Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nitric oxide level in seminal plasma and its relation with sperm DNA damages.

BACKGROUND Evidence supports the involvement of nitric oxide (NO) in a variety of male reproductive processes such as spermatogenesis, spermiogenesis, sperm motion, sperm metabolism and sperm capacitation. However, low concentration of NO is essential in biology and physiology of spermatozoa, but high amounts of NO is toxic and has negative effects on sperm functions. On the other hand, it is established that high amounts of NO have detrimental effects on DNA. The integrity of sperm DNA is an important factor in successful fertility and embryo development. It is hypothesized that supra physiological concentrations of NO in seminal plasma cause sperm DNA damage. The aim of this study was to determine sperm DNA damage by comet assay and its correlation with NO level in seminal plasma of fertile and infertile men. METHODS Semen samples were collected from 45 patients and 70 healthy donors. The stable metabolites of NO (nitrite and nitrate) in seminal plasma were measured by Griess assay and DNA damage was determined using single cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay method. RESULTS The NO concentration in the seminal plasma of infertile males was significantly higher than fertile males (5.74+/-1.01 microM/L vs. 3.88+/-0.53 microM/L). There was a significant positive correlation between the NO concentration and sperm DNA comet value in infertile males (P<0.01, R=0.598). CONCLUSION These results indicate that the overproduction of NO in genital tract of infertile males has a potential pathogenetic role in the reduction of sperm DNA integrity.
Approximate search algorithm for aggregate k-nearest neighbour queries on remote spatial databases

Searching Aggregate k-Nearest Neighbour k-ANN queries on remote spatial databases suffers from a large amount of communication. In order to overcome the difficulty, RQP-M algorithm for efficiently searching k-ANN query results is proposed in this paper. It refines query results originally searched by RQP-S with subsequent k-NN queries, whose query points are chosen among vertices of a regular polygon inscribed in a circle searched previously. Experimental results show that precision of sum k-NN query results is over 0.95 and Number of Requests NOR is at most 4.0. On the other hand, precision of max k-NN query results is over 0.95 and NOR is at most 5.6. RQP-M brings 0.04-0.20 increase in PRECISION of sum k-NN query results and over 0.40 increase in that of max k-NN query results, respectively, in comparison with RQP-S.
Resilient arthropods : Buthus scorpions as a model to understand the role of past and future climatic changes on Iberian Biodiversity

The Mediterranean region (Med) is one of Earth’s largest Biodiversity hotspots, with a high number of plant endemics. This biological richness is a consequence of the Mediterranean complex geography, including several long Peninsulas and high Mountains, and complex geological history. The Med is the western remnant of an older Tethys Ocean entrapped between the African and Eurasian tectonic plates. The climate in the Mediterranean area remained mildly and subtropical, and mostly stable, during the Miocene. It changed around 3.2 Ma during the Upper Pliocene and assumed its present configuration, which ranges from temperate to arid, but even the former is characterized by strong annual fluctuations in temperature and precipitation (i.e. Mediterranean climate). The Pleistocene Glaciations did mark a departure from the Mediterranean climate. These climatic changes, together with the paleogeological changes, had a strong impact on the Mediterranean Biodiversity and left a lasting genetic footprint. At the end of the Pleistocene, in the Eastern Mediterranean area, started one of the earliest areas of human civilization, which slowly expanded throughout the Med. The prolonged human presence has had a strong negative impact on its Biodiversity, as much of the available land better suited for sustaining Biodiversity was converted to agricultural use. All these factors converge to make the Mediterranean an area in urgent need of conservation, even more so because its eastern portion includes yet another important Biodiversity hotspot, the Irano-Anatolian. The Mediterranean region has also a high scorpion species’ diversity, albeit markedly different in composition from North to South. The southern Med is richer in species and genera number but not in the number of families, which further highlights the complex paleo-history of the area. The genus Buthus is a specious example of this diversity that managed to colonise the Iberian Peninsula, but is an otherwise North African genus that also reaches the Middle East. In Africa, Buthus range extends from the Mediterranean shore as far south as the Sahel and as far east as the Horn of Africa. Although Western Med Buthus genetic diversity was first studied more than a decade ago (in 2003), much remained unknown, even more so given the ten-fold increase in its species composition since the publication of the “ Catalog of the scorpions of the world (1758-1998)”. To tackle this fast pace of new species descriptions we present an update to the Buthus catalogue and gave some notes on the most important morphological characters used for Buthus species identification.
Effects of exercise on mitogen- and stress-activated kinase signal transduction in human skeletal muscle.

Exercise/contraction is a powerful stimulator of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascades in skeletal muscle. Little is known regarding the physiological activation of enzymes downstream of MAP kinase. We investigated whether acute exercise results in activation of mitogen- and stress-activated kinases (MSK) 1 and 2, p90 ribosomal S6 kinase (p90rsk), and MAP kinase-activated protein kinase 2 (MAPKAPK2). Muscle biopsies were obtained from healthy volunteers before, during, and after 60 min one-leg cycle ergometry, from exercising and resting legs. MSK1 and MSK2 activities were increased 400-500% and 200-300%, respectively, in exercised muscle (P < 0.05 vs. rest). A dramatic increase in activity of p90rsk (MAPKAPK1) (>2,500%), and to a lesser extent MAPKAP2 (300%), was noted with exercise (P < 0.05 vs. rest). MSK1, MSK2, p90rsk, and MAPKAP2 activities were sustained throughout exercise. Exercise-induced activation of these enzymes was limited to working muscle, indicating that local rather than systemic factors activate these signaling cascades. Thus physical exercise leads to activation of multiple enzymes downstream of MAP kinase.
Safe, selfish state-independent mobbing behaviour in the cooperatively breeding apostlebird (Struthidea cinerea)

In the last few decades stochastic dynamic modeling (SDM) has been used to explore adaptive state-dependent strategies in a whole host of different theoretical problems in behavioural ecology, with considerable success. It has allowed us to better understand cooperative behaviours such as sentinel behaviour, and it might allow us to more fully understand other cooperative behaviours with alternative dynamics. In a recently developed SDM, anti-predator behaviour was examined and a counter-intuitive prediction has emerged: that mobbing effort should be completely independent of state. In this study we test this interesting prediction, using the cooperatively breeding Apostlebird (Struthidea cinerea) as our study species. From October 15th to November 21st in 2009, 6 groups of varying sizes were put through a set of trials, where we used a rubber snake model to elicit mobbing behaviour in experimental trials. A similarly sized stick was used during control trials, wherein birds tended to forage. Behaviour, placement and vocalisation data on an individual basis were gathered in multiple scan samplings per trial in both kinds of treatment. This highly accurate data was then compared with within-individual differences in body mass (state). Several other variables were also considered: sex, age, breeding status, relatedness and mean body mass. Results show that while foraging behaviour was highly state-dependent during controls, no such effect was found in the mobbing effort of the same individuals during experiments. Mobbing effort also did not vary with any of the mentioned phenotypically fixed variables. Our study therefore offers the first empirical evidence of state-independent mobbing.
Whole Blood Gene Expression Profiles in Insulin Resistant Latinos with the Metabolic Syndrome

Although insulin resistance in skeletal muscle is well-characterized, the role of circulating whole blood in the metabolic syndrome phenotype is not well understood. We set out to test the hypothesis that genes involved in inflammation, insulin signaling and mitochondrial function would be altered in expression in the whole blood of individuals with metabolic syndrome. We further wanted to examine whether similar relationships that we have found previously in skeletal muscle exist in peripheral whole blood cells. All subjects (n=184) were Latino descent from the Arizona Insulin Resistance registry. Subjects were classified based on the metabolic syndrome phenotype according to the National Cholesterol Education Program’s Adult Treatment Panel III. Of the 184 Latino subjects in the study, 74 were classified with the metabolic syndrome and 110 were without. Whole blood gene expression profiling was performed using the Agilent 4x44K Whole Human Genome Microarray. Whole blood microarray analysis identified 1,432 probes that were altered in expression ≥1.2 fold and P<0.05 after Benjamini-Hochberg in the metabolic syndrome subjects. KEGG pathway analysis revealed significant enrichment for pathways including ribosome, oxidative phosphorylation and MAPK signaling (all Benjamini-Hochberg P<0.05). Whole blood mRNA expression changes observed in the microarray data were confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR. Transcription factor binding motif enrichment analysis revealed E2F1, ELK1, NF-kappaB, STAT1 and STAT3 significantly enriched after Bonferroni correction (all P<0.05). The results of the present study demonstrate that whole blood is a useful tissue for studying the metabolic syndrome and its underlying insulin resistance although the relationship between blood and skeletal muscle differs.
Territorialisation and the assemblage of rural place: Examples from Canada and New Zealand

This chapter draws on ‘Assemblage Theory’, as developed by Manuel de Landa, to explore the significance of processes of territorialisation and deterritorialisation in understanding the restructuring of rural places. In particular, it emphasises the potential for ‘Assemblage Theory’ to make the connection between political-economic processes and their material effects, cultural dimensions of place identity, and the territorial expression of a place. This can help us to understand how rural places are changed by restructuring processes, including globalisation, but also how such places adapt and survive. The chapter concludes with short illustrative examples from Canada and New Zealand. Introduction The territorialisation of rural places has long been a focus of inquiry by geographers. On the one hand, rural places are culturally perceived as deeply embedded in their territories, if understood etymologically as a connection to the land or terroir. The traditional industries of rural areas have been based on exploiting the land and its natural resources, and the physical geography of rural places has historically determined their accessibility, shaped their settlement pattern, influenced their social and economic forms and left a mark on their sense of identity and cultural practices (Woods et al., 2011). Yet, at the same time, defining and delimiting the territories of rural places, in the sense of a bounded space, has proved problematic. From the 1970s onwards, numerous attempts have been made in several countries to map and classify the division of rural and urban space, sometimes as governmental exercises (see for example Cloke 1977; Isserman 2005). However, these efforts have been rightly critiqued as methodologically flawed and analytically impotent (Cloke
Safety and cleaning of medical materials and devices.

A study was undertaken to evaluate different procedures to safely remove microorganisms, protein, and mammalian cells from materials and provide a suitable method for cleaning and assessing effectiveness of cleaning medical devices for reuse or for analysis of failure. Safety considerations for the personnel performing the cleaning or handling the device after cleaning are important issues. Polystyrene plates (96 well) were used to simulate device surfaces not amenable to manual scrubbing. Staphylococcus epidermidis, Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and oral flora were grown in the plates. The plates were stained with crystal violet and the optical densities recorded. The results indicated that E. coli did not adhere well and Pseudomonas formed clumps that were easily detached from the surface of the plates. However, S. epi, C. albicans, and the oral organisms formed adherent biofilms that were difficult to remove from the plates. Detergents with enzymes and sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) bleach were both effective in removing the biofilm. Other detergents and surfactants were not effective. The aldehyde agents did not remove the organisms and made further cleaning difficult. Allowing the biofilm to dry first made cleaning very difficult. Only the NaOCl bleach could subsequently remove the dried or aldehyde fixed organisms from the wells. The same 96-well polystyrene plate format was used to measure the amount of protein and cell adherence as well as the effectiveness of subsequent cleaning. Bradford reagent was used to detect protein as a measure of the cleaning efficacy. As with the bacteria, NaOCl bleach was effective at removing the protein and cells that had been dried or fixed by formalin or alcohol, whereas detergent with enzymes was not very effective. This study confirmed that used medical devices, contaminated with microorganisms, protein, and/or mammalian cells, should not be allowed to dry before cleaning and that a thorough cleaning procedure should precede sterilization or disinfection (with the exception of NaOCl bleach which also cleans).
A Modified Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System to Assess Diabetes Self-management Behaviors and Diabetes Care in Monterrey Mexico: A Cross-sectional Study

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is one of the leading causes of death from worldwide non-communicable diseases. The prevalence of diabetes in the Mexico (MX)–United States border states exceeds the national rate in both countries. The economic burden of diabetes, due to decreased productivity, disability, and medical costs, is staggering and increases significantly when T2DM-related complications occur. The purpose of this study was to use a modified behavioral risk factor surveillance system (BRFSS) to describe the T2DM self-management behaviors, diabetes care, and health perception of a convenience sample of adults with T2DM in Monterrey, MX. This cross-sectional study design, with convenience sampling, was conducted with a convenience sample (n = 351) of adults in the metropolitan area of Monterrey, MX who self-reported a diagnosis of T2DM. Potential participants were recruited from local supermarkets. Twenty-six diabetes and health-related items were selected from the BRFSS and administered in face-to-face interviews by trained data collectors. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics. The mean age was 47 years, and the mean length of time with T2DM was 12 years. The majority was taking oral medication and 34% required insulin. Daily self-monitoring of feet was performed by 56% of the participants; however, only 8.8% engaged in blood glucose self-monitoring. The mean number of health-care provider visits was 9.09 per year, and glycated hemoglobin level (HbA1c) was assessed 2.6 times per year. Finally, only 40.5% of the participants recalled having a dilated eye exam. We conclude the modified BRFSS survey administered in a face-to-face interview format is an appropriate tool for assessing engagement in T2DM self-management behaviors, diabetes care, and health perception. Extension of the use of this survey in a more rigorous design with a larger scale survey is encouraged.
Optimization of Parallel Execution for Multi-Join Queries

We study the subject of exploiting interoperator parallelism to optimize the execution of multi-join queries. Specifically, we focus on two major issues: (1) scheduling the execution sequence of multiple joins within a query, and (2) determining the number of processors to be allocated for the execution of each join operation obtained in (1). For the first issue, we propose and evaluate by simulation several methods to determine the general join sequences, or bushy trees. Despite their simplicity, the heuristics proposed can lead to the general join sequences that significantly outperform the optimal sequential join sequence. The quality of the join sequences obtained by the proposed heuristics is shown to be fairly close to that of the optimal one. For the second issue, it is shown that the processor allocation for exploiting interoperator parallelism is subject to more constraints-such as execution dependency and system fragmentation-than those in the study of intraoperator parallelism for a single join. The concept of synchronous execution time is proposed to alleviate these constraints. Several heuristics to deal with the processor allocation, categorized by bottom-up and top-down approaches, are derived and are evaluated by simulation. The relationship between issues (1) and (2) is explored. Among all the schemes evaluated, the two-step approach proposed, which first applies the join sequence heuristic to build a bushy tree as if under a single processor system, and then, in light of the concept of synchronous execution time, allocates processors to execute each join in the bushy tree in a top-down manner, emerges as the best solution to minimize the query execution time.
Lamin proteolysis facilitates nuclear events during apoptosis

Expression of the adenovirus E1A oncogene stimulates both cell proliferation and p53-dependent apoptosis in rodent cells. p53 implements apoptosis in all or in part through transcriptional activation of bax, the product of which promotes cell death. The adenovirus E1B 19K product is homologous in sequence and in function to Bcl-2, both of which bind to and inhibit the activity of Bax and thereby suppress apoptosis. The E1B 19K protein also interacts with the nuclear lamins, but the role of this interaction in the regulation of apoptosis is not known. Lamins are, however, substrates for members of the interleukin-1 beta-converting enzyme (ICE) family of cysteine proteases that are activated during apoptosis and function downstream of Bcl-2 in the cell death pathway. lamins are degraded during E1A- induced p53-dependent apoptosis. Lamin A and C are cleaved into 47- and 37-kD fragments, respectively, and the site of proteolysis is mapped to a conserved aspartic acid residue at position 230. The cleavage of lamins during apoptosis is consistent with the activation of an ICE- related cysteine protease down-stream of p53. No lamin protease activity was detected in cells expressing the E1B 19K protein, indicating that 19K functions upstream of protease activation in inhibiting apoptosis. Substitution of the aspartic acid at the cleavage site produced a mutant lamin protein that was resistant to proteolysis both in vitro and in vivo. Expression of uncleavable mutant lamin A or B attenuated apoptosis, delaying cell death and the associated DNA fragmentation by 12 h. Mutant lamin expressing cells failed to show the signs of chromatin condensation and nuclear shrinkage typical of cell death by apoptosis. Instead, the nuclear envelope collapsed and the nuclear lamina remained intact. However, the late stage of apoptosis was morphologically unaltered and formation of apoptotic bodies was evident. Thus, lamin breakdown by proteolytic degradation facilitates the nuclear events of apoptosis perhaps by facilitating nuclear breakdown.
Titanium cage reconstruction after cervical corpectomy.

OBJECT The authors evaluated the efficacy of titanium cage- and anterior cervical plate (ACP)-augmented fusion for reconstruction following decompressive cervical corpectomy in nontraumatic disease. METHODS Forty-five patients ranging from 37 to 77 years of age underwent anterior cervical corpectomy followed by titanium cage-assisted reconstruction in which the cages were filled with autologous bone obtained from the resected vertebral bodies (VBs). Plates were placed in all patients. Follow-up radiographic evaluation included computerized tomography scanning and plain flexion-extension radiography. Fusion was demonstrated in all but one patient without reconstruction-related complications. The single complication involved an endplate VB fracture with pistoning of the cage into the VB. The mean follow-up period was 12.9 months. CONCLUSIONS Autologous corpectomy bone-filled titanium cages supplemented with ACPs are an effective means of reconstruction after compressive cervical corpectomy. This technique provides a reasonable alternative to procedures involving long solid strut grafts obtained from the bone bank or from the patient.
Involvement of the Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor mGluR5 in NMDA Receptor-Dependent, Learning-Facilitated Long-Term Depression in CA1 Synapses

Learning-facilitated synaptic plasticity describes the ability of hippocampal synapses to respond with persistent synaptic plasticity to the coupling of weak afferent stimulation, which is subthreshold for the induction of plasticity, with a spatial learning experience. The metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5 (mGluR5) is critically involved in enabling the persistency of multiple forms of hippocampal synaptic plasticity. We compared the effects of pharmacological allosteric antagonism of mGluR5 in learning-facilitated plasticity with plasticity that had been induced solely by patterned afferent stimulation of the Schaffer collateral pathway to the CA1 stratum radiatum of adult freely behaving rats. Intracerebroventricular injection of the selective mGluR5 antagonist 2-methyl-6-(phenylethynyl)pyridine (MPEP) had no effect on basal synaptic transmission but significantly prevented both long-term depression (LTD) elicited by electrical stimulation and LTD facilitated by novel object-place configuration learning. NMDA receptor antagonism also prevented learning-facilitated LTD. Habituation to the objects was prevented by MPEP application. Whereas reexposure to the object-place configuration (after 7 days) failed to facilitate LTD in control animals, those who had been treated previously with MPEP expressed LTD, suggesting that inhibition of learning contributed to the initial prevention of LTD. These data support a pivotal role for mGluR5 in both hippocampal LTD and the acquisition of object-place configurations.