julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Molecular cloning and characterization of a novel anti-TLR9 intrabody
2013-01-01

Abstract Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) is a component of the innate immune system, which recognizes the DNA of both pathogens and hosts. Thus, it can drive autoimmune diseases. Intracellular antibodies expressed inside the ER block transitory protein functions by inhibiting the translocation of the protein from the ER to its subcellular destination. Here, we describe the construction and characterization of an anti-TLR9 ER intrabody (αT9ib). The respective single-chain Fv comprises the variable domains of the heavy and light chain of a monoclonal antibody (mAb; 5G5) towards human and murine TLR9. Co-expression of αT9ib and mouse TLR9 in HEK293 cells resulted in co-localization of both molecules with the ER marker calnexin. Co-immunoprecipitation of mouse TLR9 with αT9ib indicated that αT9ib interacts with its cognate antigen. The expression of αT9ib inhibited NF-κB-driven reporter gene activation upon CpG DNA challenge but not the activation of TLR3 or TLR4. Consequently, TLR9-driven TNFα production was inhibited in RAW264.7 macrophages upon transfection with the αT9ib expression plasmid. The αT9ib-encoding open reading frame was integrated into an adenoviral cosmid vector to produce the recombinant adenovirus (AdV)-αT9ib. Transduction with AdVαT9ib specifically inhibited TLR9-driven cellular TNFα release. These data strongly indicate that αT9ib is a very promising experimental tool to block TLR9 signaling.
Safety and Efficacy of the Prostar XL Vascular Closing Device for Percutaneous Closure of Large Arterial Access Sites
2013-01-01

Purpose . The purpose of this study is to retrospectively evaluate the efficacy and safety of the Prostar XL device for percutaneous large access site closure in an unselected patient and operator collective. Materials and Methods . All patients () who had received percutaneous vascular closing with the Prostar XL device in our institution with follow-up data of at least 6 months were retrospectively included. Primary (freedom from surgical conversion) and continued (freedom from groin surgery in further course) technical success and major (deviations from expected outcome requiring surgery) and minor (other deviations from expected outcome) complications were assessed. Success and complications rates were correlated with delivery system size (Mann-Whitney Rank Sum Tests) and operator experience (paired samples t -test). Results . Rates of primary and continued technical success as well as major and minor complications were 93.6%, 89.7%, 10.3%, and 10.3% (groin based) and 90.0%, 84.0%, 16.0%, and 16.0% (patient based), respectively. No correlation of success and complications rate was found with delivery system sizes and operator experience. Conclusions . Application of the Prostar XL device for percutaneous closure of large arterial access sites is safe with a relatively high rate of technical success and low rate of major complications. Sizes of the delivery systems and the experience of the operator did not influence the results.
Glioma cell migration and invasion as potential target for novel treatment strategies
2013-01-01

Abstract Diffuse human gliomas constitute a group of most treatment-refractory tumors even if maximum treatment strategies including neurosurgical resection followed by combined radio-/chemotherapy are applied. In contrast to most other neoplasms, diffusely infiltrating gliomas invade the brain along pre-existing structures such as axonal tracts and perivascular spaces. Even in cases of early diagnosis single or small clusters of glioma cells are already encountered far away from the main tumor bulk. Complex interactions between glioma cells and the surrounding extracellular matrix and considerable changes in the cytoskeletal apparatus are prerequisites for the cellular movement of glioma cells through the brain thereby escaping from most current treatments. This review provides an overview about classical and current concepts of glioma cell migration/invasion and promising preclinical treatment approaches.
Brain Drain: The Cognitive Neuroscience of Foreign Language Processing in Multilingual Organizations
2013-01-01

This conceptual paper adopts a cognitive neuroscience perspective to develop theory about the consequences of foreign language use in organizational settings. In contrast to previous work that has focused on the interpersonal effects of foreign language use, we focus on intra- personal, cognitive processes that affect employee performance. Our model delineates how foreign language processing depletes cognitive resources which can ultimately result in biased decision making and reduced self-regulation. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of our model for international business research in the context of an increasing number of organizations that have adopted a common corporate language.
Upregulation of Store Operated Ca<sup>2+</sup> Channel Orai1, Stimulation of Ca<sup>2+</sup> Entry and Triggering of Cell Membrane Scrambling in Platelets by Mineralocorticoid DOCA
2013-01-01

&lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Background/Aims:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; Mineralocorticoid excess leads to vascular injury, which is partially due to hypertension but in addition involves increased concentration of cytosolic Ca&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt; concentration in platelets, key players in the pathophysiology of occlusive vascular disease. Mineralocorticoids are in part effective by rapid nongenomic mechanisms including phosphatidylinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) signaling, which involves activation of the serum &amp;#38; glucocorticoid inducible kinase (SGK) isoforms. SGK1 has in turn been shown to participate in the regulation of the pore forming Ca&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt; channel protein Orai1 in platelets. Orai1 accomplishes entry of Ca&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt;, which is in turn known to trigger cell membrane scrambling. Platelets lack nuclei but are able to express protein by translation, which is stimulated by PI3K signaling. The present study explored whether the mineralocorticoid desoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) influences platelet Orai1 protein abundance, cytosolic Ca&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt;-activity ([Ca&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt;]&lt;sub&gt;i&lt;/sub&gt;), phosphatidylserine abundance at the cell surface and/or cell volume. &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Methods: &lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;Orai1 protein abundance was estimated utilizing CFTM488A conjugated antibodies, [Ca&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt;]&lt;sub&gt;i&lt;/sub&gt; utilizing Fluo3-fluorescence, phosphatidylserine abundance utilizing FITC-labelled annexin V, and cell volume utilizing forward scatter in flow cytometry. &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Results: &lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;DOCA (10 μg/ml) treatment of murine platelets was followed by a significant increase of Orai1 protein abundance, [Ca&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt;]&lt;sub&gt;i&lt;/sub&gt;, percentage of phosphatidylserine exposing platelets and platelet swelling. The effect on [Ca&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt;]&lt;sub&gt;i&lt;/sub&gt;, phosphatidylserine abundance and cell volume were completely abrogated by addition of the specific SGK inhibitor EMD638683 (50 μM) &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;The mineralocorticoid DOCA upregulates Orai1 protein abundance in the cell membrane, thus increasing [Ca&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt;]&lt;sub&gt;i&lt;/sub&gt; and triggering phosphatidylserine abundance, effects paralleled by platelet swelling.
STEM CELLS IN TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY
2013-01-01

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a devastating clinical condition that often causes permanent incapacity, especially in the younger population. The clinical relevant of TBI justifies the scientific interest in the pathophysiology of TBI, as well as in protective effects and development of treatment options. Stem cells have the ability to induce neuroprotection and neural repair inflammatory suppression, causing tissue reconstruction completely or partially damaged cells to preventing cell death to evolve. However the neurological improvement observed in preclinical studies and clinical tests based on neurological and behavioral disorders and the mechanism of action of stem cells remains unknown. In this study the authors discuss the current status of using stem cells to treat TBI, including the basic cell types and potential mechanisms of action, preclinical data and points out lack of studies and hurdles for clinical application. The authors also focusing on the recent demonstration that neurogenesis occurs in all mammals throughout adult life, although at a low rate, is possible to induce neurogenesis de novo in the adult mammalian brain, particularly in the neocortex where it does not normally occur and that it may become possible to manipulate endogenous multipotent precursors in situ to replace lost or damaged neurons. Elucidation of the relevant molecular controls may both allow control over transplanted precursor cells and potentially allow the development of neuronal replacement therapies for neurodegenerative disease and other central nervous system injuries that do not require transplantation of exogenous cells. Discuss strategies of enhance the neurogenesis (for example by exogenous tropics factor administration) and the transplantation of different types of neural progenitor cells after TBI. Each strategy is discussed with an emphasis on highlighting the progress and limiting factors relevant to the development of clinical trials of cellular replacement therapy for severe TBI in humans.
A Single Unexpected Change in Target- but Not Distractor Motion Impairs Multiple Object Tracking
2013-01-01

Recent research addresses the question whether motion information of multiple objects contributes to maintaining a selection of objects across a period of motion. Here, we investigate whether target and/or distractor motion information is used during attentive tracking. We asked participants to track four objects and changed either the motion direction of targets, the motion direction of distractors, neither, or both during a brief flash in the middle of a tracking interval. We observed that a single direction change of targets is sufficient to impair tracking performance. In contrast, changing the motion direction of distractors had no effect on performance. This indicates that target- but not distractor motion information is evaluated during tracking.
Aluminium Complexes of a Sterically Demanding Bis(iminophosphorane)methandiide
2013-01-01

The reaction of the sterically demanding bis(iminophosphorane)methane, {DipN=P(Ph2)}2CH2, H2L 1 (where Dip = 2,6-iPr2C6H3), with one or two equivalents of AlMe3 in toluene under varying conditions led to the methanide complex [HLAlMe2] 4, and the methandiide complex [L(AlMe2)2] 5, respectively. Iterative iodination of complex 5 with I2 in toluene yielded the complexes [L(AlMeI)2] 6 and [L(AlI2)2] 7. The complexes 4–7 were structurally characterised. The methanide 4 forms a puckered six-membered ring without Al-C(methanide) contact and the complexes 5 and 6 show coordination of the methandiide ligand to two Al atoms forming two four-membered rings on the central spirocyclic carbon centre. Complex 7 shows an asymmetric coordination mode of the two Al centres to the methandiide ligand in the solid state with an almost planar, severely distorted three-coordinate methandiide carbon atom and only one short Al–C bond.
Witness Sets, Polarity Reversal and the Processing of Quantified Sentences
2013-01-01

Seeds constitute a key physiological stage in plants life cycle. During seed germination, there is a spatial-temporal imbibition pattern that correlates with described physiological processes. However, only the moment of testa rupture has been described as a critical, discrete stage. Could a specific relative water content (RWC) value reflect a physiological stage useful for comparisons between seed batches? We tracked seed-by-seed imbibition during germination to homogenize sampling and selected a transcriptomic approach to analyse the physiological transitions that occur in seed batches collected in different years and with contrasting phenotypic responses to a priming treatment. The seed RWC reflected the transcriptional transitions that occur during germination, regardless of imbibition time or collection year, and revealed a set of biological processes that occur in the dry seed and during early germination are associated with the phenotypic response to priming. As climate shifts, so do the timing of developmental events important for determining organismal fitness, and poses another challenge to the comprehension of molecular and physiological processes driving the interaction between organisms and environment. In this study, we demonstrate that the use of physiological traits, specific to a particular developmental stage, is a reliable time-independent approach.
User-friendly workflows in quantum chemistry
2013-01-01

Quantum chemical workflows can be built up within the science gateway MoSGrid (Molecular Simulation Grid). Complex workflows required by the endusers are dissected into smaller workflows which can be combined freely to larger meta-workflows. General quantum chemical workflows are described here as well as the real use case of a spectroscopic analysis resulting in an enduser desired meta-workflow. All workflow features are implemented via WS-PGRADE and submitted to UNICORE. The workflows are stored in the MoSGrid repository and ported to the SHIWA repository. Keywords— Quantum chemistry, Workflows, MoSGrid, Service Grids, DCIs
Cost Effective Laparoendoscopic Single-Site Surgery with a Reusable Platform
2013-01-01

A completely reusable LESS-platform is applicable to various uses in urology, yielding favorable functional and cosmetic results. Reusable materials are useful to reduce the cost of LESS, further increasing its acceptance. LESS with a completely reusable platform is more cost effective than standard laparoscopy.
Model selection for the extraction of movement primitives
2013-01-01

A wide range of blind source separation methods have been used in motor control research for the extraction of movement primitives from EMG and kinematic data. Popular examples are principal component analysis (PCA), independent component analysis (ICA), anechoic demixing, and the time-varying synergy model (d'Avella and Tresch, 2002). However, choosing the parameters of these models, or indeed choosing the type of model, is often done in a heuristic fashion, driven by result expectations as much as by the data. We propose an objective criterion which allows to select the model type, number of primitives and the temporal smoothness prior. Our approach is based on a Laplace approximation to the posterior distribution of the parameters of a given blind source separation model, re-formulated as a Bayesian generative model. We first validate our criterion on ground truth data, showing that it performs at least as good as traditional model selection criteria [Bayesian information criterion, BIC (Schwarz, 1978) and the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) (Akaike, 1974)]. Then, we analyze human gait data, finding that an anechoic mixture model with a temporal smoothness constraint on the sources can best account for the data.
Differential Association of the Na+/H+Exchanger Regulatory Factor (NHERF) Family of Adaptor Proteins with the Raft- and the Non-Raft Brush Border Membrane Fractions of NHE3
2013-01-01

The differential association of the NHERFs with the raft-associated and the non-raft fraction of NHE3 in the brush border membrane is one component of the differential and signal-specific NHE3 regulation by the different NHERFs.
The intra-observer reproducibility of cardiovascular magnetic resonance myocardial feature tracking strain assessment is independent of field strength
2013-01-01

Background Cardiovascular magnetic resonance myocardial feature tracking (CMR-FT) is a promising novel method for quantification of myocardial wall mechanics from standard steady-state free precession (SSFP) images. We sought to determine whether magnetic field strength affects the intra-observer reproducibility of CMR-FT strain analysis. Methods We studied 2 groups, each consisting of 10 healthy subjects, at 1.5 or 3 Tesla. Analysis was performed at baseline and after 4 weeks using dedicated CMR-FT prototype software (Tomtec, Germany) to analyse standard SSFP cine images. Right ventricular (RV) and left ventricular (LV) longitudinal strain (EllRV and EllLV) and LV long-axis radial strain (ErrLAX) were derived from the 4-chamber cine, and LV short-axis circumferential and radial strains (EccSAX, ErrSAX) from the short-axis orientation. Strain parameters were assessed together with LV ejection fraction (EF) and volumes. Intra-observer reproducibility was determined by comparison of the first and the second analysis in both groups. Results
IBES: a tool for creating instructions based on event segmentation
2013-01-01

Receiving informative, well-structured, and well-designed instructions supports performance and memory in assembly tasks. We describe IBES, a tool with which users can quickly and easily create multimedia, step-by-step instructions by segmenting a video of a task into segments. In a validation study we demonstrate that the step-by-step structure of the visual instructions created by the tool corresponds to the natural event boundaries, which are assessed by event segmentation and are known to play an important role in memory processes. In one part of the study, 20 participants created instructions based on videos of two different scenarios by using the proposed tool. In the other part of the study, 10 and 12 participants respectively segmented videos of the same scenarios yielding event boundaries for coarse and fine events. We found that the visual steps chosen by the participants for creating the instruction manual had corresponding events in the event segmentation. The number of instructional steps was a compromise between the number of fine and coarse events. Our interpretation of results is that the tool picks up on natural human event perception processes of segmenting an ongoing activity into events and enables the convenient transfer into meaningful multimedia instructions for assembly tasks. We discuss the practical application of IBES, for example, creating manuals for differing expertise levels, and give suggestions for research on user-oriented instructional design based on this tool.
Gaze movements and spatial working memory in collision avoidance: a traffic intersection task
2013-01-01

Street crossing under traffic is an everyday activity including collision detection as well as avoidance of objects in the path of motion. Such tasks demand extraction and representation of spatio-temporal information about relevant obstacles in an optimized format. Relevant task information is extracted visually by the use of gaze movements and represented in spatial working memory. In a virtual reality traffic intersection task, subjects are confronted with a two-lane intersection where cars are appearing with different frequencies, corresponding to high and low traffic densities. Under free observation and exploration of the scenery (using unrestricted eye and head movements) the overall task for the subjects was to predict the potential-of-collision (POC) of the cars or to adjust an adequate driving speed in order to cross the intersection without collision (i.e., to find the free space for crossing). In a series of experiments, gaze movement parameters, task performance, and the representation of car positions within working memory at distinct time points were assessed in normal subjects as well as in neurological patients suffering from homonymous hemianopia. In the following, we review the findings of these experiments together with other studies and provide a new perspective of the role of gaze behavior and spatial memory in collision detection and avoidance, focusing on the following questions: (1) which sensory variables can be identified supporting adequate collision detection? (2) How do gaze movements and working memory contribute to collision avoidance when multiple moving objects are present and (3) how do they correlate with task performance? (4) How do patients with homonymous visual field defects (HVFDs) use gaze movements and working memory to compensate for visual field loss? In conclusion, we extend the theory of collision detection and avoidance in the case of multiple moving objects and provide a new perspective on the combined operation of external (bottom-up) and internal (top-down) cues in a traffic intersection task.
Instrumental methods in the diagnostics of locked-in syndrome
2013-01-01

The locked-in syndrome (LiS) is typically characterized by a paralysis of almost all body muscles combined with intact cognitive functions. In practice, there are often additional brain damages besides the one directly causing LiS. These damages can lead to cognitive impairment, which substantially complicates the diagnosis of LiS. At the level of behavior, therefore, the disease can be confused with akinetic mutism, vegetative state (syn. unresponsive wakefulness state) and some other conditions. Using instrumental methods in addition to behavioral diagnostics helps to avoid diagnostic errors and to improve prognosis of rehabilitation of such patients. These methods, which include measurements of brain electric or magnetic fields, electrical potential of muscles, blood flow and oxygen consumption in the brain, are reviewed in this paper.
Interventions Supporting Children’s Mathematics School Success
2013-01-01

In today’s society, mathematics is one of the most important competencies imparted in school. To improve children’s mathematical skills, existing interventions and trainings in mathematical learning address different proficiency levels and age groups, take place in different settings, can focus on a single task or a set of different tasks, be applied for different durations, and address different types of numerical content. However, when such trainings are evaluated, this often happens only insufficiently. In this review, we derive and apply four evaluation criteria in a meta-analysis of mathematical intervention literature: (i) evaluation with the actual target group, (ii) evaluation in comparison to a performance-matched control group, (iii) evaluation in comparison to a comparable alternative intervention, and (iv) separate evaluation of subcomponents in the case of multi-componential approaches. Based on these criteria, we review current intervention approaches, paying particular attention to how they were evaluated. A meta-analysis on 39 effect sizes extracted from 37 studies revealed a reliable impact of three of the above-proposed evaluation criteria on the reported efficacy of an intervention. In contrast, sample and methodological characteristics like grade level of participants or training duration were not associated with effect sizes. These data indicate that the reported efficacy of an intervention in mathematical learning may depend not only on the type of intervention conducted, but also on the thoroughness of the evaluation procedure.