Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparative Proteomic Analysis Reveals the Cross-Talk between the Responses Induced by H2O2 and by Long-Term Rice Black-Streaked Dwarf Virus Infection in Rice

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) could be produced during the plant-virus compatible interaction. However, the cell responses regulated by the enhanced H2O2 in virus infected plant are largely unknown. To make clear the influence of Rice black-streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV) infection on H2O2 accumulation, we measured the content of H2O2 and found the H2O2 level was increased in rice seedlings inoculated with RBSDV. To reveal the responses initiated by the enhanced H2O2 during plant-virus interaction, the present study investigated the global proteome changes of rice under long-term RBSDV infection. Approximately 1800 protein spots were detected on two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) gels. Among them, 72 spots were found differently expressed, of which 69 spots were successfully identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS. Furthermore, the differentially expressed proteins induced by RBSDV infection were compared to that induced by H2O2. 19 proteins corresponding to 37 spots, which were differentially expressed under RBSDV infection, were observed differentially expressed under H2O2 stress as well. These overlapping responsive proteins are mainly related to photosynthesis, redox homeostasis, metabolism, energy pathway, and cell wall modification. The increased H2O2 in RBSDV infected plant may produce an oxidative stress, impair photosynthesis, disturb the metabolism, and eventually result in abnormal growth. The data provide a new understanding of the pivotal role of H2O2 in rice-RBSDV compatible interaction.
Nicotinic modulation of cortical circuits

The ascending cholinergic neuromodulatory system sends projections throughout cortex and has been shown to play an important role in a number of cognitive functions including arousal, working memory, and attention. However, despite a wealth of behavioral and anatomical data, understanding how cholinergic synapses modulate cortical function has been limited by the inability to selectively activate cholinergic axons. Now, with the development of optogenetic tools and cell-type specific Cre-driver mouse lines, it has become possible to stimulate cholinergic axons from the basal forebrain (BF) and probe cholinergic synapses in the cortex for the first time. Here we review recent work studying the cell-type specificity of nicotinic signaling in the cortex, synaptic mechanisms mediating cholinergic transmission, and the potential functional role of nicotinic modulation.
Linking content and technology: on the geography of innovation networks in the Bergen media cluster

Abstract This paper deals with the geography of innovation networks and analyses combinatorial knowledge dynamics from a single cluster perspective. Addressing firms in the media cluster in Bergen, Norway, we examine how and from where companies acquire and combine different types of knowledge for their innovation activities. The empirical analysis, which is based on structured interviews with 22 media companies, identifies two main types of cluster firms: media content providers that rely heavily on symbolic knowledge and media technology providers that draw mostly on synthetic knowledge. Even though they draw on different knowledge bases, the two types of firms are strongly interlinked in their innovation activities and source knowledge from each other. Furthermore, we find that synthetic firms constitute a gateway to the regional R&D system and that the region acts as key arena for the combination of dissimilar knowledge bases.
Hypoglycemic Effects of Exo-biopolymers Produced by Five Different Medicinal Mushrooms in STZ-induced Diabetic Rats

Hypoglycemic effects of exo-biopolymers (EBP) produced by submerged mycelial cultures of Coriolus versicolor, Cordyceps sinensis, Paecilomyces japonica, Armillariella mellea, and Fomes fomentarius were investigated in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. The rats from each experimental group were orally administered with EBPs (100 mg/kg BW) daily for 2 weeks. Though the hypoglycemic effect was achieved in all the cases, however, C. versicolor EBP proved as the most potent one. The administration of the C. versicolor EBP substantially reduced (29.9%) the plasma glucose level as compared to the saline administered group (control). It also reduced the plasma total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels by 9.22, 23.83, 16.93, and 27.31%, respectively. The sugar and amino acid compositions of this EBP were also analyzed in detail.
On queues with inter-arrival times proportional to service times

A family of queuing systems in which the interarrival time I/sub n+1/ between customers n and n+1 depends on the service time B/sub n/ of customer n is considered. Specifically, cases where the dependency between I/sub n+1/ and B/sub n/ is a proportionally relation and B/sub n/ is an exponentially distributed random variable is considered. Such dependencies arise in the context of packet-switched networks from employing rate policing functions which regulate the amount of data that can arrive at a link within any given time interval. The models developed and the associated solutions are, however, of independent interest and potentially applicable to other environments. Several scenarios that consist of adding an independent random variable to the interarrival time, allowing the proportionality to be random, and the combination of the two are considered. Numerical results are compared to those for an equivalent system without dependencies. <<ETX>>
Cause-Specific Excess Mortality in Siblings of Patients Co-Infected with HIV and Hepatitis C Virus

Background Co-infection with hepatitis C in HIV-infected individuals is associated with 3- to 4-fold higher mortality among these patients' siblings, compared with siblings of mono-infected HIV-patients or population controls. This indicates that risk factors shared by family members partially account for the excess mortality of HIV/HCV-co-infected patients. We aimed to explore the causes of death contributing to the excess sibling mortality. Methodology and Principal Findings We retrieved causes of death from the Danish National Registry of Deaths and estimated cause-specific excess mortality rates (EMR) for siblings of HIV/HCV-co-infected individuals (n = 436) and siblings of HIV mono-infected individuals (n = 1837) compared with siblings of population controls (n = 281,221). Siblings of HIV/HCV-co-infected individuals had an all-cause EMR of 3.03 (95% CI, 1.56–4.50) per 1,000 person-years, compared with siblings of matched population controls. Substance abuse-related deaths contributed most to the elevated mortality among siblings [EMR = 2.25 (1.09–3.40)] followed by unnatural deaths [EMR = 0.67 (−0.05–1.39)]. No siblings of HIV/HCV co-infected patients had a liver-related diagnosis as underlying cause of death. Siblings of HIV-mono-infected individuals had an all-cause EMR of 0.60 (0.16–1.05) compared with siblings of controls. This modest excess mortality was due to deaths from an unknown cause [EMR = 0.28 (0.07–0.48)], deaths from substance abuse [EMR = 0.19 (−0.04–0.43)], and unnatural deaths [EMR = 0.18 (−0.06–0.42)]. Conclusions HCV co-infection among HIV-infected patients was a strong marker for family-related mortality due to substance abuse and other unnatural causes. To reduce morbidity and mortality in HIV/HCV-co-infected patients, the advances in antiviral treatment of HCV should be accompanied by continued focus on interventions targeted at substance abuse-related risk factors.
Financing Public Investment Through Foreign Aid: Consequences for Economic Growth and Welfare

The paper develops a theoretical framework for understanding the mechanism through which foreign aid affects macroeconomic performance. The authors find that the long-run impact of an aid program and the nature of the transitional dynamics it generates depend crucially on (i) the elasticity of substitution in production, (ii) whether the aid flow is tied to investment activity or not, (iii) how the recipient government chooses to react to the flow of external assistance, and (iv) whether the aid program is permanent or temporary. Structural characteristics of the recipient are important in determining the extent to which external assistance can aid growth and welfare.
Inhibition of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase by inhibitor SAM486A connects polyamine metabolism with p53-Mdm2-Akt/protein kinase B regulation and apoptosis in neuroblastoma

S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC) is an essential enzyme of polyamine (PA) biosynthesis, and both AdoMetDC and PA levels are often up-regulated in cancer cells. The second-generation inhibitor SAM486A inhibits AdoMetDC enzyme activity and has been evaluated in phase II clinical cancer trials. However, little is known about the mechanism of action and potential use of this therapeutic drug in the treatment of the pediatric cancer neuroblastoma (NB). Here, we show that p53 wild-type NB cells are highly sensitive to SAM486A treatment. Most notably, SAM486A treatment resulted in the rapid accumulation of proapoptotic proteins p53 and Mdm2. Concomitant with the increase of proteins at endogenous levels, the in vivo phosphorylation of p53 at residues Ser46/Ser392 and Mdm2 at residue Ser166 was observed. Moreover, the antiapoptotic protein Akt/protein kinase B was down-regulated and also dephosphorylated at residue Ser473 in a dose- and time-dependent manner and NB cells entered apoptotic cell death. The results presented in this study highlight the importance of PA homeostasis and provide a direct link between PA metabolism and apoptotic cell signaling pathways in p53 wild-type NB cells. PA inhibitors such as SAM486A may be effective alternative agents for the treatment of NBs with or without MYCN amplification. [Mol Cancer Ther 2009;8(7):2067–75]
VII. Physical growth and maturation following early severe institutional deprivation: do they mediate specific psychopathological effects?

Our previous work (Rutter et al., 2007) and the data reported in the preceding chapters of this monograph (chapter 4; Kreppner et al.) provide conclusive evidence of the persistent nature of the negative impact of early severe deprivation. Institutional deprivation, despite the good outcomes for many, was often associated with substantial impairment and disorder across a wide range of psychopathological domains at all follow-up ages. We have argued previously that this degree of persistence despite adoption into well functioning and nurturing families (chapter 8; Castle, Beckett, Rutter & Sonuga-Barke). Also, the considerable degree of continuity of problems seen at the level of individual cases (Kreppner et al., 2007), provides strong prima facie evidence that the effects of deprivation are associated with early established and fundamental neurobiological alterations (Mehta et al., 2009), although it remains to be seen what specific brain mechanisms are involved and whether different neurobiological components have specific effects on outcomes. There are a number of general mechanisms through which deprivation-related early adversity might operate to produce such long lasting effects (Rutter & O'Connor, 2004). Children who spent their early years in the Romanian institutions were exposed to multiple putative risks of diverse kinds (chapter 1; Rutter, Sonuga-Barke & Castle). The very poor quality and quantity of food provided, reflected in the substantial levels of subnutrition found amongst adoptees at the time of entry into the
Relationship between blood serum insulin-like growth factor I concentration and postweaning feed efficiency of crossbred cattle at three levels of dietary intake.

Blood serum concentration of IGF-I was analyzed to determine its relationship with individual postweaning feed efficiency (gain/feed) of 36 crossbred steer calves fed at three levels of feed intake (n = 12 at each level). Diets consisted of a corn silage-based growing diet for 84 d followed by a 91% concentrate finishing diet for 56 d. Dietary intake levels were at 80, 90, or 100% of ad libitum. Diets were formulated to ensure equal daily intake of protein, vitamins, and minerals across intake treatment levels. Intake was measured daily; ADG, DMI, and feed efficiency were calculated at 28-d intervals, through d 140. Individual weights and serum samples were collected at the beginning of the study and at 28-d intervals thereafter. The IGF-I concentrations were determined with a RIA. Data were analyzed as a multivariate split-plot in time. Imposed dietary intake restrictions did not affect serum IGF-I concentration (P = .90) or individual feed efficiency (P = .36), even though the least squares means for IGF-I concentration tended to decrease and the feed efficiency means tended to increase under the restricted intake levels. Serum IGF-I concentration, ADG, and feed efficiency were affected (P < .001) by collection date. Residual correlations between IGF-I concentrations at adjacent 28-d sampling times averaged . 72. Diet intake level x sampling time interactions existed for ADG (P = .02) and feed efficiency (P < .001). Positive residual correlations of . 28 (P < .001) and . 16 (P = .07) existed between IGF-I and ADG and between IGF-I and feed efficiency, respectively. Regression analysis indicated that a 1 ng/mL increase in serum IGF-I concentration was associated with a . 00135 kg/d increase in ADG (P < .001) and a . 0001 kg gain/kg feed increase in feed efficiency (P = .04). These results support the hypothesis that serum IGF-I plays a role in growth and in efficiency of feed utilization in beef cattle.
Scale invariance analysis of channel network width function and possible implications for flood behaviour

Abstract An understanding of the scaling properties of precipitation and landforms (hillslopes, channel network) is, on its own, of theoretical and predictive significance. However, it is also expected that it should lead to the development of a physically meaningful flood scaling theory. The objective of this study is to identify catchment geomorphological scaling descriptors useful in establishing a criterion for similarity in regional flood behaviour. The focus is on the channel network. The nature of the scaling structure of the channel network width function is investigated. An attempt is made to determine the strength of the association between the scaling structure of the width function and at-site flood peaks. For catchments with drainage area greater than 200 km2, located east of Melbourne and the Great Dividing Range, this work established an association between the Levy index of the generators of the cascade structure of the width function and at-site flood behaviour. It is further suggested that such an index will be a useful candidate in the development of a criterion, which predicts similarity in regional flood behaviour.
A window of opportunity phase II study of enzastaurin in chemonaive patients with asymptomatic metastatic colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND Preclinically, protein kinase C and AKT activation can be inhibited by enzastaurin and reduce tumor growth of colorectal cancer cells. In asymptomatic patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), enzastaurin activity was evaluated by measuring the 6-month progression-free survival (PFS) rate in a window study design. PATIENTS AND METHODS Chemonaive patients with asymptomatic mCRC who did not require immediate chemotherapy-induced tumor reduction received a 400-mg thrice daily loading dose of enzastaurin on day 1 of cycle 1, followed by 500 mg once daily for the remaining 28-day cycles. Progression was assessed on the basis of radiographic imaging, rise in carcinoembryonic antigen or lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels or by appearance of clinical symptoms. RESULTS Twenty-eight patients received daily enzastaurin. The 6-month PFS rate was 28% [95% confidence interval (CI) 13%-45%] and median PFS was 1.9 months (95% CI 1.8-4.5 months). Twelve (43%) patients had stable disease with a median duration of 6.1 months. The survival rate at 20 months was 77% (95% CI 47%-92%). No grade 4 toxicity was reported and grade 3 toxic effects were observed in three patients with one patient showing probable drug-related elevation of liver transaminases. CONCLUSION The window design in asymptomatic patients with mCRC can be safely applied to assess the activity and safety of novel cytostatic agents like enzastaurin.
Use of Polyolefin as Mouthguard Material as Compared to Ethylene Vinyl Acetate

A new mouthguard material, polyolefin, was recently developed. To date, no studies have compared ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) and polyolefin mouthguards. The aim of this study was to evaluate the physical properties of polyolefin, relative to those of EVA. Two polyolefin materials, hard and regular, were used, in addition to EVA. Hardness, tensile strength, tear strength, elongation, and water absorption were analyzed, as well as the adhesive strength of the materials in laminated mouthguards. Hard polyolefin (MG-H) and EVA were significantly harder than regular polyolefin (MG-R) (p<0.01). Regular polyolefin had significantly lower tensile and tear strengths than MG-H and EVA (p<0.01), while MG-H had significantly higher tensile and tear strengths than EVA (p<0.01). Both polyolefin materials had significantly lower water absorption and higher adhesive strength than EVA (p<0.01). In this study, polyolefin exhibited satisfactory physical properties when compared with EVA. This suggests that polyolefin is suitable for use as a mouthguard material.
Transcriptional control of SLC26A4 is involved in Pendred syndrome and nonsyndromic enlargement of vestibular aqueduct (DFNB4).

Although recessive mutations in the anion transporter gene SLC26A4 are known to be responsible for Pendred syndrome (PS) and nonsyndromic hearing loss associated with enlarged vestibular aqueduct (EVA), also known as "DFNB4," a large percentage of patients with this phenotype lack mutations in the SLC26A4 coding region in one or both alleles. We have identified and characterized a key transcriptional regulatory element in the SLC26A4 promoter that binds FOXI1, a transcriptional activator of SLC26A4. In nine patients with PS or nonsyndromic EVA, a novel c. -103T-->C mutation in this regulatory element interferes with FOXI1 binding and completely abolishes FOXI1-mediated transcriptional activation. We have also identified six patients with mutations in FOXI1 that compromise its ability to activate SLC26A4 transcription. In one family, the EVA phenotype segregates in a double-heterozygous mode in the affected individual who carries single mutations in both SLC26A4 and FOXI1. This finding is consistent with our observation that EVA occurs in the Slc26a4(+/-); Foxi1(+/-) double-heterozygous mouse mutant. These results support a novel dosage-dependent model for the molecular pathogenesis of PS and nonsyndromic EVA that involves SLC26A4 and its transcriptional regulatory machinery.
Path Tree: Document Synopsis for XPath Query Selectivity Estimation

XML is one of the most important standards for manipulating data on the Internet. However, querying large volumes of XML data represents a bottleneck for several computationally intensive applications. A solution is to pre-process the document in streaming mode with resources approximately proportional to document depth and query selectivity. Limited processing space can then accommodate much larger documents. But the actual savings vary so much as to make them unpredictable. To overcome this limitation of stream-processing we propose a new application of the path tree synopsis data structure. Such a synopsis provides a succinct description of the original document with low computational overhead and high accuracy for processing tasks like selectivity estimation and query answer approximation. In this paper, we formally define the path tree synopsis, informally introduced by [1] and used by [25], and propose a new streaming algorithm to construct it. We also present an online stream-querying system able to estimate the cost for a given query before answering it accurately. The core algorithm is adapted from \cite{Gou:Eff} LQ, we apply it to path tree traversal, cost estimation, query processing and even optimizations.
Assessment of Cognitive Deficiency with the McCarthy Scales and Stanford-Binet: A Correlational Analysis

The present study tested matched samples of 15 retarded and 15 normal children on the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale and the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities. Pearson correlations between Stanford-Binet IQs and the six McCarthy Scale Indexes for retarded subjects were lower than coefficients obtained from the normal subjects and from previous research. While the General Cognitive Index may be interchangeable with IQ in the Normal range of intellectual functioning, this relationship was not found for the retarded subjects in the present study. The “venerable” Stanford-Binet retains its position as the most broadly applicable measure of intellectual functioning. Implications of the study as well as an outline for future research were included.
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Childhood Autism in Association with Prenatal Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances: A Nested Case–Control Study in the Danish National Birth Cohort

Background: Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent pollutants found to be endocrine disruptive and neurotoxic in animals. Positive correlations between PFASs and neurobehavioral problems in children were reported in cross-sectional data, but findings from prospective studies are limited. Objectives: We investigated whether prenatal exposure to PFASs is associated with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or childhood autism in children. Methods: Among 83,389 mother–child pairs enrolled in the Danish National Birth Cohort during 1996–2002, we identified 890 ADHD cases and 301 childhood autism cases from the Danish National Hospital Registry and the Danish Psychiatric Central Registry. From this cohort, we randomly selected 220 cases each of ADHD and autism, and we also randomly selected 550 controls frequency matched by child’s sex. Sixteen PFASs were measured in maternal plasma collected in early or mid-pregnancy. We calculated risk ratios (RRs) using generalized linear models, taking into account sampling weights. Results: Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were detected in all samples; four other PFASs were quantified in ≥ 90% of the samples. We did not find consistent evidence of associations between mother’s PFAS plasma levels and ADHD [per natural log nanograms per milliliter increase: PFOS RR = 0.87 (95% CI: 0.74, 1.02); PFOA RR = 0.98 (95% CI: 0.82, 1.16)] or autism [per natural log nanograms per milliliter increase: PFOS RR = 0.92 (95% CI: 0.69, 1.22); PFOA RR = 0.98 (95% CI: 0.73, 1.31)]. We found positive as well as negative associations between higher PFAS quartiles and ADHD in models that simultaneously adjusted for all PFASs, but these estimates were imprecise. Conclusions: In this study we found no consistent evidence to suggest that prenatal PFAS exposure increases the risk of ADHD or childhood autism in children. Citation: Liew Z, Ritz B, von Ehrenstein OS, Bech BH, Nohr EA, Fei CY, Bossi R, Henriksen TB, Bonefeld-Jørgensen EC, Olsen J. 2015. Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and childhood autism in association with prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances: a nested case–control study in the Danish National Birth Cohort. Environ Health Perspect 123:367–373; http://dx.doi. org/10.1289/ehp.1408412