julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Neural crest cell migration of mouse B16-F1 melanoma cells transplanted into the chick embryo is inhibited by the BMP-antagonist noggin
2007-12-01

Melanoma cells are derived from the neural crest and characterized by high migratory potential and invasive growth. To test the analogies between malignant and embryonic cell migration, in previous studies we transplanted melanoma cells and non-transformed mouse neural stem cells into the neural crest compartment of the chick embryo. Human and mouse melanoma cells spontaneously migrated along the neural crest pathways while emigration of neural stem cells was dependent on pre-treatment with BMP-2 (bone morphogenetic protein-2). In the embryo neural crest cell migration is induced by BMP and inhibited by its antagonist noggin. We tested whether the spontaneous neural crest cell migration of melanoma cells was dependent on their endogenously expressed BMP and could be inhibited by noggin. Mouse B16-F1 melanoma cells transfected with GFP-VASP (vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein) were cultured as aggregates and treated with BMP-2 or noggin. Untreated and treated aggregates were transplanted into the neural tube of the E2 chick embryo. Untreated and BMP-2-treated melanoma cells emigrated from the neural tube along with the chick host neural crest cells. Noggin-treated aggregates showed no emigration. We conclude that spontaneous emigration of melanoma cells depends on their constitutive overexpression of BMP, and that noggin efficiently suppresses the emigration of melanoma cells in the embryonic micro-environment, thus rendering noggin a promising agent for the inhibition of melanoma cell migration in vivo.
Exploiting Slack Time in Dynamically Reconfigurable Processor Architectures
2007-12-01

In dynamically reconfigurable processors, different contexts as well as different data paths within one context usually vary in their execution time. Voltage scaling offers the ability to utilize this variation to reduce power consumption. In this paper, we propose a dual-V <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">DD</sub> dynamically reconfigurable processor architecture which utilizes the varying execution time to reduce dynamic power consumption without adapting the clock frequency. Gate-level simulations reveal that the proposed dual-V <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">DD</sub> architecture reduces the power consumption of a processing element up to 22.1% and the total power consumption up to 10.5% compared to a single voltage architecture instance.
Definition of the Joint Cartilage‐Bone Interface by Topological Scanning Technologies: Considerations for Optimized Material Interfaces in Implant Technology
2007-12-01

The interface between materials with very different properties is quite often the weakest point in a construction. Interfaces of metal implants into bone are particularily prone to failure, a major cause for reparative surgery. The present study explores the natural interface between cartilage and bone in order to provide for potentially alternative surface textures and to allow deduction of the rules of construction governing those interfaces.
Reconstructive Urology
2007-12-01

Objective: Long ureteric defects may theoretically be repaired with the use of tissue-engineered neoureter.However, attempts to construct such a neoureter in animal models have failed because of major inflammatory response.Avoidance of such inflammation requires a well-differentiated urothelium.We investigated whether omental maturation of a seeded construct in a pig model could achieve terminal differentiation of the urothelium to allow construction of a stricture-free neoureter.
A Heuristic Attempt at Understanding Economic Action in South Korea
2007-12-01

This article presents a heuristic attempt at understanding economic action in South Korea. The heuristic is based on the idea of experience-near concepts — as introduced by Clifford Geertz — and constructed by the terms 'affiliation', 'indebtedness' and 'mediation'. In order to enrich the understanding of economic action in Korea I chose the interplay between the functionalist and the interpretivist paradigm. Qualitative interviews with native and foreign executives were conducted on site and interpreted against the background of (Neo-)Confucianism in South Korea. For the purpose of the study I developed 'the (Neo-)Confucian way of life' as an ideal type, following Max Weber's 'ideal typical construction of meaning'.
[Platelet activation in acute coronary syndrome and interventional therapy].
2007-12-01

Platelets play a critical role in formation of coronary thrombosis. An enhanced systemic platelet activation plays a significant role in the acute coronary syndrome. Despite better interventional techniques and better concomitant pharmacological therapy, the degree of platelet activation contributes significantly to prognosis and postinterventional event rate. Residual platelet activation after intervention is often associated with an enhanced initial platelet activation prior interventional treatment. An effective antiplatelet therapy is of utmost importance for the acute therapy and for secondary prevention in patients undergoing coronary interventions or with acute coronary syndrome. The efficacy of the antithrombotic therapy determines the long term prognosis in these patients.
Integrierte Homiletik Die Einheit der Predigtlehre im Begriff des Handelns
2007-12-01

Abstract The re-orientation of Protestant homiletics during the last thirty years – moving away from Barthian dogmatics of preaching towards practical questions and empirical issues – has enriched this discipline with a vast diversity of new and valuable perspectives. At the same time, it has given rise to dangers of disintegration among the diverse interests and tendencies. Because of these dangers, both preaching and teaching about preaching are challenged more than ever to combine empirical with theological perspectives. Practical preaching needs a theoretical foundation, moreover, an integrating category for both the theoretical foundation and the practical action of preaching. This competence, Haizmann argues, can be found in the category of “acting” in the special sense of speech acts (Searle), for which ethics is also necessary. As the German preacher and theologian Franz Theremin (1780-1846) claimed in his major work “Die Beredsamkeit eine Tugend oder Grundlinien einer systematischen Rhetorik” (Berlin 1814), this is made possible by defi ning “eloquence” (the art of speech) as a virtue and describing the theory and practice of preaching in the context of an ethically founded systematic rhetoric.
Cholangioscopic removal of a dislocated stent from the cystic duct using a high pressure biliary dilation balloon
2007-12-01

A 57-year-old man presented because of painless jaundice. During endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) a papillary neoplasia was diagnosed. Papillotomy was performed and a 10-Fr transpapillary polyethylene stent was positioned in the common hepatic duct. To avoid dislocation of the stent into the duodenum, additional flaps were cut into the part of the stent located inside the duct.
Heterodimerization of TLR2 with TLR1 or TLR6 expands the ligand spectrum but does not lead to differential signaling
2007-12-03

Abstract TLR are primary triggers of the innate immune system by recognizing various microorganisms through conserved pathogen-associated molecular patterns. TLR2 is the receptor for a functional recognition of bacterial lipopeptides (LP) and is up-regulated during various disorders such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and sepsis. This receptor is unique in its ability to form heteromers with TLR1 or TLR6 to mediate intracellular signaling. According to the fatty acid pattern as well as the assembling of the polypeptide tail, LP can signal through TLR2 in a TLR1- or TLR6-dependent manner. There are also di- and triacylated LP, which stimulate TLR1-deficient cells and TLR6-deficient cells. In this study, we investigated whether heterodimerization evolutionarily developed to broaden the ligand spectrum or to induce different immune responses. We analyzed the signal transduction pathways activated through the different TLR2 dimers using the three LP, palmitic acid (Pam)octanoic acid (Oct)2C-(VPGVG)4VPGKG, fibroblast-stimulating LP-1, and Pam2C-SK4. Dominant-negative forms of signaling molecules, immunoblotting of MAPK, as well as microarray analysis indicate that all dimers use the same signaling cascade, leading to an identical pattern of gene activation. We conclude that heterodimerization of TLR2 with TLR1 or TLR6 evolutionarily developed to expand the ligand spectrum to enable the innate immune system to recognize the numerous, different structures of LP present in various pathogens. Thus, although mycoplasma and Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria may activate different TLR2 dimers, the development of different signal pathways in response to different LP does not seem to be of vital significance for the innate defense system.
Evidence for efficient screening in organic materials
2007-12-03

Abstract We present highly resolved X‐ray photoemission measurements performed in order to investigate surface core level shifts (SCLS) on various different organic systems: PTCDA, coronene, and metal free phthalocyanine. C 1s spectra evidence the absence of SCLS in organic thin films. We explained these results in terms of very efficient screening. If the molecular interaction is sufficiently strong, the screening of the created charge by delocalisation is quite efficient. SCLS absence in organic materials implies that polarisation energies are much lower than usually assumed. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &amp; Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Semiotic aspects of human nonverbal vocalizations: a functional imaging study
2007-12-03

Humans produce a variety of distinct nonverbal vocalizations. Whereas affective bursts, for example, laughter, have an intrinsic communicative role bound to social behavior, vegetative sounds, for example, snoring, just signal autonomic-physiological states. However, the latter events, for example, belching, may also be used as intentional communicative actions (vocal gestures), characterized by an arbitrary culture-dependent sound-to-meaning (semiotic) relationship, comparable to verbal utterances. Using a decision task, hemodynamic responses to affective bursts, vegetative sounds, and vocal gestures were measured by means of functional magnetic resonance imaging. Affective bursts elicited activation of anterior left superior temporal gyrus. In contrast, arbitrary vocal gestures yielded hemodynamic reactions of the left temporo-parietal junction. Conceivably, a listener's interpretation of nonverbal utterances as intentional events depends upon a left-hemisphere temporo-parietal 'auditory-to-meaning interface' related to our mechanisms of speech processing.
Consistent Minimization of Clustering Objective Functions
2007-12-03

Clustering is often formulated as a discrete optimization problem. The objective is to find, among all partitions of the data set, the best one according to some quality measure. However, in the statistical setting where we assume that the finite data set has been sampled from some underlying space, the goal is not to find the best partition of the given sample, but to approximate the true partition of the underlying space. We argue that the discrete optimization approach usually does not achieve this goal. As an alternative, we suggest the paradigm of nearest neighbor clusteringamp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lsquo;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lsquo;. Instead of selecting the best out of all partitions of the sample, it only considers partitions in some restricted function class. Using tools from statistical learning theory we prove that nearest neighbor clustering is statistically consistent. Moreover, its worst case complexity is polynomial by co nstructi on, and it can b e implem ented wi th small average case co mplexity using b ranch an d bound.
Upper limits from HESS active galactic nuclei observations in 2005–2007
2007-12-04

\\n Aims.Very high energy (VHE; GeV) γ-ray studies were performed for 18 active galactic nuclei (AGN) from a variety of AGN classes.\\n Methods.VHE observations of a sample of 14 AGN, considered candidate VHE emitters, were made with the \\nHigh Energy Stereoscopic System (HESS)\\nbetween January 2005 and July 2007. Large-zenith-angle observations of three northern\\nAGN (Mkn 421, Mkn 501, 1ES 1218+304),\\nknown to emit VHE γ-rays, were also performed in order to sample their spectral\\nenergy distributions (SEDs) above 1 TeV. In addition, \\nthe VHE flux from 1ES 1101-232, previously detected by HESS in 2004-2005, was monitored\\nduring 2006 and 2007.\\n Results.As significant detections from the HESS observation program\\nare reported elsewhere, the results reported here are primarily integral flux upper limits. \\nThe average exposure for each of the 14 VHE-candidate AGN is ~7 h live time, and the observations have an average energy threshold between 230 GeV and 590 GeV.\\nUpper limits for these 14 AGN range from &lt;0.9% to &lt;4.9% of the \\nCrab Nebula flux, and eight of these are the most constraining ever reported for the object. \\nThe brief (&lt;2.2 h each) large-zenith-angle observations yield \\nupper limits for Mkn 501 (&lt;20% Crab above 2.5 TeV) and 1ES 1218+304 (&lt;17% Crab above 1.0 TeV), and a marginal detection ( ) of Mkn 421 (50% Crab above 2.1 TeV). 1ES 1101-232 was marginally detected ( , 1.7% Crab above 260 GeV) during the 2006 (13.7 h live time) observations, but not in the 2007 (4.6 h live time) data. The upper limit in 2007 (&lt;1.9% Crab above 260 GeV) is below the average flux measured \\nby HESS from 2004-2006.\\n
Bilateral changes in neuronal activity of the basal ganglia in the unilateral 6‐hydroxydopamine rat model
2007-12-05

Abstract The functional significance of the interhemispheric projections on the basal ganglia level is poorly understood. Insofar as the anatomical evidence for crossing projections between basal ganglia nuclei is sparse, whereas tracing studies demonstrated important crossing projections from the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) to the basal ganglia, it is suggested that the PPN might play a key role in interhemispheric regulation of basal ganglia activity. The present study was performed to assess changes in neuronal activity of ipsilateral and contralateral subthalamic nucleus (STN), substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr), and PPN in the unilateral 6‐hydroxydopamine (6‐OHDA) rat model of advanced PD under urethane anesthesia. After unilateral lesioning of the SNc, the firing rate of contralateral STN neurons significantly increased from 10.9 ± 1.0 spikes/sec (mean ± SEM) to 16.3 ± 1.5 spikes/sec. Similarly, the firing rate of contralateral SNr neurons significantly increased from 19.4 ± 1.2 to 25.7 ± 1.9 spikes/sec, and the firing rate of contralateral PPN neurons significantly increased from 10.6 ± 0.8 to 13.9 ± 1.1 spikes/sec. The observed activity changes in contralateral STN, SNr, and PPN are similar to those induced in the corresponding nuclei of the hemisphere ipsilateral to the nigrostriatal degeneration. Based on previous, predominantly anatomical data, the results of the present study suggest that the PPN on the lesioned side is at the origin of changes in the activity of STN and SNr on the contralateral hemisphere, because of its crossing efferent projections. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Anisotropic flow in Pb + Pb collisions at LHC from the quark–gluon string model with parton rearrangement
2007-12-05

We present predictions for the pseudorapidity dependence of the azimuthal anisotropy parameters v_1 and v_2 of baryons and inclusive charged hadrons in Pb+Pb collisions at a LHC energy of sqrt(s) = 5.5 TeV applying a microscopic transport model, namely the quark gluon string model (QGSM) which has been recently extended for parton rearrangement and fusion processes. Pb+Pb collisions with impact parameters b = 2.3 fm and b = 8 fm have been simulated in order to investigate additionally the difference between central and semiperipheral configurations. In contrast to v_1(eta) at RHIC, the directed flow of charged hadrons shows a small normal flow alignment. The elliptic flow v_2(eta) turns out to be rather similar in shape for RHIC and LHC conditions, the magnitude however increases about 10-20 % at the LHC, leading to the conclusion that the hydrodynamical limit will be reached.
Evolutionary innovation versus ecological incumbency
2007-12-06

The terminal period of the Proterozoic, called Ediacaran after a locality in the Flinders Ranges of South Australia (or Vendian in the Russian terminology), marks the first appearance of undoubted macrofossils. Because they are seemingly complex (and because they have been studied mainly by palaeozoologists), all Ediacaran macrofossils were interpreted originally as early multicellular animals (metazoans). The title of Martin Glaessner's 1984 monumental book, The Dawn of Animal Life, expresses this view. The discovery of similar fossils in approximately 30 localities all over the world further contributed to the assumption that the Ediacaran fauna represents simply a prelude to the Cambrian evolutionary explosion of metazoan phyla. Consequently, the Ediacaran period could be considered as the initial stage of the Palaeozoic.
The role of discourse topic and proximity for demonstratives in German and Russian
2007-12-07

This article discusses the textual functions of demonstratives in German and Russian in terms of ‘discourse topicality’ and ‘proximity’, thus covering a broad range of referential phenomena within a unified approach. It shows that — in spite of important grammatical differences between German and Russian — anaphoric and deictic uses of demonstratives are ruled by the same principles in both languages.
ALOX5 variants associated with susceptibility to human pulmonary tuberculosis
2007-12-07

The 5-lipoxygenase (&lt;it&gt;ALOX5&lt;/it&gt;)-derived lipid mediators leukotrienes and lipoxins have regulatory functions in inflammation by modulating activities of immune cells and cytokine production. Recently, it was shown in &lt;it&gt;ALOX5&lt;/it&gt;&lt;it&gt;−/−&lt;/it&gt; mice that host control of &lt;it&gt;Mycobacterium tuberculosis&lt;/it&gt; is regulated by 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO). &lt;it&gt;ALOX5&lt;/it&gt; polymorphisms were genotyped in 1916 sputum-positive patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) from Ghana and in 2269 exposed, apparently healthy controls. Polymorphisms of a variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) of the &lt;it&gt;ALOX5&lt;/it&gt; promoter and of the exonic non-synonymous variant g.760G&gt;A were analysed by fragment length determination and fluorescence resonance energy transfer, respectively, and DNA sequencing. Mycobacterial lineages of &gt;1400 isolates were differentiated biochemically and genetically. Carriers of one variant (&lt;it&gt;n&lt;/it&gt; repeats ≠ 5) and one wild-type VNTR allele (&lt;it&gt;n&lt;/it&gt; = 5) or of the exonic allele g.760A had a higher risk of TB [&lt;it&gt;P&lt;/it&gt;&lt;inf&gt;corrected&lt;/inf&gt; = 0.026, odds ratio (OR) 1.19 (95% CI 1.04–1.37) and &lt;it&gt;P&lt;/it&gt;&lt;inf&gt;corrected&lt;/inf&gt; = 0.026, OR 1.21 (95% CI 1.04–1.41), respectively]. The association of the exonic variant was stronger in infections caused by the mycobacterial lineage &lt;it&gt;M&lt;/it&gt;. &lt;it&gt;africanum&lt;/it&gt; West-African 2 [&lt;it&gt;P&lt;/it&gt;&lt;inf&gt;corrected&lt;/inf&gt; = 0.024, OR 1.70; (95% CI 1.2–2.6)]. Determination of haplotypes revealed the strongest associaton with TB for the ‘non-5/760A’ haplotype compared with the ‘non-5/760G’ haplotype (&lt;it&gt;P&lt;/it&gt; = 0.003, OR 1.50). Our observation of an association of &lt;it&gt;ALOX5&lt;/it&gt; variants with susceptibility to TB contributes evidence of the importance of 5-LO products to the regulation of immune responses to &lt;it&gt;M&lt;/it&gt;. &lt;it&gt;tuberculosis&lt;/it&gt;.
Prediction uncertainty of environmental change effects on temperate European biodiversity
2007-12-07

Abstract Observed patterns of species richness at landscape scale (gamma diversity) cannot always be attributed to a specific set of explanatory variables, but rather different alternative explanatory statistical models of similar quality may exist. Therefore predictions of the effects of environmental change (such as in climate or land cover) on biodiversity may differ considerably, depending on the chosen set of explanatory variables. Here we use multimodel prediction to evaluate effects of climate, land‐use intensity and landscape structure on species richness in each of seven groups of organisms (plants, birds, spiders, wild bees, ground beetles, true bugs and hoverflies) in temperate Europe. We contrast this approach with traditional best‐model predictions, which we show, using cross‐validation, to have inferior prediction accuracy. Multimodel inference changed the importance of some environmental variables in comparison with the best model, and accordingly gave deviating predictions for environmental change effects. Overall, prediction uncertainty for the multimodel approach was only slightly higher than that of the best model, and absolute changes in predicted species richness were also comparable. Richness predictions varied generally more for the impact of climate change than for land‐use change at the coarse scale of our study. Overall, our study indicates that the uncertainty introduced to environmental change predictions through uncertainty in model selection both qualitatively and quantitatively affects species richness projections.
Use of multiplex ligation‐dependent probe amplification increases the detection rate for 11p15 epigenetic alterations in Silver–Russell syndrome
2007-12-07

Silver–Russell syndrome (SRS) describes a malformation syndrome with severe intrauterine and postnatal growth retardation. Currently, two major (epi)mutations have been described: while approximately 10% of patients carry a maternal uniparental disomy of chromosome 7 (UPD7), 35–60% show a hypomethylation at the H19 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in 11p15. Until recently, a Southern‐blot based test was routinely used to identify epimutation carriers. Nevertheless, this test was time consuming and hampered by the huge amount of genomic DNA needed. With the methylation‐specific multiplex ligation‐dependent probe amplification assay (MLPA) for SRS, a PCR‐based test is now available, allowing the analysis also of small amounts of DNA. Probes in this assay hybridize to the H19 DMRs but do not cover the genomic target of the Southern‐blot probe. We now screened 72 patients with SRS by MLPA. Hypomethylation of the H19 DMRs was confirmed in all patients analyzed by Southern blot. In addition, we identified six individuals with hypomethylation of the H19 DMR who had previously normal blot results. This discrepancy can be explained by the observed generally lower degree of demethylation in this group, possibly not detectable by the less sensitive Southern‐blot method but also with a varying degree of methylation at different DMRs in the same individual. Apart from hypomethylation in the H19 DMR, we observed a slight demethylation for one of the IGF2 probes. The total detection rate of 11p15 hypomethylation is now increased to &gt;38%. Considering maternal UPD7 and chromosomal aberrations, (epi)genetic alterations now account for more than 50% of SRS patients. In summary, MLPA represents an easy, low cost and reliable system in the molecular diagnostics of SRS.