algorithm. For other sampling geometries, even if the nonequally spaced Fourier transform can be inverted, the only known algorithms are iterative. The convergence speed of these algorithms and their accuracy are difficult to control, as they depend both on the sampling geometry and on the unknown reconstructed object. In this paper, a direct inversion algorithm for the three-dimensional pseudo-polar Fourier transform is presented. The algorithm is based only on one-dimensional resampling operations and is shown to be significantly faster than existing iterative inversion algorithms.
Segmentation of Color Textures

This paper describes an approach to perceptual segmentation of color image textures. A multiscale representation of the texture image, generated by a multiband smoothing algorithm based on human psychophysical measurements of color appearance is used as the input. Initial segmentation is achieved by applying a clustering algorithm to the image at the coarsest level of smoothing. The segmented clusters are then restructured in order to isolate core clusters, i.e., patches in which the pixels are definitely associated with the same region. The image pixels representing the core clusters are used to form 3D color histograms which are then used for probabilistic assignment of all other pixels to the core clusters to form larger clusters and categorise the rest of the image. The process of setting up color histograms and probabilistic reassignment of the pixels to the clusters is then propagated through finer levels of smoothing until a full segmentation is achieved at the highest level of resolution.
Schizophrenic Representative Investors

Representative investors whose behavior is modeled by a deterministic finite automaton generate complexity both in the time series of each asset and in the cross-sectional correlation when the rule governing their behavior is schizophrenic, meaning the investor holds multiple seemingly contradictory beliefs simultaneously, either by switching between two different rules at each time step, or computing different responses to different assets.
Behaviour of the adult males in a troop of free-ranging chacma baboons (Papio ursinus).

The, roles of the adult males in troops of free-ranging baboons (P. ursinus) were studied for 20 months in the northern Transvaal and in the Kruger National Park. An analysis of multiple indexes of adult male behaviour, derived from a survey of social behaviour in a single troop with 3 adult males during 437 h of observation, indicated that there were individual differences in the contributions of each male to the social organisation of the. Males differed in the frequency and nature of agonistic behaviour, and the male ranking lowest in individual aggressive encounters initiated significantly more troop progressions and was most sexually active. Evidence that other baboons perceived temperamental differences between the adult males is presented and the role ofindividual differences between troop leaders in intertroop variability is discussed.
Précis of The illusion of conscious will

The experience of conscious will is the feeling that we are doing things. This feeling occurs for many things we do, conveying to us again and again the sense that we consciously cause our actions. But the feeling may not be a true reading of what is happening in our minds, brains, and bodies as our actions are produced. The feeling of conscious will can be fooled. This happens in clinical disorders such as alien hand syndrome, dissociative identity disorder, and schizophrenic auditory hallucinations. And in people without disorders, phenomena such as hypnosis, automatic writing, Ouija board spelling, water dowsing, facilitated communication, speaking in tongues, spirit possession, and trance channeling also illustrate anomalies of will – cases when actions occur without will or will occurs without action. This book brings these cases together with research evidence from laboratories in psychology to explore a theory of apparent mental causation. According to this theory, when a thought appears in consciousness just prior to an action, is consistent with the action, and appears exclusive of salient alternative causes of the action, we experience conscious will and ascribe authorship to ourselves for the action. Experiences of conscious will thus arise from processes whereby the mind interprets itself – not from processes whereby mind creates action. Conscious will, in this view, is an indication that we think we have caused an action, not a revelation of the causal sequence by which the action was produced.
Selection of malonate‐resistant stromal cell‐derived osteoprogenitor cells in vitro

Bone marrow stromal cells give rise to osteoprogenitor cell (OPC) colonies, with characteristic mineralized bone nodules in vitro. During differentiation, OPCs in the culture are surrounded by heterogeneous populations of various cell lineages and by different OPC differentiation stages. In the present study, attempts were made to increase the homogeneity of OPCs in culture. The reliance on energy metabolism restricted to glycolysis, which is specific to the premineralizing skeletal cells, was tested as a selectable marker for cells in this stage. Day 12 alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and day 20–21 calcium precipitates were used as early and late OPC differentiation markers. Malonate, a competitive inhibitor of succinate dehydrogenase, was added to the OPC stimulation medium, to interfere with the Krebs cycle‐dependent energy metabolism operating in most of the stromal cells. OPCs that entered the stage of energy metabolism restricted to glycolysis were expected to become malonate resistant. Malonate showed dose and time dependence, 10 mM malonate added on day 3, decreased day 12 ALP activity/well to the lowest level. Variations in time and length of exposure to malonate used during the first 12 days of differentiation showed an inverse correlation between specific ALP activity and cell yield. Malonate‐treated variations of specific ALP and of cell yield indices were up to 30‐ to 40‐fold larger than variations within day 21 calcium precipitates. Thus, calcifying cells were almost unchanged relatively to noncalcifying cells. These results indicate that malonate‐resistant cells are mostly selected, rather than induced, to differentiate by malonate. The results also show that stromal derived OPCs undergo a similar biochemical stage as in chondrocytes. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cyclic AMP‐Elevating Agents Prevent Oligodendroglial Excitotoxicity

Abstract: Previously, we have demonstrated that cells of the oligodendroglial lineage express non‐NMDA glutamate receptor genes and are damaged by kainate‐induced Ca2+ influx via non‐NMDA glutamate receptor channels, representing oligodendroglial excitotoxicity. We find in the present study that agents that elevate intracellular cyclic AMP prevent oligodendroglial excitotoxicity. After oligodendrocyte‐like cells, differentiated from the CG‐4 cell line established from rat oligodendrocyte type‐2 astrocyte progenitor cells, were exposed to 2 mM kainate for 24 h, cell death was evaluated by measuring activity of lactate dehydrogenase released into the culture medium. Released lactate dehydrogenase increased about threefold when exposed to 2 mM kainate. Kainate‐induced cell death was prevented by one of the following agents: adenylate cyclase activator (forskolin), cyclic AMP analogues (dibutyryl cyclic AMP and 8‐bromo‐cyclic AMP), and cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase inhibitors (3‐isobutyl‐1‐methylxanthine, pentoxifylline, propentofylline, and ibudilast). Simultaneous addition of both forskolin and phosphodiesterase inhibitors prevented the kainate‐induced cell death in an additive manner. A remarkable increase in Ca2+ influx (∼5.5‐fold) also was induced by kainate. The cyclic AMP‐elevating agents caused a partial suppression of the kainate‐induced increase in Ca2+ influx, leading to a less prominent response of intracellular Ca2+ concentration to kainate. The suppressing effect of forskolin on the kainate‐induced Ca2+ influx was partially reversed by H‐89, an inhibitor of cyclic AMP‐dependent protein kinase. In contrast to this, okadaic acid, an inhibitor of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A, brought about a decrease in the kainate‐induced Ca2+ influx. We therefore concluded that cyclic AMP‐elevating agents prevented oligodendroglial excitotoxicity by cyclic AMP‐dependent protein kinase‐dependent protein phosphorylation, resulting in decreased kainate‐induced Ca2+ influx.
Splenic but not thymic autoreactive T cells from New Zealand Black mice respond to a dominant erythrocyte Band 3 peptide

Previous work from our laboratory suggested that erythrocyte Band 3 peptide 861–874 is the dominant epitope recognized by splenic T cells from adult New Zealand Black (NZB) mice that are developing autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (AIHA). Here, it is shown that splenic T cells from 6‐week‐old NZB mice mount a vigorous in vitro proliferative response to peptide 861–874 and some other selected Band 3 peptides. As the donors grow older, splenic T cells respond to an increasing number of Band 3 peptides and the magnitude of their response also becomes greater. Splenic T cells from 3‐week‐old NZB mice still responded vigorously to peptide 861–874 and Band 3. By contrast, neither thymocytes nor single‐positive CD4‐enriched thymus cells from NZB mice responded to peptide 861–874 or Band 3, although they responded to concanavalin A (Con A). However, thymocytes from mice expressing a transgenic T‐cell receptor (TCR)‐specific for myelin basic protein (MBP) peptide Ac 1–9 responded vigorously to Ac 1–9. It is considered that the T‐cell response of NZB mice to Band 3 is initially focused on peptide 861–874 and later spreads to other Band 3 peptides as the disease progresses and that peptide 861–874‐reactive T cells are primed in the periphery rather than the thymus.
Multiple Classifier Systems In Offline Handwritten Word Recognition - On The Influence Of Training Set And Vocabulary Size

Handwritten text recognition is one of the most difficult problems in the field of pattern recognition. Recently, a number of classifier creation methods, known as ensemble methods, have been proposed in the field of machine learning. It has been shown that these methods are able to substantially improve recognition performance in complex classification tasks. In this paper we examine the influence of the vocabulary size and the number of training samples on the performance of three ensemble methods in the context of handwritten word recognition. The experiments were conducted with two different offline hidden Markov model based handwritten word recognizers.
Effect of aerobic exercise and nutrition educationon quality of life and early menopause symptoms:A randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT The aim of the authors in this randomized controlled study was to assess the effect of exercise and nutrition education on quality of life and early menopausal symptoms. This trial was conducted in east Azerbaijan Province, Iran, during the period from 2013 to 2014 with 108 women allocated into one of four groups (n = 27 in each group) by block randomization. The interventions received by the three intervention groups were: nutrition education, aerobic exercise, or exercise plus nutrition education. The control group did not receive any intervention. The Greene and MENQOL menopause symptom scales were completed before and at 8 and 12 weeks after the intervention. The mean Greene score was significantly lower than the control group in the exercise (adjusted mean difference: −5.1) and exercise plus nutrition groups (−8.0) at the end of week 8 and in the nutrition (−4.8), exercise (−8.7), and exercise plus nutrition (−13.2) groups at the end of week 12. Also, the mean MENQOL score was significantly lower than the control group in the exercise (−8.3) and exercise plus nutrition groups (−13.8) at the end of week 8 and in the nutrition (−6.6), exercise (−13.5), and exercise plus nutrition (−22.1) groups at the end of week 12. Nutrition education with aerobic exercise can improve quality of life.
MMP8 polymorphism is associated with susceptibility to osteonecrosis of the femoral head in a Chinese Han population

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is an orthopedic refractory disease that adversely affects quality of life. Matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8) produced by the bone marrow has been implicated in the degradation of collagen during bone development. We assessed whether MMP8 polymorphisms are associated with ONFH. In a case-control study, using χ2 tests and genetic model analyses, we genotyped 5 MMP8 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 585 ONFH patients and 507 healthy control subjects in a Chinese Han population. The MMP8 rs11225394 SNP was associated with an increased risk of ONFH in an allele model (OR=1.34; 95% CI, 1.003-1.786, P=0.047). In addition, rs11225394 was associated with an increased risk of ONFH in a dominant model (OR =1.39, 95% CI, 1.02–1.89, P=0.036), over-dominant model (OR=1.39, 95% CI, 1.02–1.89, P=0.038), and log-additive model (OR =1.36, 95% CI, 1.01–1.84, P=0.039). After adjusting for age and gender, rs11225394 was associated with ONFH in a dominant (OR =1.44, 95% CI, 1.05–1.96, P=0.023), over-dominant (OR =1.44, 95% CI, 1.05–1.98, P=0.022), and log-additive model (OR =1.40, 95% CI, 1.04–1.90, P=0.027). These results provide the first evidence that MMP8 SNP at the rs11225394 locus is associated with the increased risk of ONFH in Chinese Han population.
A Novel Hybrid Evolution Optimization Algorithm and its Application

For the premature convergence and initial pheromone distribution problem of ant colony optimization algorithm, an improved particle swarm optimization (MPSO) algorithm is introduced into ant colony optimization algorithm in order to propose a novel hybrid evolution optimization (HEACO) algorithm in this paper. In the proposed HEACO algorithm, the ergodicity of the chaos is used to initialize the swarm in order to enhance the diversity of the particle swarm, and adjust the mutation probability and inertia weighting factor in order to improve the capability of local and global search. Then the MPSO algorithm is used to control the parameters of the heuristic factor, pheromone evaporation coefficient, and the stochastic selection threshold in order to effectively overcome the parameter influences of ACO, reduce the numbers of useless experiments and balance the developing optimal solution and enlarging search space. A series of typical traveling salesman problems are selected to validity the effectiveness of the proposed HEACO algorithm. The simulation results show that the performance of the proposed HEACO algorithm is better than the traditional ACO algorithm and PSO algorithm. So the proposed HEACO algorithm can effectively improve the solving efficiency and quality, and speed up the convergence and computation.
Intramuscular and Blood Pressures in Legs Positioned in the Hemilithotomy Position: Clarification of Risk Factors for Well-Leg Acute Compartment Syndrome

Background: Acute compartment syndrome has been widely reported in legs positioned in the lithotomy position for prolonged general surgical, urologic, and gynecologic procedures. The orthopaedic literature also contains reports of this complication in legs positioned on a fracture table in the hemilithotomy position. The purpose of this study was to identify the risk factors for development of acute compartment syndrome resulting from this type of leg positioning. Methods: Eight healthy volunteers were positioned on a fracture table. Intramuscular pressures were continuously measured with a slit catheter in all four compartments of the left leg with the subject supine, in the hemilithotomy position with the calf supported, and in the hemilithotomy position with the heel supported but the calf free. Blood pressure was measured intermittently with use of automated pressure cuffs. Results: Changing from the supine to the calf-supported position significantly increased the intramuscular pressure in the anterior compartment (from 11.6 to 19.4 mm Hg) and in the lateral compartment (from 13.0 to 25.8 mm Hg). Changing from the calf-supported to the heel-supported position significantly decreased intramuscular pressure in the anterior, lateral, and posterior compartments (to 2.8, 3.4, and 1.9 mm Hg, respectively). The mean diastolic blood pressure in the ankle averaged 63.9 mm Hg in the supine position, which significantly decreased to 34.6 mm Hg in the calf-supported position. Changing to the heel-supported position had no significant effect on the diastolic blood pressure in the ankle (mean, 32.8 mm Hg). The mean difference between intramuscular pressure and diastolic blood pressure in the supine position was approximately 50 mm Hg in each of the four compartments. This mean difference significantly decreased to <20 mm Hg in the calf-supported position and then, when the leg was moved into the heel-supported position, significantly increased to approximately 30 mm Hg in all compartments. Conclusions: The combination of increased intramuscular pressure due to external compression from the calf support and decreased perfusion pressure due to the elevated position causes a significant decrease in the difference between the diastolic blood pressure and the intramuscular pressure when the leg is placed in the hemilithotomy position in a well-leg holder on a fracture table. Combined with a prolonged surgical time, this position may cause an acute compartment syndrome of the well leg. Leaving the calf free, instead of using a standard well-leg holder, increases the difference between the diastolic blood pressure and the intramuscular pressure and may decrease the risk of acute compartment syndrome.
STAT3 Activation in Stromal/Osteoblastic Cells Is Required for Induction of the Receptor Activator of NF-κB Ligand and Stimulation of Osteoclastogenesis by gp130-utilizing Cytokines or Interleukin-1 but Not 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 or Parathyroid Hormone*

Interleukin (IL)-6-type cytokines stimulate osteoclastogenesis by activating gp130 in stromal/osteoblastic cells and may mediate some of the osteoclastogenic effects of other cytokines and hormones. To determine whether STAT3 is a downstream effector of gp130 in the osteoclast support function of stromal/osteoblastic cells and whether the gp130/STAT3 pathway is utilized by other osteoclastogenic agents, we conditionally expressed dominant negative (dn)-STAT3 or dn-gp130 in a stromal/osteoblastic cell line (UAMS-32) that supports osteoclast formation. Expression of either dominant negative protein abolished osteoclast formation stimulated by IL-6 + soluble IL-6 receptor, oncostatin M, or IL-1 but not by parathyroid hormone or 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. Because previous studies suggested that IL-6-type cytokines may stimulate osteoclastogenesis by inducing expression of the tumor necrosis factor-related protein, receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL), we conditionally expressed RANKL in UAMS-32 cells and found that this was sufficient to stimulate osteoclastogenesis. Moreover, dn-STAT3 blocked the ability of either IL-6 + soluble IL-6 receptor or oncostatin M to induce RANKL. These results establish that STAT3 is essential for gp130-mediated osteoclast formation and that the target of STAT3 during this process is induction of RANKL. In addition, this study demonstrates that activation of the gp130-STAT3 pathway in stromal/osteoblastic cells mediates the osteoclastogenic effects of IL-1, but not parathyroid hormone or 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3.
Social Media as an Indigenized Information World For Environmental Stewardship

The Mbeere people of Kenya are an 'Information World' (IW). Within this IW is a Facebook Group named UVA: Universal Voice for All-The Chance for Mbeere! (UVA). We describe how UVA, as a people-led social media space is being indigenized through the online activity of sharing information to meet environmental stewardship needs. By indigenized we refer to the process of rendering meaning intuitive to a place or people. Our ethnographic research methods include field observations; content analysis of social media; and semi-structured interviews with individuals and talking circles. We suggest tools and processes to further foster indigeneity on sites like UVA, and conclude that through such indigenization, UVA and other people-led social media spaces represent a new frontier in the application of African Sage wisdom for HCI design of indigenous environmental platforms.
The changing environment of personal information systems

Recent technological developments are changing the context, and may change the content and form, of personal information systems. Major developments causing such changes are (1) a substantial increase in the commercially available support services, (2) a proliferation of microcomputer systems claiming to support personal systems, (3) the capability to download citations from secondary services into private files, and (4) a developing awareness of, or desire to, incorporate the computer‐based personal system into a broader, integrated information environment which would include other functions such as electronic mail, automated office functions, etc. These developments raise economic questions for the user, will affect efforts to standardize system interfaces, and may bring basic changes in the ways an individual develops and uses his personal information system.