Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of antibiotic resistant Staphylococcus aureus from raw milk samples collected from the local vendors in the region of Tirupathi, India

Aim: The study was carried out with the aim to identify the suitability of the milk for consumer use with special reference to Staphylococcus aureus from milk samples collected from various local vendors and determine the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of those positive isolates. Materials and Methods: A total of 110 milk samples were collected from the local milk vendors in and around Tirupathi region of India. All the samples were enriched with buffered peptone water in 9:1 ratio and the then inoculated on baird parker agar medium with added 2% egg yolk tellurite emulsion as selective medium for S. aureus and confirmed with mannitol salt agar, Gram’s staining and biochemical tests. The typical cultural characters with coagulase-positive samples were taken as positive samples the positive samples were tested for antibiotic susceptibility with 10 different antibiotics by employing disc diffusion method. Results: Prevalence of coagulase-positive S. aureus was 39.09% (43/110) from the milk samples. The antibiotic susceptibility test of positive isolates showed high resistant toward penicillin G 37/43 (86.04%) and ampicillin 32/43 (74.42%), and also showed resistant to methicillin 6/43 (13.95%), cephalothin 6/43 (13.95%), tetracycline 6/43 (13.95%), ciprofloxacin 4/43 (9.30%), enrofloxacin 3/43 (6.97%), cefoxitin 2/43 (4.65%), gentamicin 2/43 (4.65%), and co-trimoxazole 2/43 (4.65%). Many individual isolates showed resistant against two or more antibiotics in our study. Conclusion: The above study results show that the milk samples collected from local vendor having S. aureus, which can induce disease condition as well as antibiotic resistant to the humans particularly young children and old age peoples by means of consumption of raw milk and its products. This is the public health issue, which needs to be solved by educating the local vendors regarding health problems related to unhygienic milk supply and make the awareness among the consumers about this hazards and preventive measures.
Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone receptor–targeted deslorelin-docetaxel conjugate enhances efficacy of docetaxel in prostate cancer therapy

Docetaxel, a chemotherapeutic agent currently used for improving survival of prostate cancer patients, suffers from low therapeutic index. The objective of this study was to prepare a new docetaxel derivative conjugated to deslorelin, a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) superagonist, and to determine whether it enhances docetaxel potency in vitro and in vivo. Because docetaxel is not amenable for conjugation with peptides, we introduced a -COOH group in docetaxel, forming docetaxel-hemiglutarate, and subsequently conjugated this to serine in deslorelin, forming deslorelin-docetaxel. Fourier-transform IR, 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses confirmed deslorelin-docetaxel formation. Antiproliferative efficacy in LNCaP and PC-3 cell lines over 24, 48, and 72 hours exhibited the order deslorelin-docetaxel > docetaxel, whereas deslorelin alone had no effect, with deslorelin-docetaxel potency being 15-fold greater than docetaxel at 72 h. Further, cells pretreated with antisense oligonucleotide against LHRH receptor exhibited decreased deslorelin-docetaxel efficacy, without any change in docetaxel efficacy. Thus, deslorelin-docetaxel efficacy is likely mediated via LHRH receptor. Cell cycle analysis showed that docetaxel treatment led to arrest in G2-M phase, whereas deslorelin-docetaxel treatment allowed greater progression to apoptosis in both cell lines, with deslorelin-docetaxel exerting 5-fold greater apoptosis compared with docetaxel in prostate cancer cell lines. Antitumor efficacy studies in PC-3 prostate xenograft-bearing mice indicated the efficacy order deslorelin-docetaxel > docetaxel ≫ deslorelin > PBS, with deslorelin-docetaxel exerting ∼5.5-fold greater tumor growth inhibition than docetaxel alone. Thus, deslorelin-docetaxel prepared in this study retains pharmacologic effects of both docetaxel and deslorelin while enhancing the antiproliferative, apoptotic, and antitumor efficacy of docetaxel by several folds in prostate cancer therapy. [Mol Cancer Ther 2009;8(6):1655–65]
Lymphocyte Function Associated Antigen-1, Integrin α4, and L-Selectin Mediate T-Cell Homing to the Pancreas in the Model of Adoptive Transfer of Diabetes in NOD Mice

The involvement of adhesion molecule in the process of T-cell homing to the pancreas was investigated in the model of the T-cell transfer of type I diabetes in NOD mice. Treatment of mice using monoclonal anti-lymphocyte function associated antigen (LFA)-l, anti-integrin α4, anti-intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, and anti-L-selectin antibodies (monoclonal antibodies [mAbs]) gave rise to a partial or complete prevention of diabetes via different mechanisms of protection. On day 20 posttransfer, diabetes was only observed in control mice (26 of 32) and in few mice treated with the anti-L-selectin mAbs (3 of 24). On day 60, the best protection was observed using the anti-LFA-1 or the anti-integrin α4 mAbs with 3 of 11 and 2 of 5 diabetic mice, respectively. On day 20, no insulitis was observed in the pancreases of mice treated with these mAbs compared with the pancreases of controls, suggesting that such treatment blocked the penetration of T-cells into the islets. In vitro adhesion assays confirmed that adhesion of T-cells to the pancreatic endothelium was blocked, except when using the anti-L-selectin mAb, which induced a modification of the traffic of the transferred T-cells; the ability of T-cells to migrate into the pancreatic lymph nodes was significantly reduced (10.4 vs. 22%). Anti-LFA-1 mAbs did not modify such T-cell trafficking. The present study, therefore, elucidates the role of LFA-1, integrin α4, and L-selectin in T-cell homing to the pancreas, first step of the cascade of events leading to type I diabetes.
Integrating Multiple Analytical Datasets to Compare Metabolite Profiles of Mouse Colonic-Cecal Contents and Feces

The pattern of metabolites produced by the gut microbiome comprises a phenotype indicative of the means by which that microbiome affects the gut. We characterized that phenotype in mice by conducting metabolomic analyses of the colonic-cecal contents, comparing that to the metabolite patterns of feces in order to determine the suitability of fecal specimens as proxies for assessing the metabolic impact of the gut microbiome. We detected a total of 270 low molecular weight metabolites in colonic-cecal contents and feces by gas chromatograph, time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF) and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography, quadrapole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF). Of that number, 251 (93%) were present in both types of specimen, representing almost all known biochemical pathways related to the amino acid, carbohydrate, energy, lipid, membrane transport, nucleotide, genetic information processing, and cancer-related metabolism. A total of 115 metabolites differed significantly in relative abundance between both colonic-cecal contents and feces. These data comprise the first characterization of relationships among metabolites present in the colonic-cecal contents and feces in a healthy mouse model, and shows that feces can be a useful proxy for assessing the pattern of metabolites to which the colonic mucosum is exposed.
Truncating mutations in the carbohydrate sulfotransferase 6 gene (CHST6) result in macular corneal dystrophy.

PURPOSE Identification of mutations in the CHST6 gene in 15 patients from 11 unrelated families affected with recessive macular corneal dystrophy (MCD). METHODS Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes of the affected patients and their healthy family members, and the mutational status of the CHST6 gene was determined for each patient by a PCR-sequencing approach. Serum concentrations of antigenic keratan sulfate for each proband were determined by ELISA. RESULTS ELISA indicated that all affected patients, except one, were of MCD type I or IA. Fourteen distinct mutations were identified within the CHST6 coding region: 2 nonsense, 2 frameshift, and 10 missense. Of these, 12 were novel, and a nonsense mutation in the homozygous state is reported for the first time. CONCLUSIONS These molecular results in French patients with MCD combined with those reported in previous studies indicated CHST6 mutational heterogeneity. The characterization herein of nonsense mutations is in keeping with the fact that MCD results from loss of function of the CHST6 protein product.
Do smoking habits differ between women and men in contemporary Western populations? Evidence from half a million people in the UK Biobank study

Objectives Several studies have shown that smoking may confer a greater excess risk for chronic diseases in women compared with men. The reasons for this excess risk of smoking in women are unclear, yet sex differences in smoking habits may play a role. We, thus, characterised sex differences in smoking habits in a contemporary Western population. Design Cross-sectional population-based study. Setting UK Biobank Resource. Participants 499 797 (54% women) individuals with data on smoking habits. Main outcome measures Women-to-men prevalence ratios in smoking status, and the women-minus-men mean difference in age at smoking initiation, number of cigarettes smoked daily and age at smoking cessation in 5-year birth cohort bands. Results The women-to-men ever-smoking ratio ranged from 0.57 in the oldest to 0.87 in the youngest birth cohort. In the oldest cohort, born 1935–1939, women started smoking 1.9 years (95% CI 1.7 to 2.1) later than did men, but in those born after 1959 there was no difference in the age at initiation. The oldest women smoked 5.3 (95% CI 4.7 to 5.9) cigarettes per day fewer than did the oldest men, compared with 2.0 (95% CI 1.7 to 2.3) fewer cigarettes smoked per day in the youngest, born 1965–1969. Among quitters, women born before 1945 were, on average, 1.5 years older than their male contemporaries, but this differential was 1 year or less among people born after 1949. Conclusions Differences in smoking behaviour between women and men have decreased over time. Even past differentials are unlikely to explain the increased susceptibility to smoking-related chronic disease in women compared with men that has previously been observed. Future studies are required to determine whether sex differences in the physiological and biological effects of smoking are responsible for the differential impact of smoking on health in women and men.
Reducing the orientation influence of Mueller matrix measurements for anisotropic scattering media

Mueller matrix polarimetry techniques contain rich micro-structural information of samples, such as the sizes and refractive indices of scatterers. Recently, Mueller matrix imaging methods have shown great potentials as powerful tools for biomedical diagnosis. However, the orientations of anisotropic fibrous structures in tissues have prominent influence on Mueller matrix measurements, resulting in difficulties for extracting micro-structural information effectively. In this paper, we apply the backscattering Mueller matrix imaging technique to biological samples with different microstructures, such as chicken heart muscle, bovine skeletal muscle, porcine liver and fat tissues. Experimental results show that the directions of the muscle fibers have prominent influence on the Mueller matrix elements. In order to reduce the orientation influence, we adopt the rotation-independent MMT and RLPI parameters, which were proposed in our previous studies, to the tissue samples. Preliminary results in this paper show that the orientation-independent parameters and their statistic features are helpful for analyzing the tissues to obtain their micro-structural properties. Since the micro-structure variations are often related to the pathological changes, the method can be applied to microscope imaging techniques and used to detect abnormal tissues such as cancer and other lesions for diagnosis purposes.
Wood-Dowel Bonding by High-Speed Rotation Welding — Application to Two Canadian Hardwood Species

The aim of this work was to investigate the possibility to apply high-speed rotation-induced wood-dowel welding technique to two Canadian hardwood species commonly used for furniture and structural applications, sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis). Different factors have been evaluated such as the wood species, the grain orientation, the rotation rate, as well as the receiver hole diameter. The results indicate that high-speed rotation-induced wood-dowel welding can be suitable for these two wood species with average tensile strength values comparable to their respective PVAc-glued joints. Additionally, wood-welded joints presented higher water resistance than their glued-joint counterparts. The results of the temperature measurements confirm that the softening and degradation temperatures of wood components have been reached during the welding process. The X-ray microdensitometry analyses show an increase of density for the interfacial material between the wood substrate and the dowel, the profile of which is more uniform for sugar maple than for birch. The scanning electron micrographs of the interfacial contact zone confirm the different extents of wood-to-wood welding.
Social Media and Organ Donor Registration: The Facebook Effect

Despite countless media campaigns, organ donation rates in the United States have remained static while need has risen dramatically. New efforts to increase organ donation through public education are necessary to address the waiting list of over 100,000 patients. On May 1, 2012, the online social network, Facebook, altered its platform to allow members to specify “Organ Donor” as part of their profile. Upon such choice, members were offered a link to their state registry to complete an official designation, and their “friends” in the network were made aware of the new status as a donor. Educational links regarding donation were offered to those considering the new organ donor status. On the first day of the Facebook organ donor initiative, there were 13 054 new online registrations, representing a 21.1‐fold increase over the baseline average of 616 registrations. This first‐day effect ranged from 6.9× (Michigan) to 108.9× (Georgia). Registration rates remained elevated in the following 12 days. During the same time period, no increase was seen in registrations from the DMV. Novel applications of social media may prove effective in increasing organ donation rates and likewise might be utilized in other refractory public health problems in which communication and education are essential.
A Vulnerability Assessment of 300 Species in Florida: Threats from Sea Level Rise, Land Use, and Climate Change

Species face many threats, including accelerated climate change, sea level rise, and conversion and degradation of habitat from human land uses. Vulnerability assessments and prioritization protocols have been proposed to assess these threats, often in combination with information such as species rarity; ecological, evolutionary or economic value; and likelihood of success. Nevertheless, few vulnerability assessments or prioritization protocols simultaneously account for multiple threats or conservation values. We applied a novel vulnerability assessment tool, the Standardized Index of Vulnerability and Value, to assess the conservation priority of 300 species of plants and animals in Florida given projections of climate change, human land-use patterns, and sea level rise by the year 2100. We account for multiple sources of uncertainty and prioritize species under five different systems of value, ranging from a primary emphasis on vulnerability to threats to an emphasis on metrics of conservation value such as phylogenetic distinctiveness. Our results reveal remarkable consistency in the prioritization of species across different conservation value systems. Species of high priority include the Miami blue butterfly (Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri), Key tree cactus (Pilosocereus robinii), Florida duskywing butterfly (Ephyriades brunnea floridensis), and Key deer (Odocoileus virginianus clavium). We also identify sources of uncertainty and the types of life history information consistently missing across taxonomic groups. This study characterizes the vulnerabilities to major threats of a broad swath of Florida’s biodiversity and provides a system for prioritizing conservation efforts that is quantitative, flexible, and free from hidden value judgments.
Natesto™, a novel testosterone nasal gel, normalizes androgen levels in hypogonadal men

Advantages of testosterone nasal gel include ease of administration, low dose, and no risk of secondary transference. The efficacy and safety of testosterone nasal gel was evaluated in hypogonadal males. The ninety‐day, randomized, open‐label, dose‐ranging study, included potential dose titration and sequential safety extensions to 1 year. At 39 US outpatient sites, 306 men (mean age 54.4 years) with two fasting morning total serum testosterone levels <300 ng/dL were randomized (n = 228, b.i.d. dosing; n = 78, t.i.d. dosing). Natesto™ Testosterone Nasal Gel was self‐administered, using a multiple‐dose dispenser, as two or three daily doses (5.5 mg per nostril, 11.0 mg single dose). Total daily doses were 22 mg or 33 mg. The primary endpoint was the Percentage of patients with Day‐90 serum total testosterone average concentration (Cavg) value within the eugonadal range (≥300 ng/dL, ≤1050 ng/dL). At Day 90, 200/273 subjects (73%; 95% CI 68, 79) in the intent‐to‐treat (ITT) population and 180/237 subjects (76%; 71, 81) in the per‐protocol (PP) population were in the normal range. Also, in the normal range were 68% (61, 74) of ITT subjects and 70% (63, 77) of PP subjects in the titration arm, as well as, 90% (83, 97) of ITT subjects and 91% (84, 98) of PP subjects in the fixed‐dose arm. Natesto™ 11 mg b.i. d. or 11 mg t.i. d. restores normal serum total testosterone levels in most hypogonadal men. Erectile function, mood, body composition, and bone mineral density improved from baseline. Treatment was well tolerated; adverse event rates were low. Adverse event discontinuation rates were 2.1% (b.i.d.) and 3.7% (t.i.d.). This study lacked a placebo or an active comparator control which limited the ability to adequately assess some measures.
Deep learning for physical processes: incorporating prior scientific knowledge

We consider the use of deep learning methods for modeling complex phenomena like those occurring in natural physical processes. With the large amount of data gathered on these phenomena the data intensive paradigm could begin to challenge more traditional approaches elaborated over the years in fields like maths or physics. However, despite considerable successes in a variety of application domains, the machine learning field is not yet ready to handle the level of complexity required by such problems. Using an example application, namely sea surface temperature prediction, we show how general background knowledge gained from the physics could be used as a guideline for designing efficient deep learning models. In order to motivate the approach and to assess its generality we demonstrate a formal link between the solution of a class of differential equations underlying a large family of physical phenomena and the proposed model. Experiments and comparison with series of baselines including a state of the art numerical approach is then provided.
Mood food: chocolate and depressive symptoms in a cross-sectional analysis.

BACKGROUND Much lore but few studies describe a relation of chocolate to mood. We examined the cross-sectional relationship of chocolate consumption with depressed mood in adult men and women. METHODS A sample of 1018 adults (694 men and 324 women) from San Diego, California, without diabetes or known coronary artery disease was studied in a cross-sectional analysis. The 931 subjects who were not using antidepressant medications and provided chocolate consumption information were the focus of the analysis. Mood was assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Cut points signaling a positive depression screen result (CES-D score, >or=16) and probable major depression (CES-D score, >or=22) were used. Chocolate servings per week were provided by 1009 subjects. Chocolate consumption frequency and rate data from the Fred Hutchinson Food Frequency Questionnaire were also available for 839 subjects. Chocolate consumption was compared for those with lower vs higher CES-D scores. In addition, a test of trend was performed. RESULTS Those screening positive for possible depression (CES-D score >or=16) had higher chocolate consumption (8.4 servings per month) than those not screening positive (5.4 servings per month) (P = .004); those with still higher CES-D scores (>or=22) had still higher chocolate consumption (11.8 servings per month) (P value for trend, <.01). These associations extended to both men and women. These findings did not appear to be explained by a general increase in fat, carbohydrate, or energy intake. CONCLUSION Higher CES-D depression scores were associated with greater chocolate consumption. Whether there is a causal connection, and if so in which direction, is a matter for future prospective study.
Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways promote the invasion of hypoxic gastric cancer cells

The present study aimed to examine the association between hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in a hypoxic environment. The study also aimed to explore the possible mechanisms underlying the invasion of hypoxic gastric cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. The pcDNA™ 6.2-GW/EmGFP-miR-β-catenin plasmid was transfected into SGC-7901 gastric cancer cells, resulting in cells with stable suppression of β-catenin expression. The biological characteristics of the control, liposome, negative control, β-catenin knockdown, hypoxia and hypoxia β-catenin knockdown groups were tested using an invasion assay. The differences in the invasive capacity of the control, negative control and liposome groups were not statistically significant. However, the hypoxia group demonstrated a significantly enhanced invasive capacity, as compared with that in the control group (P<0.05). In the hypoxia β-catenin knockdown group, reduced cell penetration and diminished invasive behavior was observed (P<0.05). In the hypoxia and double (chemical + physical) hypoxia groups, HIF-1α, β-catenin, urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-7) protein and mRNA expression levels were elevated. In response to knockdown of β-catenin expression, HIF-1α, β-catenin, uPA and MMP-7 protein as well as mRNA expression levels were significantly reduced in the hypoxia β-catenin knockdown and the double hypoxia β-catenin knockdown groups. In an in vivo experiment, the growth rate of xenograft tumors of hypoxic and control cells was high alongside increased HIF-1α, β-catenin, uPA and MMP-7 levels according to western blot and immunohistochemical analyses, while growth and protein levels of tumors from hypoxic β-catenin knockdown cells were significantly lower and those of β-catenin knockdown cells were lowest. In conclusion, these results suggested that HIF-1α activation was able to regulate the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, and that HIF-1α may be controlled by the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. A potential mechanism underlying SGC-7901 tumorigenicity is the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, which activates uPA and MMP-7 expression and contributes to the enhanced invasion of hypoxic cancer cells.