Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Express Inducible NKG2D Ligands That Mouse NK Cell Activity against Tumors The Heat Shock Protein HSP70 Promotes

The stress-inducible heat shock protein (HSP) 70 is known to function as an endogenous danger signal that can increase the immunogenicity of tumors and induce CTL responses. We show in this study that HSP70 also activates mouse NK cells that recognize stress-inducible NKG2D ligands on tumor cells. Tumor size and the rate of metastases derived from HSP70-overex-pressing human melanoma cells were found to be reduced in T and B cell-deﬁcient SCID mice, but not in SCID/beige mice that lack additionally functional NK cells. In the SCID mice with HSP70-overexpressing tumors, NK cells were activated so that they killed ex vivo tumor cells that expressed NKG2D ligands. In the tumors, the MHC class I chain-related (MIC) A and B molecules were found to be expressed. Interestingly, a counter selection was observed against the expression of MICA/B in HSP70-overex-pressing tumors compared with control tumors in SCID, but not in SCID/beige mice, suggesting a functional relevance of MICA/B expression. The melanoma cells were found to release exosomes. HSP70-positive exosomes from the HSP70-overexpressing cells, in contrast to HSP70-negative exosomes from the control cells, were able to activate mouse NK cells in vitro to kill YAC-1 cells, which express NKG2D ligands constitutively, or the human melanoma cells, in which MICA/B expression was induced. Thus, HSP70 and inducible NKG2D ligands synergistically promote the activation of mouse NK cells resulting in a reduced tumor growth and suppression of metastatic We show in this study that the stress-inducible danger signal HSP70 activates mouse NK cells in SCID mice which recognize inducible NKG2D ligands on tumor cells. NKG2D (NK group 2, member D) is an activating NK receptor (21). The MHC class I chain-related (MIC) A and B molecules are NKG2D ligands in humans (21) and their expression was induced in the human tumors in SCID mice. MICA and MICB genes are encoded within the MHC, are stress inducible, and are expressed in a restricted manner in intestinal epithelial cells and in tumors (22). Although the MICA and MICB genes are not present in the mouse genome, the human molecules functionally interact with mouse NKG2D (23–25). In mice, the retinoic acid early inducible-1 (Rae-1), and UL16-binding protein-like transcript 1 (Mult1) gene products and a minor histocompatibility Ag (H60) have been reported as NKG2D ligands (21). The inducible HSP70 and inducible NKG2D ligands, which both appear to function as immunological danger signals, synergistically elicited a NK cell-mediated immune response against tumor cells. This two danger signals-driven innate immune response was able to reduce the growth of primary tumors and suppress metastatic disease.
for Adoptive Immunotherapy Effector CD4 Cell Tolerization: Implications Treatment Impedes Self-Antigen-Induced In Vivo Cyclophosphamide and IL-2

The development of T cell tolerance directed toward tumor-associated Ags can limit the repertoire of functional tumor-reactive T cells, thus impairing the ability of vaccines to elicit effective antitumor immunity. Adoptive immunotherapy strategies using ex vivo expanded tumor-reactive effector T cells can bypass this problem; however, the susceptibility of effector T cells to undergoing tolerization suggests that tolerance might also negatively impact adoptive immunotherapy. Nonetheless, adoptive immunotherapy strategies can be effective, particularly those utilizing the drug cyclophosphamide (CY) and/or exogenous IL-2. In the current study, we used a TCR-transgenic mouse adoptive transfer system to assess whether CY plus IL-2 treatment rescues effector CD4 cell function in the face of tolerizing Ag (i.e., cognate parenchymal self-Ag). CY plus IL-2 treatment not only enhances proliferation and accumulation of effector CD4 cells, but also preserves the ability of these cells to express the effector cytokine IFN- (cid:1) (and to a lesser extent TNF- (cid:2) ) in proportion to the level of parenchymal self-Ag expression. When administered individually, CY but not IL-2 can markedly impede tolerization, although their combination is the most effective. Although effector CD4 cells in CY plus IL-2-treated self-Ag-expressing mice eventually succumb to tolerization, this delay results in an increased level of in situ IFN- (cid:1) expression in cognate Ag-expressing parenchymal tissues as well as death via a mechanism that requires direct parenchymal Ag presentation. These results suggest that one potential mechanism by which CY and IL-2 augment adoptive immunotherapy strategies to treat cancer is by impeding the tolerization of tumor-reactive effector T cells.
The Consequences of Stepwise Deletions from the Signal-processing Site of @-Lactamase”

Amino acids have been deleted from the processing site of pre-6-lactamase, either into the signa1 sequence or into the mature protein. Whereas the loss of more than 2 amino acid residues from the C-terminal end of the signal sequence prevents the translocation of the protein into the periplasm, the removal of two or more amino acids from the beginning of the mature protein has no effect on the translocation of the truncated protein. The insertion of an additional one to three amino acids at the processing site has no detectable phenotypic consequence either. It appears that many sequences for the first few residues of the mature protein allow successful translocation and processing. In sharp contrast, the removal of one (but not both) of the amino acids that flank the processing site results in a severe growth defect in the host cell and very low expression of the protein. Yet removal of two amino acids from either side of the processing site, or removal of both the flanking residues of the processing site, results in normal secretion and signal cleavage. These results illustrate the limits on the amino acid sequence around the processing junction and suggest that inter- ference with the signal cleavage step can lead not only to aborted secretion but also to pleiotropic conse- quences for the growth of the host organism. The nature of the information that causes bacterial proteins to be directed out of the cytoplasm is still as poorly understood as the by which this translocation occurs. While it is clear nearly all secreted proteins are synthesized with an N-terminal signal sequence that is necessary for the diversity of functional sequences of the and of the protein remains remarkable. If the as promiscuous as the diversity of
Effect of Aphanizomenon Flos-Aquae (Afa) on Endogenous Mesenchymal Stem Cells Proliferation in African Adult Donkeys ( Equus africanus) during Fracture HEALING

The aim of this study which lasted sixteen weeks was to study the effects of feeding Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (stem enhance®) on stem cell proliferation and haematologic parameters in fractured African Adult Donkeys. Nine donkeys with clinical cases of mid shaft open metacarpal and mid shaft open metatarsal fractures were used for this experiment. Animals were divided into groups A&B. Group A comprised six donkeys (n=6) and was further divided into A 1 and A 2 . A 1 comprised of A 1a , A 1b and A 1c (n=3) while A 2 consists of A 2a , A 2b and A 2c (n=3). A 1 was the study group fed with stem enhance®, while A 2 was the control group that was untreated. Group B had three donkeys that were tagged B 1 and B 2 (n=3). B 1 was made up of B 1a and B 1b (n=2) while B 2 was the only animal in the group of B 2 (n=1). B 1 was the study group fed with stem enhance®, while B 2 was the control that was untreated. Group A was managed by external reduction using fiber cast, while group B was managed by internal reduction using Sherman’s compression bone plates. Both study groups were fed two capsules of stem enhance® (2.5mg/capsule) each day for two weeks a month and two weeks off (alternatively). Stem cell count was carried out for both groups’ pre and post operatively. Data obtained were analyzed and findings showed that stem cell counts for the group treated with stem enhance® was significant (p<0.05). It was concluded that stem enhance ® is a potent stem cell enhancer and may be of value in reduction of healing time of fracture in animals thereby facilitating early return of the study group to active physical exercise. From this experiment, the study group was shown to have a superior healing time of 13±0.5weeks as against the control group had a healing time of 27±0.5 weeks.
Birth Weight/Placental Weight Ratio: Does the Association Differ Between Early- and Late-Onset Preeclampsia?

Purpose: Early-and late-onset preeclampsia may differ in pathophysiology, and this can be reflected in differences in birth weight/placental weight ratios. Therefore, we compared birth weight/placental weight ratios of births with early-and those with late-onset preeclampsia. Materials and Methods: The study included all hospital-based singleton births of 24-43 weeks’ gestation between January 2007 and December 2016. A total of 51,940 pregnant women were divided into three groups: early-onset preeclampsia, late-onset preeclampsia, and pregnant women without preeclampsia. Results: The mean (+SD) birth weight/placental weight (BW/Pl) ratios were significantly different in early-onset preeclampsia (PE) and late-onset PE compared with the control group(3.91+0.93 in early-onset PE, 4.85+0.91 in late- onset PE and 5.17+0.90 in the control group, p<0.001). Our study found that the factors significantly associated with BW/Pl ratios were Diabetes Mellitus (DM), gestational age, early-onset PE, late-onset PE, Small for Gestational Age (SGA) and Large for Gestational Age (LGA). After adjustment for DM, gestational age, late-onset PE, SGA and LGA, the BW/Pl ratio was still associated significantly more with early-onset PE than with late-onset PE. Conclusion: Our study indicated that the BW/Pl ratios of preeclamptic women differed between early- and late-onset PE, and that early-onset PE may be commonly associated with placental efficiency. This suggests that preeclampsia consists of several different processes manifesting as a single disease.
Distributed Coverage of Boundaries for Multi-robot Systems Using Dual Quaternion Algebra

—This paper proposes a distributed control law to make a multi-agent system converge and optimally distribute itself along predeﬁned object boundaries in cooperative manipulation tasks. We use a control law for convergence to the boundaries and Voronoi partitions to optimally distribute the robots. Both the object boundaries and the multi-agent system are modeled by using dual quaternion algebra and simulation results show the convergence and distribution of the agents.
The Lattice Solid Model to Simulate the Physics of Rocks and Earthquakes: Incorporation of Granular Friction

The particle-based lattice solid model developed to study the physics of rocks and the nonlinear dynamics of earthquakes is refined by incorporating intrinsic friction between particles. The model provides a means for studying the causes of seismic wave attenuation, as well as frictional heat generation, fault zone evolution, and localisation phenomena. A modified velocity? Verlat scheme that allows friction to be precisely modelled is developed. This is a difficult computational problem given that a discontinuity must be accurately simulated by the numerical approach (i.e., the transition from static to dynamical frictional behaviour). This is achieved using a half time step integration scheme. At each half time step, a nonlinear system is solved to compute the static frictional forces and states of touching particle-pairs. Improved efficiency is achieved by adaptively adjusting the time step increment, depending on the particle velocities in the system. The total energy is calculated and verified to remain constant to a high precision during simulations. Numerical experiments show that the model can be applied to the study of earthquake dynamics, the stick? slip instability, heat generation, and fault zone evolution. Such experiments may lead to a conclusive resolution of the heat flow paradox and improved understanding of earthquake precursory phenomena and dynamics.
KLINIKINIAI TYRIMAI C reaktyviojo baltymo koncentracija sergant l ė tine obstrukcine plau č i ų liga ir bronch ų astma

Santrauka. Lėtinė obstrukcinė plaučių liga ir bronchų astma – tai lėtinės uždegiminės kvėpavimo takų ligos. Daugėja mokslinių tyrimų duomenų, kad, sergant šiomis ligomis, lėtinis uždegiminis procesas neapsiriboja tik kvėpavimo takais, bet gali būti sisteminio pobūdžio. Tyrimo tikslas. Įvertinti C reaktyviojo baltymo kiekį plazmoje pacientams, sergantiems lėtine obstrukcine plaučių liga ir bronchų astma bei C reaktyviojo baltymo sąsają su plaučių ventiliacijos rodikliais ir rūkymo intensyvumu. Metodai. Ištirti 87 asmenys: 41 sergantysis lėtine obstrukcine plaučių liga, 30 sergančiųjų bronchų astma ir 16 kontrolinės grupės asmenų. Visiems tiriamiesiems atlikti plaučių funkcijos tyrimai, nustatyta C reaktyviojo baltymo koncentracija plazmoje, apskaičiuotas kūno masės indeksas, rūkymo intensyvumas. Rezultatai. Lėtine obstrukcine plaučių liga sergančiųjų plazmoje nustatyta didesnė C reaktyviojo baltymo koncentracija nei sergančiųjų bronchų astma ir kontrolinės grupės asmenų (8,37±1,14 palyginti su 3,14±0,67 ir 2,39±0,59 mg/l, atitinkamai, p<0,001). Rūkančių ir metusių rūkyti lėtine obstrukcine plaučių liga sergančiųjų plazmoje nustatyta didesnė C reaktyviojo baltymo koncentracija nei nerūkančių šios grupės asmenų (8,38±1,52 ir 10,4±2,22 palyginti su 4,10±0,86 mg/l, atitinkamai, p<0,05). Lėtine obstrukcine plaučių liga sergančiųjų grupėje nustatyta sąsaja tarp C reaktyviojo baltymo koncentracijos ir FEV1 (R=–0,463, p=0,002), FEV1/FVC (R=–0,449, p=0,003), rūkymo intensyvumo (R=0,572, p=0,001). Kitų grupių tiriamiesiems sąsajos tarp C reaktyviojo baltymo ir tirtųjų rodiklių nenustatyta. Išvados. Remiantis šio tyrimo duomenimis, galima teigti, kad lėtinis sisteminis uždegimas yra viena iš reikšmingų lėtinės obstrukcinės plaučių ligos patogenezės grandžių bei pagrįsti prielaidą, kad rūkymas yra susijęs su sisteminio uždegimo išsivystymu bei tolesniu jo persistavimu sergant lėtine obstrukcine plaučių liga.
Image Reconstruction using Partial Fuzzy Transform

—We will introduce various extensions of ordinary binary operations to a specially chosen single dummy element representing an undeﬁned or missing value. We will apply these extensions to the Perﬁlieva’s fuzzy transform technique and extend it appropriately to operate with this dummy element too. The result of this extension will be called partial fuzzy transform. Moreover, we will demonstrate the usefulness of our approach using partial fuzzy transform technique on an image reconstruction problem.
Identi�cation and Veri�cation of the Effect of miR-143 on the Cardioprotective Role of Phosphocreatine in Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity by Integrated Bioinformatics Analysis

Purpose MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported to play pivotal role in drugs-induced cardiotoxicity act as biomarkes, diagnostic tools and endogenous repressors of gene expression by lowering mRNA stability and interfering with mRNA translation. However, the effect of miRNAs on doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity still not clear. In the present study, we identi�ed several key candidate miRNAs involving doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity in rat myocardial tissues and adult rat cardiomyocytes from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database via integrated bioinformatics analysis, and the possible effect of miR-143 in the protection of DOX-induced cardiotoxicity by phosphocreatine was subsequently investigated in vivo and in vitro.
Internet Addiction and Personality: Association with Impulsive Sensation Seeking and Neuroticism-Anxiety Traits

Introduction: The internet has revolutionized the information age. There has been growing concern regarding internet addiction, despite its benefits. Personality trait such as neuroticism has been linked with internet addiction. Objective: The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of internet addiction and its association with personality traits among college students. Methods: College students age 18-24 who were doing an attachment in a government hospital were recruited into the study. Internet addiction was assessed using the internet addiction test (IAT), whilst personality traits by using the cross cultural Malay language 40-item Zuckerman-Kuhlman personality questionnaire (ZKPQ-M-40-CC) Results: The prevalence of internet addiction was 31.8%, with moderate and severe use of internet at 30.7% and 1.1%, respectively. Based on multiple logistic regression analysis, the impulsive sensation seeking and neuroticism-anxiety traits were found to be significantly associated with internet addiction. Conclusions: The prevalence of internet addiction is comparable to other studies conducted in Malaysia. Personality traits impulsive sensation seeking and neuroticism-anxiety emerged as significant associated factors with internet addiction. Further study to understand the role of personality traits in the development of internet addiction is recommended.
diagnostic tool in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

meningitis with noninflammatory neurologic disease. Controls had mean cerebrospinal fluid nitrate levels of 6.3 fimo\/L (range, 2.3 to 17.3 /xmol/L) and nitrite levels of 0.5 jLtmol/L (range, 0.4 to 1.7 /xmol/L). Compared with controls, patients with meningitis had a mean nitrate level of 18.4 /xmol/L (range, 3.1 to 150.7 /xmol/L) and a mean nitrite level of 25.8 timol/L (range, 0.2 to 330.2 /rniol/L) (P < 0.001, Mann- Whitney test). Because Neisseria meningitidis is not known to form nitrate or nitrite, these increases must have resulted from increased endogenous production through the only known met abolic route for their formation in body tissues, namely deg radation of nitric oxide (2). Our findings show that nitric oxide synthesis is induced in cells within the central nervous system compartment in response to bacterial invasion. The pathophysiologic significance of the local increase in nitric oxide remains to be elucidated. High levels of nitric oxide are known to be toxic to endothelial cells and neurons (3, 4); consequently, local increases in nitric oxide may play a role in the microvascular damage and the neurologic sequelae of meningitis. If so, treatment with specific inhibitors of induc ible nitric oxide synthesis might be beneficial in patients with bacterial meningitis.
Poverty Reduction in Ghana: The Role of Farm and Non-Farm Enterprises

Ghana has experienced a general decline in the levels of poverty. Despite this drop, there are patches of poverty in both rural and urban with the rural setting being the worst affected. This situation emerged possibly because the kind of livelihood strategies adopted did not ensure a sustainable and complete reduction in the poverty levels across the entire country. On that account, this study examined how farm and non-farm livelihoods promote poverty reduction in Ghana. Data were from Ghana Statistical Service database. Analysis of data involved one-sample t-tests and independent sample t-tests. The study finds that, significant differences exist between rural and urban residents‟ income earnings from farm activities, non-farm enterprises and the upper poverty line. The study concludes that both farm and non-farm activities are crucial to ending poverty in Ghana. It is recommended that agriculture and non-farm enterprises be developed in both rural and urban settings respectively.
New Strategies in… Targeting the androgen receptor signaling pathway in metastatic prostate cancer

Recent data reports abiraterone acetate, a specific inhibitor of CYP17 that is key to androgen and estrogen synthesis, improves survival in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), confirming the continued dependency of CRPC on the androgen receptor (AR) signaling pathway. MDV3100 is a novel antagonist of AR that is also in Phase III clinical trials. In addition, several other agents targeting the AR axis are undergoing evaluation in early clinical studies. CRPC patients progress on these therapies with a rising PSA, suggesting that repeated therapeutic interventions targeting the AR signaling axis could induce secondary responses and achieve prolonged clinical benefit for a sub-group of patients. These exciting results are good news for patients but introduce a number of treatment paradigm dilemmas for physicians. Clinical studies evaluating the ideal sequence of administration of these new agents, best timing for initiation, combination strategies, discontinuation beyond progression and after commencement of subsequent therapies and coordination with other treatments have not been performed. Predictive biomarkers could allow patient selection for a specific treatment but in their absence most physicians will rely on a trial of treatment with a preferred agent and substitute for an alternative therapy on objective progression. Current data suggests that the response rate to drugs targeting the AR ligand-binding domain decreases with each treatment but we hypothesize that a significant proportion of CRPC remains dependent on the AR axis and therefore novel strategies for disrupting AR signaling merit evaluation.
transmission electronmicroscopic Studies on the cell types in the Gastric Glands of Albino Rat (Rattus norvegicus)

The secretory epithelium of the proper gastric glands in the stomach of Albino rat composed of four distinct cell types structurally and functionally: parietal cells, chief cells, mucous cells and endocrine cells. The parietal cells had a distinct nucleus with many nuclear pores. They had an elaborate system of intracellular canaliculi closely associated with numerous mitochondria and abundance of smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Small Golgi complexes were also observed. Chief cells had abundant rough endoplasmic reticulum than any other cell types in the gastric mucosa. The nucleus was large and basally located with a large nucleolus. Prominent Golgi complexe and mitochondria were observed. The apical areas of surface mucous cells showed numerous mucous granules which were spherical or oval in outline. The nucleus was elongated and situated at the basal region. The Golgi complex was situated in the supra nuclear region. Endocrine cells contained numerous small membrane bounded granules, mostly within the basal cytoplasm and a small amount of rough endoplasmic reticulum parallel to the nuclear surface. Golgi complexes were small and mitochondria were few. The nucleus was oval with scanty chromatin mainly concentrated in the periphery. A large centrally located nucleolus was observed.
Direct observation of local xylem embolisms induced by soil drying in intact Zea mays leaves

The vulnerability of vascular plants to xylem embolism is closely related to their stable long-distance water transport, growth, and survival. Direct measurements of xylem embolism are required to understand what causes embolism and what strategies plants employ against it. In this study, synchrotron X-ray microscopy was used to non-destructively investigate both the anatomical structures of xylem vessels and embolism occurrence in the leaves of intact Zea mays (maize) plants. Xylem embolism was induced by water stress at various soil drying periods and soil water contents. X-ray images of dehydrated maize leaves showed that the ratio of gas-filled vessels to all xylem vessels increased with decreased soil water content and reached approximately 30% under severe water stress. Embolism occurred in some but not all vessels. Embolism in maize leaves was not strongly correlated with xylem diameter but was more likely to occur in the peripheral veins. The rate of embolism formation in metaxylem vessels was higher than in protoxylem vessels. This work has demonstrated that xylem embolism remains low in maize leaves under water stress and that there xylem has characteristic spatial traits of vulnerability to embolism.