Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Interval training attenuates the metabolic disturbances in type 1 diabetes rat model.

OBJECTIVE This study investigated the effect of interval training on blood biochemistry and immune parameters in type 1 diabetic rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: sedentary (SE, n = 15), interval training (IT, n = 17), diabetic sedentary (DSE, n = 17), diabetic interval training (DIT, n = 17). Diabetes was induced by i.v. injection of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg). Swimming Interval Training consisted of 30-s exercise with 30-s rest, for 30 minutes, during 6 weeks, four times a week, with an overload of 15% of body mass. Plasma glucose, lactate, triacylglycerol and total cholesterol concentrations, phagocytic capacity, cationic vesicle content, and superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide production by blood neutrophils and peritoneal macrophages were evaluated. Proliferation of mesenteric lymphocytes was also estimated. RESULTS Interval training resulted in attenuation of the resting hyperglycemic state and decreased blood lipids in the DIT group. Diabetes increased the functionality of blood neutrophils and peritoneal macrophages in the DSE group. Interval training increased all functionality parameters of peritoneal macrophages in the IT group. Interval training also led to a twofold increase in the proliferation of mesenteric lymphocytes after 6 weeks of exercise in the DIT group. CONCLUSION Low-volume high-intensity physical exercise attenuates hyperglycemia and dislipidemia induced by type 1 diabetes, and induces changes in the functionality of innate and acquired immunity.
Biosystematics and conservation: a case study with two enigmatic and uncommon species of Crassula from New Zealand.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Crassula hunua and C. ruamahanga have been taxonomically controversial. Here their distinctiveness is assessed so that their taxonomic and conservation status can be clarified. METHODS Populations of these two species were analysed using morphological, chromosomal and DNA sequence data. KEY RESULTS It proved impossible to differentiate between these two species using 12 key morphological characters. Populations were found to be chromosomally variable with 11 different chromosome numbers ranging from 2n = 42 to 2n = 100. Meiotic behaviour and levels of pollen stainability were both variable. Phylogenetic analyses showed that differences exist in both nuclear and plastid DNA sequences between individual plants, sometimes from the same population. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that these plants are a species complex that has evolved through interspecific hybridization and polyploidy. Their high levels of chromosomal and DNA sequence variation present a problem for their conservation.
Games for rehabilitation: the voice of the players

The purpose of this study is to explore the use of video games from the perspective of the disabled player. Over 150 participants responded to an online survey exploring the use of video games for rehabilitation. The respondents represented nine countries throughout the world. The survey consisted of questions regarding subject demographics, living situation, activities of daily living assistance requirements, use of assistive devices, and computer use. Other questions addressed the responders’ disability. Video game play experience, activity, game play, controller use and accessibility are addressed. Questions regarding the use of currently available off the shelf video games in rehabilitation are explored. Lastly, we surveyed the future of video games and how they can be improved for rehabilitation and leisure enjoyment. The results of this survey are presented. In general, individuals with disabilities enjoy playing video games and play video games often. However, players with disabilities would appreciate educating the game industry about disabilities and how to make games with a more “universal game design”.
Effect of short-course, high-dose amoxicillin therapy on resistant pneumococcal carriage: a randomized trial.

CONTEXT Emerging drug resistance threatens the effectiveness of existing therapies for pneumococcal infections. Modifying the dose and duration of antibiotic therapy may limit the spread of resistant pneumococci. OBJECTIVE To determine whether short-course, high-dose amoxicillin therapy reduces risk of posttreatment resistant pneumococcal carriage among children with respiratory tract infections. DESIGN AND SETTING Randomized trial conducted in an outpatient clinic in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, October 1999 through July 2000. PARTICIPANTS Children aged 6 to 59 months who were receiving antibiotic prescriptions for respiratory tract illness (n = 795). INTERVENTIONS Children were randomly assigned to receive 1 of 2 twice-daily regimens of amoxicillin: 90 mg/kg per day for 5 days (n = 398) or 40 mg/kg per day for 10 days (n = 397). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Penicillin-nonsusceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae carriage, assessed in nasopharyngeal specimens collected at days 0, 5, 10, and 28; baseline risk factors for nonsusceptible pneumococcal carriage; and adherence to regimen, compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS At the day 28 visit, risk of penicillin-nonsusceptible pneumococcal carriage was significantly lower in the short-course, high-dose group (24%) compared with the standard-course group (32%); relative risk (RR), 0.77; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.60-0.97; P =. 03; risk of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole nonsusceptibility was also lower in the short-course, high-dose group (RR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.58-1.03; P =.08). The protective effect of short-course, high-dose therapy was stronger in households with 3 or more children (RR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.52-0.98). Adherence to treatment was higher in the short-course, high-dose group (82% vs 74%; P =.02). CONCLUSION Short-course, high-dose outpatient antibiotic therapy appears promising as an intervention to minimize the impact of antibiotic use on the spread of drug-resistant pneumococci.
Mixtures of ARMA models for model-based time series clustering

Clustering problems are central to many knowledge discovery and data mining tasks. However, most existing clustering methods can only work with fixed-dimensional representations of data patterns. In this paper we study the clustering of data patterns that are represented as sequences or time series possibly of different lengths. We propose a model-based approach to this problem using mixtures of autoregressive moving average (ARMA) models. We derive an expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm for learning the mixing coefficients as well as the parameters of component models. Experiments were conducted on simulated and real datasets. Results show that our method compares favorably with another method recently proposed by others for similar time series clustering problems.
Low Molecular Weight Fucoidan Prevents Neointimal Hyperplasia After Aortic Allografting

Background. Fucoidan, a new low molecular weight sulfated polysaccharide (LMWF), has previously been shown to mobilize bone marrow-derived progenitors cells via stimulation of stromal derived factor (SDF)-1 release. Mobilized progenitor cells have been suggested to repair intimal lesions after immune-mediated endothelial injury and thus prevent intimal proliferation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of LMWF treatment in a rat aortic allograft model of transplant arteriosclerosis (TA). Methods. Aortic grafts were performed in Brown Norway (BN, donor) and Lewis (Lew, recipient) rats. The recipient rats were treated with LMWF (5 mg/kg/day) and sacrificed at 30 days. To determine the role of SDF-1 in mediating the effects of LMWF, a specific inhibitor of the SDF-1 receptor CXCR4, AMD 3100 (20 &mgr;g/kg/day), was used. The grafted segments were evaluated by morphometric (histochemical) analyses. Results. Untreated aortic allografts exhibited severe intimal proliferation, indicative of TA. In contrast, LMWF treatment significantly prevented allograft intimal proliferation as compared with controls (5.7±3 vs. 66.2±6 &mgr;m, P<0.01) and permitted a normalization of the intima/media ratio (0.1±0.1 vs. 1.7±0.3, P<0.01). Further, LMWF treatment stimulated allograft reendothelialization, as evidenced by strong intimal endothelial nitric oxide synthase antibody and CD31 signals. Unexpectedly, AMD treatment failed to prevent the protective effect of LMWF on intimal thickening and AMD treatment alone was found to reduced intimal proliferation in allografts. Conclusions. We found that LMWF treatment reduced intimal thickness and induced the presence of an endothelial cell lining in the vascular graft at 30 days. Our findings may suggest a novel therapeutic strategy in the prevention of TA.
The influence of taurine pretreatment on aluminum chloride induced nephrotoxicity in Swiss albino mice.

The present study was carried out to investigate (1) the alterations in biochemical parameters, free radicals and enzyme activities induced by aluminum chloride (AlCl₃) in kidney of male Swiss albino mice, and (2) the role of taurine in alleviating the nephrotoxic effects of AlCl₃. Taurine plays an important role as an antioxidant and is consequently expected to protect tissues from damage caused by reactive oxygen metabolites.The animals were randomized into four groups (n=6/group). Group I was the control group. Group II received a single dose of AlCl₃ (25 mg Al³⁺/kg b.w, ip). Group III received taurine (100 mg/kg b.w., ip) for 5 consecutive days before administration of AlCl₃ (25 mg Al³⁺/kg b.w, ip). Group IV received taurine (100 mg/kg b.w., ip) for 5 consecutive days. 24 h following the administration of compounds, all the mice were assessed using serum and tissue homogenate biomarkers as well as the pathological evaluation. Exposure to AlCl₃ led to an increased level of renal lipid peroxidation as measured by malondialdehyde (MDA), while reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT) decreased. Marked elevation of blood urea and serum creatinine concentrations were also observed in AlCl₃ treated mice, thereby indicating renal damage. All these factors were significantly improved by taurine pretreatment. The histological and ultrastructural observations on the kidney tissues also confirmed the renoprotective nature of taurine. Thus these results may indicate that taurine treatment protects against functional, biochemical and morphological damage in AlCl₃-induced acute renal failure in mice.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor exposure in utero and pregnancy outcomes.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of intrauterine selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) exposure on pregnancy outcomes. DESIGN Prospective cohort study. SETTING Department of Obstetrics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark. PARTICIPANTS Pregnant women receiving prenatal care in our hospital from 1989 to 2006. MAIN EXPOSURE Maternal SSRI use during pregnancy. OUTCOME MEASURES Gestational age, birth weight, head circumference, 5-minute Apgar score, and admission to the neonatal intensive care unit. RESULTS Three hundred twenty-nine pregnant women reported treatment with SSRIs, 4902 were not treated with SSRIs but had a history of psychiatric illness, and 51 770 reported no history of psychiatric illness. Gestational age was 5 days (95% confidence interval [CI], -6 to -3) shorter and the odds ratio (OR) for preterm birth was 2.0 (95% CI, 1.3-3.2) in the women exposed to SSRIs compared with women with no history of psychiatric illness. In utero-exposed newborns had increased risk of admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.7-3.4) and of 5-minute Apgar scores of less than 8 (OR, 4.4; 95% CI, 2.6-7.6) compared with those not exposed. Head circumference and birth weight did not differ between infants in the exposed and unexposed groups. The results were similar when compared with infants of women with a psychiatric history. CONCLUSIONS Exposure to SSRIs during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of preterm delivery, a low 5-minute Apgar score, and neonatal intensive care unit admission, which was not explained by lower Apgar scores or gestational age. The study justifies increased awareness to the possible effects of intrauterine exposure to antidepressants.
CITED2 Signals through Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ to Regulate Death of Cortical Neurons after DNA Damage

DNA damage is an important initiator of neuronal apoptosis and activates signaling events not yet fully defined. Using the camptothecin-induced DNA damage model in neurons, we previously showed that cyclin D1-associated cell cycle cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) (Cdk4/6) and p53 activation are two major events leading to activation of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. With gene array analyses, we detected upregulation of Cited2, a CBP (cAMP response element-binding protein-binding protein)/p300 interacting transactivator, in response to DNA damage. This upregulation was confirmed by reverse transcription-PCR and Western blot. CITED2 was functionally important because CITED2 overexpression promotes death, whereas CITED2 deficiency protects. Cited2 upregulation is upstream of the mitochondrial death pathway (BAX, Apaf1, or cytochrome c release) and appears to be independent of p53. However, inhibition of the Cdk4 blocked Cited2 induction. The Cited2 prodeath mechanism does not involve Bmi-1 or p53. Instead, Cited2 activates peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ), an activity that we demonstrate is critical for DNA damage-induced death. These results define a novel neuronal prodeath pathway in which Cdk4-mediated regulation of Cited2 activates PPARγ and consequently caspase.
Predictors of College Readiness: an Analysis of the Student Readiness Inventory

The purpose of this study was to better predict how a first semester college freshman becomes prepared for college. the theoretical framework guiding this study is Vrooms’ expectancy theory, motivation plays a key role in success. This study used a hierarchical multiple regression model. the independent variables of interest included high school percentile class rank, composite ACT scores, composite SAT scores, and the 10 themes as measured by the Student Readiness Inventory (SRI) to address two research questions: What are the psychosocial factors identified by the SRI are most relevant in predicting college success? What conventional academic indicators are most relevant in predicting college success? the sample size for this study was 5279 (n), including a stratified random sample of first semester college freshman enrolled in credit bearing courses; these participants were deemed college ready by the university. Academic Discipline accounted for 4.2% of the variance in first semester college GPA, General Determination accounted for 1.7% of the variance, and the remaining psychosocial factors of the SRI accounted for less than 1% of the variance. High school percentile class rank accounted for 10.7% of the variance, composite ACT accounted for 5.9% of the variance, and composite SAT accounted for 5.6% of the variance. Future analysis could be completed within demographic groups to include a stratified random sample of participants by ethnicity, gender, or economic status. Such analysis would build on this body of research providing additional guidance admission officers and K-12 educators.
An Antigen Capture Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay Reveals High Levels of the Dengue Virus Protein NS1 in the Sera of Infected Patients

ABSTRACT We describe the development of a capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of the dengue virus nonstructural protein NS1. The assay employs rabbit polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies as the capture and detection antibodies, respectively. Immunoaffinity-purified NS1 derived from dengue 2 virus-infected cells was used as a standard to establish a detection sensitivity of approximately 4 ng/ml for an assay employing monoclonal antibodies recognizing a dengue 2 serotype-specific epitope. A number of serotype cross-reactive monoclonal antibodies were also shown to be suitable probes for the detection of NS1 expressed by the remaining three dengue virus serotypes. Examination of clinical samples demonstrated that the assay was able to detect NS1 with minimal interference from serum components at the test dilutions routinely used, suggesting that it could form the basis of a useful additional diagnostic test for dengue virus infection. Furthermore, quantitation of NS1 levels in patient sera may prove to be a valuable surrogate marker for viremia. Surprisingly high levels of NS1, as much as 15 μg/ml, were found in acute-phase sera taken from some of the patients experiencing serologically confirmed dengue 2 virus secondary infections but was not detected in the convalescent sera of these patients. In contrast, NS1 could not be detected in either acute-phase or convalescent serum samples taken from patients with serologically confirmed primary infection. The presence of high levels of secreted NS1 in the sera of patients experiencing secondary dengue virus infections, and in the context of an anamnestic antibody response, suggests that NS1 may contribute significantly to the formation of the circulating immune complexes that are suspected to play an important role in the pathogenesis of severe dengue disease.
The leuO Gene Product Has a Latent Ability To Relieve bgl Silencing inEscherichia coli

ABSTRACT The Escherichia coli bgl operon is of interest, since its expression is silent (phenotypically Bgl−), at least under standard laboratory conditions. Here we attempted to identify atrans-acting factor(s) that is presumably relevant to the regulation of bgl by a random insertion mutagenesis with mini-Tn10. These collected mutations, conferring the phenotype of Bgl+, were localized in three loci on the genetic map, two of which appeared to be hns andbglJ, which were previously implicated as the factors affecting the Bgl phenotype. The other locus at 1 to 2 min on the genetic map appeared to be a new one. In this case, the insertion mutation was found to be just in front of the leuO gene encoding a putative LysR-like DNA-binding protein. Genetic analyses revealed that overproduction of LeuO in the wild-type cells causes the phenotype of Bgl+. A leuO deletion mutant was also characterized in terms of expression of bgl. From these results, the possible function of LeuO in bglexpression will be discussed from an evolutionary and/or ecological point of view.
The effects on oxidative DNA damage of laparoscopic gastric band applications in morbidly obese patients.

BACKGROUND Obesity may induce oxidative stress, causing oxidative damage of DNA. We examined associations between decreasing serum and urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels and weight loss in morbidly obese patients before and 6 months after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB). METHODS We compared patients who had surgery for morbid obesity with healthy, nonobese controls. Urine and fasting blood samples were collected once from the controls and from the morbidly obese patients before and 6 months after the LAGB. The serum and urinary 8-OHdG levels were evaluated in these groups using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. RESULTS We included 20 patients who had surgery for morbid obesity (8 men, 12 women, mean body mass index [BMI] 46.82 ± 4.47) and 20 healthy, nonobese people (10 men, 10 women, mean BMI 22.52 ± 2.08) in our study. There was no significant difference in serum 8-OHdG levels between the groups, whereas urinary 8- OHdG levels were significantly higher in morbidly obese patients than in controls. Weight, BMI and serum and urinary 8-OHdG levels were significantly decreased in morbidly obese patients 6 months after LAGB. CONCLUSION The LAGB provides efficient weight loss in patients with morbid obesity. The systemic oxidative DNA damage was increased by the morbid obesity, but this increase was not related to weight gain, and it was more evident in serum than urine samples. After LAGB for morbid obesity, the oxidative DNA damage declined both in serum and urine.
Convergence of Cortical and Sensory Driver Inputs on Single Thalamocortical Cells

Ascending and descending information is relayed through the thalamus via strong, “driver” pathways. According to our current knowledge, different driver pathways are organized in parallel streams and do not interact at the thalamic level. Using an electron microscopic approach combined with optogenetics and in vivo physiology, we examined whether driver inputs arising from different sources can interact at single thalamocortical cells in the rodent somatosensory thalamus (nucleus posterior, POm). Both the anatomical and the physiological data demonstrated that ascending driver inputs from the brainstem and descending driver inputs from cortical layer 5 pyramidal neurons converge and interact on single thalamocortical neurons in POm. Both individual pathways displayed driver properties, but they interacted synergistically in a time-dependent manner and when co-activated, supralinearly increased the output of thalamus. As a consequence, thalamocortical neurons reported the relative timing between sensory events and ongoing cortical activity. We conclude that thalamocortical neurons can receive 2 powerful inputs of different origin, rather than only a single one as previously suggested. This allows thalamocortical neurons to integrate raw sensory information with powerful cortical signals and transfer the integrated activity back to cortical networks.
Predicting the relationship satisfaction of couples with dependent children: the impact of attachment, conflict styles and emotional intelligence

The purpose of the current study was to examine the associations between adult attachment, conflict resolution styles, emotional intelligence and relationship satisfaction, and to determine which of these variables were the most important predictors of relationship satisfaction in a sample of longer-term couples with one or more dependent children. One hundred and eleven heterosexual couples (222 individuals; Husbands’ age: M = 44.9 years, SD = 8.3; Wives’ age M = 42.5 years, SD = 7.9) currently living together in a marital relationship (length of relationship: M = 17 years, SD = 8.4) were recruited via snowballing of contacts known to the researcher and via undergraduate psychology students at Swinburne University in Melbourne, Australia who distributed the questionnaires to couples they knew who met the participation criteria. Each partner in the couple completed a separate questionnaire which included measures of their selfperceptions and their perceptions of their partner. The examination of gender differences generally indicated that husbands and wives tended to report similar relationship experiences, although differences in their perceptions of emotional intelligence and both the positive problem solving and compliance conflict styles were found. The hypothesis that lower levels of attachment avoidance and anxiety would be associated with higher levels of relationship satisfaction was supported for both husbands and wives. The hypothesis that higher levels of positive problem solving and lower levels of each of conflict engagement, withdrawal, compliance and ineffective arguing would be associated with higher levels of relationship satisfaction, was partially supported. Unexpectedly, husbands’ relationship satisfaction was not associated with their wives’ self-reports of positive problem solving or conflict engagement. The hypothesis that