Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Zika Virus Infection of the Human Glomerular Cells: Implications for Viral Reservoirs and Renal Pathogenesis

Background Zika virus (ZIKV) infection in the human renal compartment has not been reported. Several clinical reports have describe high-level persistent viral shedding in the urine of infected patients, but the associated mechanisms have not been explored until now. The current study examined cellular components of the glomerulus of the human kidney for ZIKV infectivity. Methods I infected primary human podocytes, renal glomerular endothelial cells (GECs), and mesangial cells with ZIKV. Viral infectivity was analyzed by means of microscopy, immunofluorescence, real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR), and the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin 1β, interferon β, and RANTES (regulated on activation of normal T cells expressed and secreted) were assessed using qRT-PCR. Results I show that glomerular podocytes, renal GECs, and mesangial cells are permissive for ZIKV infection. ZIKV infectivity was confirmed in all 3 cell types by means of immunofluorescence staining, RT-PCR, and qRT-PCR, and qRT-PCR analysis revealed increased transcriptional induction of interleukin 1β, interferon β, and RANTES in ZIKV-infected podocytes at 72 hours, compared with renal GECs and mesangial cells. Conclusions The findings of this study support the notion that the glomerulus may serve as an amplification reservoir for ZIKV in the renal compartment. The impact of ZIKV infection in the human renal compartment is unknown and will require further study.
Matrix metalloproteinase-2 knockout prevents angiotensin II-induced vascular injury

Aims Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been implicated in the development of hypertension in animal models and humans. Mmp2 deletion did not change Ang II-induced blood pressure (BP) rise. However, whether Mmp2 knockout affects angiotensin (Ang) II-induced vascular injury has not been tested. We sought to determine whether Mmp2 knockout will prevent Ang II-induced vascular injury. Methods and results A fourteen-day Ang II infusion (1000 ng/kg/min, SC) increased systolic BP, decreased vasodilatory responses to acetylcholine, induced mesenteric artery (MA) hypertrophic remodelling, and enhanced MA stiffness in wild-type (WT) mice. Ang II enhanced aortic media and perivascular reactive oxygen species generation, aortic vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 expression, perivascular monocyte/macrophage and T cell infiltration, and the fraction of spleen activated CD4+CD69+ and CD8+CD69+ T cells, and Ly-6Chi monocytes. Study of intracellular signalling showed that Ang II increased phosphorylation of epidermal growth factor receptor and extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 1/2 in vascular smooth muscle cells isolated from WT mice. All these effects were reduced or prevented by Mmp2 knockout, except for systolic BP elevation. Ang II increased Mmp2 expression in immune cells infiltrating the aorta and perivascular fat. Bone marrow (BM) transplantation experiments revealed that in absence of MMP2 in immune cells, Ang II-induced BP elevation was decreased, and that when MMP2 was deficient in either immune or vascular cells, Ang II-induced endothelial dysfunction was blunted. Conclusions Mmp2 knockout impaired Ang II-induced vascular injury but not BP elevation. BM transplantation revealed a role for immune cells in Ang II-induced BP elevation, and for both vascular and immune cell MMP2 in Ang II-induced endothelial dysfunction.
Relationship between cerebral arterial inflow and venous outflow during dynamic supine exercise

The regulation of cerebral venous outflow during exercise has not been studied systematically. To identify relations between cerebral arterial inflow and venous outflow, we assessed the blood flow (BF) of the cerebral arteries (internal carotid artery: ICA and vertebral artery: VA) and veins (internal jugular vein: IJV and vertebral vein: VV) during dynamic exercise using ultrasonography. Nine subjects performed a cycling exercise in supine position at a light and moderate workload. Similar to the ICA BF, the IJV BF increased from baseline during light exercise (P < 0.05). However, the IJV BF decreased below baseline levels during moderate exercise, whereas the ICA BF returned near resting levels. In contrast, BF of the VA and VV increased with the workload (P < 0.05). The change in the ICA or VA BF from baseline to exercise was significantly correlated with the change in the IJV (r = 0.73, P = 0.001) or VV BF (r = 0.52, P = 0.028), respectively. These findings suggest that dynamic supine exercise modifies the cerebral venous outflow, and there is coupling between regulations of arterial inflow and venous outflow in both anterior and posterior cerebral circulation. However, it remains unclear whether changes in cerebral venous outflow influence on the regulation of cerebral arterial inflow during exercise.
Growth curve and diet density affect eating motivation, behavior, and body composition of broiler breeders during rearing

&NA; The aim of this work has been to assess the effect of diet density [control (CON) or 15% diluted (DIL)] and growth curve [recommended by the genetic line (RBW) or 15% heavier (HBW)] and their interaction on BW uniformity, feeding motivation, behavior, and body composition of broiler breeder pullets. A total of 3,000 one‐day‐old female breeders Ross 308, distributed in 20 pens, was randomly assigned to each treatment. Feed allowance was weekly adjusted to reach the desired BW. Feed was provided as pelleted (zero to 3 wk) and crumble (4 to 19 wk). Time eating was measured at 7, 11, and 19 weeks. A feeding rate test was performed after 11 weeks. Behavior was observed at 9 and 15 wk, by visual scan. At 6, 13, and 19 wk of age, one bird/pen was slaughtered for weighing different organs and analyzing the composition of empty whole bodies. Treatments did not affect BW uniformity; relative weights of the ovary, oviduct, or gizzard; or protein content of empty BW. Time eating varied with the growth curve at 19 wk (P < 0.05), HBW pullets spent 19 more min eating than RBW pullets. DIL led to 4 and 8 more min eating at 19 wk for pullets of RBW and HBW (P < 0.05), respectively. Pullets fed DIL consumed 30% (P < 0.05) less during the feeding rate test when kept on a restricted regimen, and they had lower compensatory energy intake after ad libitum feeding than those fed CON, indicating lower feeding motivation. Behavior was affected by the age and by the time of the d measured, but it did not change with the treatments. Birds spent most time pecking objects (50%), feeding (28%), and drinking (17%). Pullets fed DIL had 8% lower breast yield at different ages and higher empty digestive tracts at 6 weeks. Body composition varied with age; fat content increased from 12.7 to 15.9 to 19.8% for 6, 13, and 19 wk, respectively. The lowest body fat was observed for RBW pullets fed DIL (P = 0.003) at 19 weeks. Feeding DIL diets to HBW pullets could be done to increase the time spent eating and reduce their feeling of hunger without negative effects on body composition. However, its influence on behavior and BW uniformity was not proved.
Acute effects of non‐weathered and weathered crude oil and dispersant associated with the Deepwater Horizon incident on the development of marine bivalve and echinoderm larvae

Acute toxicity tests (48–96‐h duration) were conducted with larvae of 2 echinoderm species (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus and Dendraster excentricus) and 4 bivalve mollusk species (Crassostrea virginica, Crassostrea gigas, Mytilus galloprovincialis, and Mercenaria mercenaria). Developing larvae were exposed to water‐accommodated fractions (WAFs) and chemically enhanced water‐accommodated fractions (CEWAFs) of fresh and weathered oils collected from the Gulf of Mexico during the Deepwater Horizon incident. The WAFs (oils alone), CEWAFs (oils plus Corexit 9500A dispersant), and WAFs of Corexit alone were prepared using low‐energy mixing. The WAFs of weathered oils had no effect on survival and development of echinoderm and bivalve larvae, whereas WAFs of fresh oils showed adverse effects on larval development. Similar toxicities were observed for weathered oil CEWAFs and WAFs prepared with Corexit alone for oyster (C. gigas and C. virginica) larvae, which were the most sensitive of the tested invertebrate species to Corexit. Mean 10% effective concentration values for total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and dipropylene glycol n‐butyl ether (a marker for Corexit) in the present study were higher than all concentrations reported in nearshore field samples collected during and after the Deepwater Horizon incident. The results suggest that water‐soluble fractions of weathered oils and Corexit dispersant associated with the Deepwater Horizon incident had limited, if any, acute impacts on nearshore larvae of eastern oysters and clams, as well as other organisms with similar sensitivities to those of test species in the present study; however, exposure to sediments and long‐term effects were not evaluated. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:2016–2028. © 2016 SETAC
Academic conference homepage understanding using constrained hierarchical conditional random fields

We address the problem of academic conference homepage understanding for the Semantic Web. This problem consists of three labeling tasks - labeling conference function pages, function blocks, and attributes. Different from traditional information extraction tasks, the data in academic conference homepages has complex structural dependencies across multiple Web pages. In addition, there are logical constraints in the data. In this paper, we propose a unified approach, Constrained Hierarchical Conditional Random Fields, to accomplish the three labeling tasks simultaneously. In this approach, complex structural dependencies can be well described. Also, the constrained Viterbi algorithm in the inference process can avoid logical errors. Experimental results on real world conference data have demonstrated that this approach performs better than cascaded labeling methods by 3.6% in F1-measure and that the constrained inference process can improve the accuracy by 14.3%. Based on the proposed approach, we develop a prototype system of use-oriented semantic academic conference calendar. The user simply needs to specify what conferences he/she is interested in. Subsequently, the system finds, extracts, and updates the semantic information from the Web, and then builds a calendar automatically for the user. The semantic conference data can be used in other applications, such as finding sponsors and finding experts. The proposed approach can be used in other information extraction tasks as well.
Ovarian cancer risk is reduced by prolonged lactation: a case-control study in southern China.

BACKGROUND Ovarian cancer is an important neoplasm that is difficult to diagnose and treat; therefore, prevention is the preferable strategy. Growing evidence indicates a protective effect of breastfeeding on ovarian cancer risk. OBJECTIVE The objective was to investigate the association between lactation and the risk of ovarian cancer among southern Chinese women. DESIGN A case-control study was undertaken in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, between August 2006 and July 2008. A validated and reliable questionnaire was used to obtain information on the months of lactation and number of children breastfed in a sample of 493 incident ovarian cancer patients and 472 hospital-based controls (mean age: 59 y). Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the association between breastfeeding and the risk of ovarian cancer. RESULTS Significant inverse dose-response relations were found for both duration of lactation and the number of children breastfed. The adjusted ORs were 0.09 (95% CI: 0.04, 0.19) for women with ≥31 mo of total lactation and those with ≤10 mo of lactation and 0.38 (95% CI: 0.27, 0.55) for women with ≥3 children breastfed compared with those with one child breastfed. CONCLUSION Prolonged lactation is associated with a lower risk of ovarian cancer in parous Chinese women.
Effect of processing on the biochemical contents of Acanthus montanus (Nees) T. Anderson (Acanthaceae) leaves

Abstract The effect of processing on the biochemical contents of Acanthus montanus leaves was investigated. The moisture, crude protein, lipid, fiber, ash, and total carbohydrate contents of the raw vegetable were 59.15, 1.85, 2.32, 3.76, 2.04, and 34.65 g/100 g, respectively. The saponin, alkaloid, tannin, flavonoid, phenol, and anthocyanin contents of the raw vegetable were 5.35, 4.04, 1.10, 3.53, 2.87, and 1.27 g/100 g, respectively, while it contained 2.65 mg/100 g calcium, 1.14 mg/100 g magnesium, 7.66 mg/100 g potassium, 350.75 μg/g vitamin A, 50.87 mg/100 g vitamin C, and 0.25% titratable acidity. There were significant reductions (p < .05) in the protein, lipid, fiber, ash, saponin, alkaloid, tannin, phenol, anthocyanin, calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and titratable acidity of the boiled or boiled + sun‐dried A. montanus leaves; significant elevation of the moisture contents but significant reduction of the total carbohydrate contents of the boiled; and significant reduction of the moisture contents of the boiled + sun‐dried vegetable compared with the raw. There were significant increases (p < .05) in the total carbohydrate contents of the boiled + sun‐dried leaves; significant reductions (p < .05) in the moisture, saponin, alkaloid, and vitamins A and C contents of the sun‐dried vegetable; and no significant differences (p > .05) in the lipid, calcium, potassium, and ash, but significant increases (p < .05) in the protein, crude fiber, total carbohydrates, tannins, flavonoids, phenols, anthocyanin, magnesium, and titratable acidity of the sun‐dried vegetable when compared with the raw. Sun drying alone either retained or enhanced the release of some important bioactive compounds in A. montanus leaves. Furthermore, the reduced moisture content of the sun‐dried vegetable together with its increased titratable acidity will make the sun‐dried vegetable uninhabitable for microorganisms, thereby increasing its shelf life.
Molecular Screening of Small Biopsy Samples Using Next-Generation Sequencing in Korean Patients with Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: Korean Lung Cancer Consortium (KLCC-13-01)

Background Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a common type of cancer with poor prognosis. As individual cancers exhibit unique mutation patterns, identifying and characterizing gene mutations in NSCLC might help predict patient outcomes and guide treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical adequacy of molecular testing using next-generation sequencing (NGS) for small biopsy samples and characterize the mutational landscape of Korean patients with advanced NSCLC. Methods DNA was extracted from small biopsy samples of 162 patients with advanced NSCLC. Targeted NGS of genomic alterations was conducted using Ion AmpliSeq Cancer Hotspot Panel v2. Results The median age of patients was 64 years (range, 32 to 83 years) and the majority had stage IV NSCLC at the time of cancer diagnosis (90%). Among the 162 patients, 161 patients (99.4%) had novel or hotspot mutations (range, 1 to 21 mutated genes). Mutations were found in 41 genes. Three of the most frequently mutated genes were TP53 (151, 93.2%), KDR (104, 64.2%), and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR; 69, 42.6%). We also observed coexistence of EGFR and other oncogene (such as KRAS, PIC3CA, PTEN, and STK11) mutations. Given that 69.6% (48/69) of EGFR mutant patients were treated with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors, EGFR mutant status had higher prognostic ability in this study. Conclusions These results suggest that targeted NGS using small biopsy samples is feasible and allows for the detection of both common and rare mutations in NSCLC.
MEG Evidence for Incremental Sentence Composition in the Anterior Temporal Lobe.

Research investigating the brain basis of language comprehension has associated the left anterior temporal lobe (ATL) with sentence-level combinatorics. Using magnetoencephalography (MEG), we test the parsing strategy implemented in this brain region. The number of incremental parse steps from a predictive left-corner parsing strategy that is supported by psycholinguistic research is compared with those from a less-predictive strategy. We test for a correlation between parse steps and source-localized MEG activity recorded while participants read a story. Left-corner parse steps correlated with activity in the left ATL around 350-500 ms after word onset. No other correlations specific to sentence comprehension were observed. These data indicate that the left ATL engages in combinatoric processing that is well characterized by a predictive left-corner parsing strategy.
Decrease in body surface temperature before parturition in ewes

This study investigated the correlation between the body surface temperature (BST) and core body temperature of ewes and changes in BST during the prepartum stage in pregnant ewes. Four non-pregnant adult ewes were used in the first experiment. The BST of the upper neck, vaginal temperature (VT), and ambient temperature (AT) were measured every 10 min for seven days and analyzed for correlations. The mean (± SD) BST and VT of ewes during the study period were 35.4 ± 1.7°C and 39.1 ± 0.4°C, respectively, with a correlation of r = 0.62, P < 0.001. This finding suggested that the BST was associated with core body temperature in ewes. In the subsequent experiment, seven pregnant ewes in their third trimester were used to evaluate changes in BST measured at the upper neck 72 h before parturition. The mean BST at –24–0 h (0 h = time of parturition) was significantly lower than that at –72– –48 h and –48– –24 h (P < 0.05). The BST tended to decrease toward parturition; all BST measurements at –16– –3 h were significantly lower than those at –72 h (P < 0.05). A clear circadian rhythm in the BST was observed at two days and the day before parturition and an unclear circadian rhythm was observed on the day of parturition. Therefore, these findings indicate that the BST also decreases before parturition, as do vaginal and rectal temperatures.
Placental lipoprotein lipase DNA methylation alterations are associated with gestational diabetes and body composition at 5 years of age

ABSTRACT Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with obesity in childhood. This suggests that consequences of in utero exposure to maternal hyperglycemia extend beyond the fetal development, possibly through epigenetic programming. The aims of this study were to assess whether placental DNA methylation (DNAm) marks were associated with maternal GDM status and to offspring body composition at 5 years old in a prospective birth cohort. DNAm levels were measured in the fetal side of the placenta in 66 samples (24 from GDM mothers) using bisDNA-pyrosequencing. Anthropometric and body composition (bioimpedance) were measured in children at 5 years of age. Mann-Whitney and Spearman tests were used to assess associations between GDM, placental DNAm levels at the lipoprotein lipase (LPL) locus and children's weight, height, body mass index (BMI), body fat, and lean masses at 5 years of age. Weight, height, and BMI z-scores were computed according to the World Health Organization growth chart. Analyses were adjusted for gestational age at birth, child sex, maternal age, and pre-pregnancy BMI. LPL DNAm levels were positively correlated with birth weight z-scores (r = 0.252, P = 0.04), and with mid-childhood weight z-scores (r = 0.314, P = 0.01) and fat mass (r = 0.275, P = 0.04), and negatively correlated with lean mass (r = −0.306, P = 0.02). We found a negative correlation between LPL DNAm and mRNA levels in placenta (r = −0.459; P < 0.001), which highlights the regulation of transcriptional activity by these epivariations. We demonstrated that alterations in fetal placental DNAm levels at the LPL gene locus are associated with the anthropometric profile in children at 5 years of age. These findings support the concept of fetal metabolic programming through epigenetic changes.
Materials in Sports a New Concept for the Teaching of Materials Science and Engineering

Most sports equipment in common use today represents highly developed engineering structures. Many of the equipment items have evolved empirically, but nonetheless can be used to illustrate basic principles of materials engineering, applied mechanics and kinetics. Using the most common items of sports equipment (footballs, tennis racquets, vaulting poles, etc.), a new course has been developed which introduces first year science and engineering students to materials science and engineering, as well as basic engineering, using a medium they can relate to personally—sports. Emphasis is placed upon the factors which make the equipment functional. These factors include both the basic materials from which the equipment is made and its fundamental design. Detailed treatment is given to the origin of the various species of materials. The processing used to produce the full spectrum of properties required of the various equipment items and the important structure-property relations in the equipment's use are presented. “Hands-on” experiments, guest lectures by world authorities in several fields of sporting activities and equipment use demonstrations compliment the lecture-recitations of the course.
Properties of Mortar Containing High Volume Palm Oil Biomass Waste

The utilization of waste materials which are abundant and cheap, especially from clean resources, has become more pressing than ever. This paper, discusses the utilization of the wastes in the form of palm oil fuel ash and oil palm kernel shell in the production of mortar mixes as a part of new and innovative materials in construction industry. The studies include the basic properties including the morphology of the composite with regards to variations in the mix design process. In order to get a better performance in terms of strength development, the ash used has gone through heat treatment and ground up to the size less than 2µm. High volume of 60%, 80% and 100% palm oil fuel ash was used as cement replacement. The incorporation of more than 80% of palm oil biomass waste as cement and sand replacement has produced mortar having an improved compressive strength than normal mortar. In addition, the density of the mortar with biomass waste was less than normal mortar. Overall results have revealed that the inclusion of high volume palm oil biomass waste can produce mortar mix with high strength, good performance and most importantly more sustainable.