Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Coordinate regulation of renal expression of nitric oxide synthase, renin, and angiotensinogen mRNA by dietary salt.

Experiments were performed to examine the effect of changes in dietary salt intake on the neuronal form of the constitutive nitric oxide synthase (ncNOS, type I NOS), renin, and angiotensinogen mRNA expression in the kidney. Three groups of Sprague-Dawley rats were studied as follows: rats maintained on a 3% Na diet plus 0.45% NaCl in the drinking fluid for 7 days (high salt), rats given a single injection of furosemide (2 mg/kg i.p.) and a 0.03% Na diet for 7 days (low salt), and rats on a diet containing 0.2% Na (control). mRNA expression was assessed with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) methods using cDNA prepared from samples of renal cortex and microdissected tubular segments. ncNOS PCR products were quantified by comparison with a dilution series of a mutant deletion template. Compared with their respective control, ncNOS mRNA levels in renal cortical tissue were elevated in rats on a low-salt diet and reduced in rats on a high-salt diet. Similar changes were seen in the expression of renin and angiotensinogen mRNA. Dietary salt intake did not alter the mRNA levels for ncNOS from the inner medulla or for endothelial constitutive NOS (ecNOS, type III NOS) and inducible NOS (iNOS, type II NOS) in the renal cortex. ncNOS mRNA was found in glomeruli dissected with the macula densa-containing segment (MDCS), but only at marginal levels in glomeruli without MDCS. Furthermore, a low-salt diet stimulated ncNOS mRNA in glomeruli with MDCS by 6.2-fold compared with a high-salt diet. There was no effect of salt diet on ncNOS mRNA in glomeruli without MDCS or in inner medullary collecting ducts. These results suggest that ncNOS expression in macula densa cells is inversely regulated by salt intake, thus following the known response of the renin-angiotensin system to changes in salt balance.
Parameter Estimation for HOSVD-based Approximation of Temporally Coherent Mesh Sequences

This paper is focused on the problem of parameter selection for approximation of animated 3D meshes (Temporally Coherent Mesh Sequences, TCMS) using Higher Order Singular Value Decomposition (HOSVD). The main application of this approximation is data compression. Traditionally, the approximation was done using matrix decomposition, but recently proposed tensor methods (e.g. HOSVD) promise to be more effective. However, the parameter selection for tensor-based methods is more complex and difficult than for matrix decomposition. We focus on the key parameter, the value of N-rank, which has major impact on data reduction rate and approximation error. We present the effect of N-rank choice on approximation performance in the form of rate-distortion curve. We show how to quickly create this curve by estimating the reconstruction error resulting from the N-rank approximation of TCMS data. We also inspect the reliability of created estimator. Application of proposed method improves performance of practical application of HOSVD for TCMS approximation.
Sex and Region‐Specific Regulation of Oestrogen Receptor β in the Rat Hypothalamus

Sexual dimorphism in the expression of oestrogen receptor (ER)β mRNA and protein was characterized in the rostral forebrain of the rat and its dependence on the neonatal endocrine environment was revealed. We present novel data demonstrating, in gonadectomized adult rats, that the amount of oestrogen caused a significant reduction in the number of ERβ messages and protein in the ventromedial nucleus in both sexes, but no such effects were detected in the preoptic area or the amygdala. In gonadectomized females, more so than in males, the ventromedial nucleus of the adult rat contained a significantly larger number of ERβ‐positive neurones both in terms of ERβ mRNA and protein. In the juvenile rat on day 14, sex difference in ERβ expression was already observed in the ventromedial nucleus. Treatment of neonatal females with oestrogen from days 1–10 or neonatal orchidectomy of males reversed the sex difference in the ventromedial nucleus when observed on day 14, showing that the neonatal presence of oestrogen had caused irreversible masculinization of this structure. Our results suggest that sex‐specific expression of ERβ is patterned by perinatal hormone exposure: down‐regulation of ERβ caused by oestrogen in a region‐specific manner.
Modified Bova score for risk stratification and short-term outcome in acute pulmonary embolism.

INTRODUCTION Risk stratification in acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is crucial to identify those patients with a poorer prognosis. We aimed to investigate a modified Bova score for risk stratification in acute PE. MATERIALS AND METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis of PE patients treated in the internal medicine department. Both haemodynamically stable and unstable PE patients, ≥ 18 years with measurements of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and existing echocardiography were included in the analysis. RESULTS Data from 130 patients were included for this retrospective analysis. Three patients (2.3%) died in hospital; 84 patients had a Bova score of < 4 points and 46 ≥ 4 points. PE patients with a score ≥ 4 points were older (71.2 ± 13.8 vs. 66.3 ± 15.5 years, p = 0.0733), died more frequently during the in-hospital course (6.5% vs. 0.0%, p = 0.0183), had a more prevalent high-risk PE status (10.9% vs. 1.2%, p = 0.0122), more often had right ventricular dysfunction (100.0% vs. 35.7%, p < 0.000001), presented more frequently with syncope/collapse (21.7% vs. 3.6%, p = 0.00101) and had a higher heart rate (104.6 ± 23.5 vs. 90.0 ± 20.6/min, p = 0.000143), shock index (0.91 ± 0.59 vs. 0.62 ± 0.18, p = 0.000232), cTnI (0.36 ± 0.42 vs. 0.03± 0.10ng/ml, p < 0.000001) and creatinine (1.32 ± 0.50 vs. 1.03 ± 0.27 mg/dl, p = 0.000170). Adjusted multivariate logistic regressions revealed significant associations between the Bova score and in-hospital death (OR 4.172, 95% CI 1.125-15.464, p = 0.0326) as well as pneumonia based on PE-related lung infarction (OR 1.207, 95% CI 1.005-1.449, p = 0.0442). ROC analysis for Bova score predicting in-hospital death and pneumonia based on PE-related lung infarction showed area under the curve values of 0.908 and 0.606 with Bova score cut-off values of 3.5 points and 1.5 points, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The modified Bova score is highly effective to predict poorer outcome in acute PE.
Activating and Inhibitory Mutations in Adjacent Tyrosines in the Kinase Domain of ZAP-70 (*)

ZAP-70 is a 70-kDa protein tyrosine kinase, expressed exclusively in T cells and NK cells, and plays a critical role in mediating T cell activation in response to T cell receptor engagement. The strong correlation between tyrosine phosphorylation of ZAP-70 and its acquisition of increased kinase activity suggests that it is positively regulated by tyrosine phosphorylation. Previously, we identified tyrosines 492 and 493 of ZAP-70 as being sites of in vivo phosphorylation in response to T cell receptor engagement. To determine the role of phosphorylation in regulating ZAP-70 activity, we mutated each of these tyrosines individually to phenylalanine. When expressed in COS cells, Y493F-mutated ZAP-70 demonstrated normal basal kinase activity, but, unlike wild type ZAP-70, could not be activated by tyrosine phosphorylation induced by incubation with pervanadate or by co-expression of constitutively activated Lck. This suggests that Tyr-493 phosphorylation is required for the tyrosine phosphorylation-induced activation of ZAP-70. The Y492F mutation resulted in 4-fold higher basal kinase activity, which could be stimulated further by tyrosine phosphorylation. These results reveal that critical tyrosine residues in the kinase domain of ZAP-70 are important in regulation of its catalytic activity.
Backscattering from a randomly rough dielectric surface

A backscattering model for scattering from a randomly rough dielectric surface is developed. Both like- and cross-polarized scattering coefficients are obtained. The like-polarized scattering coefficients contain single scattering terms and multiple scattering terms. The single scattering terms are shown to reduce to the first-order solutions derived from the small perturbation method when the roughness parameters satisfy the slightly rough conditions. When surface roughnesses are large but the surface slope is small, only a single scattering term corresponding to the standard Kirchhoff model is significant. If the surface slope is large, the multiple scattering term will also be significant. The cross-polarized backscattering coefficients satisfy reciprocity and contain only multiple scattering terms. The difference between vertical and horizontal scattering coefficients increases with the dielectric constant and is generally smaller than that predicted by the first-order small perturbation model. Good agreements are obtained between this model and measurements from statistically known surfaces. >
A systems biology approach identifies the biochemical mechanisms regulating monoterpenoid essential oil composition in peppermint

The integration of mathematical modeling and experimental testing is emerging as a powerful approach for improving our understanding of the regulation of metabolic pathways. In this study, we report on the development of a kinetic mathematical model that accurately simulates the developmental patterns of monoterpenoid essential oil accumulation in peppermint (Mentha × piperita). This model was then used to evaluate the biochemical processes underlying experimentally determined changes in the monoterpene pathway under low ambient-light intensities, which led to an accumulation of the branchpoint intermediate (+)-pulegone and the side product (+)-menthofuran. Our simulations indicated that the environmentally regulated changes in monoterpene profiles could only be explained when, in addition to effects on biosynthetic enzyme activities, as yet unidentified inhibitory effects of (+)-menthofuran on the branchpoint enzyme pulegone reductase (PR) were assumed. Subsequent in vitro analyses with recombinant protein confirmed that (+)-menthofuran acts as a weak competitive inhibitor of PR (Ki = 300 μM). To evaluate whether the intracellular concentration of (+)-menthofuran was high enough for PR inhibition in vivo, we isolated essential oil-synthesizing secretory cells from peppermint leaves and subjected them to steam distillations. When peppermint plants were grown under low-light conditions, (+)-menthofuran was selectively retained in secretory cells and accumulated to very high levels (up to 20 mM), whereas under regular growth conditions, (+)-menthofuran levels remained very low (<400 μM). These results illustrate the utility of iterative cycles of mathematical modeling and experimental testing to elucidate the mechanisms controlling flux through metabolic pathways.
Culture History and Population Heterogeneity as Determinants of Bacterial Adaptation: the Adaptomics of a Single Environmental Transition

SUMMARY Diversity in adaptive responses is common within species and populations, especially when the heterogeneity of the frequently large populations found in environments is considered. By focusing on events in a single clonal population undergoing a single transition, we discuss how environmental cues and changes in growth rate initiate a multiplicity of adaptive pathways. Adaptation is a comprehensive process, and stochastic, regulatory, epigenetic, and mutational changes can contribute to fitness and overlap in timing and frequency. We identify culture history as a major determinant of both regulatory adaptations and microevolutionary change. Population history before a transition determines heterogeneities due to errors in translation, stochastic differences in regulation, the presence of aged, damaged, cheating, or dormant cells, and variations in intracellular metabolite or regulator concentrations. It matters whether bacteria come from dense, slow-growing, stressed, or structured states. Genotypic adaptations are history dependent due to variations in mutation supply, contingency gene changes, phase variation, lateral gene transfer, and genome amplifications. Phenotypic adaptations underpin genotypic changes in situations such as stress-induced mutagenesis or prophage induction or in biofilms to give a continuum of adaptive possibilities. Evolutionary selection additionally provides diverse adaptive outcomes in a single transition and generally does not result in single fitter types. The totality of heterogeneities in an adapting population increases the chance that at least some individuals meet immediate or future challenges. However, heterogeneity complicates the adaptomics of single transitions, and we propose that subpopulations will need to be integrated into future population biology and systems biology predictions of bacterial behavior.
Mood Regulation Expectancies, Coping Responses, Depression, and Sense of Burden in Female Caregivers of Alzheimer's Patients

This study focused on the role of generalized expectancies for negative mood regulation in coping among caregivers to Alzheimer's disease patients. Self-report measures were used to obtain information on expectancies, hassles, coping strategies, depressive symptoms, and sense of burden from 73 female primary caregivers in support groups. Stronger expectancies for negative mood regulation were associated with less severe depressive symptoms, even with stress levels and coping responses controlled. These expectancies were also associated with less avoidant coping, but were unrelated to active coping. Burden and depressive symptoms were strongly related, but correlated differently with other variables.
Consumers' perspective on dual-purpose chickens as alternative to the killing of day-old chicks

The usage of dual‐purpose chicken breeds – a chicken breed which provides meat and eggs at the same time is one of the discussed alternatives to prevent cockerel chicks of laying hens from being killed for economic reasons. Therefore, the aim of this study is to analyse consumers’ perspective on dual‐purpose chickens. To get an insight into consumers’ perspective, we initially conducted six focus groups with German consumers focussing on their chicken meat and egg preferences, perception of chicken farming and attitudes towards dual‐purpose chicken breeds. The results show that most of the participants were aware of the killing of day‐old chicks. However, alternatives were scarcely known. After giving the participants information about dual‐purpose chickens, they were generally in favour of this chicken breed. Some participants raised concerns regarding the economic efficiency and the higher product prices. For others, ethical values predominated. All in all, the results demonstrate that the discussants have specific expectations regarding the husbandry conditions but also regarding the product characteristics and the labelling of dual‐purpose chickens.
De Novo Recruitment of Antigen-Experienced and Naive T Cells Contributes to the Long-Term Maintenance of Antiviral T Cell Populations in the Persistently Infected Central Nervous System1

Mice infected with attenuated strains of mouse hepatitis virus, strain JHM, develop a chronic infection in the brain and spinal cord characterized by low levels of viral Ag persistence and retention of virus-specific CD4 and CD8 T cells at the site of infection. It is not known whether these cells are maintained by proliferation of T cells that entered the CNS during acute infection or are newly recruited from Ag-experienced or naive T cell pools. In this study, using adoptive transfer experiments and bone marrow chimeras, we show that at least some of these cells are recruited from the periphery, predominantly from the viral Ag-experienced T cell pool. Both virus-specific CD4 and CD8 T cells are functional, as assessed by cytokine expression and degranulation after peptide exposure. In addition, populations of virus-specific CD4 T cells undergo dynamic changes in the infected CNS, as previously shown for CD8 T cells, because ratios of cells responding to two CD4 T cell epitopes change by a factor of five during the course of persistence. Collectively, these results show that maintenance of T cell responses in the virus-infected CNS is a dynamic process. Further, virus-specific T cell numbers at this site of infection are maintained by recruitment from peripheral Ag-experienced and naive T cell pools.
Fast and Structure-Preserving Image Inpainting Based on Probabilistic Structure Estimation

This paper presents a novel inpainting method based on structure estimation. The method first estimates an initial image that captures the rough structure and colors in the missing region. This image is generated by probabilistically estimating the gradient within the missing region based on edge segments intersecting its boundary, and then by flooding the colors on the boundary into the missing region. The color flooding is formulated as an energy minimization problem, and is efficiently optimized by the conjugate gradient method. Finally, by locally replacing the missing region with local patches similar to both the adjacent patches and the initial image, the inpainted image is synthesized. The initial image not only serves as a guide to ensure the underlying structure is preserved, but also allows the patch selection process to be carried out in a greedy manner, which leads to substantial speedup. Experimental results show the proposed method is capable of preserving the underlying structure in the missing region, while achieving more than 5 times faster computational speed than the state-of-the-art inpainting method. Subjective evaluation of image quality also shows the proposed method outperforms the previous methods. key words: image inpainting, image completion, texture synthesis, image structure
Is duration of hospital participation in meaningful use associated with value in Medicare?

Abstract Objectives “Meaningful Use” (MU) of electronic health records (EHRs) is a measure used by Medicare to determine whether hospitals are comprehensively using electronic tools. Whether hospitals’ engagement in value-based initiatives such as MU is associated with value—defined as high quality and low costs—is unknown. Our objectives were to describe hospital participation in MU, and determine whether duration of participation is associated with value. Materials and Methods We linked national Medicare data with MU and other hospital-level and market data. We analyzed bivariate relationships to characterize duration of participation. We estimated inverse probability-weighted multilevel logistic regressions to evaluate whether duration of participation was associated with higher likelihood of value—operationalized as having performance on 30-day readmission and inpatient spending at or below the national average. Results Of 2860 short-term hospitals, 59% had 4 or 5 years of MU participation by 2015; 7% had 1 or 2 years. There were differences by duration of participation across location, ownership, and size. Seventeen percent of hospitals were classified as high-value. Controlling for hospital characteristics, and holding constant market location, there was no evidence of a statistical association between duration of participation and value (odds ratio = 1.05, 95% confidence interval: 0.91–1.21; P = .51). Examining the 2 outcomes separately, there was a significant relationship between duration of participation and lower Medicare inpatient spending, but not 30-day readmission. Discussion Sustained participation in MU is associated with lower Medicare spending, but not with lower readmission rates. Conclusion Policy interventions aimed at increasing value may need a broader focus than EHR implementation and use.
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation across major genetic barriers

The first successful demonstration that effective T cell depletion can enable immune reconstitution without causing graft versus host disease (GVHD) was achieved in 1980 using lectin-separated hematopoietic stem cells. In leukemia patients undergoing supralethal radio- and chemotherapy, T cell-depleted transplants are vigorously rejected by residual host T cells; this barrier was first overcome in 1993 by the use of megadose stem cell transplants. This clinical observation can be explained, in part, by the demonstration that cells within the CD34 compartments, as well as their immediate early myeloid progeny, are endowed with veto activity. Engraftment of mismatched hematopoietic stem cells following reduced intensity conditioning, still represents a major challenge. Progress has been made recently by using anti-3rd party veto CTLs and T regulatory cells.
Genetic diversity of HIV in Africa: impact on diagnosis, treatment, vaccine development and trials

AIDS is caused by two lentiviruses: HIV-1 and HIV-2. AIDS was first recognized in the 1980s and is presently the leading cause of death in developing countries. Globally it is believed that 40 million individuals have been infected with HIV of which approximately 70% live in sub-Saharan Africa. There is currently no cure or vaccine for AIDS. One of the major characteristics of lentiviruses is their extensive genetic variability which is the result of the high error rate the recombinogenic properties of the reverse transcriptase enzyme and the fast turnover of virions in HIV-infected individuals. (excerpt)
Contributions of the Frontal and Medial Temporal Lobes to Recognition Memory Performance in Young Adults

Previous research with older adults suggests that the frontal lobes and the medial temporal lobes play an important role in recognition memory. The goal of this study was to investigate the impact of high/low frontal lobe and medial temporal lobe status in younger adults’ recognition memory performance. Twenty-four college-aged women completed a neuropsychological battery and a recognition memory task. Behavioral and event related potential (ERP) data were collected during the recognition memory task. The results indicated that, in young adults, the medial temporal lobe showed the greatest contribution in both the old/new effect and in subsequent recollection and familiarity responses, with frontal lobe contributing minimally to either the old/new judgment or the recollection and familiarity judgment. In summary, though the frontal lobe plays a great role in the differentiation of recollect/familiar responses in older adults, we do not see this pattern in young adults. This suggests a developmental change occurring in the frontal lobe in older adulthood, where the frontal lobe assumes a bigger role in judgments succeeding the old/new judgment, either due to compensatory mechanisms or dedifferentiation.