julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Oxidative Burst of Circulating Neutrophils Following Traumatic Brain Injury in Human
2013-07-24

Besides secondary injury at the lesional site, Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can cause a systemic inflammatory response, which may cause damage to initially unaffected organs and potentially further exacerbate the original injury. Here we investigated plasma levels of important inflammatory mediators, oxidative activity of circulating leukocytes, particularly focusing on neutrophils, from TBI subjects and control subjects with general trauma from 6 hours to 2 weeks following injury, comparing with values from uninjured subjects. We observed increased plasma level of inflammatory cytokines/molecules TNF-α, IL-6 and CRP, dramatically increased circulating leukocyte counts and elevated expression of TNF-α and iNOS in circulating leukocytes from TBI patients, which suggests a systemic inflammatory response following TBI. Our data further showed increased free radical production in leukocyte homogenates and elevated expression of key oxidative enzymes iNOS, COX-2 and NADPH oxidase (gp91(phox)) in circulating leukocytes, indicating an intense induction of oxidative burst following TBI, which is significantly greater than that in control subjects with general trauma. Furthermore, flow cytometry assay proved neutrophils as the largest population in circulation after TBI and showed significantly up-regulated oxidative activity and suppressed phagocytosis rate for circulating neutrophils following brain trauma. It suggests that the highly activated neutrophils might play an important role in the secondary damage, even outside the injured brain. Taken together, the potent systemic inflammatory response induced by TBI, especially the intensively increase oxidative activity of circulating leukocytes, mainly neutrophils, may lead to a systemic damage, dysfunction/damage of bystander tissues/organs and even further exacerbate secondary local damage. Controlling these pathophysiological processes may be a promising therapeutic strategy and will protect unaffected organs and the injured brain from the secondary damage.
DNA Methylation of the SLC16A3 Promoter Regulates Expression of the Human Lactate Transporter MCT4 in Renal Cancer with Consequences for Clinical Outcome
2013-07-24

Abstract Purpose: The monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4) is a metabolic target in tumor biology because it mediates lactate transport across membranes resulting in antiapoptotic effects. Cell experiments support the importance of MCT4 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). In this study, we assessed the prognostic potential of MCT4 expression in ccRCC and its epigenetic regulation by DNA methylation as novel predictive marker for patient outcome using independent ccRCC cohorts. Experimental Design: MCT4 protein expression was quantified in 207 ccRCC and corresponding nontumor tissues. Data of an independent ccRCC cohort from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were analyzed on MCT4 mRNA (n = 482) and DNA methylation (n = 283) level. The findings on MCT4 expression and DNA methylation in the SLC16A3 promoter were validated in a third cohort (n = 64). Promoter activity assays were conducted in four RCC cell lines. Results: MCT4 protein expression was upregulated (P &amp;lt; 0.0001) in ccRCC and showed significant association with cancer-related death. Upregulation of MCT4 mRNA expression (P &amp;lt; 0.00001) was confirmed in the TCGA cohort. Single CpG sites correlated inversely with mRNA expression and were associated with overall survival in Kaplan–Meier analyses [HR = 0.39; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.24–0.64; P[log-rank] = 1.23e−04]. Promoter activity studies confirmed MCT4 regulation by DNA methylation. The significant correlation between MCT4 protein and gene expression or DNA methylation at single CpG sites was validated in a third cohort. Again, higher methylation at individual CpG sites was associated with prolonged survival [HR = 0.05; 95% CI, 0.01–0.40; P[log-rank] = 6.91e−05]. Conclusion: We identified SLC16A3 promoter DNA methylation as a novel epigenetic mechanism for MCT4 regulation in ccRCC with first evidence of a biological rationale for prognosis and clinical outcome. Clin Cancer Res; 19(18); 5170–81. ©2013 AACR.
Orthogonal multiplet bases in SU(Nc) color space
2013-07-24

Abstract: We develop a general recipe for constructing orthogonal bases for the calculation of color structuresappearingin QCDfor any numberof partons and arbitrary Nc. The bases are constructed using hermitian gluon projectors onto irreducible subspaces invariant under SU(Nc). Thus, each basis vector is associated with an irreducible representation of SU(Nc). The resulting multiplet bases are not only orthogonal, but also minimal for finite Nc. As a consequence, for calculations involving many colored particles, the number of basis vectors is reduced significantly compared to standard approaches employing overcomplete bases. We exemplify the method by constructing multiplet bases for all processes
Quality of life in men with involuntary childlessness: long-term follow-up
2013-07-24

We conducted a longitudinal cohort study on the quality of life of infertile male patients measured at baseline and after 5 years with a specific quality of life instrument for male patients who are involuntarily childless. It was distributed to patients who were seen at the andrology and gynaecology clinics for infertility diagnoses and treatment. At baseline (T1), 275 patients took part in the study. A subset of these patients (N = 133) had released two semen samples, and the results of the semen analysis had been communicated to them before they received the questionnaire. Semen quality of this subset was assessed according to WHO recommendations. After 5 years (T2), the questionnaires were mailed again and were sent back by N = 101 patients. No significant quality of life difference was found between the semen quality groups. After 5 years, an improvement was found for the dimensions 'desire for a child' [mean score 1.92 (T1) versus 1.72 (T2)] and 'gender identity' [mean score 1.56 (T1) versus 1.42 (T2)] while no change was found for 'partnership' and 'psychological well-being'. We did not find significant differences between patients who had fathered a child in the meantime and patients who did not become fathers.
Hadron structure in AdS/QCD
2013-07-24

We perform a detailed analysis of nucleon electromagnetic and axial form factors in a holographic soft-wall model. Our approach is based on an action which describes hadrons with broken conformal invariance and incorporates confinement through the presence of a background dilaton field. For Nc = 3 we describe the nucleon structure in a superposition of a three valence quark state with high Fock states including an adjustable number of partons (quarks, antiquarks and gluons) via studying the dynamics of 5D fermion fields of different scaling dimension in anti-de Sitter (ADS) space. According to the gauge/gravity duality the 5D fermion fields of different scaling dimension correspond to the Fock state components with a specific number of partons. In the present application we restrict to the contribution of 3, 4 and 5 parton components in the nucleon Fock state. With a minimal number of free parameters (dilaton scale parameter, mixing parameters of partial contributions of Fock states, coupling constants in the effective Lagrangian) we achieve a reasonable agreement with data for the nucleon form factors.
Highly Emissive H-Aggregates or Aggregation-Induced Emission Quenching? The Photophysics of All-Trans para-Distyrylbenzene
2013-07-25

The present Perspective critically re-examines the photophysics of para-distyrylbenzene (DSB) as a prototype of herringbone-arranged H-aggregates to resolve the apparent contradiction of the frequently reported "aggregation-induced emission quenching" in H-aggregates on one side and highly emissive DSB crystals on the other and discusses the signatures and fate of excitons in single- and polycrystalline samples, including size and polarization effects.
JAM-A associates with ZO-2, afadin, and PDZ-GEF1 to activate Rap2c and regulate epithelial barrier function
2013-07-25

Intestinal barrier function is regulated by epithelial tight junctions (TJs), structures that control paracellular permeability. Junctional adhesion molecule-A (JAM-A) is a TJ-associated protein that regulates barrier; however, mechanisms linking JAM-A to epithelial permeability are poorly understood. Here we report that JAM-A associates directly with ZO-2 and indirectly with afadin, and this complex, along with PDZ-GEF1, activates the small GTPase Rap2c. Supporting a functional link, small interfering RNA–mediated down-regulation of the foregoing regulatory proteins results in enhanced permeability similar to that observed after JAM-A loss. JAM-A–deficient mice and cultured epithelial cells demonstrate enhanced paracellular permeability to large molecules, revealing a potential role of JAM-A in controlling perijunctional actin cytoskeleton in addition to its previously reported role in regulating claudin proteins and small-molecule permeability. Further experiments suggest that JAM-A does not regulate actin turnover but modulates activity of RhoA and phosphorylation of nonmuscle myosin, both implicated in actomyosin contraction. These results suggest that JAM-A regulates epithelial permeability via association with ZO-2, afadin, and PDZ-GEF1 to activate Rap2c and control contraction of the apical cytoskeleton.
Phylogeography and postglacial recolonization of Europe by Rhinolophus hipposideros: evidence from multiple genetic markers
2013-07-25

Abstract The demographic history of Rhinolophus hipposideros (lesser horseshoe bat) was reconstructed across its European, North African and Middle‐Eastern distribution prior to, during and following the most recent glaciations by generating and analysing a multimarker data set. This data set consisted of an X‐linked nuclear intron (Bgn; 543 bp), mitochondrial DNA (cytb‐ tRNA ‐control region; 1630 bp) and eight variable microsatellite loci for up to 373 individuals from 86 localities. Using this data set of diverse markers, it was possible to determine the species’ demography at three temporal stages. Nuclear intron data revealed early colonization into Europe from the east, which pre‐dates the Quaternary glaciations. The mtDNA data supported multiple glacial refugia across the Mediterranean, the largest of which were found in the Ibero‐Maghreb region and an eastern location (Anatolia/Middle East)–that were used by R. hipposideros during the most recent glacial cycles. Finally, microsatellites provided the most recent information on these species’ movements since the Last Glacial Maximum and suggested that lineages that had diverged into glacial refugia, such as in the Ibero‐Maghreb region, have remained isolated. These findings should be used to inform future conservation management strategies for R. hipposideros and show the power of using a multimarker data set for phylogeographic studies.
Modeling the linewidth dependence of coherent terahertz emission from intrinsic Josephson junction stacks in the hot-spot regime
2013-07-25

Recently, it has been found that, when operated at large input power, the linewidth of terahertz radiation emitted from intrinsic Josephson junction stacks can be as narrow as some megahertz. In this high-bias regime, a hot spot coexists with regions which are still superconducting. Surprisingly, was found to decrease with increasing bath temperature. We present a simple model describing the dynamics of the stack in the presence of a hot spot by two parallel arrays of pointlike Josephson junctions and an additional shunt resistor in parallel. Heat diffusion is taken into account by thermally coupling all elements to a bath at temperature . We present current-voltage characteristics of the coupled system and calculations of the linewidth of the radiation as a function of . In the presence of a spatial gradient of the junction parameters' critical current and resistance, deceases with increasing , similar to the experimental observation.
Leishmaniasis in the era of tumor necrosis factor alpha antagonist therapy – a research agenda for Europe
2013-07-25

A number of published case reports suggest an association of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha antagonist use and manifest leishmaniasis. Despite increasing popularity of antagonising TNF alpha for the treatment of autoimmune disorders, systematic research on the risk of opportunistic leishmaniasis in patients receiving these drugs is lacking. This perspective identifies areas of uncertainty regarding the safety profile of TNF alpha antagonist drugs and their clinical use in patients at risk of leishmaniasis. Then, we reflect on how current pharmacovigilance activities in Europe could be enhanced to help reduce these uncertainties. Our aim is to stimulate a debate about this important drug safety issue with potential consequences for patients receiving TNF alpha antagonists living in or travelling to areas endemic for leishmaniasis.
MPP3 regulates levels of PALS1 and adhesion between photoreceptors and Müller cells
2013-07-25

MPP3 and CRB1 both interact directly with PALS1/MPP5 and through this scaffold protein may form a large protein complex. To investigate the role of MPP3 in the retina we have analyzed conditional mutant Mpp3 knockout mice. Ultrastructural localization studies revealed that MPP3 is predominantly localized in apical villi of Müller glia cells. Retinas lacking MPP3 developed late onset retinal degeneration, with sporadic foci of rosette formation in the central part of the retina. Retinal degeneration in Mpp3 cKO mice was accelerated by exposure to moderate levels of white light. Electroretinography recordings in aging mice under both scotopic and photopic conditions ranged from normal to mildly subnormal, while the magnitude correlated with the strength and extent of morphological alterations. Loss of MPP3 resulted in significant loss of PALS1 at the subapical region adjacent to adherens junctions, and loss of MPP3 in Pals1 conditional knockdown retinas significantly accelerated the onset of retinal degeneration. These data suggest that MPP3 is required for maintaining proper levels of PALS1 at the subapical region, and indicate that the MPP3 gene is a candidate modulator of the Crumbs complex.
Real-time X-ray scattering studies on temperature dependence of perfluoropentacene thin film growth
2013-07-25

We report on real-time scattering investigations of growth of thin films of Perfluoropentacene (PFP) and its dependence on the substrate temperature, ranging between −120°C and 60°C. All films were grown up to 50 nm on silicon oxide. We find that along with the known thin-film phase, there is also a coexisting molecular arrangement with a unit cell twice the size with respect to the long axis. Furthermore, we observe that even at temperatures as low as −20°C PFP shows a high degree of crystallinity in the out-of-plane direction. The growth of PFP is characterized by a two-stage process, where the molecular lattice experiences a much stronger in-plane relaxation in the thickness regime 0–19 nm compared to the thickness regime 19–50 nm, which can be probed only by in situ real-time scattering measurements.
Complication and survival of Mark II restorations: 4-year clinical follow-up.
2013-07-25

A total of 163 monolithic restorations made from Vitablocs Mark II and luted adhesively or with resin cement were followed up for 3 to 70 months. Recall consisted of an evaluation of complete dental and hygiene status as well as quality assessment. Seven of 35 patients were lost to follow-up. Ninety-one percent of the 37 crowns, 23 partial crowns, and 89 inlays evaluated were in the posterior region. Combined survival estimate was 0.92 at the 48-month median observation time. Inlays and partial crowns performed well. Prevalence of complication and failure was highest for crowns (CP = 37.8%, FP = 21.6%). The results demonstrate that success relates to patient factors and restoration type, not luting protocol.
Late adult-onset pure spinal muscular atrophy due to a compound HEXB macro-deletion
2013-07-25

Patients with adult-onset pure spinal muscular atrophy with onset > 40 years of age and negative for SMN1 mutations present a complex diagnostic challenge as routine work-up often remains inconclus...
Discriminating implicit and explicit emotions from point-light walkers in persons with schizophrenia
2013-07-25

The visual system is well adapted to recognize human motion from point lights attached to the major joints of an actor. Moreover, individuals are able to recognize emotions based on the visual information in such dynamic point-light displays. This ability is important because humans utilize both biological motion and affect recognition for understanding the intentions of others. Previous studies have demonstrated that people with schizophrenia show impaired performance for explicit visual recognition of emotional point-light walkers, which may contribute more generally to social perception deficits seen in this population. However, our interactions with others are governed by both explicit and implicit visual processes, and it is not clear whether people with schizophrenia process explicit and implicit emotion derived from biological motion in the same way as healthy observers. In the current study, healthy community-based controls (N=33) and people with schizophrenia (N=33) were asked to discriminate the emotions of morphed point-light walkers along three dimensions: happy-angry, happy-sad, and sad-angry. Additionally, stimuli were morphed along a continuum, in which the emotional point-light walkers represented both explicit (i.e., 100% happy and 0% angry) and implicit (i.e., 60% happy and 40% angry) emotion presentation. Using a curve-fitting procedure, slopes of the resulting psychometric functions were used to evaluate implicit processing of emotion, while upper and lower asymptotes were utilized to characterize the explicit processing of emotion. Overall, healthy observers and people with schizophrenia were observed to have similar slopes. However, analysis of both lower and upper asymptotes revealed significant differences between the two groups, despite the fact that performance generally was higher for explicit than implicit stimuli. These results suggest that while people with schizophrenia show perceptual deficits in the recognition of explicit emotion classification from point-light walkers, the processing of implicit emotions seems to be preserved. Meeting abstract presented at VSS 2013
The influence of visual working memory on correspondence in the Ternus display
2013-07-25

Introduction: Surface feature continuity plays an important role in the perception of an object as a single, persisting entity across change and disruption. For example, color can be used to establish object correspondence across motion, occlusion, and eye movements. However, the underlying mechanisms of feature-based object correspondence are not well understood. Here, we tested the hypothesis that visual working memory (VWM) maintains feature information used to solve the correspondence problem under conditions of ambiguous apparent motion. Method: We used the Ternus display, in which three adjacent discs were presented. After a variable inter-stimulus interval (ISI), the discs were shifted horizontally by one position. Across displays, the correspondence among discs was ambiguous. The discs could be perceived as moving together as a group (group motion) or as one disc jumping across two stationary discs (element motion). Participants indicated the form of motion they perceived. To examine whether the content of VWM modulates the correspondence operation, the discs were assigned colors that could bias the percept either toward group motion or element motion. In addition, participants maintained a color in VWM to prepare for a memory test. The memory color matched either the color of the Ternus discs biasing group motion, the color of the discs biasing element motion, or neither. Results and conclusion: Consistent with previous studies, the proportion of group motion responses increased with increasing ISI. More importantly, the memory color influenced perceived motion. Relative to the no-match baseline, observers were more likely to perceive element motion when the memory color matched the element bias and more likely to perceive group motion when the memory color matched the group bias. These results suggest that feature-based object correspondence is mediated by the content of visual working memory. Meeting abstract presented at VSS 2013
Visual search for chasing objects among distractors
2013-07-25

For decades, anthropomorphic interactions (e.g., chasing, fighting, etc.) between two or more objects have been an important tool to study perceptual animacy (Scholl & Tremoulet, 2000, TiCS). Recent research revealed that differently salient chases induce animate impressions parametrically and that these impressions can be measured psychophysically (Gao et al., 2009, Cognitive Psychology). These prerequisites allowed studying the link between perceptual animacy and visual attention. This line of research demonstrated that chasing objects do not arise effortlessly out of displays including distractors. Instead, an effortful visual search is necessary to detect chasing objects (Meyerhoff et al., in press, JEP:HPP). However, there are no distinctive visual cues on chasing objects that might guide attention during chasing detection. Therefore, the current set of experiments explores several variants of the chasing detection paradigm in order to investigate how human observers search for a chase among distractors. In Experiment 1, we investigate whether participants search for cues suggesting the presence or absence of a chase. Our results suggest that observers search for cues suggesting the presence of a chase because participants are faster in detecting a chase among non-chases than vice versa. In Experiment 2, we demonstrate that inter-object spacing is a powerful cue indicating the presence of a chase because chasing detection latencies decrease with decreasing inter-object spacing. Finally, Experiments 3 and 4 investigate whether participants search for a pair of chasing objects or for an individual object that is involved in a chase. Our results indicate that participants are faster in detecting chasing objects than objects being chased. Furthermore, a linear increase in response latencies with the number of objects in the display suggests that participants search for individual objects. In sum, our experiments suggest that observers search for one object that is approaching another object during chasing detection. Meeting abstract presented at VSS 2013
Close Competitors in Merger Review
2013-07-25

The analysis of unilateral effects in horizontal mergers—especially on markets for differentiated goods—can take into consideration the extent to which the merging firms are close competitors. The elimination of a close competitor can result in an upward pricing pressure (UPP) on the merged firm which can harm consumers. Although UPP analysis is an important enhancement of substantive merger appraisal, it should not be considered sufficient in itself for the finding of a significant impediment to effective competition in terms of Article 2 of the EU Merger Regulation (EUMR).