Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of social isolation and re-socialization on cognition and ADAR1 (p110) expression in mice

It has been reported that social isolation stress could be a key factor that leads to cognitive deficit for both humans and rodent models. However, detailed mechanisms are not yet clear. ADAR1 (Adenosine deaminase acting on RNA) is an enzyme involved in RNA editing that has a close relation to cognitive function. We have hypothesized that social isolation stress may impact the expression of ADAR1 in the brain of mice with cognitive deficit. To test our hypothesis, we evaluated the cognition ability of mice isolated for different durations (2, 4, and 8 weeks) using object recognition and object location tests; we also measured ADAR1 expression in hippocampus and cortex using immunohistochemistry and western blot. Our study showed that social isolation stress induced spatial and non-spatial cognition deficits of the tested mice. In addition, social isolation significantly increased both the immunoreactivity and protein expression of ADAR1 (p110) in the hippocampus and frontal cortex. Furthermore, re-socialization could not only recover the cognition deficits, but also bring ADAR1 (p110) immunoreactivity of hippocampus and frontal cortex, as well as ADAR1 (p110) protein expression of hippocampus back to the normal level for the isolated mice in adolescence. In conclusion, social isolation stress significantly increases ADAR1 (p110) expression in the hippocampus and frontal cortex of the mice with cognitive deficit. This finding may open a window to better understand the reasons (e.g., epigenetic change) that are responsible for social isolation-induced cognitive deficit and help the development of novel therapies for the resulted diseases.
Novel Fuzzy Technique for Cancer Detection in Noisy Breast Ultrasound Images

Problem statement: Detecting tumor areas in breast Ultrasound (US) images is a challenging task. The occurrence of benign areas in breast may result in false identification of malignant areas which may have serious outcome. Approach: The CAD system could act as a major function in the early detection of breast cancer and could decrease the death rate among women with breast cancer. This challenge was especially daunting in non homogenous noisy US Images where benign and malignant images were difficult to identify. The US images possess speckle noise which was its inherent property. This study was an attempt to reduce false alarm in Breast cancer detection using computationally efficient fuzzy based image clustering. Results: The proposed system was tested using images which was obtained from the famous American Cancer database for conducting experiments. We had compared the Noise Induced images with that of the De-speckled images and found that the de-speckled images yeild a better image for diagnosis based. Later the image was clustered based on Fuzzy C-Means based clustering technique to identify the cancerous cells. Conclusion: An efficient method is suggested in this study which assist in diagnosing the cancer cells. The Fuzzy C-Means clustering system identifies various important artifacts, such as cyst, tumor and micro calcifications. The challenge in this system is the speckle noise. It can be extended to FCM class 2 non-homogeneous images.
Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies Targeted to the Membrane-Proximal External Region of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Glycoprotein gp41

ABSTRACT The identification and epitope mapping of broadly neutralizing anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) antibodies (Abs) is important for vaccine design, but, despite much effort, very few such Abs have been forthcoming. Only one broadly neutralizing anti-gp41 monoclonal Ab (MAb), 2F5, has been described. Here we report on two MAbs that recognize a region immediately C-terminal of the 2F5 epitope. Both MAbs were generated from HIV-1-seropositive donors, one (Z13) from an antibody phage display library, and one (4E10) as a hybridoma. Both MAbs recognize a predominantly linear and relatively conserved epitope, compete with each other for binding to synthetic peptide derived from gp41, and bind to HIV-1MN virions. By flow cytometry, these MAbs appear to bind relatively weakly to infected cells and this binding is not perturbed by pretreatment of the infected cells with soluble CD4. Despite the apparent linear nature of the epitopes of Z13 and 4E10, denaturation of recombinant envelope protein reduces the binding of these MAbs, suggesting some conformational requirements for full epitope expression. Most significantly, Z13 and 4E10 are able to neutralize selected primary isolates from diverse subtypes of HIV-1 (e.g., subtypes B, C, and E). The results suggest that a rather extensive region of gp41 close to the transmembrane domain is accessible to neutralizing Abs and could form a useful target for vaccine design.
Leader–Member Relationship and Burnout: The Moderating Role of Leader Integrity

Abstract In this study, we propose and test the idea that a strong relationship between leader and follower will be associated with the subordinate’s burnout. We base the study on the leader–member exchange framework (LMX), resource exchange theory, and the job demands–resources model of burnout, and conceptualize that a strong LMX is associated with burnout in two ways: high LMX involves high job demands, which lead to exhaustion; low LMX involves low job resources, which leads to cynicism. We propose that the relationship between LMX and the two forms of burnout will be stronger when the leader is perceived to be low on moral integrity. Using a survey of 218 employees, we find support for the hypotheses. Implications for future research and managerial practices are discussed.
Relación entre actitudes sexistas y variables emocionales positivas y negativas

Estudio financiado por el Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion (MICINN) (I+D+i) (FEM2009-09456), por el Departamento de Educacion, Universidades e Investigacion del Gobierno Vasco (Grupo Consolidado de Investigacion GIC10/66-IT-318-10) y por la UFI 11/04 de la Universidad del Pais Vasco (UPV/EHU).
Serum protein electrophoresis under effective control of HIV-1 disease progression

In this report, we compared the serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) patterns in a subset of HIV-1-infected subjects who did not progress to AIDS without antiretroviral treatment with those in whose control of disease progression was achieved by highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). SPE and immunofixation electrophoresis were performed on Helena Electrophoresis System according to manufacturer’s instructions. The percentage of SPE abnormalities, resembling chronic inflammation, was significantly higher in HIV-1-infected subject without HAART compared with those under HAART (p = 0.001). The majority of individuals under HAART showed evidence of oligoclonal bands on the γ-band against a polyclonal background compared with those without HAART but ß-γ-band bridging was more evident. Immunofixation pattern was consistent with oligoclonal hypergammaglobulinaemia of IgG kappa type, which was found to be more intense in group without HAART. HIV clinical status did not show appreciable effect on the SPE pattern in subjects without HAART. However, under effective HAART, subjects with better CD4 T-cell count were associated with higher γ-globulin band. In group without HAART, acute infection was found to be associated the higher γ-globulin fraction compared with chronic infection. The opposite was the case under effective HAART. HIV infected subjects that did not progress to AIDS were associated with markedly abnormal SPE pattern. Overall results reflect the host ability compensate defective cellular immunity in HIV-1 infection with humoral immune responses. These findings underscore the usefulness of SPE monitoring HIV disease management and identifying individuals that may not progress to full-blown AIDS in the absence of treatment.
Using Environmental DNA to Census Marine Fishes in a Large Mesocosm

The ocean is a soup of its resident species' genetic material, cast off in the forms of metabolic waste, shed skin cells, or damaged tissue. Sampling this environmental DNA (eDNA) is a potentially powerful means of assessing whole biological communities, a significant advance over the manual methods of environmental sampling that have historically dominated marine ecology and related fields. Here, we estimate the vertebrate fauna in a 4.5-million-liter mesocosm aquarium tank at the Monterey Bay Aquarium of known species composition by sequencing the eDNA from its constituent seawater. We find that it is generally possible to detect mitochondrial DNA of bony fishes sufficient to identify organisms to taxonomic family- or genus-level using a 106 bp fragment of the 12S ribosomal gene. Within bony fishes, we observe a low false-negative detection rate, although we did not detect the cartilaginous fishes or sea turtles present with this fragment. We find that the rank abundance of recovered eDNA sequences correlates with the abundance of corresponding species' biomass in the mesocosm, but the data in hand do not allow us to develop a quantitative relationship between biomass and eDNA abundance. Finally, we find a low false-positive rate for detection of exogenous eDNA, and we were able to diagnose non-native species' tissue in the food used to maintain the mesocosm, underscoring the sensitivity of eDNA as a technique for community-level ecological surveys. We conclude that eDNA has substantial potential to become a core tool for environmental monitoring, but that a variety of challenges remain before reliable quantitative assessments of ecological communities in the field become possible.
One-to-one therapy is not superior to group or home-based therapy after total knee arthroplasty: a randomized, superiority trial.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to determine whether center-based, one-to-one physical therapy provides superior outcomes compared with group-based therapy or a simple monitored home-based program in terms of functional and physical recovery and health-related quality of life after total knee arthroplasty. METHODS Patients awaiting primary total knee arthroplasty at two Sydney metropolitan hospitals were enrolled into this prospective, randomized, superiority trial preoperatively. At two weeks postoperatively, participants were randomly allocated to one of three six-week treatment programs (twelve one-to-one therapy sessions, twelve group-based therapy sessions, or a monitored home program) with use of a computer-generated sequence. Self-reported outcomes (Oxford Knee Score, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index pain and function subscales, and Medical Outcomes Study 12-Item Short-Form Survey) and performance-based functional outcomes were measured over twelve months postoperatively by a blinded assessor. The primary outcome was knee pain and function measured with use of the Oxford Knee Score at ten weeks postoperatively. Intention-to-treat analysis was conducted. RESULTS Two hundred and forty-nine patients (eighty-five who had one-to-one therapy, eighty-four who had group-based therapy, and eighty who were in the monitored home program) were randomized and 233 were available for their one-year follow-up assessment. Participants who received one-to-one therapy did not have a superior Oxford Knee Score at week ten compared with those who received the alternative interventions; the median score was 32 points for the one-to-one therapy group, 36 points for the group-based therapy group, and 34 points for the monitored home program group (p = 0.20). Furthermore, one-to-one therapy was not superior compared with group-based therapy or monitored home program in improving any of the secondary outcomes across the first postoperative year. No adverse events were associated with any of the treatment arms. CONCLUSIONS One-to-one therapy does not provide superior self-reported or performance-based outcomes compared with group-based therapy or a monitored home program, in the short term and the long term after total knee arthroplasty. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic level I. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Weight gain in renal transplant recipients in a Polish single centre.

BACKGROUND Excess weight is a risk factor for adverse cardiovascular events and affects patient and graft survival after renal transplantation (RT). The aim of the study was to measure the awareness of body mass index (BMI), overweight, and obesity, and to compare it with renal function, BMI, and obesity-related morbidities in renal transplant recipients (RTRs). MATERIAL AND METHODS Fifty-three randomly-selected RTRs completed a survey. The survey results were correlated to BMI and serum creatinine at 3 months after RT (+3), 1 year after RT (+12), at the moment of survey (+S), and to the incidences of new-onset diabetes after transplantation (NODAT) and arterial hypertension (AH). RESULTS The time between (+3) and (+S) ranged from 1 to 20 years. The questionnaire revealed that 61.8% of patients did not use BMI to evaluate their body mass, they did not distinguish between overweight and obesity, and only 40% of RTRs obtained information about obesity from physicians. At (+3), obesity was found in 9% and overweight in 27% of RTRs in comparison to 17% and 39% at (+S), respectively (p<0.05). Serum creatinine between (+3) and (+S) increased insignificantly in all patients regardless of their BMI. NODAT was found in 9.6% of RTRs and was diagnosed exclusively in the overweight group. There were no significant correlations between BMI and NODAT or AH incidences. CONCLUSIONS BMI increases significantly after RT and is associated with higher risk of NODAT, but most RTRs are not aware of their BMI. Therefore, educational programs for this patient population should be created.
MOLECULAR APPROACH OF GOSSYPOL-INDUCED REPRODUCTIVE TOXICITY IN MALE RABBITS. ELECTROPHORETIC PATTERN OF SEMINAL PLASMA PROTEINS

SUMMARY Mammalian seminal plasma contains many distinct components which are important for spermatozoal function and survival. Recent studies clearly indicated that gossypol has pronounced hazardous effects on seminal characteristics and seminal plasma constituents in male rabbits, which may lead to deleterious productive and reproductive performance. We examined the possible deleterious effects of two sublethal doses (4 and 20 mg/kg of body weight; every other day) of gossypol on the electrophoretic pattern of rabbit seminal plasma proteins. The experiment lasted 16 wks and included two periods: a treatment period (first 8 wks) where the animals were given the tested materials, and a recovery period (second 8 wks) where drugs were withdrawn. A total of twenty two bands were identified ranging from a high 200.0 kDa protein down to a low 11.0 kDa protein. Denistometric analysis of the stained gel patterns indicated that gossypol treatment revealed significant increases in the content of bands having 66.0, 31.0 and 23.0 kDa, while the two bands having 70.0 and 11.0 kDa were found to decrease in its content. Gossypol treatment also caused considerable decreases in the three major bands (33.0, 21.5 and 13.0 kDa), and the highest decrease was in the 33.0 kDa band. Gossypol seems to increase the content of some seminal plasma peptide bands associated with increasing acrosome alterations, dead and abnormal sperm and destabilization of sperm structure. However, other peptide bands related to reduction of sperm capacitation and sperm membrane integrity were reduced.
The Relationship between Internet Addiction and Anxiety among students of University of Sargodha

The objective of this study was to investigate not only the prevalence of internet addiction among the male and female students in the University of Sargodha but also the relationship between internet addiction and anxiety level of students. There were 300 students, from Masters’ classes, as sample, selected through cluster sampling. Internet Addiction Scale (I.A.S) and Beck Anxiety Scale were used as assessment tools for data collection. Data was analyzed using mean, standard deviation, T-test and regression analysis. The results showed that prevalence of internet is more in male students than female students. Regression analysis showed a positive and significant relation between internet addiction and anxiety level among University students.
Effect of Length of Stay on Smoking among Turkish and Eastern European Immigrants in Germany—Interpretation in the Light of the Smoking Epidemic Model and the Acculturation Theory

Background: We analyzed changes in smoking by length of stay among immigrants in Germany and related them to the “smoking epidemic” model and the acculturation theory. Methods: We used data from a longitudinal survey (German Socio-economic Panel). Immigrants were identified by country of birth (Turkey: respondents n = 828, observations n = 3871; Eastern Europe: respondents n = 2009, observations n = 7202; non-immigrants: respondents n = 34,011, observations n = 140,701). Smoking status data was available for nine years between 1998 and 2012. Length of stay (LOS, in years) was used as proxy for acculturation. We calculated smoking prevalences, prevalence ratios and a random intercept multilevel logistic regression model. Results: With each year spent in Germany, smoking prevalence increases among Turkish women (OR = 1.14 (95%CI = 1.06–1.21)) and slightly decreases among men. Recently immigrated Turkish women smoke less than non-immigrant women (0–5 years: SPR = 0.25 (95%CI = 0.10–0.57)); prevalences converge with increasing LOS (31+ years: SPR = 1.25 (95%CI = 1.06–1.48)). Among Eastern European immigrants no significant changes were apparent. Conclusions: Immigrants from Turkey “import” their smoking prevalence from a country which is in the earlier stages of the “smoking epidemic”. With increasing LOS (thus, advancing acculturation), they “move” to the later stages. Anti-smoking interventions should consider different smoking attitudes in Turkey/Germany and need to discourage women from initiating smoking. Future research should also identify reasons for the possible differences between immigrant groups.
CD1d Degradation in Chlamydia trachomatis-infected Epithelial Cells Is the Result of Both Cellular and Chlamydial Proteasomal Activity*

Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular pathogen that can persist in the urogenital tract. Mechanisms by which C. trachomatis evades clearance by host innate immune responses are poorly described. CD1d is MHC-like, is expressed by epithelial cells, and can signal innate immune responses by NK and NKT cells. Here we demonstrate that C. trachomatis infection down-regulates surface-expressed CD1d in human penile urethral epithelial cells through proteasomal degradation. A chlamydial proteasome-like activity factor (CPAF) interacts with the CD1d heavy chain, and CPAF-associated CD1d heavy chain is then ubiquitinated and directed along two distinct proteolytic pathways. The degradation of immature glycosylated CD1d was blocked by the proteasome inhibitor lactacystin but not by MG132, indicating that degradation was not via the conventional proteasome. In contrast, the degradation of non-glycosylated CD1d was blocked by lactacystin and MG132, consistent with conventional cellular cytosolic degradation of N-linked glycoproteins. Immunofluorescent microscopy confirmed the interruption of CD1d trafficking to the cell surface, and the dislocation of CD1d heavy chains into both the cellular cytosol and the chlamydial inclusion along with cytosolic CPAF. C. trachomatis targeted CD1d toward two distinct proteolytic pathways. Decreased CD1d surface expression may help C. trachomatis evade detection by innate immune cells and may promote C. trachomatis persistence.
Impact of glucose dosing regimens on modeling of glucose tolerance and β‐cell function by intravenous glucose tolerance test in diet‐induced obese mice

Insulin sensitivity declines in overweight and obese individuals and, under normal conditions, insulin secretion adaptively increases which in healthy non‐diabetic subjects maintains normal glycemia. This adaptation is best described by the disposition index derived from modeling of insulin and glucose data from an intravenous glucose tolerance testing (IVGTT). One caveat of the IVGTT is that basing the glucose dose on the individual total body weight can result in large differences in the amount of glucose given to lean and obese individuals. The effect this has on determination of insulin sensitivity and β‐cell function is unknown. In this study, we therefore evaluated alternative glucose dosing regimens for determination of the impact of glucose dosing on measures of β‐cell function in normal and diet‐induced obese (DIO) mice. The glucose dosing regimens used for the IVGTT were 0.35 mg per kg total body weight (BW) or per kg lean BW or a fixed glucose dose based on the average BW for all experimental mice. Each regimen detected a similar decrease in insulin sensitivity in DIO mice. The different glucose dosing regimens gave, however, diverging results in regard to glucose elimination and the acute insulin response. Thus, the fixed‐dose regimen was the only that revealed impairment of glucose elimination, whereas dosing according to total BW was the only regimen which showed significant increases in acute insulin response in DIO mice. The fixed‐dose glucose dosing regimen was the only that revealed a significant decline in the disposition index value in DIO mice, which is characteristic of type 2 diabetes in humans. Our results therefore show that using different glucose dosing regimens during IVGTT in DIO mice one can model different aspects of physiology which are similar to prediabetes and type 2 diabetes in humans, with the fixed‐dose regimen producing a phenotype that most closely resembles human type 2 diabetes.
KINEMATICAL ANALOGY FOR MARGINAL DYON DECAY

We describe a kinematical analogy for the marginal decay of ¼-BPS dyons in four-dimensional $\mathcal{N}=4$ string compactifications. In this analogy, the electric and magnetic charges play the role of spatial momenta, the BPS mass plays the role of energy, and ½BPS dyons correspond to massless particles. Using SO(12, 1) "Lorentz" invariance and standard kinematical formulas in particle physics, we provide simple derivations of the curves of marginal stability. We also show how these curves map into the momentum ellipsoid, and propose some applications of this analogy.
FORMS: Unifying reference model for formal specification of distributed self-adaptive systems

The challenges of pervasive and mobile computing environments, which are highly dynamic and unpredictable, have motivated the development of self-adaptive software systems. Although noteworthy successes have been achieved on many fronts, the construction of such systems remains significantly more challenging than traditional systems. We argue this is partially because researchers and practitioners have been struggling with the lack of a precise vocabulary for describing and reasoning about the key architectural characteristics of self-adaptive systems. Further exacerbating the situation is the fact that existing frameworks and guidelines do not provide an encompassing perspective of the different types of concerns in this setting. In this article, we present a comprehensive reference model, entitled FOrmal Reference Model for Self-adaptation (FORMS), that targets both issues. FORMS provides rigor in the manner such systems can be described and reasoned about. It consists of a small number of formally specified modeling elements that correspond to the key concerns in the design of self-adaptive software systems, and a set of relationships that guide their composition. We demonstrate FORMS's ability to precisely describe and reason about the architectural characteristics of distributed self-adaptive software systems through its application to several existing systems. FORMS's expressive power gives it a potential for documenting reusable architectural solutions (e.g., architectural patterns) to commonly encountered problems in this area.