julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Variation of electronic transitions and reduction potentials of cerium(iv) complexes
2014-01-01

New cerium(<sc>iv</sc>) compounds, isolated by the reaction of Ce[N(SiHMe<sub>2</sub>)<sub>2</sub>]<sub>4</sub>with alcohols and phenols, exhibited variable electronic transitions and reduction potentials.
Copy Number Variants in Short Children Born Small for Gestational Age
2014-01-01

&lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Background/Aims:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; In addition to genome-wide association studies (GWAS), height-associated genes may be uncovered by studying individuals with extreme short or tall stature. &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Methods:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; Genome-wide analysis for copy number variants (CNVs), using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays, was performed in 49 index cases born small for gestational age with persistent short stature. Segregation analysis was performed, and genes in CNVs were compared with information from GWAS, gene expression in rodents' growth plates, and published information. &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Results:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; CNVs were detected in 13 cases. In 5 children a known cause of short stature was found: UPD7, UPD14, a duplication of the &lt;i&gt;SHOX&lt;/i&gt; enhancer region, an&lt;i&gt; IGF1R&lt;/i&gt; deletion, and a 22q11.21 deletion. In the remaining 8 cases, potential pathogenic CNVs were detected, either de novo (n = 1), segregating (n = 2), or not segregating with short stature (n = 5). Bioinformatic analysis of the de novo and segregating CNVs suggested that &lt;i&gt;HOXD4&lt;/i&gt;, &lt;i&gt;AGPS&lt;/i&gt;, &lt;i&gt;PDE11A&lt;/i&gt;, &lt;i&gt;OSBPL6&lt;/i&gt;, &lt;i&gt;PRKRA &lt;/i&gt;and &lt;i&gt;PLEKHA3&lt;/i&gt;, and possibly &lt;i&gt;DGKB&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;i&gt;TNFRSF11B&lt;/i&gt; are potential candidate genes&lt;i&gt;.&lt;/i&gt; A &lt;i&gt;SERPINA7&lt;/i&gt; or &lt;i&gt;NRK&lt;/i&gt; defect may be associated with an X-linked form of short stature. &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; SNP arrays detected 5 known causes of short stature with prenatal onset and suggested several potential candidate genes.
Cardiac Fibroblasts Aggravate Viral Myocarditis: Cell Specific Coxsackievirus B3 Replication
2014-01-01

Myocarditis is an inflammatory disease caused by viral infection. Different subpopulations of leukocytes enter the cardiac tissue and lead to severe cardiac inflammation associated with myocyte loss and remodeling. Here, we study possible cell sources for viral replication using three compartments of the heart: fibroblasts, cardiomyocytes, and macrophages. We infected C57BL/6j mice with Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) and detected increased gene expression of anti-inflammatory and antiviral cytokines in the heart. Subsequently, we infected cardiac fibroblasts, cardiomyocytes, and macrophages with CVB3. Due to viral infection, the expression of TNF-α, IL-6, MCP-1, and IFN- β was significantly increased in cardiac fibroblasts compared to cardiomyocytes or macrophages. We found that in addition to cardiomyocytes cardiac fibroblasts were infected by CVB3 and displayed a higher virus replication (132-fold increase) compared to cardiomyocytes (14-fold increase) between 6 and 24 hours after infection. At higher virus concentrations, macrophages are able to reduce the viral copy number. At low virus concentration a persistent virus infection was determined. Therefore, we suggest that cardiac fibroblasts play an important role in the pathology of CVB3-induced myocarditis and are another important contributor of virus replication aggravating myocarditis.
Standardised Models for Inducing Experimental Peritoneal Adhesions in Female Rats
2014-01-01

Animal models for adhesion induction are heterogeneous and often poorly described. We compare and discuss different models to induce peritoneal adhesions in a randomized, experimental in vivo animal study with 72 female Wistar rats. Six different standardized techniques for peritoneal trauma were used: brushing of peritoneal sidewall and uterine horns (group 1), brushing of parietal peritoneum only (group 2), sharp excision of parietal peritoneum closed with interrupted sutures (group 3), ischemic buttons by grasping the parietal peritoneum and ligating the base with Vicryl suture (group 4), bipolar electrocoagulation of the peritoneum (group 5), and traumatisation by electrocoagulation followed by closure of the resulting peritoneal defect using Vicryl sutures (group 6). Upon second look, there were significant differences in the adhesion incidence between the groups (<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M1"><mml:mi>P</mml:mi><mml:mo>&lt;</mml:mo><mml:mn fontstyle="italic">0</mml:mn><mml:mo>.</mml:mo><mml:mn fontstyle="italic">01</mml:mn></mml:math>). Analysis of the fraction of adhesions showed that groups 2 (0%) and 5 (4%) were significantly less than the other groups (<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M2"><mml:mi>P</mml:mi><mml:mo>&lt;</mml:mo><mml:mn fontstyle="italic">0</mml:mn><mml:mo>.</mml:mo><mml:mn fontstyle="italic">01</mml:mn></mml:math>). Furthermore, group 6 (69%) was significantly higher than group 1 (48%) (<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M3"><mml:mi>P</mml:mi><mml:mo>&lt;</mml:mo><mml:mn fontstyle="italic">0</mml:mn><mml:mo>.</mml:mo><mml:mn fontstyle="italic">05</mml:mn></mml:math>) and group 4 (47%) (<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M4"><mml:mi>P</mml:mi><mml:mo>&lt;</mml:mo><mml:mn fontstyle="italic">0</mml:mn><mml:mo>.</mml:mo><mml:mn fontstyle="italic">05</mml:mn></mml:math>). There was no difference between group 3 (60%) and group 6 (<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M5"><mml:mi>P</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn fontstyle="italic">0</mml:mn><mml:mo>.</mml:mo><mml:mn fontstyle="italic">2</mml:mn></mml:math>). From a clinical viewpoint, comparison of different electrocoagulation modes and pharmaceutical adhesion barriers is possible with standardised models.
Membrane Androgen Receptor Down-Regulates c-Src-Activity and Beta-Catenin Transcription and Triggers GSK-3beta-Phosphorylation in Colon Tumor Cells
2014-01-01

Our results provide strong evidence that mAR activation regulates late expression and/or activity of the tumorigenic gene products c-Src, GSK-3beta, and beta-catenin thus facilitating the pro-apoptotic response in colon tumor cells.
Influence of ice crystal anisotropy on seismic velocity analysis
2014-01-01

Abstract In 2010 a reflection seismic survey was carried out on the Alpine glacier Colle Gnifetti. The processed and depth-converted data could be compared to a nearby ice core, drilled almost to the bed. Comparisons showed that the depth of the P-wave bed reflection was too shallow, while the depth of the SH-wave bed reflection fitted the ice-core length well. We are now able to explain the major part of these differences using the existing crystal orientations of the ice at Colle Gnifetti. We calculate anisotropic velocities for P- and SH-waves that are usually picked for stacking and compare them with zero-offset velocities needed for the depth conversion. Here we take the firn pack at Colle Gnifetti into account for P- and S-wave analysis. To incorporate the S-wave analysis we first derive a new equation for the relationship between density and S-wave velocity from diving waves. We show that anisotropic fabrics observed at Colle Gnifetti introduce a difference of only 1% between stacking and depth-conversion velocities for the SH-wave, but 7% for the P-wave. We suggest that this difference in stacking and depth-conversion velocity for the P-wave can be used to derive information about the existing anisotropy by combining our seismic data with, for example, radar data.
Echolocation behaviour of the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) in an obstacle avoidance task of increasing difficulty
2014-01-01

Abstract Four big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) were challenged in an obstacle avoidance experiment to localize vertically stretched wires requiring progressively greater accuracy by diminishing the wire-to-wire distance from 50 to 10 cm. The performance of the bats decreased with decreasing gap size. The avoidance task became very difficult below a wire separation of 30 cm, which corresponds to the average wing span of E. fuscus. Two of the bats were able to pass without collisions down to a gap size of 10 cm in some of the flights. The other two bats only managed to master gap sizes down to 20 and 30 cm respectively. They also performed distinctly worse at all other gap sizes. With increasing difficulty of the task, the bats changed their flight and echolocation behaviour. Especially at gap sizes of 30 cm and below, flight paths increased in height and flight speed was reduced. In addition, the bats emitted approach signals which were arranged in groups. At all gap sizes the largest numbers of pulses per group were observed in the last group before passing the obstacle. The more difficult the obstacle avoidance task, the more pulses there were in the groups and the shorter the within-group pulse intervals. In comparable situations, the better performing bats always emitted groups with more pulses than the less well-performing individuals. We hypothesize that the accuracy of target localization increases with the number of pulses per group and that each group is processed as a package.
Transcranial slow oscillation stimulation during NREM sleep enhances acquisition of the radial maze task and modulates cortical network activity in rats
2014-01-01

Slow wave sleep, hallmarked by the occurrence of slow oscillations (SO), plays an important role for the consolidation of hippocampus-dependent memories. Transcranial stimulation by weak electric currents oscillating at the endogenous SO frequency (SO-tDCS) during post-learning sleep was previously shown by us to boost SO activity and improve the consolidation of hippocampus-dependent memory in human subjects. Here, we aimed at replicating and extending these results to a rodent model. Rats were trained for 12 days at the beginning of their inactive phase in the reference memory version of the radial arm maze. In a between subjects design, animals received SO-tDCS over prefrontal cortex (PFC) or sham stimulation within a time frame of 1 h during subsequent non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. Applied over multiple daily sessions SO-tDCS impacted cortical network activity as measured by EEG and behavior: at the EEG level, SO-tDCS enhanced post-stimulation upper delta (2-4 Hz) activity whereby the first stimulations of each day were preferentially affected. Furthermore, commencing on day 8, SO-tDCS acutely decreased theta activity indicating long-term effects on cortical networks. Behaviorally, working memory for baited maze arms was enhanced up to day 4, indicating enhanced consolidation of task-inherent rules, while reference memory errors did not differ between groups. Taken together, we could show here for the first time an effect of SO-tDCS during NREM sleep on cognitive functions and on cortical activity in a rodent model.
Differential Gene Expression Profiling of Enriched Human Spermatogonia after Short- and Long-Term Culture
2014-01-01

This study aimed to provide a molecular signature for enriched adult human stem/progenitor spermatogonia during short-term (&lt;2 weeks) and long-term culture (up to more than 14 months) in comparison to human testicular fibroblasts and human embryonic stem cells. Human spermatogonia were isolated by CD49f magnetic activated cell sorting and collagen − /laminin + matrix binding from primary testis cultures obtained from ten adult men. For transcriptomic analysis, single spermatogonia-like cells were collected based on their morphology and dimensions using a micromanipulation system from the enriched germ cell cultures. Immunocytochemical, RT-PCR and microarray analyses revealed that the analyzed populations of cells were distinct at the molecular level. The germ- and pluripotency-associated genes and genes of differentiation/spermatogenesis pathway were highly expressed in enriched short-term cultured spermatogonia. After long-term culture, a proportion of cells retained and aggravated the “spermatogonial” gene expression profile with the expression of germ and pluripotency-associated genes, while in the majority of long-term cultured cells this molecular profile, typical for the differentiation pathway, was reduced and more genes related to the extracellular matrix production and attachment were expressed. The approach we provide here to study the molecular status of in vitro cultured spermatogonia may be important to optimize the culture conditions and to evaluate the germ cell plasticity in the future.
The role of the plexin-A2 receptor in semaphorin-3A and semaphorin-3B signal transduction
2014-01-01

Class-3 semaphorins are anti-angiogenic and anti-tumorigenic guidance factors that bind to neuropilins which in turn associate with class-A plexins to transduce semaphorin signals. To study the role of the plexin-A2 receptor in semaphorin signaling, we silenced its expression in endothelial cells and in glioblastoma cells. The silencing did not affect sema3A signaling which depended on neuropilin-1, plexin-A1 and plexin-A4, but abolished completely sema3B signaling which required in addition plexin-A4 and one of the two neuropilins. Interestingly, over-expression of plexin-A2 in plexin-A1 or plexin-A4 silenced cells restored responses to both semaphorins although it nullified their ability to differentiate between them, suggesting that when over-expressed plexin-A2 is functionally interchangeable with other class-A plexins. In-contrast, although plexin-A4 over-expression restored sema3A signaling in plexin-A1 silenced cells, it failed to restore sema3B signaling in plexin-A2 silenced cells. It follows that the identity of plexins in functional semaphorin receptors can be flexible depending on their expression level. Our results suggest that changes in the expression of plexins induced by microenvironmental cues can trigger differential responses of different populations of migrating cells to encountered gradients of semaphorins.
From assistance towards restoration with epidural brain-computer interfacing
2014-01-01

Purpose: Today's implanted brain-computer interfaces make direct contact with the brain or even penetrate the tissue, bearing additional risks with regard to safety and stability. What is more, these approaches aim to control prosthetic devices as assistive tools and do not yet strive to become rehabilitative tools for restoring lost motor function. Methods: We introduced a less invasive, implantable interface by applying epidural electrocorticography in a chronic stroke survivor with a persistent motor deficit. He was trained to modulate his natural motor-related oscillatory brain activity by receiving online feedback. Results: Epidural recordings of field potentials in the beta-frequency band projecting onto the anatomical hand knob proved most successful in discriminating between the attempt to move the paralyzed hand and to rest. These spectral features allowed for fast and reliable control of the feedback device in an online closed-loop paradigm. Only seven training sessions were required to significantly improve maximum wrist extension. Conclusions: For patients suffering from severe motor deficits, epidural implants may decode and train the brain activity generated during attempts to move with high spatial resolution, thus facilitating specific and high-intensity practice even in the absence of motor control. This would thus transform them from pure assistive devices to restorative tools in the context of reinforcement learning and neurorehabilitation.
Initial Clinical Experience with Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy in Signet-Ring Cell Gastric Cancer with Peritoneal Metastases
2014-01-01

In SRC with peritoneal metastases, the prognosis appears to remain poor irrespective of complete CRS and HIPEC. Moreover, complete cytoreduction could not be achieved in a considerable percentage of patients. In SRC, CRS and HIPEC should be restricted to highly selective patients in order to avoid exploratory laparotomy.
Assessing the Readability of Sentences: Which Corpora and Features?
2014-01-01

The paper investigates the problem of sentence readability assessment, which is modelled as a classification task, with a specific view to text simplification.In particular, it addresses two open issues connected with it, i.e. the corpora to be used for training, and the identification of the most effective features to determine sentence readability.An existing readability assessment tool developed for Italian was specialized at the level of training corpus and learning algorithm.A maximum entropy-based feature selection and ranking algorithm (grafting) was used to identify to the most relevant features: it turned out that assessing the readability of sentences is a complex task, requiring a high number of features, mainly syntactic ones.
Behavioral Deficits and Striatal DA Signaling in LRRK2 p.G2019S Transgenic Rats: A Multimodal Investigation Including PET Neuroimaging
2014-01-01

Neuroimaging using dopaminergic PET did not recapitulate prior studies in human LRRK2 mutation carriers. Consistently, LRRK2 p.G2019S rats do not develop overt neurodegeneration; however, they do exhibit behavioral abnormalities.
Post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in bacterial pathogens by toxin-antitoxin systems
2014-01-01

Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are small genetic elements ubiquitous in prokaryotic genomes that encode toxic proteins targeting various vital cellular functions. Typically, toxin activity is controlled by adjacently encoded protein or RNA antitoxins and unleashed as a consequence of genetic fluctuations or stressful conditions. Whereas some TA systems interfere with replication or cell wall synthesis, most of them influence transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene regulation. Antitoxin proteins often act as DNA binding transcriptional regulators and many TA toxins exhibit endoribonuclease activity to selectively degrade different RNA species and thus alter gene expression patterns. Some TA RNases cleave tRNA, tmRNAs or rRNAs, whereas most commonly mRNAs either in association with the ribosome or as free transcripts, are targeted. Examples are provided on how TA toxins differentially shape gene expression in bacterial pathogens by creating specialized ribosomes or by altering the transcriptome and how this may be tied in the control of pathogenicity factors.
Epistemological problems in Cognitive Archaeology: an anti-relativistic proposal towards methodological uniformity.
2014-01-01

Cognitive archaeology (CA) has an inherent and major problem. The coupling between extinct minds, brains and behaviors cannot be investigated in a laboratory. Without direct testability, there is a risk that theories in CA will remain merely subjective opinions in which "anything goes". To counter this risk, opponents of relativism originally argued that CA should adopt a method of validation based on "indirectly" testing inferences from the archaeological record. In this paper, we will offer a two-part analysis. In the first part, we will discuss problems with the original anti-relativistic agenda. While we agree with the necessity of developing a rational methodology for this discipline, in our view previous analyses have significant weak points that need to be strengthened. In particular, we will propose that "indirect testability" should be superseded by a methodology based upon deductive mappings from networks of theories, followed by a plausibility-selection stage. This methodology will be implemented by adopting an extension of Barnard's (2010b) proposals for mapping hierarchical systems. In the second part, we will compare our methods with those currently adopted in the CA debate. From this analysis, it will emerge that some proposals in CA are inconsistent with our methodology and are incommensurable with those that are consistent with it. Furthermore, we will show that theories in CA can advance contradictory conclusions precisely because they have been developed using different methods. We conclude that a universal methodology, like that proposed here, is needed for CA to become more objective. It is also crucial for creating conditions for coherent and productive debate among different schools of thought in the field of cognitive evolution.
Replication of the correlation between natural mood states and working memory-related prefrontal activity measured by near-infrared spectroscopy in a German sample
2014-01-01

Previous studies have suggested complex interactions of mood and cognition in the lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC). Although such interactions might be influenced by various factors such as personality and cultural background, their reproducibility and generalizability have hardly been explored. In the present study, we focused on a previously found correlation between negative mood states and PFC activity during a verbal working memory (WM) task, which had been demonstrated by using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in a Japanese sample. To confirm and extend the generalizability of this finding, we conducted a similar experiment in a German sample, i.e., participants with a different language background. Here, PFC activity during verbal and spatial WM tasks was measured by NIRS using a delayed match-to-sample paradigm after the participants' natural mood states had been evaluated by a mood questionnaire (Profiles of Mood States: POMS). We also included control tasks to consider the general effect of visual/auditory inputs and motor responses. For the verbal WM task, the POMS total mood disturbance (TMD) score was negatively correlated with baseline-corrected NIRS data mainly over the left dorsolateral PFC (i.e., higher TMD scores were associated with reduced activation), which is consistent with previous studies. Moreover, this relationship was also present when verbal WM activation was contrasted with the control task. These results suggest that the mood-cognition interaction within the PFC is reproducible in a sample with a different language background and represents a general phenomenon.