Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Insulin signaling in the aging of healthy and proteotoxically stressed mechanosensory neurons

Insulin signaling is central to cellular metabolism and organismal aging. However, the role of insulin signaling in natural and proteotoxically stressed aging neurons has yet to be fully described. We studied aging of Caenorbaditis elegans mechanosensory neurons expressing a neurotoxic expanded polyglutamine transgene (polyQ128), or lacking this proteotoxicity stressor (polyQ0), under conditions in which the insulin signaling pathway was disrupted by RNA interference (RNAi). We describe specific changes in lifespan, mechanosensory neuronal morphologies, and mechansensory function following RNAi treatment targeting the insulin signaling pathway. Overall, we confirmed that transcription factor DAF-16 is neuroprotective in the proteotoxically stressed model, though not strikingly in the naturally aging model. Decreased insulin signaling through daf-2 RNAi improved mechanosensory function in both models and decreased protein aggregation load in polyQ128, yet showed opposing effects on accumulation of neuronal aberrations in both strains. Decreased daf-2 signaling slightly enhanced mechanosensation while greatly enhancing branching of the mechanosensory neuron axons and dendrites in polyQ0 animals, suggesting that branching is an adaptive response in natural aging. These effects in polyQ0 did not appear to involve DAF-16, suggesting the existence of a non-canonical DAF-2 pathway for the modulation of morphological adaptation. However, in polyQ128 animals, decreased daf-2 signaling significantly enhanced mechanosensation while decreasing neuronal aberrations. Unlike other interventions that reduce the strength of insulin signaling, daf-2 RNAi dramatically redistributed large polyQ128 aggregates to the cell body, away from neuronal processes. Our results suggest that insulin signaling strength can differentially affect specific neurons aging naturally or under proteotoxic stress.
Understanding Participatory Media Using Social Networks

Given the rapid growth of participatory media content such as blogs, user created videos, and podcasts, there is a need to understand and answer the following kind of questions: What is participatory media good for? Does it improve the effectiveness of news media? If so, then why? What are the underlying processes of human communication that can explain how people perceive and interpret the information they gain from participatory media? How can this understanding be used to design better information search and recommendation systems for the Internet? We try to answer these questions by examining participatory media through models built using social networks of people. We first give a few examples of participatory media which indicate that participation by people in online public discourse through blogs and forums can indeed improve the effectiveness of news media: it helps people gain a better understanding of topics discussed in mass media, and presents people with diverse viewpoints to avoid media bias. We then use social networks to propose a model for the underlying processes of communication to answer why and how participatory media would improve the effectiveness of news media. An investigation methodology is then outlined for validation of the model, and validation results from user-surveys and measurements done on an online social networking website are presented. Our results are positive and indicate that a social network based framework offers a plausible approach to the design of useful applications for participatory media.
Transcriptomic Analysis of the Rice White Tip Nematode, Aphelenchoides besseyi (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae)

Background The rice white tip nematode Aphelenchoides besseyi, a devastating nematode whose genome has not been sequenced, is distributed widely throughout almost all the rice-growing regions of the world. The aims of the present study were to define the transcriptome of A. besseyi and to identify parasite-related, mortality-related or host resistance-overcoming genes in this nematode. Methodology and Principal Findings Using Solexa/Illumina sequencing, we profiled the transcriptome of mixed-stage populations of A. besseyi. A total of 51,270 transcripts without gaps were produced based on high-quality clean reads. Of all the A. besseyi transcripts, 9,132 KEGG Orthology assignments were annotated. Carbohydrate-active enzymes of glycoside hydrolases (GHs), glycosyltransferases (GTs), carbohydrate esterases (CEs) and carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs) were identified. The presence of the A. besseyi GH45 cellulase gene was verified by in situ hybridization. Given that 13 unique A. besseyi potential effector genes were identified from 41 candidate effector homologs, further studies of these homologs are merited. Finally, comparative analyses were conducted between A. besseyi contigs and Caenorhabditis elegans genes to look for orthologs of RNAi phenotypes, neuropeptides and peptidases. Conclusions and Significance The present results provide comprehensive insight into the genetic makeup of A. besseyi. Many of this species' genes are parasite related, nematode mortality-related or necessary to overcome host resistance. The generated transcriptome dataset of A. besseyi reported here lays the foundation for further studies of the molecular mechanisms related to parasitism and facilitates the development of new control strategies for this species.
Discontinued Splenogonadal Fusion and Bilateral Empty Scrotum in an 18-Month-Old Boy

Abstract Splenogonadal fusion is a rare benign congenital anomaly defined as the presence of splenic tissue adherent to gonads. It was first described in 1883 by Bostroem, a German pathologist. We present a case of an 18-month-old boy who was referred as a case of bilateral empty scrotum since birth. During routine laparoscopic exploration, right vas deferens and testicular vessels were entering the right internal inguinal ring so right inguinal exploration was done, which revealed blind ending vas deferens and testicular vessels and the left testis was found intra-abdominally near the left internal ring with a mass on its upper pole. Wedge biopsy was taken from the upper pole of the testicle (site of the mass) for tissue diagnosis followed by orchidopexy. Histology showed splenic tissue. Although splenogonadal fusion is a rare condition, surgeons should be aware of this rare disease entity to avoid unnecessary aggressive interventions such as orchiectomy.
Characterization of a Chitin-Binding Protein from Bacillus thuringiensis HD-1

Strains of Bacillus thuringiensis produce insecticidal proteins. These strains have been isolated from diverse ecological niches, such as soil, phylloplane, insect cadavers and grain dust. To effectively propagate, these strains produce a range of molecules that facilitate its multiplication in a competing environment. In this report, we have examined synthesis of a chitin-binding protein and evaluated its effect on fungi encountered in environment and its interaction with insecticidal proteins synthesized by B. thuringiensis. The gene encoding chitin-binding protein has been cloned and expressed. The purified protein has been demonstrated to interact with Cry insecticidal protein, Cry1Ac by Circular Dichrosim spectroscopy (CD) and in vitro pull down assays. The chitin-binding protein potentiates insecticidal activity of bacillar insecticidal protein, Cry1Ac. Further, chitin-binding protein was fungistatic against several soil fungi. The chitin binding protein is expressed in spore mother cell and deposited along with insecticidal protein, Cry1Ac. It interacts with Cry1Ac to potentiate its insecticidal activity and facilitate propagation of Bacillus strain in environment by inhibiting growth of certain fungi.
Bacteriostatic Antimicrobial Combination: Antagonistic Interaction between Epsilon-Viniferin and Vancomycin against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Stilbenoids have been considered as an alternative phytotherapeutic treatment against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection. The combined effect of ε-viniferin and johorenol A with the standard antibiotics, vancomycin and linezolid, was assessed against MRSA ATCC 33591 and HUKM clinical isolate. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of the individual tested compounds and the fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) value of the combined agents were, respectively, determined using microbroth dilution test and microdilution checkerboard (MDC) method. Only synergistic outcome from checkerboard test will be substantiated for its rate of bacterial killing using time-kill assay. The MIC value of ε-viniferin against ATCC 33591 and johorenol A against both strains was 0.05 mg/mL whereas HUKM strain was susceptible to 0.1 mg/mL of ε-viniferin. MDC study showed that only combination between ε-viniferin and vancomycin was synergistic against ATCC 33591 (FICI 0.25) and HUKM (FICI 0.19). All the other combinations (ε-viniferin-linezolid, johorenol A-vancomycin, and johorenol A-linezolid) were either indifferent or additive against both strains. However, despite the FICI value showing synergistic effect for ε-viniferin-vancomycin, TKA analysis displayed antagonistic interaction with bacteriostatic action against both strains. As conclusion, ε-viniferin can be considered as a bacteriostatic stilbenoid as it antagonized the bactericidal activity of vancomycin. These findings therefore disputed previous report that ε-viniferin acted in synergism with vancomycin but revealed that it targets similar site in close proximity to vancomycin's action, possibly at the bacterial membrane protein. Hence, this combination has a huge potential to be further studied and developed as an alternative treatment in combating MRSA in future.
Cardiovascular Regulation During Apnea in Elite Divers

Involuntary apnea during sleep elicits sustained arterial hypertension through sympathetic activation; however, little is known about voluntary apnea, particularly in elite athletes. Their physiological adjustments are largely unknown. We measured blood pressure, heart rate, hemoglobin oxygen saturation, muscle sympathetic nerve activity, and vascular resistance before and during maximal end-inspiratory breath holds in 20 elite divers and in 15 matched control subjects. At baseline, arterial pressure and heart rate were similar in both groups. Maximal apnea time was longer in divers (1.7±0.4 versus 3.9±1.1 minutes; P<0.0001), and it was accompanied by marked oxygen desaturation (97.6±0.7% versus 77.6±13.9%; P<0.0001). At the end of apnea, divers showed a >5-fold greater muscle sympathetic nerve activity increase (P<0.01) with a massively increased pressor response compared with control subjects (9±5 versus 32±15 mm Hg; P<0.001). Vascular resistance increased in both groups, but more so in divers (79±46% versus 140±82%; P<0.01). Heart rate did not change in either group. The rise in muscle sympathetic nerve activity correlated with oxygen desaturation (r2=0.26; P<0.01) and with the increase in mean arterial pressure (r2=0.40; P<0.0001). In elite divers, breath holds for several minutes result in an excessive chemoreflex activation of sympathetic vasoconstrictor activity. Extensive sympathetically mediated peripheral vasoconstriction may help to maintain adequate oxygen supply to vital organs under asphyxic conditions that untrained subjects are not able to tolerate voluntarily. Our results are relevant to conditions featuring periodic apnea.
A candidate DNA vaccine elicits HCV specific humoral and cellular immune responses.

AIM To investigate the immunogenicity of candidate DNA vaccine against hepatitis C virus (HCV) delivered by two plasmids expressing HCV envelope protein 1 (E1) and envelope protein 2 (E2) antigens respectively and to study the effect of CpG adjuvant on this candidate vaccine. METHODS Recombinant plasmids expressing HCV E1 and E2 antigens respectively were used to simultaneously inoculate mice with or without CpG adjuvant. Antisera were then collected and titers of anti-HCV antibodies were analyzed by ELISA. One month after the last injection, animals were sacrificed to prepare single-cell suspension of splenocytes. These cells were subjected to HCV antigen specific proliferation assays and cytokine secretion assays to evaluate the cellular immune responses of the vaccinated animals. RESULTS Antibody responses to HCV E1 and E2 antigens were detected in vaccinated animals. Animals receiving CpG adjuvant had slightly lower titers of anti-HCV antibodies in the sera, while the splenocytes from these animals showed higher HCV-antigen specific proliferation. Analysis of cytokine secretion from the splenocytes was consistent with the above results. While no antigen-specific IL-4 secretion was detected for all vaccinated animals, HCV antigen-specific INF-gamma secretion was detected for the splenocytes of vaccinated animals. CpG adjuvant enhanced the secretion of INF-gamma but did not change the profile of IL-4 secretion. CONCLUSION Vaccination of mice with plasmids encoding HCV E1 and E2 antigens induces humoral and cellular immune responses. CpG adjuvant significantly enhances the cellular immune response.
Data Currency in Replicated DHTs 1

Distributed Hash Tables (DHTs) provide a scalable s olution for data sharing in P2P systems. To ensure high data av ailability, DHTs typically rely on data replication, yet withou t data currency guarantees. Supporting data currency in replicated DHTs is difficult as it requires the ability to return a cu rrent replica despite peers leaving the network or concurrent updates. In this paper, we give a complete solution to this problem. We propos e an Update Management Service (UMS) to deal with data availabi l ty and efficient retrieval of current replicas based on ti mestamping. For generating timestamps, we propose a Key-based Times ta ping Service (KTS) which performs distributed timestamp generation using local counters. Through probabilistic analysi s, we compute the expected number of replicas which UMS must retr ieve for finding a current replica. Except for the cases whe re the availability of current replicas is very low, the e xp cted number of retrieved replicas is typically small, e.g. if at least 35% of available replicas are current then the expected nu mber of retrieved replicas is less than 3. We validated our s lution through implementation and experimentation over a 64-node c luster and evaluated its scalability through simulation up to 10,000 peers using SimJava. The results show the effectiveness o f our solution. They also show that our algorithm used in UMS achie ves major performance gains, in terms of response time and co mmunication cost, compared with a baseline algorithm.
Root Canal Morphology of Human Mandibular First Permanent Molars in an Iranian Population

Background and aims The knowledge of variations in root canal morphology is critical for a successful endodontic treatment. The purpose of this study was to investigate variations in the root canal system of human mandibular first permanent molars in an Iranian population. Materials and methods In this study, 209 mandibular first molar teeth were decalcified, dye-injected, and cleared in order to determine the number and configuration of the root canals. Results The results demonstrated that 65.56% of the mandibular first molars under study had three, 31.57% had four and 2.87% had two canals. Conclusion According to the results of this study and considering variations in the root canal systems of the mandibular first molars, it seems that great care should be taken in the root canal treatment of these teeth.
Perception of biological motion in visual agnosia

Over the past 25 years, visual processing has been discussed in the context of the dual stream hypothesis consisting of a ventral (“what”) and a dorsal (“where”) visual information processing pathway. Patients with brain damage of the ventral pathway typically present with signs of visual agnosia, the inability to identify and discriminate objects by visual exploration, but show normal perception of motion perception. A dissociation between the perception of biological motion and non-biological motion has been suggested: perception of biological motion might be impaired when “non-biological” motion perception is intact and vice versa. The impact of object recognition on the perception of biological motion remains unclear. We thus investigated this question in a patient with severe visual agnosia, who showed normal perception of non-biological motion. The data suggested that the patient's perception of biological motion remained largely intact. However, when tested with objects constructed of coherently moving dots (“Shape-from-Motion”), recognition was severely impaired. The results are discussed in the context of possible mechanisms of biological motion perception.
Analysis Of Void Fraction In Microchannels

Void fraction characteristics are analyzed for rectangular multi-port microchannels tubes for refrigerant charge predictions. A 6-port and a 14-port microchannel, with hydraulic diameters of 1.54mm and 1.02mm, are examined for two-phase flow conditions. A new void fraction measurement technique has been developed, in which the two-phase fluid is trapped in the microchannel. Two refrigerants, R134a and R410A, are tested through the microchannels tubes with ranges of mass fluxes from 100 to 300kg/s.m, and over all qualities. Void fraction results reveal a dependence of mass flux and hydraulic diameter. A flow visualization analysis is performed to see the effect of mass flux dependence. INTRODUCTION Aluminum multi-port microchannel tubes are currently utilized in automotive air conditioners for refrigerant condensation. Recent research activities are directed toward developing other air conditioning and refrigeration systems with microchannel condensers and evaporators, where the evaporators have the additional difficulty of distribution of two-phase flow among the different tubes. When a condenser or a evaporator is designed, three important aspects of refrigerants are evaluated: Heat transfer, to know how much tubing is needed to condense or evaporate the refrigerant; pressure drop, to know the required power to move the refrigerant through the tubing; and void fraction, to know how much refrigerant is required in the system. The void fraction (α) or the area-average gas fraction is the ratio between the area occupied by the vapor and the cross-sectional area of the channel. For this study, an average void fraction is defined that is the ratio of the volume of the vapor to the total volume for a fixed tube length. The charge (quantity of refrigerant) per unit of length of a system can be calculated if the void fraction is correctly predicted. This investigation presents experimental data for void fraction in two aluminum multi-port microchannels with R134a, and R410A. A review of the most important two-phase flow studies in void fraction is presented. The experimental facility used for void fraction measurements is illustrated. Void fraction data and the correspondent slip ratio are presented, and analyzed. Concluding remarks and recommendations for future investigations are presented. BACKGROUND Many void fraction correlations have been developed for large tubes, and can be classified in four categories (Rice, 1987): homogeneous, slip-ratio correlated, Xtt (Lockhart-Martinelli parameter) correlated, and mass-flux dependent. The slip-ratio correlated void fraction assumes a difference of velocities of each phase. Te slip ratio is defined as the ratio between the vapor velocity (Vvapor) and the liquid velocity (Vliquid).
Mechanisms and Relations

Reacting to the original papers outlining the importance of “social mechanisms,” this paper contrasts two views of the social process, the mechanismal and the relational. In the sources here analyzed, the mechanismal perspective is largely based on methodological individualism and generally presupposes rational, or at least intentional, action. A fundamental assumption of this approach is that the meaning of an action is given in itself. The relational view by contrast holds that the meaning of an action arises only from its relation to other actions, both temporally and structurally. The relational view takes not actors but interaction as primitive and focuses on the scene (context) of action rather than the intentions of actors. The paper investigates these differences by examining the Elsterian mechanisms of “endowment” and “contrast,” both theoretically and through the example of application of students to institutions of higher education in America.
Coexpression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor in Wilms' tumor.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1alpha) is an important transcriptional factor responsible for regulating expression of the angiogenic cytokine, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Little information is available regarding factors involved in the hypoxic cascade, such as HIF or VEGF in Wilms' tumor. We concomitantly evaluate the expression of HIF-1alpha and VEGF in ex vivo human Wilms' tumor specimens. METHODS Immunohistochemical analysis (IHC) utilizing a monoclonal human anti-HIF-1alpha or a polyclonal anti-VEGF antibody was performed on ex vivo specimens of Wilms' tumor (n = 18). Predominant tumor histologic subtype was divided equally between epithelial (n = 6), blastemal (n = 6), and mixed (n = 6). Specimens were scored on a predetermined scale for distribution (percent positive cells) and intensity of HIF-1alpha/VEGF expression within areas of tumor. RESULTS IHC analysis found that HIF-1alpha and VEGF were expressed in all Wilms' tumor specimens. Strong nuclear staining for HIF-1alpha was seen in all samples evaluated, (n = 18), mean score 2.7 (>50% cells exhibiting nuclear HIF-1alpha expression). Cytoplasmic staining for HIF-1alpha also was seen in 15 of 18 samples (83%). Distribution of VEGF was equivalent between blastemal and epthelial components, mean score 2.23 versus 2.35. CONCLUSIONS HIF-1alpha and one of its regulatory end-products, the angiogenic cytokine VEGF, are simultaneously expressed in human Wilms' tumor. In Wilms' tumor, intratumoral hypoxia may stimulate tumor conversion to the angiogenic phenotype and incite production of VEGF. Strategies targeting the hypoxic cascade ultimately may prove efficacious against Wilms' tumor.
Reflex or reflect? Implicit and explicit cognitive processes and early intervention in adolescent alcohol use

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New African Immigration to the Durban Region

ResumeCes dix dernieres annees, la region de Durban a connu une migration rurale-urbaine massive. De ce fait, cette ville est une des villes a la croissance la plus rapide du monde. Parmi ceux qui convergent vers Durban, il y a un flot d’immigrants non autorises venus d’autres pays africains. On ne sait pas grand chose sur ces nouveaux immigrants africains. La recherche sur laquelle cet article s’est fondes’est fixe pour but d’examiner la geographie, le caractere et les impacts de cette masse d’immigrants. Les nouveaux emigrants africains venus a Durban viennent de partout sur le continent. Ils sont generalement jeunes, de sexe masculin et motives par des considerations economiques. La plupart sont venus a Durban en passant par d’autres pays africains ou par des centres urbains d’Afrique du sud. Durban offre des avantages economiques, politiques et culturels qui font de la ville une destination finale tres seduisante. Bien qu’insecures sur le plan legal, ils se considerent en majorite comme immigrants et .