Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nucleotides and divalent cations as effectors and modulators of exocytosis in permeabilized rat mast cells.

The idea that the universal trigger to exocytosis (the terminal step in the secretory process) is an elevation of the cytosol concentration of Ca2+, and that it is dependent on ATP, is no longer tenable. Working with streptolysin-O-permeabilized mast cells (and other myeloid cells) we have shown that non-hydrolysable analogues of GTP can stimulate exocytosis after depletion of Ca2+ (i.e. at concentrations below 10(-9) M) and ATP. Such Ca2+- and ATP-independent exocytosis is strongly dependent on the presence of Mg2+, and the requirement for Mg2+ declines as the concentration of Ca2+ is brought up to 10(-7) M. We argue that Ca2+ serves to regulate the binding of guanine nucleotides to GE, a GTP-binding protein that regulates exocytosis through its interaction with CE, a calcium-binding protein which serves as an intracellular pseudo-receptor. The onset of exocytosis, following provision of Ca2+ and guanine nucleotides to the permeabilized cells, is preceded by delays which are sensitive to the order of provision of the two effectors (i.e. Ca2+ and guanine nucleotides), the presence or absence of Mg2+, and the identity of the activating guanine nucleotide. In view of the similarity of these features with the activation kinetics of adenylyl cyclase, we argue that GE behaves as a member of the heterotrimeric class of signal transducing G-proteins such as GS.
Glucocorticoids and Their Actions: An Introduction

Glucocorticoids regulate a variety of growth, metabolic, developmental, and immune functions and play a pivotal role in preserving basal and stress-related homeostasis.1–3 They also represent one of the most widely prescribed drugs worldwide. During the last 50 years, pharmacologic doses of glucocorticoids have been used in the treatment of inflammatory, autoimmune, and lymphoproliferative diseases, and in the prevention of graft rejection, while substitution doses have been employed in the management of adrenocortical insufficiency states.1–3 Glucocorticoids exert their effects through the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), which belongs to the superfamily of nuclear receptors that function as ligand-dependent transcription factors.4,5 Alternative splicing of the human (h) GR in exon 9 generates two highly homologous receptor isoforms, hGRα and hGRβ, which are identical through amino acid 727, but differ at their carboxyl-termini. hGRα is ubiquitously expressed in almost all human tissues and cells and represents the classic GR that functions as a ligand-dependent transcription factor, whereas hGRβ does not bind glucocorticoids and inhibits the transcriptional activity of hGRα in a dose-dependent manner.6–8 In the absence of ligand, hGRα resides mostly in the cytoplasm of cells as part of a large multiprotein complex, which consists of the receptor polypeptide, two molecules of heat-shock protein (hsp)-90, and several other proteins. Upon ligand binding, hGRα dissociates from the hsps and translocates into the nucleus of cells, where it modulates the transcriptional activity of glucocorticoid-responsive genes in either of two ways: by binding to specific sequences in the promoter region of target genes, the glucocorticoid-response elements (GREs), or through protein–protein interactions with other transcription factors, such as nuclear factor (NF)-κB, activator protein-1 (AP-1), and several signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs). 9–11 Newly characterized nuclear receptor coregulators (coactivators or corepressors) may also enhance or attenuate glucocorticoid signal transduction
Antibody Responses to Meningococcal Polysaccharide Vaccines

Over the past 4 years 19 lots of group C polysaccharide vaccine and five lots of group A polysaccharide vaccine have been tested for their immunogenicity in man. For each lot tested, groups of 18 to 50 men received 50 μg of vaccine subcutaneously. Sera were obtained prior to and 2 weeks after vaccination. The analytical and serological methods used in these studies were Sepharose 4B chromatography for the estimation of molecular size, the radioactive antigen binding assay, and the indirect hemagglutination (IHA) test for measuring the antibody response. Results have shown that the radioactive antigen binding assay is preferable to the IHA test as a measure of antibody response. Group C meningococcal vaccines have been highly stable when stored at 4 C in powdered form. All lots of group C vaccine tested to date have been of equal potency, with molecular weight varying from 520,000 to 2,000,000. Group A polysaccharides have been found to be unstable after 2 years of storage at 4 C. Optimal antibody response to the group A vaccines appears to be directly related to the molecular size of the preparation.
THE EFFECT OF PARASITISM ON HOST FECUNDITY IS DEPENDENT ON TEMPERATURE IN A COCKROACH–ACANTHOCEPHALAN SYSTEM

The fitness of infected organisms can vary greatly depending on the temperature at which they find themselves. Understanding the role of temperature in the fitness of infected organisms can be crucial to population studies, epidemiological studies, and when screening for biological control agents. We measured the effect of parasitism on host survival and reproduction at 4 constant temperatures using the acanthocephalan parasite Moniliformis moniliformis and its intermediate host, the cockroach Supella longipalpa. Infection did not affect cockroach survival at any temperature. Infection had a negative impact on cockroach fecundity but only at higher temperatures (28 and 31 C) and only later in infection (>20 days postinfection). At lower temperatures, infected and uninfected cockroaches had similar fecundities throughout the duration of the experiment (120 days). This study, along with previous studies, suggests that researchers would do well to consider environmental variables when exploring the effects of parasitism.
Dimensioning and system level analysis of an HSDPA network with relaying nodes

Multi-hop relaying techniques are currently being investigated as a potential candidate technology for increasing the throughput and coverage of existing radio communication systems. This paper provides a link level analysis of multi-hop radio transmission indicating the improvement in received signal power and SNR that it offers. It also deals with the issue of deployment dimensioning and the impact that relay positioning and transmit power setting has on multi-hop gain. System simulation of a UMTS-HSDPA cellular network is performed to both validate the findings of the link level analysis, providing an indication of gain afforded to the use of fixed relaying nodes. The results indicate that in the case of correct relay positioning and transmit power setting a gain in average packet call throughput of 75% was achievable with an increase in system capacity, however this was shown to be dependent on correct positioning of the relay and setting of transmit power. BS L − . In order to demonstrate the origins of multi-hop gain, a comparison of the received signal power at the MS in the case of the link illustrated in Fig. 1 and a direct BS to MS link is presented.
Photon-photon to atom-photon entanglement transfer

Implementation of a quantum network with single atoms as quantum nodes and single photons as channels between the nodes requires their interfacing in receiver mode, whereby the photonic qubit is mapped onto the internal degrees of freedom of the atom [1]. Combining such a receiver interface with a source of entangled photon pairs enables the distribution of entanglement between network nodes. We implemented the heralded state-mapping protocol of [2] between a narrowband entangled-photon source and a single trapped 40Ca+ ion and transferred photon-photon to atom-photon entanglement.
A Balanced Route Design for Min-Max Multiple-Depot Rural Postman Problem (MMMDRPP): a police patrolling case

ABSTRACT Providing distributed services on road networks is an essential concern for many applications, such as mail delivery, logistics and police patrolling. Designing effective and balanced routes for these applications is challenging, especially when involving multiple postmen from distinct depots. In this research, we formulate this routing problem as a Min-Max Multiple-Depot Rural Postman Problem (MMMDRPP). To solve this routing problem, we develop an efficient tabu-search-based algorithm and propose three novel lower bounds to evaluate the routes. To demonstrate its practical usefulness, we show how to formulate the route design for police patrolling in London as an MMMDRPP and generate balanced routes using the proposed algorithm. Furthermore, the algorithm is tested on multiple adapted benchmark problems. The results demonstrate the efficiency of the algorithm in generating balanced routes.
Adoption of Electronic Health Records in Primary Care Pediatric Practices

BACKGROUND. Electronic health records may improve care delivery. Although professional organizations and federal agencies encourage widespread adoption, no national data are available regarding the penetration of electronic health records into primary care pediatric practices. METHODS. We used a national mail survey of 1000 randomly selected primary care pediatricians conducted from August to November 2005. RESULTS. The response rate was 58%. Overall, 21.3% of respondents had an electronic health record in their practice. The likelihood of having an electronic health record increased with practice size. Those in a practice network were more likely to have an electronic health record than those in other settings. Smaller and independent practices were less likely to be considering implementing an electronic health record. Although most electronic health records include some pediatric-specific functionality such as the ability to record immunizations, many do not offer decision support; only approximately one third included immunization prompts or alerts for abnormal laboratory results. Cost was a barrier for nearly all of those without an electronic health record; half of the respondents questioned whether electronic health records lead to improvement in quality of care, and many could not identify an electronic health record that would meet their practice requirements. CONCLUSIONS. Electronic health records are concentrated in larger and networked pediatric practices. Smaller and independent pediatric practices, the most common types of practice, are unlikely to adopt electronic health records until the cost of implementing and maintaining the systems decreases, developing standards for interoperability are adopted, and electronic health records are widely perceived to improve quality of care by practicing general pediatricians. The lack of decision support in current electronic health records may limit the ability of these tools to improve care delivery.
Study examining fullerene toxicity raises questions as to the purity of the nanomaterials and erroneous experimental conclusions.

To the Editor, We are compelled to comment on a recent article in your journal “C60 Exposure Augments Cardiac Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury and Coronary Artery Contraction in Sprague Dawley Rats; 138(2), 365–378” by Thompson1 in which various conclusions were made concerning the toxicity of C60. In this study, insoluble C60 was mixed with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and used to challenge rats which were then surgically induced to examine various cardiovascular toxicity parameters. Both intravenously (IV) and intratracheally (IT) exposure to the C60-PVP mixture resulted in expansion of myocardial infarction in male and female rats following I/R injury, elevated inflammatory cytokines, and augmented vasocontraction of coronary arteries.
RTDS-based real time simulations of grid-connected wind turbine generator systems

This paper presents the modeling and analysis of grid-connected wind turbine systems using real time digital simulator (RTDS). The different modeled systems of wind turbine generator systems (WTGS) such as permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG), induction generator (IG), synchronous generator (SG) and doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) are simulated. Three control schemes for 3 MW WTGSs of squirrel cage induction generator (SCIG), DFIG with back-to-back converter and PMSG with back-to-back converter are designed for the modeled systems. The simulation results show the performances of each type of WTGS under the same wind speed pattern. It has been verified that the RTDS based realtime simulations of grid-connected wind turbine generator systems to be effectively employed to evaluate the control schemes and output performances of different types of WTGSs.
Epidémiologie des infections liées au virus de l'hépatite C en France

Actuellement, en France, on estime que 600 000 adultes sont porteurs d'anticorps anti-VHC et seulement 10 a 15% connaissent leur infection. Les modes de transmission majoritaires, transfusion sanguine ou toxicomanie intraveineuse, representent 60% des infections. Des modes de transmission mineurs ont egalement ete identifies: professionnel, intra-familial, notamment vertical. Une source nosocomiale est evoquee dans environ 15% des cas, en rapport avec une decontamination insuffisante du materiel. Dans 20 % des cas, aucun facteur de risque n'est identifie. Le diagnostic est habituellement fait tardivement, en moyenne 10 ans apres la contamination, et une cirrhose est deja presente dans environ 20% des cas au moment du diagnostic. La frequence de la cirrhose depend probablement, outre la duree de l'infection, du mode de transmission ; une cirrhose est plus frequente chez les transfuses que chez les toxicomanes. Cette difference pourrait etre en partie liee a des genotypes differents : genotype 1b majoritaire chez les transfuses et genotype 3a plus frequent chez les toxicomanes. Une modification recente de la frequence relative des genotypes avec diffusion et augmentation de frequence du genotype 3a pourrait conduire a une modification de l'epidemiologie du VHC, dont les consequences restent a determiner.
Data-driven design of implicit force control for industrial robots

Standard control design for robot implicit force control is a typical example of model-based regulator synthesis. This paper proposes a method to improve closed-loop performance of standard model-based controllers for robot implicit force control in terms of closed-loop model matching, between desired and achieved closed-loop behaviour. To this end, a data-driven controller design method, based on the Virtual Reference Feedback Tuning (VRFT) approach, is introduced. Advantages in terms of robustness with respect to unknown environment stiffness are discussed and demonstrated. The effectiveness of the proposed control strategy is experimentally validated on an industrial robot equipped with a force sensor.
Dichotomy of Ca2+ Signals Triggered by Different Phospholipid Pathways in Antigen Stimulation of Human Mast Cells*

Mast cell activation triggers Ca2+ signals and the release of enzyme-containing granules, events that play a major role in allergic/hypersensitivity reactions. However, the precise molecular mechanisms that regulate antigen-triggered degranulation and Ca2+ fluxes in human mast cells are still poorly understood. Here we show, for the first time, that a receptor can trigger Ca2+ via two separate molecular mechanisms. Using an antisense approach, we show that IgE-antigen stimulation of human bone marrow-derived mast cells triggers a sphingosine kinase (SPHK) 1-mediated fast and transient Ca2+ release from intracellular stores. However, phospholipase C (PLC) γ1 triggers a second (slower) wave of calcium release from intracellular stores, and it is this PLCγ1-generated signal that is responsible for Ca2+entry. Surprisingly, FcεRI (a high affinity receptor for IgE)-triggered mast cell degranulation depends on the first, sphingosine kinase-mediated Ca2+ signal. These two pathways act independently because antisense knock down of either enzyme does not interfere with the activity of the other enzyme. Of interest, similar to PLCγ1, SPHK1 translocates rapidly to the membrane after FcεRI cross-linking. Here we also show that SPHK1 activity depends on phospholipase D1 and that FcεRI-triggered mast cell degranulation depends primarily on the activation of both phospholipase D1 and SPHK1.
[Inhibition of cell growth by rapamycin through targeting mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway in nasopharyngeal carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE To study the effects of rapamycin on cell growth and cell cycle in CNE-1 and CNE-2 cells. METHODS Growth inhibition effect of rapamycin on CNE-1 and CNE-2 cells were assessed by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Morphological alterations of the cells were observed by microscope. Cell cycle and cell apoptosis were analyzed by FCM. The expression of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) was analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS The growth of CNE-1 and CNE-2 cells was inhibited significantly by rapamycin dose-dependently. FCM showed that CNE-1 and CNE-2 cells at 48 hours after rapamycin (150 nmol/L) treatment were arrested in the G0/G1 phase of cell cycle. However rapamycin treatment did not significantly induce apoptosis of CNE-1 and CNE-2 cells (P > 0.05). RT-PCR showed that rapamycin significantly inhibited mRNA expression of mTOR in CNE-2 cells (t = 10.625, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Rapamycin inhibits the growth of CNE-1 and CNE-2 cells by inhibiting the progression of cell cycle, which could be achieved through decreasing the expression of mTOR.
Fracture Properties Evaluation of Cellulose Nanocrystals Cement Paste

Due to the need for high-performance and sustainable building materials, the investigation of the determination of fracture toughness of cement paste using new and sustainable materials, such as cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) is worthwhile. Contrary to other well-known nano-reinforcement particles, such as carbon nanotubes, CNCs are less toxic; therefore, they have less safety and environmental risks. Fracture behavior of cement paste has been studied intensively for a long time. However, the incorporation of new materials in the cement paste, such as cellulose nanocrystal materials (CNCs), has not been fully investigated. In this paper, the fracture behavior, compressive strength, and hydration properties of cement paste reinforced with cellulose nanocrystal particles were studied. At the age of 3, 7, and 28 days, a three-point bending moment test, and a calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis were performed on the water-to-binder-weight ratio of 0.35 cement paste, containing 0.0%, 0.2%, and 1.0% volume cellulose nanocrystals. Results indicated that the fracture properties and compressive strength were improved for the sample containing 0.2% CNCs. Preliminary results indicate that CNCs can improve the fracture behavior of cementitious materials and can be considered as a renewable and sustainable material in construction.
Pro‐Opiomelanocortin Expression in a Metastatic Breast Carcinoma with Ectopic ACTH Secretion

Abstract: Cushing's syndrome secondary to ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) secretion is rarely observed in breast carcinoma and only four cases have been previously published. We report here the case of a 50‐year‐old woman who presented with a history of diffuse bone pain associated with multiple hepatic, pulmonary, and bone metastases. A core needle biopsy specimen revealed an invasive ductal carcinoma in the right breast. The patient subsequently developed an ACTH‐dependent paraneoplastic Cushing's syndrome and she died of arrhythmia and heart failure, despite treatment. At autopsy, immunohistochemical staining showed chromogranin A and ACTH positivity in the breast tumor and a lung metastasis. The mRNA expression of the pro‐opiomelanocortin (POMC) gene was detected in tumoral cells by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR). This is the first case of Cushing's syndrome secondary to ectopic ACTH secretion where the presence of ACTH by immunohistochemistry and the expression of the POMC gene by RT‐PCR have both been demonstrated in a breast carcinoma with metastases. The clinical history and the pathologic findings are presented with the methods and results of the molecular analysis. This case illustrates an example of ectopic ACTH syndrome in a breast carcinoma with neuroendocrine (NE) differentiation. This NE phenotype is directly related to the synthesis of ACTH by the tumoral cells. It should be kept in mind that an ectopic ACTH syndrome may be produced not only by small cell carcinoma or endocrine tumors but also by breast cancer. No relationship has been established between NE features and prognostic factors or patient outcome for this peculiar type of breast carcinoma. The demonstration of mRNA POMC in breast carcinoma with NE features suggests a depression and/or an activation of the POMC gene linked to the NE differentiation.
Sugar high: the marketing of soft drinks to America's schoolchildren.

More than 30% of adults and 15% of children in the United States are subject to increased disease burden and shortened life span as a result of obesity. 1,2 Wide-spread fast-food consumption, 3-6 increasingly sedentary lifestyles, 7,8 and ubiquitous television viewing 9-11 have created a complex cultural fabric whose unraveling is vital to our understanding of the epidemic of obesity. For children, these cultural changes have been mirrored in the school environment where vending machines and soda sales are becoming commonplace, and physical education classes are increasingly becoming a thing of the past. 12-14 Since adolescent overweight and obesity are highly correlated with adult obesity, there are growing public health efforts aimed at improving the nutritional content of children's diets, establishing healthy eating habits at a young age, and decreasing sedentary behavior.
CARACTÉRISATION, ÉVALUATION DE LA QUALITÉ DE LA DATTE ET IDENTIFICATION DES CULTIVARS RARES DE PALMIER DATTIER DE LA RÉGION DES ZIBAN

19 L'etude a porte sur la caracterisation physico-chimique et l'identification des cultivars de dattes rares (58) de la region des Ziban. Ces cultivars sont a l'etat d'abandon. Dans cette etude, on a essaye de classer ces cultivars selon la qualite de leurs fruits. Cette classification a montre que la plupart de ces cultivars presente une combinaison de bons et mauvais caracteres du fruit. Ainsi sur les 58 cultivars etudies, uniquement huit d'entre eux (DGUEL-MOUSSA, DGUEL-DAIM, MEZITH, TABESRITH, (.)
Stochastic Linear Quadratic Regulators with Indefinite Control Weight Costs. II

In part I of this paper [S. Chen, X. Li, and X. Zhou, SIAM J. Control Optim. , 36 (1998), pp. 1685--1702], an optimization model of stochastic linear quadratic regulators (LQRs) with indefinite control cost weighting matrices is proposed and studied. In this sequel, the problem of solving LQR models with system diffusions dependent on both state and control variables, which is left open in part I, is tackled. First, the solvability of the associated stochastic Riccati equations (SREs) is studied in the normal case (namely, all the state and control weighting matrices and the terminal matrix in the cost functional are nonnegative definite, with at least one positive definite), which in turn leads to an optimal state feedback control of the LQR problem. In the general indefinite case, the problem is decomposed into two optimal LQR problems, one with a forward dynamics and the other with a backward dynamics. The well-posedness and solvability of the original LQR problem are then obtained by solving these two subproblems, and an optimal control is explicitly constructed. Examples are presented to illustrate the results.