Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Neurotrophins and Their Role in Alzheimer’s Disease

Besides being essential for correct development of the vertebrate nervous system the neurotrophins also play a vital role in adult neuron survival, maintenance and regeneration. In addition they are implicated in the pathogenesis of certain neurodegenerative diseases, and may even provide a therapeutic solution for some. In particular there have been a number of studies on the involvement of nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. This disease is of growing concern as longevity increases worldwide, with little treatment available at the moment to alleviate the condition. Memory loss is one of the earliest symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The brain regions first affected by pathology include the hippocampus, and also the entorhinal cortex and basal cholinergic nuclei which project to the hippocampus; importantly, all these areas are required for memory formation. Both NGF and BDNF are affected early in the disease and this is thought to initiate a cascade of events which exacerbates pathology and leads to the symptoms of dementia. This review briefly describes the pathology, symptoms and molecular processes associated with Alzheimer’s disease; it discusses the involvement of the neurotrophins, particularly NGF and BDNF, and their receptors, with changes in BDNF considered particularly in the light of its importance in synaptic plasticity. In addition, the possibilities of neurotrophin-based therapeutics are evaluated.
Novel traits of Trichoderma predicted through the analysis of its secretome

Abstract Mycotrophic species of Trichoderma are among the most common fungi isolated from free soil, dead wood and as parasites on sporocarps of other fungi (mycoparasites). In addition, they undergo various other biotrophic associations ranging from rhizosphere colonization and endophytism up to facultative pathogenesis on such animals as roundworms and humans. Together with occurrence on a variety of less common substrata (marine invertebrates, artificial materials, indoor habitats), these lifestyles illustrate a wealthy opportunistic potential of the fungus. One tropical species, Trichoderma reesei, has become a prominent producer of cellulases and hemicellulases, whereas several other species are applied in agriculture for the biological control of phytopathogenic fungi. The sequencing of the complete genomes of the three species (T. reesei, T. virens, and T. atroviride) has led to a deepened understanding of Trichoderma lifestyle and its molecular physiology. In this review, we present the in silico predicted secretome of Trichoderma, and – in addition to the unique features of carbohydrate active enzymes – demonstrate the importance of such protein families as proteases, oxidative enzymes, and small cysteine-rich proteins, all of that received little attention in Trichoderma genetics so far. We also discuss the link between Trichoderma secretome and biology of the fungus.
Echocardiographic Demonstration of Abnormal Motion of the Interventricular Septum in Left Bundle Branch Block

A characteristic abnormality of motion of the interventricular septum was recorded by echocardiography in 17 of 18 patients with left bundle branch block. Early and abrupt contraction of the septum occurs during the pre-ejection period before the delayed commencement of contraction of the posterior wall of the left ventricle. This abnormality can be explained by asynchronous contraction of the left ventricle with early activation and contraction of the septum but delay in activation and contraction of the left ventricular free wall due to a block in the left bundle branch or its peripheral branches.
Conformance checking for programmable logic controller programs and specifications

Verification of industrial control systems' software is an important task, as the cost of failure in these systems is typically high. Formal verification methods can complement the currently used testing techniques, especially if requirements are formally specified. Behavioural specifications can be used to perform conformance checking against the implementation. However, the typical conformance relations are often more sensitive to differences than the controlled processes in case of many control systems, resulting in counterexamples during verification that are considered as false positives in practice. To overcome this issue, we introduce conformance relations adapted to control systems based on programmable logic controllers (PLCs) with different levels of permissibility. The relations can be selected by the control engineers, depending on the required compliance levels. Defining the new relations and a model checking-based method to check them makes conformance checking a powerful tool for the verification of industrial control systems.
An Integrated Hypothesis on the Domestication of Bactris gasipaes

Peach palm (Bactris gasipaes Kunth) has had a central place in the livelihoods of people in the Americas since pre-Columbian times, notably for its edible fruits and multi-purpose wood. The botanical taxon includes both domesticated and wild varieties. Domesticated var gasipaes is believed to derive from one or more of the three wild types of var. chichagui identified today, although the exact dynamics and location of the domestication are still uncertain. Drawing on a combination of molecular and phenotypic diversity data, modeling of past climate suitability and existing literature, we present an integrated hypothesis about peach palm’s domestication. We support a single initial domestication event in south western Amazonia, giving rise to var. chichagui type 3, the putative incipient domesticate. We argue that subsequent dispersal by humans across western Amazonia, and possibly into Central America allowed for secondary domestication events through hybridization with resident wild populations, and differential human selection pressures, resulting in the diversity of present-day landraces. The high phenotypic diversity in the Ecuadorian and northern Peruvian Amazon suggest that human selection of different traits was particularly intense there. While acknowledging the need for further data collection, we believe that our results contribute new insights and tools to understand domestication and dispersal patterns of this important native staple, as well as to plan for its conservation.
Psychoeducational Support for Parents of Children with Intellectual Disability: An Outcome Study

The pressures frequently encountered by the parents of children with chronic conditions and the concomitant impact on family life have been well‐documented. Family‐focussed interventions have been advocated to address parents’ difficulties. The present evaluation study was undertaken to ascertain long‐term outcomes of the psychoeducational support program, Caring for Parent Caregivers. The aim of the program is to empower the individual and thereby strengthen family resources. Quantitative and qualitative analytical procedures, which included the written evaluations of treatment subjects, were employed to examine program effectiveness. For the fathers and mothers of children with disabilities, psychological health and well‐being was assessed on the General Health Questionnaire, using a pretest and follow‐up control group design. Results showed a statistically significant difference between groups, 12 months after treatment, with program participants displaying less emotional distress than control group su.
The success of endodontic treatment in general dental practice: a retrospective clinical and radiographic study.

PURPOSE To assess the success of orthograde endodontic treatment carried out by a group of general dental practitioners over a 15-year period. POPULATION STUDIED Patients presenting for their annual dental inspection at a large Air Force station in the UK over a six-month period. All teeth root-filled by Royal Air Force dental practitioners were assessed. METHOD Clinical and, where appropriate, radiographic review was undertaken of all root-filled teeth present at inspection. Root-filled teeth removed prior to inspection were included in the study only if extraction was related to failure of the root filling. Root fillings were classified as 'definitely successful', 'probably successful' or 'failed'. The effect on success of several variables was investigated. FINDINGS There was a total of 136 root-filled teeth, of which 59% (n=80) were classified as 'definitely successful', 26% (n=35) as 'probably successful', and 15% (n=21) as failures. Of the variables studied, only time elapsed since root-filling placement had a statistically significant effect on treatment results with a downward trend in rate of failure with time (P=0.0268). CONCLUSIONS An overall success rate of 85% was found for this sample of root fillings comparing well with the success rates for root fillings placed by specialists. However, there may be significant differences in the relative importance of clinical variables depending on the experience of the operator. There are few reliable indicators of the likely prognosis for the root filling, questioning the automatic replacement of poor technical quality, but asymptomatic root fillings.
Mg doping and alloying in Zn3P2 heterojunction solar cells

Zinc phosphide (Zn<inf>3</inf>P<inf>2</inf>) is a promising and earth-abundant alternative to traditional materials (e.g. CdTe, CIGS, a-Si) for thin film photovoltaics. We report the fabrication of Mg/Zn<inf>3</inf>P<inf>2</inf> Schottky diodes with VOC values reaching 550 mV, JSC values up to 21.8 mA/cm<sup>2</sup>, and photovoltaic efficiency reaching 4.5%. Previous authors have suggested that Mg impurities behave as n-type dopants in Zn<inf>3</inf>P<inf>2</inf>, but combined Hall effect measurements and Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) show that 10<sup>17</sup> to 10<sup>19</sup> cm<sup>−3</sup> Mg impurities compensate p-type doping to form highly resistive Zn<inf>3</inf>P<inf>2</inf>. Further device work with modified ITO/Mg/Zn<inf>3</inf>P<inf>2</inf> heterojunctions suggests that the ITO capping layer improves a passivation reaction between Mg and Zn<inf>3</inf>P<inf>2</inf> to yield high voltages > 500 mV without degradation in the blue response of the solar cell. These results indicate that at least 8–10% efficiency cell is realizable by the optimization of Mg treatment in Zn<inf>3</inf>P<inf>2</inf> solar cells.
Civic service through schools: an international perspective

Civic service, which refers to activities that seek to improve the local, national or international community either through community service or service learning, is widespread in secondary schools around the world. Despite this pervasive presence, there are few studies that approach the subject from a cross‐comparison perspective. This article addresses this gap by providing a comprehensive review of the international literature on civic service in terms of history, theory, research and practice. In terms of history and theory, the article brings together the work of several key proponents of civic service who, despite working in different countries and continents, placed civic service high in their educational agenda. In terms of research, it presents the most up‐to‐date research on the potential benefits and pitfalls of civic service. In terms of practice, it lists various limitations related to its implementation and presents possibilities for overcoming these. This section stresses the importance of establishing a respectful and honest relationship with intended beneficiaries to avoid fostering unhealthy social patterns, a key problem of many civic service programs. The article ends with areas for future research.
Combining Varenicline (Chantix) with Naltrexone Decreases Alcohol Drinking More Effectively Than Does Either Drug Alone in a Rodent Model of Alcoholism.

BACKGROUND This study examined whether varenicline (VAR), or naltrexone (NTX), alone or in combination, reduces alcohol drinking in alcohol-preferring (P) rats with a genetic predisposition toward high voluntary alcohol intake. METHODS Alcohol-experienced P rats that had been drinking alcohol (15% v/v) for 2 h/d for 4 weeks were fed either vehicle (VEH), VAR alone (0.5, 1.0, or 2.0 mg/kg body weight [BW]), NTX alone (10.0, 15.0, or 20.0 mg/kg BW), or VAR + NTX in 1 of 4 dose combinations (0.5 VAR + 10.0 NTX, 0.5 VAR + 15.0 NTX, 1.0 VAR + 10.0 NTX, or 1.0 VAR + 15.0 NTX) at 1 hour prior to alcohol access for 10 consecutive days, and the effects on alcohol intake were assessed. RESULTS When administered alone, VAR in doses of 0.5 or 1.0 mg/kg BW did not alter alcohol intake but a dose of 2.0 mg/kg BW decreased alcohol intake. This effect disappeared when drug treatment was terminated. NTX in doses of 10.0 and 15.0 mg/kg BW did not alter alcohol intake but a dose of 20.0 mg/kg BW decreased alcohol intake. Combining low doses of VAR and NTX into a single medication reduced alcohol intake as well as did high doses of each drug alone. Reduced alcohol intake occurred immediately after onset of treatment with the combined medication and continued throughout prolonged treatment. CONCLUSIONS Low doses of VAR and NTX, when combined in a single medication, reduce alcohol intake in a rodent model of alcoholism. This approach has the advantage of reducing potential side effects associated with each drug. Lowering the dose of NTX and VAR in a combined treatment approach that maintains efficacy while reducing the incidence of negative side effects may increase patient compliance and improve clinical outcomes for alcoholics and heavy drinkers who want to reduce their alcohol intake.
A Di‐Acidic Sequence Motif Enhances the Surface Expression of the Potassium Channel TASK‐3

We have characterized a sequence motif, EDE, in the proximal C‐terminus of the acid‐sensitive potassium channel TASK‐3. Human TASK‐3 channels were expressed in Xenopus oocytes, and the density of the channels at the surface membrane was studied with two complementary techniques: a luminometric surface expression assay of hemagglutinin epitope‐tagged TASK‐3 channels and voltage‐clamp measurements of the acid‐sensitive potassium current. Both approaches showed that mutation of the two glutamate residues of the EDE motif to alanine (ADA mutant) markedly reduced the transport of TASK‐3 channels to the cell surface. Mutation of the central aspartate of the EDE motif had no effect on surface expression. The functional role of the EDE motif was further characterized in chimaeric constructs consisting of truncated Kir2.1 channels to which the C‐terminus of TASK‐3 was attached. In these constructs, too, replacement of the EDE motif by ADA strongly reduced surface expression. Live‐cell imaging of enhanced green fluorescent protein‐tagged channels expressed in COS‐7 cells showed that 24 h after transfection wild‐type TASK‐3 was mainly localized to the cell surface whereas the ADA mutant was largely retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Mutation of a second di‐acidic motif in the C‐terminus of TASK‐3 (DAE) had no effect on surface expression. Coexpression of TASK‐3 with a GTP‐restricted mutant of the coat recruitment GTPase Sar1 (Sar1H79G) resulted in ER retention of the channel. Our data suggest that the di‐acidic motif, EDE, in human TASK‐3 is a major determinant of the rate of ER export and is required for efficient surface expression of the channel.
Trends in HIV-related morbidity among patients admitted to a South Indian tertiary hospital between 1997 and 2003

Abstract This paper describes trends in HIV-related morbidity among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) admitted to a tertiary hospital in Chennai, South India, between 1997 and 2003. Patients comprised HIV-infected men, women and children who had been admitted at least once to YR Gaitonde Centre for AIDS Research and Education (YRGCARE). A non-parametric trends analysis was conducted to observe trends in clinical and demographic parameters and diagnoses at admission over the seven-year period. Among clinical and demographic parameters, we identified a significantly increasing time trend in the use of antiretroviral therapy (p<0.001) and a significant decrease in the mean hemoglobin level (p=0.01). Among diagnoses at admission, we identified a decreasing time trend for admissions due to pulmonary tuberculosis (p<0.001) and increasing trends for admissions due to extra pulmonary tuberculosis (p<0.01), toxoplasmosis (p<0.01), Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (p=0.02) and anemia (p<0.001). The results indicate a changing pattern among the clinical conditions requiring admission. With increasing proportions of patients initiating highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), it is probable that adverse events due to HAART will account for larger proportions of admissions in the years to come, as is being seen in the industrialized countries.
The unheard client: Assessing the satisfaction of parents of children in foster care

Although client satisfaction information is often ignored, it is a critical piece of the picture when evaluating the service experience of parents who have had their children placed in foster care. This article describes the development of a client satisfaction instrument and information generated from its use. The findings describe the psychometrics of the instrument, a descriptive profile of the satisfaction scores of the respondents, and some intriguing relationships between distinct aspects of client satisfaction. The service implications of these findings are considered and discussed.
Tutelage and the politics of aboriginality: A Canadian dilemma

Robert Paine's writings about the practice of state tutelage and the genesis of aboriginal peoples’ ethnopolitical strategies vis‐a‐vis the nation‐state have made signal contributions to anthropological understandings of “fourth world” relations. Nevertheless, it should not be assumed that the processes by which contemporary claims of aboriginality are being articulated are unproblematic in their consequences. In Canada, at least, there is reason to question whether the emerging ethnopolitics of aboriginality may not serve to maintain rather than to eliminate some crucial aspects of the subjection of aboriginal people to systems of state‐controlled tutetage.
Diffusing Research into Practice Using the Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders

This article reviews research on juvenile delinquency and effective programs and proposes a juvenile justice research agenda focused on diffusion of existing research into practice. The comprehensive strategy for serious, violent, and chronic juvenile offenders is a framework for organizing and transporting basic and program evaluation research to the juvenile justice and human service field. Thus, implementation of the comprehensive strategy involves diffusion of research and “best practices” into state and local prevention and intervention systems. Considerable progress has been made in organizing research within this framework. A research agenda is offered to further the diffusion enterprise.
Correlação entre os achados audiológicos e incômodo com zumbido

INTRODUCTION: The correlation of the auditive lost with buzz can be justified if we consider that this is a triggering buzz, once that the injury or internal ear degeneracy and of the vestibularcoclear can be the buzz generators. Accordingly with the different reports 85% to 96% of patients with buzz show some degree or auditive lost. OBJECTIVE: To correlate the sex, age, degree and type of auditive lost with triggering produced by buzz's presence in the patients of Clinica de Dispositivos Eletronicos Aplicados a Surdez. (Clinic of Eletronic Dispositives Related to Deafness). METHOD: Retrospective study of exploratory nature in 100 individuals handbooks regularly matriculated in Clinica de Fonoaudiologia from Faculdade de Odontologia of Bauru, Universidade de Sao Paulo FOB/USP with the usage of THI instrument (Tinnitus Handicap Inventory). RESULTS AND CONCLUSION : Sex, age and also degree of auditive lost do not have influence over the triggering produced by the buzz, but the auditive lost occurrence in buzz potter is progressively major accordingly with age improvement and in individual with auditive lost from sensorioneural type.
Effect of mycobacterial secretory proteins on the cellular integrity and cytokine profile of type II alveolar epithelial cells

Background: Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb). In lungs, alveolar macrophages and type II alveolar epithelial cells serve as a replicative niche for this pathogen. Secretory proteins released by actively replicating tubercle bacilli are known to interact with host cells at the initial stages of infection. To understand the role of these cells in TB pathogenesis, it is important to identify the mycobacterial components involved in interaction with alveolar epithelial cells. Materials and Methods: We fractionated the whole secretory proteome of M. tb H37Rv into 10 narrow molecular mass fractions (A1-A10; <20 kDa to >90 kDa) that were studied for their binding potential with A549; type II alveolar epithelial cell line. We also studied the consequences of this interaction in terms of change in epithelial cell viability by MTT assay and cytokine release by ELISA. Results: Our results show that several mycobacterial proteins bind and confer cytolysis in epithelial cells. Amongst all the fractions, proteins ranging from 35-45 kDa (A5) exhibited highest binding to A549 cells with a consequence of cytolysis of these cells. This fraction (A5) also led to release of various cytokines important in anti-mycobacterial immunity. Conclusion: Fraction A5 (35-45 kDa) of mycobacterial secretory proteome play an important role in mediating M. tb interaction with type II alveolar epithelial cells with the consequences detrimental for the TB pathogenesis. Further studies are being carried out to identify the candidate proteins from this region.
Anytime Diagnostic Reasoning using Approximate Boolean Constraint Propagation

In contrast with classical reasoning, where a solution is either correct or incorrect, approximate reasoning tries to compute solutions which are close to the ideal solution, without necessarily being perfect. Such approximate reasoning can be used to exchange solution quality for computation time, known as anytime reasoning. In this paper we study approximate versions of diagnostic reasoning. Traditionally, diagnostic reasoning is characterised in terms of the logical entailment relation. In this pa