julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Maternal MHC Regulates Generation of Pathogenic Antibodies and Fetal MHC-Encoded Genes Determine Susceptibility in Congenital Heart Block
2010-08-10

Abstract Congenital heart block develops in fetuses of anti-Ro52 Ab-positive women. A recurrence rate of 20%, despite the persistence of maternal autoantibodies, indicates that there are additional, yet unidentified, factors critical for development of congenital heart block. In this study, we demonstrate that besides the maternal MHC controlling Ab specificity, fetal MHC-encoded genes influence fetal susceptibility to congenital heart block. Using MHC congenic rat strains, we show that heart block develops in rat pups of three strains carrying MHC haplotype RT1av1 (DA, PVG.AV1, and LEW.AV1) after maternal Ro52 immunization, but not in LEW rats (RT1l). Different anti-Ro52 Ab fine specificities were generated in RT1av1 versus RT1l animals. Maternal and fetal influence was determined in an F2 cross between LEW.AV1 and LEW strains, which revealed higher susceptibility in RT1l than RT1av1 pups once pathogenic Ro52 Abs were present. This was further confirmed in that RT1l pups more frequently developed heart block than RT1av1 pups after passive transfer of RT1av1 anti-Ro52 sera. Our findings show that generation of pathogenic Ro52 Abs is restricted by maternal MHC, whereas the fetal MHC locus regulates susceptibility and determines the fetal disease outcome in anti-Ro52–positive pregnancies.
Cholesterol Defect Is Marked across Multiple Rodent Models of Huntington's Disease and Is Manifest in Astrocytes
2010-08-11

Brain cholesterol, which is synthesized locally, is a major component of myelin and cell membranes and participates in neuronal functions, such as membrane trafficking, signal transduction, neurotransmitter release, and synaptogenesis. Here we show that brain cholesterol biosynthesis is reduced in multiple transgenic and knock-in Huntington's disease (HD) rodent models, arguably dependent on deficits in mutant astrocytes. Mice carrying a progressively increased number of CAG repeats show a more evident reduction in cholesterol biosynthesis. In postnatal life, the cholesterol-dependent activities of neurons mainly rely on the transport of cholesterol from astrocytes on ApoE-containing particles. Our data show that mRNA levels of cholesterol biosynthesis and efflux genes are severely reduced in primary HD astrocytes, along with impaired cellular production and secretion of ApoE. Consistently, in CSF of HD mice, ApoE is mostly associated with smaller lipoproteins, indicating reduced cholesterol transport on ApoE-containing lipoproteins circulating in the HD brain. These findings indicate that cholesterol defect is robustly marked in HD animals, implying that strategies aimed at selectively modulating brain cholesterol metabolism might be of therapeutic significance.
Suppression of Casein Kinase 1α in Melanoma Cells Induces a Switch in β-Catenin Signaling to Promote Metastasis
2010-08-11

Abstract Casein kinase 1 α (CK1α) is a multifunctional Ser/Thr kinase that phosphorylates several substrates. Among those is β-catenin, an important player in cell adhesion and Wnt signaling. Phosphorylation of β-catenin by CK1α at Ser45 is the priming reaction for the proteasomal degradation of β-catenin. Interestingly, aside from this role in β-catenin degradation, very little is known about the expression and functional role of CK1α in tumor cells. Here, we show that CK1α expression in different tumor types is either strongly suppressed or completely lost during tumor progression and that CK1α is a key factor determining β-catenin stability and transcriptional activity in tumor cells. CK1α reexpression in metastatic melanoma cells reduces growth in vitro and metastasis formation in vivo, and induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, whereas suppression of CK1α in primary melanoma cells induces invasive tumor growth. Inactivation of CK1α promotes tumor progression by regulating a switch in β-catenin–mediated signaling. These results show that melanoma cells developed an efficient new mechanism to activate the β-catenin signaling pathway and define CK1α as a novel tumor suppressor. Cancer Res; 70(17); 6999–7009. ©2010 AACR.
Metal abundances in the hottest known DO white dwarf (KPD 0005+5106)
2010-08-11

\\n We present the analysis of ultraviolet and optical spectra of KPD 0005+5106. Redetermination of the atmospheric parameters is necessary because the recent discovery of highly ionised metals (Ne <sc>viii</sc>, Ca <sc>x</sc>) indicates that the effective temperature is significantly higher than previously thought. Here we announce the discovery of lines from highly ionised silicon, sulphur, and iron (Si <sc>vii</sc>, S <sc>vii</sc>, Fe <sc>x</sc>) which were never found before in any stellar photosphere. Our analysis of these lines and those from helium and several other metals gives Teff = 200000 ± 20000 K, log g = 6.7 ± 0.3. Mass and luminosity follow from a comparison with evolutionary tracks: M = 0.64 M⊙ and log L/L⊙ = 3.7, so that, strictly speaking, the star is a helium-burning pre-white dwarf. The mass fractions of the metals in the helium-dominated atmosphere are in the range 0.7−4.3 solar. Hydrogen is not detectable and we derive an upper abundance limit of 0.034 solar. This abundance pattern is probably unaffected by gravitational settling and radiative levitation. Its origin lies in previous evolutionary stages. We discuss the link of KPD 0005+5106 to RCrB stars and the possibility that it results from a double-degenerate merger event.\\n
Intraoperative Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potential Observations After Trigeminocardiac Reflex During Cerebellopontine Angle Surgery
2010-08-11

Although no direct cause-effect relationship has yet been shown, we suggest TCR as an additional event that may cause BAEP changes. The observed BAEP alterations occurred minutes rather than seconds after the TCR incident leading to both temporary and permanent wave deterioration. This association of BAEP deterioration and TCR occurrence, however, remains yet to be proven justifying further study in the field.
Orbital evolution of eccentric planets in radiative discs
2010-08-13

With an average eccentricity of about 0.29, the eccentricity distribution of extrasolar planets is markedly different from the solar system. Among other scenarios considered, it has been proposed that eccentricity may grow through planet-disc interaction. Recently, it has been noticed that the thermodynamical state of the disc can significantly influence the migration properties of growing protoplanets. However, the evolution of planetary eccentricity in radiative discs has not been considered yet. In this paper we study the evolution of planets on eccentric orbits that are embedded in a three-dimensional viscous disc and analyse the disc's effect on the orbital evolution of the planet. We use the three-dimensional hydrodynamical code NIRVANA that includes full tensor viscosity and implicit radiation transport in the flux-limited diffusion approximation. The code uses the FARGO-algorithm to speed up the simulations. First we measure the torque and power exerted on the planet by the disc for fixed orbits, and then we let the planet start with initial eccentricity and evolve it in the disc. For locally isothermal we confirm previous results and find eccentricity damping and inward migration for planetary cores. In the case of radiative discs, the planets experience an inward migration as long as its eccentricity lies above a certain threshold. After the damping of eccentricity cores with masses below 33 Earthmasses begin to migrate outward in radiative discs, while higher mass cores always migrate inward. For all planetary masses studied (up to 200 Earthmasses) we find eccentricity damping. In viscous discs the orbital eccentricity of embedded planets is damped during the evolution independent of the mass. Hence, planet-disc interaction does not seem to be a viable mechanism to explain the observed high eccentricity of exoplanets.
Application of artificial neural networks for the prediction of lymph node metastases to the ipsilateral axilla – initial experience in 194 patients using magnetic resonance mammography
2010-08-13

Background: In breast MRI (bMRI), prediction of lymph node metastases (N+) on the basis of dynamic and morphologic descriptors of breast cancers remains a complex task. Purpose: To predict N+ using an artificial neural network (ANN) on the basis of 17 previously published descriptors of breast lesions in bMRI. Material and Methods: Standardized protocol and study design were applied in this study (T1w-FLASH; 0.1 mmol/kg body weight Gd-DTPA; T2w-TSE; histological verification after bMRI). All lesions were evaluated by two experienced radiologists in consensus. In every lesion 17 previously published descriptors were assessed. Matched subgroups with (N+; n=97) and without N+ were created (N−; n=97), forming the dataset of this study ( n=194). An ANN was constructed (“Multilayer Perceptron”; training: “Batch”; activation function of hidden/output layer: “Hyperbolic Tangent”/”Softmax”) to predict N+ using all descriptors in combination on a randomly chosen training sample ( n=123/194) and optimized on the corresponding test sample ( n=71/194) using dedicated software. The discrimination power of this ANN was quantified by area under the curve (AUC) comparison (vs AUC=0.5). Training and testing cycles were repeated 20 times to quantify the robustness of the ANN (median-AUC; confidence intervals, CIs). Results: The ANN demonstrated highly significant discrimination power to classify N+ vs N− ( P&lt;0.001). Diagnostic accuracy reached “moderate” AUC (median-AUC=0.74; CI 0.70–0.76). Conclusion: Application of ANNs for the prediction of lymph node metastases in breast MRI is feasible. Future studies should evaluate the clinical impact of the presented model.
Effects of a sensory-motor exercise program for older adults with osteoarthritis or prosthesis of the hip using measurements made by the Posturomed oscillatory platform.
2010-08-13

Participants could successfully cope with more disturbances and improved their reactions to sudden displacements after training intervention. This exercise setting improves balance abilities and should be included in Hip School programs for patients with osteoarthritis.
Zonation of heme synthesis enzymes in mouse liver and their regulation by β-catenin and Ha-ras
2010-08-13

Abstract Cytochrome P450 (CYP) hemoproteins play an important role in hepatic biotransformation. Recently, β-catenin and Ha-ras signaling have been identified as players controlling transcription of various CYP genes in mouse liver. The aim of the present study was to analyze the role of β-catenin and Ha-ras in the regulation of heme synthesis. Heme synthesis-related gene expression was analyzed in normal liver, in transgenic mice expressing activated β-catenin or Ha-ras, and in hepatomas. Regulation of the aminolevulinate dehydratase promoter was studied in vitro . Elevated expression of mRNAs and proteins involved in heme biosynthesis was linked to β-catenin activation in perivenous hepatocytes, in transgenic hepatocytes, and in hepatocellular tumors. Stimulation of the aminolevulinate dehydratase promoter by β-catenin was independent of the β-catenin/T-cell-specific transcription factor dimer. By contrast, activation of Ha-ras repressed heme synthesis-related gene expression. The present data suggest that β-catenin enhances the expression of both CYPs and heme synthesis-related genes, thus coordinating the availability of CYP apoprotein and its prosthetic group heme. The reciprocal regulation of heme synthesis by β-catenin and Ha-ras-dependent signaling supports our previous hypothesis that antagonistic action of these pathways plays a major role in the control of zonal gene expression in healthy mouse liver and aberrant expression patterns in hepatocellular tumors.
Signed permutation modules, Singer cycles and class numbers
2010-08-13

Let p be a rational prime. The k(GV) theorem states that, given a finite p′-group G acting faithfully on a finite elementary abelian p-group V, the number of conjugacy classes of the semidirect product GV is bounded above by the order of V (k(GV) ⩽ |V|). In the present paper we examine when the upper bound k(GV) = |V| is attained. It is shown that for p > 5 this happens if and only if G/CG(U) ≌ CG(V/U) is cyclic of order |U| – 1 for each nontrivial irreducible submodule U of V (Singer cycle). It remains open whether this is also true when p = 5. For p = 2, 3 there exist examples where equality holds but G is not abelian.
Triggering verbal presuppositions
2010-08-14

This paper offers a predictive mechanism to derive the presuppositions of verbs. The starting point is the intuition, dating back at least to Stalnaker (1974), that the information conveyed by a sentence that is in some sense independent from its main point is presupposed. The contribution of this paper is to spell out a mechanism for deciding what will become the main point of the sentence and how to calculate independence. It is proposed that this can be calculated by making reference to event times. As a very rough approximation, the main point of an utterance is what (in a sense to be defined) has to be about the event time of the matrix predicate and the information that the sentence conveys but is not (or does not have to be) about the event time of the matrix predicate is presupposed. The notion of aboutness used to calculate independence is based on Demolombe and Farinas del Cerro (2000).
Sufficiency inference in anankastic conditionals
2010-08-14

The minimal sufficiency reading of anankastic conditionals, discussed in connection with Heim's (2001) ambiguities in comparative constructions and von Fintel &amp; Iatridou's (2007) 'Prejacent Problem' in the sufficiency modal construction, is argued to stem from the kind of ordering associated with anankastic modals.
Seuren/Rullmann ambiguities as plural comparisons
2010-08-14

This paper reexamines ambiguous comparatives of a kind made famous in Rullmann's (1995) dissertation, e.g. The helicopter was flying less high than a plane can fly. There is some disagreement in the semantic literature regarding whether the ambiguity is limited to less or also shows up in more-comparatives. Accordingly, the analyses suggested differ substantially, ranging from structural to pragmatic. My primary goal is to provide a more solid empirical basis for building semantic theories of the phenomenon. I report the results from a series of questionnaire studies that show (i) that the difference between more- and less-comparatives is not clear cut, and (ii) that we need to make more fine-grained distinctions among less-comparatives. I propose an analysis in terms of plural predication that captures the major effects found in the studies, and I begin to approach the more subtle data points.
General Ability and Specialization: Evidence From Penalty Kicks in Soccer
2010-08-15

This article revisits the 2 × 2 penalty kick game and seeks to explain differences in mixed strategies associated with different player types and the relative performance of these player types. The authors show that (a) a kicker’s general ability is a reliable indicator of his success rate, (bi) a kicker’s specialization rate increases with his general ability, and (c) left-footed kickers who present a minority within the total population are characterized by a higher success rate. Consequently, the authors establish that more able kickers show a higher degree of specialization. Their greater specialization, however, has neither an adverse nor a beneficial impact on their success rate. All the theoretical predictions are in line with empirical evidence from the German national soccer league.
Dual-task processing when task 1 is hard and task 2 is easy: Reversed central processing order?
2010-08-15

Five psychological refractory period (PRP) experiments were conducted with an especially time-consuming first task (Experiments 1, 3, and 5: mental rotation; Experiments 2 and 4: memory scanning) and with equal emphasis on the first task and on the second (left-right tone judgment). The standard design with varying stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs) was extended by a condition with blocked SOAs in Experiments 3 and 4. Based on the optimization account (Miller, Ulrich, & Rolke, 2009) it was expected that participants would-at short, but not long SOAs-tend to process the relatively fast central stage of Task 2 before the time-consuming central stage of Task 1 and consequently emit the response to Task 2 before the response to Task 1. Such an optimization tendency was found, more so for the mental rotation task and for the blocked SOA condition. The results indicate that preparation, Task 1 characteristics, and TRT (total reaction time) optimization are-among others-factors influencing central processing order in PRP tasks.
Chronic stroke recovery after combined BCI training and physiotherapy: A case report
2010-08-16

Abstract A case of partial recovery after stroke and its associated brain reorganization in a chronic patient after combined brain computer interface (BCI) training and physiotherapy is presented. A multimodal neuroimaging approach based on fMRI and diffusion tensor imaging was used to investigate plasticity of the brain motor system in parallel with longitudinal clinical assessments. A convergent association between functional and structural data in the ipsilesional premotor areas was observed. As a proof of concept investigation, these results encourage further research on a specific role of BCI on brain plasticity and recovery after stroke.
An update on the ABCC transporter family in plants: many genes, many proteins, but how many functions?
2010-08-16

Abstract The ABCC subfamily of the ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporters, which were formerly known as multidrug resistance‐related proteins (MRPs), consists of closely related members found in all eukaryotic organisms. Although more than a decade of intensive research has elapsed since the first MRP protein was functionally characterised in Arabidopsis thaliana , knowledge of this particular transporter family is still limited in plants. Although ABCC proteins were originally defined as vacuolar pumps of glutathione‐S (GS) conjugates, evidence, as well as speculation, on their endogenous functions inside the cell ranges from detoxification and heavy metal sequestration, to chlorophyll catabolite transport and ion channel regulation. The characterisation of knockout mutants in Arabidopsis has been pivotal for elucidation of different roles of ABCC transporters. However, a functional annotation for the majority of these transport proteins is still lacking, even in this model plant. On the one hand, this problem seems to be caused by functional redundancy between family members, which might lead to physiological complementation by a highly homologous gene in the mutant lines. On the other hand, there is growing evidence that the functional diversity of ABCC genes in Arabidopsis and other plants is far greater than previously assumed. For example, analysis of microarray expression data supports involvement of ABCC transporters in the response to biotic stress: particular changes in ABCC transcript levels are found, which are pathogen‐specific and evoke distinct signalling cascades. Current knowledge about plant ABCC transporters indicates that novel and unexpected functions and substrates of these proteins are still waiting to be elucidated.
Sliders for the Smart: Type of Rating Scale on the Web Interacts With Educational Level
2010-08-16

Slider scales and radio buttons scales were experimentally compared in horizontal and vertical orientation. Slider scales lead to statistically significantly higher break-off rates (odds ratio = 6.9) and substantially higher response times. Problems with slider scales were especially prevalent in participants with less than average education, suggesting the slider scale format is more challenging in terms of previous knowledge needed or cognitive load. An alternative explanation, technology-dependent sampling (Buchanan &amp; Reips, 2001), cannot fully account for the current results. The authors clearly advise against the use of Java-based slider scales and advocate low-tech solutions for the design of Web-based data collection. Orientation on screen had no observable effect on data quality or usability of rating scales. Implications of item format for Web-based surveys are discussed.
Analysis of tumor antigen‐specific T cells and antibodies in cancer patients treated with radiofrequency ablation
2010-08-16

Abstract Radiofrequency (RF) ablation is a minimally invasive technique routinely applied for the treatment of primary and secondary liver tumors. It induces cell death by thermal coagulative necrosis of tumor tissues, whereas cellular metabolism can still take place in a transition zone surrounding the necrotic area. An increase in heat shock protein expression occurs shortly after treatment, suggesting that the induction of activating signals may stimulate the host immune system. In addition, various effects on immune effectors have also been observed, including stimulation of tumor‐directed T lymphocytes. Here, we prospectively assessed the activation of tumor antigen‐specific antibodies, as well as antigen‐specific CD4 + and CD8 + T cells in patients suffering from primary or secondary malignancies and treated by RF ablation with or without concomitant chemotherapy. An increase of antibodies (in 4 patients of 49), CD4 + T cells or CD8 + T cells (in 2 patients of 49) could be detected several weeks to months following intervention. These findings suggest that in addition to the local control of tumor growth, RF ablation can provide the appropriate conditions for activating tumor‐antigen specific immune responses.
The frameshift polymorphism CYP3A43_74_delA is associated with poor differentiation of breast tumors
2010-08-16

Abstract BACKGROUND: CYP3A enzymes, due to their role in the metabolism of steroid hormones, are suggested to affect carcinogenesis of hormone‐related cancers. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the association between polymorphisms located in CYP3A43 , breast cancer risk, and tumor characteristics. METHODS: A 3‐plex matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry assay has been established for CYP3A43 _74_delA ( CYP3A43 *2A), CYP3A43 _1018_C&gt;G ( CYP3A43 *3), and CYP3A43 _1047_C&gt;T ( CYP3A43 *1B) polymorphisms, and 1021 breast cancer cases and 1015 age‐matched, population‐based controls from the German GENICA collection have been genotyped. RESULTS: No differences in genotype frequencies between cases and controls were observed, indicating that CYP3A43 _74_delA is not associated with breast cancer risk. Subgroup analyses showed an association between the CYP3A43 _74_delA allele and high‐grade tumors (odds ratio, 1.74; 95% confidence interval, 1.14‐2.65 [ P = .010 and P trend = .012]). CONCLUSIONS: The data support the notion that the CYP3A43 _74_delA variant may result in decreased protein and/or activity levels, and this may further lead to increased hormone levels to promote tumor cell growth and hinder differentiation. Cancer 2010. © 2010 American Cancer Society.