julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Natural Killer Cell-Mediated Rejection of Experimental Human Lung Cancer by Genetic Overexpression of Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I Chain-Related Gene A
2006-02-01

Studies have highlighted molecular and cell biological mechanisms of the NKG2D-NKG2D ligand system in the activation of natural killer (NK) cell and T cell functions. In this study we explore the potential of genetic overexpression of human major histocompatibility complex class I chain-related gene A (MICA), a powerful NKG2D ligand, for the induction of NK cell-mediated antitumor immunity in a humanized murine model of non-small cell lung cancer. Using tissue microarray technology we detected expression of MICA in only 30% of the samples from patients with lung cancer. Staining was always weak and focal, indicating that expression of MICA is detectable but limited in human lung cancer. Genetic overexpression of MICA by means of adenoviral transduction or transfection of expression plasmids was feasible in cell lines in vitro, primary human cancer tissue ex vivo, and in experimental human cancers in vivo. The presence of MICA on the surface of largely NK cell-resistant human lung cancer cells reestablished NK cell susceptibility and provoked NK cell-mediated antitumor immunity by murine and human NK cells in two different experimental therapy models. In this study we analyze the interaction of human NK cells with MICA-positive human cancer cells in an in vivo setting. Our data demonstrate that MICA overexpression can function as NK cell-mediated immunotherapy in experimental lung cancer.
A simple mounting model for consistent determination of the accuracy and repeatability of apex locators
2006-02-01

Abstract Aim To develop a precise and simple mounting model (MM) for evaluating apex locators and to compare the repeatability of the MM with a conventional visual method (VM). Methodology Electronic working length determination was performed in 32 maxillary central incisors using two methods: (i) the MM method and (ii) a conventional VM. The MM utilizes a micrometer to determine the distance travelled by the measuring file during working length determination. In the VM, the length of the measuring file (representing the working length) is determined visually using a caliper and a microscope at 6× magnification. Each measurement was repeated once. The repeatability of each method was evaluated by calculating the coefficient of repeatability. Results The coefficient of repeatability, which includes 95% of the differences between repeated measurements, was 0.04 mm for MM compared with 0.9 mm for VM. The measurement error of MM was significantly lower than VM (0.02 and 0.4 mm respectively). There was a statistically significant difference between the means of absolute difference in repeated measurements: MM 0.01 mm (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.01; 0.02 mm) compared with VM 0.4 mm (95% CI: 0.3; 0.5 mm). Conclusion The new MM had superior repeatability in comparison with the conventional method where visual interpretation is a source of inaccurate measurement.
Contribution of Muscle Series Elasticity to Maximum Performance in Drop Jumping
2006-02-01

The contribution of muscle in-series compliance on maximum performance of the muscle tendon complex was investigated using a forward dynamic computer simulation. The model of the human body contains 8 Hill-type muscles of the lower extremities. Muscle activation is optimized as a function of time, so that maximum drop jump height is achieved by the model. It is shown that the muscle series elastic energy stored in the downward phase provides a considerable contribution (32%) to the total muscle energy in the push-off phase. Furthermore, by the return of stored elastic energy all muscle contractile elements can reduce their shortening velocity up to 63% during push-off to develop a higher force due to their force velocity properties. The additional stretch taken up by the muscle series elastic element allows only m. rectus femoris to work closer to its optimal length, due to its force length properties. Therefore the contribution of the series elastic element to muscle performance in maximum height drop jumping is to store and return energy, and at the same time to increase the force producing ability of the contractile elements during push-off.
Synthesis and Structure of 1-Substituted Benzopyrano- [4’,3’-c]benzo[3”,4”-ƒ]-2,8-dioxabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane
2006-02-01

Abstract The base catalyzed condensation reaction between 4-hydroxycoumarin and 3-acetylcoumarin (3-benzoylcoumarin) in water at reflux led to the formation of 1-methyl (1-phenyl)- benzopyrano[4’,3’-c]-benzo[3”,4”-ƒ ]-2,8-dioxabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane (2a, b) as final products. When 4-hydroxycoumarin and 3-acetylcoumarin reacted in a glacial acetic acid in the presence of potassium acetate the final product was 7-[3-acetyl-2-oxo-3,4-dihydro-2H-[1]benzopyran-4-yl]methyl- 6H,14H,14bH-bis-([1]benzopyrano)[4,3-b:4’,3’-d]pyran-6,14-dione (4). 4-Hydroxycoumarin and 4-(5-bromo-2-hydroxyphenyl)-3-buten-2-one were condensed in water at reflux and 1- methylcoumarino-[4’,3’-c]-bromobenzo[3”,4”-ƒ ]-2,8-dioxabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane was a final product (3).
Glucocorticoid-mediated inhibition of chemotherapy in ovarian carcinomas
2006-02-01

The glucocorticoid dexamethasone is frequently used as a co-treatment in cytotoxic cancer therapy, e.g. to prevent nausea, to protect normal tissue or for other reasons. While the potent pro-apoptotic properties and supportive effects of glucocorticoids to tumour therapy in lymphoid cells are well studied, the impact on the cytotoxic treatment of ovarian carcinoma is unknown. We tested apoptosis-induction, viability, tumour growth and protein expression using established cell lines, primary cell lines freshly isolated from patient material and a xenograft on nude mice. We found a general induction of resistance toward cytotoxic therapy by DEX-co-treatment in most of the examined ovarian cancer cells treated in vitro, ex vivo or in vivo. Resistance occurred independently of cell density and was found at peak plasma levels of dexamethasone and below. Mechanistically, the dexamethasone-induced expression of survival genes may be involved in the resistance. These data show that glucocorticoid-induced resistance is common in ovarian carcinomas implicating that the use of glucocorticoids may be harmful for cancer patients.
The −8503 G/A Polymorphism of the Adiponectin Receptor 1 Gene Is Associated With Insulin Sensitivity Dependent on Adiposity
2006-02-01

Adiponectin has beneficial effects on insulin sensitivity. Unexpectedly, adiponectin knockout mice exhibit no or only mild insulin resistance. Nevertheless, under a high-fat/high-carbohydrate diet, severe insulin resistance was induced in those animals (1). Consistent with this, recent evidence (2) suggests that the relationship of adiponectin with insulin sensitivity is stronger with increasing adiposity. In addition, a haplotype in the adiponectin gene was associated with type 2 diabetes only in obese and morbidly obese subjects but not in lean subjects (3). Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the genes encoding adiponectin receptor (ADIPOR) 1 ...
Percutaneous vascular interventions in the superficial femoral artery. A review.
2006-02-01

The superficial femoral artery (SFA) is a frequent target of atherosclerotic disease predominantly in the proximal section near the bifurcation to the deep femoral artery and in the distal section where the adductor muscles tend to compress the artery. In the past, SFA revascularization was the domain of vascular surgery (femoropopliteal and femorodistal bypasses). However, with the development of endovascular treatment and advancing techniques as well as more sophisticated stenting material and balloons, endovascular treatment is nowadays not just a treatment option but, in most cases, preferable at least as initial revascularization procedure in the treatment of peripheral artery vascular disease. In the last years, many efforts have been made to fight restenosis in revascularized artery segments after stenting and/or angioplasty. This article aims to give a review on this topic including the most recent experience with the various latest revascularization techniques such as drug eluting stents, coated stent grafts, brachytherapy, cryoplasty, cutting balloons, and drug coated balloons.
Lateral distribution of ultrasound velocity in horizontal layers of human teeth
2006-02-01

The speed of ultrasound at 20MHz differs inside human teeth depending on which tissues are involved. At least two out of four dental tissues exhibit variations in the longitudinal velocity (cL). The aim of this in vitro study is to describe the laterally varying propagation velocity of tangentially propagating longitudinal waves. At a distance of 5mm from the crown reference, the cL is determined using longitudinal sections and a pulse-echo technique. Several graphs are combined to account for the corono-apical decrease in cL and the laterally varying cL distribution along horizontally adjacent relative tooth width portions. The laterally increasing cL of 21 specimens at radial locations rises from 2900to4000m∕s. A mathematical evaluation reveals an optimal horizontal formula of the form cL(5mm)=a+bX2ln(X), where X is the standardized lateral parameter relative to individual tooth width w, which is compensated for offsets. Individual residuals and a,b coefficients of the corresponding approximations are provided. Individual mean errors range from 7m∕s(SD=6m∕s)to92m∕s(SD=79m∕s). The lower contour of the envelope curve of all cL distributions is described by taking up a formerly introduced equation [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 116, 545 (2004)].
Distributed Symbolic Bounded Property Checking
2006-02-01

In this paper we describe an algorithm for distributed, BDD-based bounded property checking and its implementation in the verification tool SymC. The distributed algorithm verifies larger models and returns results faster than the sequential version. The core algorithm distributes partitions of the state set to computation nodes after reaching a threshold size. The nodes proceed with image computation on the nodes asynchronously. The main scalability problem of this scheme is the overlap of state set partitions. We present static and dynamic overlap reduction techniques.
Results from an International Simulation Study on Couples Thermal, Hydrological, and Mechanical (THM) Processes Near Geological Nuclear Waste Repositories
2006-02-01

As part of the ongoing international DECOVALEX project, four research teams used five different models to simulate coupled thermal, hydrological, and mechanical (THM) processes near waste emplacement drifts of geological nuclear waste repositories. The simulations were conducted for two generic repository types, one with open and the other with back-filled repository drifts, under higher and lower postclosure temperatures, respectively. In the completed first model inception phase of the project, a good agreement was achieved between the research teams in calculating THM responses for both repository types, although some disagreement in hydrological responses is currently being resolved. In particular, good agreement in the basic thermal-mechanical responses was achieved for both repository types, even though some teams used relatively simplified thermal-elastic heat-conduction models that neglected complex near-field thermal-hydrological processes. The good agreement between the complex and simplified process models indicates that the basic thermal-mechanical responses can be predicted with a relatively high confidence level.
Reconstructive urology
2006-02-01

Objective: To assess the potential use of bone marrow stromal cell (BMSC)-seeded biodegradable scaffold for bladder regeneration in a canine model, by characterizing BMSCs and comparing them to bladder smooth muscle cells (SMCs) by immunohistochemistry, growth capability, and contractility.Materials and Methods: Bone marrow was taken by direct needle aspiration from the femurs of five beagle dogs for the in vitro study.Mononuclear cells were isolated by Ficoll-Paque density gradient centrifugation and cultivated in medium 199 with 10% fetal bovine serum.BMSCs were characterized by cell proliferation, in vitro contractility, immunohistochemical analysis, and the growth pattern on small intestinal submucosa (SIS) scaffolds compared to bladder SMC cultures from the same dogs.Another six dogs had a hemicystectomy and bladder augmentation with BMSC-seeded (two), bladder cells including urothelial cells plus SMCseeded SIS (two) and unseeded SIS scaffolds (two).The six dogs were followed for 10 weeks after augmentation.Results: In vitro BMSCs had a significant contractile response to calcium-ionophore, with a mean (sem) 36 (2) %, relative contraction (P < 0.01), which was similar to bladder SMCs but markedly different from fibroblasts.BMSCs also expressed alpha-smooth muscle actin by immunohistochemical staining and Western blotting, but did not express desmin or myosin.In vivo, both BMSC-seeded and bladder cell-seeded SIS grafts had solid smooth-muscle bundle formation throughout the graft.Conclusions: BMSCs had a similar cell proliferation, histological appearance and contractile phenotype as primary cultured bladder SMCs.SIS supported three-dimensional growth of BMSCs in vitro, and BMSCseeded SIS scaffold promoted bladder regeneration in a canine model.BMSCs may serve as an alternative cell source in urological tissue engineering.
Just a family medical history?
2006-02-02

Values are important parts of our lives.But values and conscience have different roles in public and private life.They should influence discussion on what kind of health system to deliver.But they should not influence the care an individual doctor offers to his or her patient.The door to "value-driven medicine" is a door to a Pandora's box of idiosyncratic, bigoted, discriminatory medicine.Public servants must act in the public interest, not their own.Contributors and sources: JS is a professional medical ethicist with experience in practising general
4D data processing for dynamic human body analysis
2006-02-02

It is expected that the next generation of full 3D optical scanning systems will be able to measure volumetric objects in motion. Standard data representations like point clouds or sets of triangle meshes, which are used nowadays for static 3D objects, will no longer be an efficient solution in this field. Systems of this kind will have to use other data processing and representation methods. We propose our own solution in this paper, using an arbitrary full 3D mesh which is scaled and wrapped around a merged point cloud obtained from the measurements, instead of a standard point cloud representation. This solution was specifically prepared for a prototype of a full-field 4D scanning system. This system is based on a dynamic laser triangulation. Four scanners capture a surface of a moving object from four different directions simultaneously. They are calibrated in time and space so finally we can obtain a full 3D object surface which changes in time. In this paper we present some details of the scanning system, 4D surface representation, general 4D data processing pipeline, developed algorithms and we finally show some exemplary results of our work in this field.
INTRODUCTION
2006-02-02

When we placed "finitude", "limits of human existence" as a motto over a round of discussion on biomedicine and bioethics (which led to this collection of essays) we did not know how far this would lead us into methodological quandaries. However, we felt intuitively that an interdisciplinary approach including social and cultural sciences would have an advantage over a solely disciplinary (philosophical or theological) analysis. Bioethics, if it is to have adequate discriminatory power, should include sensitivity to the cultural contexts of biomedicine, and also to the cultural contexts of bioethics itself.
Vacuolar H+-ATPase Activity Is Required for Endocytic and Secretory Trafficking inArabidopsis
2006-02-03

Abstract In eukaryotic cells, compartments of the highly dynamic endomembrane system are acidified to varying degrees by the activity of vacuolar H+-ATPases (V-ATPases). In the Arabidopsis thaliana genome, most V-ATPase subunits are encoded by small gene families, thus offering potential for a multitude of enzyme complexes with different kinetic properties and localizations. We have determined the subcellular localization of the three Arabidopsis isoforms of the membrane-integral V-ATPase subunit VHA-a. Colocalization experiments as well as immunogold labeling showed that VHA-a1 is preferentially found in the trans-Golgi network (TGN), the main sorting compartment of the secretory pathway. Uptake experiments with the endocytic tracer FM4-64 revealed rapid colocalization with VHA-a1, indicating that the TGN may act as an early endosomal compartment. Concanamycin A, a specific V-ATPase inhibitor, blocks the endocytic transport of FM4-64 to the tonoplast, causes the accumulation of FM4-64 together with newly synthesized plasma membrane proteins, and interferes with the formation of brefeldin A compartments. Furthermore, nascent cell plates are rapidly stained by FM4-64, indicating that endocytosed material is redirected into the secretory flow after reaching the TGN. Together, our results suggest the convergence of the early endocytic and secretory trafficking pathways in the TGN.
TLR1- and TLR6-independent Recognition of Bacterial Lipopeptides
2006-02-03

Bacterial cell walls contain lipoproteins/peptides, which are strong modulators of the innate immune system. Triacylated lipopeptides are assumed to be recognized by TLR2/TLR1-, whereas diacylated lipopeptides use TLR2/TLR6 heteromers for signaling. Following our initial discovery of TLR6-independent diacylated lipopeptides, we could now characterize di- and triacylated lipopeptides (e.g. Pam(2)C-SK(4), Pam(3)C-GNNDESNISFKEK), which have stimulatory activity in TLR1- and in TLR6-deficient mice. Furthermore, for the first time, we present triacylated lipopeptides with short length ester-bound fatty acids (like PamOct(2)C-SSNASK(4)), which induce no response in TLR1-deficient cells. No differences in the phosphorylation of MAP kinases by lipopeptide analogs having different TLR2-coreceptor usage were observed. Blocking experiments indicated that different TLR2 heteromers recognize their specific lipopeptide ligands independently from each other. In summary, a triacylation pattern is necessary but not sufficient to render a lipopeptide TLR1-dependent, and a diacylation pattern is necessary but not sufficient to render a lipopeptide TLR6-dependent. Contrary to the current model, distinct lipopeptides are recognized by TLR2 in a TLR1- and TLR6-independent manner.
Nanomechanics of the subtectorial space caused by electromechanics of cochlear outer hair cells
2006-02-06

The stereocilia of the cochlear inner hair cells (IHCs) transduce vibrations into the sensory receptor current. Until now, mechanisms for deflecting these stereocilia have not been identified experimentally. Here, we identify a mechanism by using the electromechanical properties of the soma of the outer hair cell to produce an intracochlear, mechanical force stimulus. It is known that the soma of this cell generates mechanical force in response to a change of its transmembrane potential. In the present experiments, the force was induced by intracochlear electrical stimulation at frequencies that covered the entire functionally relevant range of 50 kHz. Vibration responses were measured in the transverse direction with a laser Doppler vibrometer. For frequencies up to ≈3 kHz in the first three turns of the guinea-pig cochlea, the apical surface of the IHC and the opposing surface of the tectorial membrane were found to vibrate with similar amplitudes but opposite phases. At high frequencies, there was little relative motion between these surfaces in the transverse direction. The counterphasic motion up to ≈3 kHz results in a pulsatile motion of the fluid surrounding the stereocilia of the IHCs. Based on physical principles of fluid flow between narrowly spaced elastic plates, we show that radial fluid motion is amplified relative to transverse membrane motion and that the radial motion is capable of bending the stereocilia. In conclusion, for frequencies up to at least 3 kHz, there appears to be direct fluid coupling between outer hair cells and IHCs.
Effects of prosodic emotional intensity on activation of associative auditory cortex
2006-02-06

Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to investigate hemodynamic responses to adjectives pronounced in happy and angry intonations of varying emotional intensity. In separate sessions, participants judged the emotional valence of either intonation or semantics. To disentangle effects of emotional prosodic intensity from confounding acoustic parameters, mean and variability of volume and fundamental frequency of each stimulus were included as nuisance variables in the statistical models. A linear dependency between hemodynamic responses and emotional intensity of happy and angry intonations was found in the bilateral superior temporal sulcus during both tasks, indicating that increases of hemodynamic responses in this region are elicited by both positive and negative prosody independent of low-level acoustic properties and task instructions.
Mood fluctuations in people putatively at risk for bipolar disorders
2006-02-06

Objectives. The dysregulation of the Behavioural Activation System (BAS) is discussed as a vulnerability marker for bipolar disorders, resulting in fluctuations of activity and mood. People putatively at risk for bipolar disorders (BD) should therefore show mood fluctuations. Method. Using the ‘Hypomanic Personality Scale’ (HPS) three groups of young adults with high ( N =17), medium ( N =19), and low scores ( N =18) were selected and completed a 28‐day diary including CES‐D and PANAS. Results. People at risk for bipolar disorders exhibited high levels of manic symptoms, positive and negative affect. They also generally reported more mood instability. Conclusions. The results support the hypothesis that fluctuations of mood and symptoms might be a core characteristic of the hypothesized vulnerability for BD. These fluctuations of mood were, however, not restricted to positive affect as a dysregulation of the BAS would suggest.
Highly versatile atomic micro traps generated by multifrequency magnetic field modulation
2006-02-06

We propose the realization of custom-designed adiabatic potentials for cold\\natoms based on multimode radio frequency radiation in combination with static\\ninhomogeneous magnetic fields. For example, the use of radio frequency combs\\ngives rise to periodic potentials acting as gratings for cold atoms. In strong\\nmagnetic field gradients the lattice constant can be well below 1 micrometer.\\nBy changing the frequencies of the comb in time the gratings can easily be\\npropagated in space, which may prove useful for Bragg scattering atomic matter\\nwaves. Furthermore, almost arbitrarily shaped potential are possible such as\\ndisordered potentials on a scale of several 100 nm or lattices with a spatially\\nvarying lattice constant. The potentials can be made state selective and, in\\nthe case of atomic mixtures, also species selective. This opens new\\nperspectives for generating tailored quantum systems based on ultra cold single\\natoms or degenerate atomic and molecular quantum gases.\\n