Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The in vitro effect of leptin on semen quality of water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) bulls

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the probable effects of leptin addition in different levels to the semen extender on sperm quality (motility and motility parameters, viability, sperm membrane integrity, and DNA damage). Semen specimens were evaluated immediately after leptin addition, equilibration time and after thawing the frozen semen. Five healthy buffalo bulls (5 ejaculates from each bull) were used. Each ejaculate was diluted at 37 ˚C with tris-based extender containing 0 (control), 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 ng mL-1 leptin. The diluted semen was kept 4 hr in refrigerator to reach to the equilibration time and then packed in 0.5 mL French straws and frozen in liquid nitrogen. Our results showed that, in the fresh semen, no significant difference was observed in all sperm quality parameters evaluated among all of the examined leptin concentrations. Addition of 10 ng mL-1 leptin into semen extender significantly preserved sperm motility, all of the motility parameters, and viability in equilibrated semen compared to that of control group. However, in vitro addition of 200 ng mL-1 leptin, significantly decreased theses parameters. In the frozen thawed semen, all leptin concentrations decreased sperm motility and viability, but significant decrease was observed in concentrations of 100 and 200 ng mL-1. Adding leptin to semen extender did not have any significant influence on sperm DNA damage and sperm membrane integrity in all examined groups. These findings suggest that in vitro addition of 10 ng mL-1 leptin could preserve sperm motility and viability in cooled semen of buffaloes.
Development of an easy-to-use Spanish Health Literacy test.

OBJECTIVE The study was intended to develop and validate a health literacy test, termed the Short Assessment of Health Literacy for Spanish-speaking Adults (SAHLSA), for the Spanish-speaking population. STUDY DESIGN The design of SAHLSA was based on the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM), known as the most easily administered tool for assessing health literacy in English. In addition to the word recognition test in REALM, SAHLSA incorporates a comprehension test using multiple-choice questions designed by an expert panel. DATA COLLECTION Validation of SAHLSA involved testing and comparing the tool with other health literacy instruments in a sample of 201 Spanish-speaking and 202 English-speaking subjects recruited from the Ambulatory Care Center at UNC Health Care. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS With only the word recognition test, REALM could not differentiate the level of health literacy in Spanish. The SAHLSA significantly improved the differentiation. Item response theory analysis was performed to calibrate the SAHLSA and reduce the instrument to 50 items. The resulting instrument, SAHLSA-50, was correlated with the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults, another health literacy instrument, at r=0.65. The SAHLSA-50 score was significantly and positively associated with the physical health status of Spanish-speaking subjects (p<.05), holding constant age and years of education. The instrument displayed good internal reliability (Cronbach's alpha=0.92) and test-retest reliability (Pearson's r=0.86). CONCLUSIONS The new instrument, SAHLSA-50, has good reliability and validity. It could be used in the clinical or community setting to screen for low health literacy among Spanish speakers.
Characteristic Properties of a New Dispersion Ceramic

The ceramic materials Al2O3 and ZrO2 proved successful in hip joint endoprosthetics for more than 20 years. The advantages of these materials are to be found in particular with the very good properties like biocompatibility and wear resistance; thus, they are clearly ahead of conventional materials like metal or PE. The increasing requirements regarding implants can only be realised by means of improvement of the used materials. That is why we surveyed utilisation of new dispersion ceramics consisting of Al2O3 and ZrO2. The first tests were aimed at characterisation of the material regarding material features and measurement of burst load at the hip joint heads. The results showed that both bending strength and burst load of the components could be significantly improved. Thus, the new ZTA dispersion ceramic is perfectly suitable for use with joint endoprosthetics.
Tracking Down Abstract Linguistic Meaning: Neural Correlates of Spatial Frame of Reference Ambiguities in Language

This functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study investigates a crucial parameter in spatial description, namely variants in the frame of reference chosen. Two frames of reference are available in European languages for the description of small-scale assemblages, namely the intrinsic (or object-oriented) frame and the relative (or egocentric) frame. We showed participants a sentence such as “the ball is in front of the man”, ambiguous between the two frames, and then a picture of a scene with a ball and a man – participants had to respond by indicating whether the picture did or did not match the sentence. There were two blocks, in which we induced each frame of reference by feedback. Thus for the crucial test items, participants saw exactly the same sentence and the same picture but now from one perspective, now the other. Using this method, we were able to precisely pinpoint the pattern of neural activation associated with each linguistic interpretation of the ambiguity, while holding the perceptual stimuli constant. Increased brain activity in bilateral parahippocampal gyrus was associated with the intrinsic frame of reference whereas increased activity in the right superior frontal gyrus and in the parietal lobe was observed for the relative frame of reference. The study is among the few to show a distinctive pattern of neural activation for an abstract yet specific semantic parameter in language. It shows with special clarity the nature of the neural substrate supporting each frame of spatial reference.
Structural and functional changes in Novikoff hepatoma mitochondria.

Summary Novikoff hepatoma mitochondria were studied with regard to their functional and structural organization. The activities of cytochrome oxidase and malate dehydrogenase in mitochondria purified on sucrose gradients were similar in organelles derived from normal liver and hepatoma tissue. However, the activities of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide oxidase and succinate oxidase in hepatoma mitochondria were reduced to only 10 and 35%, respectively, of the activities in liver mitochondria. Also, monoamine oxidase and rotenone-insensitive reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-cytochrome c reductase (enzymes localized in the outer mitochondrial membrane) have significantly reduced activities in hepatoma mitochondria. The structural changes in hepatoma mitochondria might be correlated with differences in the banding patterns of liver and hepatoma mitochondria in sucrose gradients. While liver mitochondria banded sharply at a density of 1.187 g/ml, as evidenced by marker enzyme activity and protein assay, hepatoma mitochondria were heterogeneous, banding over a density range of 1.144 to 1.161 g/ml. The addition of 1% bovine serum albumin to the isolation medium increased the density of hepatoma mitochondria in sucrose gradients to 1.171 g/ml and resulted in sharp, homogeneous bands. This increase in density is due in part to protein binding, as evidenced by bovine serum albumin- 14 C-binding experiments. In addition, hepatoma mitochondria were shown to be heterogeneous by their separation into three density classes on discontinuous bovine serum albumin gradients.
Rapid evolution of body fluid regulation following independent invasions into freshwater habitats

Colonizations from marine to freshwater environments constitute among the most dramatic evolutionary transitions in the history of life. Colonizing dilute environments poses great challenges for acquiring essential ions against steep concentration gradients. This study explored the evolution of body fluid regulation following freshwater invasions by the copepod Eurytemora affinis. The goals of this study were to determine (1) whether invasions from saline to freshwater habitats were accompanied by evolutionary shifts in body fluid regulation (hemolymph osmolality) and (2) whether parallel shifts occurred during independent invasions. We measured hemolymph osmolality for ancestral saline and freshwater invading populations reared across a range of common‐garden salinities (0.2–25 PSU). Our results revealed the evolution of increased hemolymph osmolality (by 16–31%) at lower salinities in freshwater populations of E. affinis relative to their saline ancestors. Moreover, we observed the same evolutionary shifts across two independent freshwater invasions. Such increases in hemolymph osmolality are consistent with evidence of increased ion uptake in freshwater populations at low salinity, found in a previous study, and are likely to entail increased energetic costs upon invading freshwater habitats. Our findings are consistent with the evolution of increased physiological regulation accompanying transitions into stressful environments.
The Central Executioner of Apoptosis: Multiple Connections between Protease Activation and Mitochondria in Fas/APO-1/CD95- and Ceramide-induced Apoptosis

According to current understanding, cytoplasmic events including activation of protease cascades and mitochondrial permeability transition (PT) participate in the control of nuclear apoptosis. However, the relationship between protease activation and PT has remained elusive. When apoptosis is induced by cross-linking of the Fas/APO-1/CD95 receptor, activation of interleukin-1β converting enzyme (ICE; caspase 1) or ICE-like enzymes precedes the disruption of the mitochondrial inner transmembrane potential (ΔΨm). In contrast, cytosolic CPP32/ Yama/Apopain/caspase 3 activation, plasma membrane phosphatidyl serine exposure, and nuclear apoptosis only occur in cells in which the ΔΨm is fully disrupted. Transfection with the cowpox protease inhibitor crmA or culture in the presence of the synthetic ICE-specific inhibitor Ac-YVAD.cmk both prevent the ΔΨm collapse and subsequent apoptosis. Cytosols from anti-Fas–treated human lymphoma cells accumulate an activity that induces PT in isolated mitochondria in vitro and that is neutralized by crmA or Ac-YVAD.cmk. Recombinant purified ICE suffices to cause isolated mitochondria to undergo PT-like large amplitude swelling and to disrupt their ΔΨm. In addition, ICE-treated mitochondria release an apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) that induces apoptotic changes (chromatin condensation and oligonucleosomal DNA fragmentation) in isolated nuclei in vitro. AIF is a protease (or protease activator) that can be inhibited by the broad spectrum apoptosis inhibitor Z-VAD.fmk and that causes the proteolytical activation of CPP32. Although Bcl-2 is a highly efficient inhibitor of mitochondrial alterations (large amplitude swelling + ΔΨm collapse + release of AIF) induced by prooxidants or cytosols from ceramide-treated cells, it has no effect on the ICE-induced mitochondrial PT and AIF release. These data connect a protease activation pathway with the mitochondrial phase of apoptosis regulation. In addition, they provide a plausible explanation of why Bcl-2 fails to interfere with Fas-triggered apoptosis in most cell types, yet prevents ceramide- and prooxidant-induced apoptosis.
Mixed signal IC (CP-PLL) Testing scheme using a novel approach

An effective novel approach for built in self test is proposed in this paper, which is useful in Mixed signal IC testing (here CP- PLL). The approach is useful in digital testing applications which can detect the fault in any of the block that is phase frequency detector, VCO, loop filter, or charge pump. The key advantage of this approach is that it uses all the existing elements for measuring and testing which reduces the area overhead for testing scheme. Restated, that the proposed architecture does not alter the analog blocks. Rather the proposed approach adds small circuits to PLL with slight modification for digital part. The testoutput generated is purely a digital output which certainly increases the realiability of the proposed BIST structure. A fault simulation result shows the charactericstics of the BIST structure that is high fault coverage of 98%. The implemtation is done using the Tanner, VHDL and waveforms are made using the T- Spice.
Budding Yeast Silencing Complexes and Regulation of Sir2 Activity by Protein-Protein Interactions

ABSTRACT Gene silencing in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae requires the enzymatic activity of the Sir2 protein, a highly conserved NAD-dependent deacetylase. In order to study the activity of native Sir2, we purified and characterized two budding yeast Sir2 complexes: the Sir2/Sir4 complex, which mediates silencing at mating-type loci and at telomeres, and the RENT complex, which mediates silencing at the ribosomal DNA repeats. Analyses of the protein compositions of these complexes confirmed previously described interactions. We show that the assembly of Sir2 into native silencing complexes does not alter its selectivity for acetylated substrates, nor does it allow the deacetylation of nucleosomal histones. The inability of Sir2 complexes to deacetylate nucleosomes suggests that additional factors influence Sir2 activity in vivo. In contrast, Sir2 complexes show significant enhancement in their affinities for acetylated substrates and their sensitivities to the physiological inhibitor nicotinamide relative to recombinant Sir2. Reconstitution experiments showed that, for the Sir2/Sir4 complex, these differences stem from the physical interaction of Sir2 with Sir4. Finally, we provide evidence that the different nicotinamide sensitivities of Sir2/Sir4 and RENT in vitro could contribute to locus-specific differences in how Sir2 activity is regulated in vivo.
Characterization of H13 steel produced via electron beam melting

Electron beam melting (EBM) is a direct‐metal freeform fabrication technique in which a 4 kW electron beam is used to melt metal powder in a layer‐wise fashion. As this process is relatively new, there have not yet been any independently published studies on the H13 steel microstructural properties. This paper describes the EBM process and presents results of microstructural analyses on H13 tool steel processed via EBM.
PROGRESS IN MICROSTRUCTURED OPTICAL FIBERS

▪ Abstract The development of microstructured optical fibers has led to the realization of many optical properties in fiber form that were not previously attainable. This chapter reviews the background to this work and overviews both the fundamentals of and progress in fabricating and modeling these structures. Until relatively recently, most of the work in this field was based on silica glass; this chapter provides an update on progress in developing microstructured fibers from other materials such as soft glasses. Some of the key applications of microstructured fibers, including nonlinear fiber–based devices and fibers for high power light delivery, are also reviewed.
Shared Feed as a Means of Deer-to-Deer Transmission of Mycobacterium bovis

To determine the ability of experimentally inoculated white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to transmit Mycobacterium bovis to naïve deer through the sharing of feed, four deer were intratonsillarly inoculated with 4×105 colony-forming units of M. bovis. On a daily basis, feed not consumed by inoculated deer after approximately 8 hr was offered to four naïve deer maintained in a separate pen, where direct contact, aerosol transmission, or transmission through personnel were prevented. After 150 days, naı¨ve deer were euthanized and examined. All naïve deer had lesions consistent with tuberculosis and M. bovis was isolated from various tissues. The most commonly affected tissues were lung, tracheobronchial lymph nodes, and mediastinal lymph nodes. This study demonstrates the potential for indirect transmission of M. bovis through the sharing of feed. Intentional or unintentional feeding of deer by wildlife or agricultural interests in regions where M. bovis infection is endemic should be avoided because both direct and indirect transmission through sharing of feed are enhanced.
Aneuploidy Drives Genomic Instability in Yeast

Extra chromosomes cause general genomic instability in yeast. Aneuploidy decreases cellular fitness, yet it is also associated with cancer, a disease of enhanced proliferative capacity. To investigate one mechanism by which aneuploidy could contribute to tumorigenesis, we examined the effects of aneuploidy on genomic stability. We analyzed 13 budding yeast strains that carry extra copies of single chromosomes and found that all aneuploid strains exhibited one or more forms of genomic instability. Most strains displayed increased chromosome loss and mitotic recombination, as well as defective DNA damage repair. Aneuploid fission yeast strains also exhibited defects in mitotic recombination. Aneuploidy-induced genomic instability could facilitate the development of genetic alterations that drive malignant growth in cancer.
Reindeer habitat use in relation to two small wind farms, during preconstruction, construction, and operation

Abstract Worldwide there is a rush toward wind power development and its associated infrastructure. In Fennoscandia, large‐scale wind farms comprising several hundred windmills are currently built in important grazing ranges used for Sámi reindeer husbandry. In this study, reindeer habitat use was assessed using reindeer fecal pellet group counts in relation to two relatively small wind farms, with 8 and 10 turbines, respectively. In 2009, 1,315 15‐m2 plots were established and pellet groups were counted and cleaned from the plots. This was repeated once a year in May, during preconstruction, construction, and operation of the wind farms, covering 6 years (2009–2014) of reindeer habitat use in the area. We modeled the presence/absence of any pellets in a plot at both the local (wind farm site) and regional (reindeer calving to autumn range) scale with a hierarchical logistic regression, where spatial correlation was accounted for via random effects, using vegetation type, and the interaction between distance to wind turbine and time period as predictor variables. Our results revealed an absolute reduction in pellet groups by 66% and 86% around each wind farm, respectively, at local scale and by 61% at regional scale during the operation phase compared to the preconstruction phase. At the regional, scale habitat use declined close to the turbines in the same comparison. However, at the local scale, we observed increased habitat use close to the wind turbines at one of the wind farms during the operation phase. This may be explained by continued use of an important migration route close to the wind farm. The reduced use at the regional scale nevertheless suggests that there may be an overall avoidance of both wind farms during operation, but further studies of reindeer movement and behavior are needed to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms behind this suggested avoidance.
Infiltrating Macrophages Are Key to the Development of Seizures following Virus Infection

ABSTRACT Viral infections of the central nervous system (CNS) can trigger an antiviral immune response, which initiates an inflammatory cascade to control viral replication and dissemination. The extent of the proinflammatory response in the CNS and the timing of the release of proinflammatory cytokines can lead to neuronal excitability. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), two proinflammatory cytokines, have been linked to the development of acute seizures in Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus-induced encephalitis. It is unclear the extent to which the infiltrating macrophages versus resident CNS cells, such as microglia, contribute to acute seizures, as both cell types produce TNF-α and IL-6. In this study, we show that following infection a significantly higher number of microglia produced TNF-α than did infiltrating macrophages. In contrast, infiltrating macrophages produced significantly more IL-6. Mice treated with minocycline or wogonin, both of which limit infiltration of immune cells into the CNS and their activation, had significantly fewer macrophages infiltrating the brain, and significantly fewer mice had seizures. Therefore, our studies implicate infiltrating macrophages as an important source of IL-6 that contributes to the development of acute seizures.
Quantitative analysis of tumor-derived methylated RUNX3 sequences in the serum of gastric cancer patients.

PURPOSE AND EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Using real-time quantitative methylation-specific PCR (RTQ-MSP), methylated RUNX3 sequences were quantified and the fractional concentrations of circulating tumor DNA in serum were determined, along with peripheral blood cells collected preoperatively, intraoperatively and postoperatively from 65 patients with gastric cancer. RESULTS RTQ-MSP was sufficiently sensitive to detect RUNX3 methylation. Quantitative MSP data were expressed in terms of the methylation index, which was defined as the relative amount of methylated RUNX3 sequences divided by the concentration of methylated actin. High levels of methylated RUNX3 sequences were detected in the peripheral circulation of 29% (19 of 65) of the gastric cancer patients. The RUNX3 methylation index was concordant with cancer stage, histology, lymphatic and vascular invasion, and was more sensitive than carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) as a biomarker. Twenty-nine percent (19 out of 65) of preoperative serum samples had methylated RUNX3 sequences, ranging from 5.2 to 1625955 (median quantity=43 m-index, sensitivity 95.5%, specificity 62.5%, AUC 0.8651). After surgical resection, the median RUNX3 methylation index in serum significantly decreased. These results demonstrate the clinical usefulness and effectiveness of peripheral blood RTQ-MSP for detecting and monitoring gastric cancer after treatment. Furthermore, 5 out of the 30 preoperative control samples of benign disease (cases of panperitonitis due to acute appendicitis or cholecystitis) showed transient RUNX3 methylation which decreased after the operation in accordance with recovery. CONCLUSION Quantification of epigenetic changes in serum RUNX3 methylation using RTQ-MSP is useful for the detection and monitoring of gastric cancer.