Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Resveratrol in Human Hepatoma HepG2 Cells: Metabolism and Inducibility of Detoxifying Enzymes

trans-Resveratrol is a polyphenol present in several plant species. Its chemopreventive properties against several diseases have been largely documented. To validate a model for the study of the factors influencing its biological fate at the hepatic level, the metabolism and the efflux of resveratrol were studied in the human hepatoblastoma cell line, HepG2. Comparative high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of cell culture media before and after deconjugation showed that resveratrol was rapidly conjugated; at the concentration of 10 μM, it was entirely metabolized at 8 h of incubation. Two main resveratrol metabolites, monosulfate and disulfate, were identified by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry, thanks to their quasi-molecular ion and their characteristic fragmentation. To correlate with the auto-induction of resveratrol metabolism evidenced in HepG2 cells after a pretreatment for 48 h with 10 μM resveratrol, the inducibility of phase II enzymes by resveratrol was studied by real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and flow cytometry. Observed, in particular, were an increase in mRNA expression levels of three metabolizing enzymes, two isoforms of UDP-glucuronosyltransferases, UGT1A1 and UGT2B7 (5-fold increased), and a sulfotransferase, ST1E1, in cells pretreated for 24 h with 10 μM resveratrol. These results were correlated with an increase in protein expression, especially after 48 h of treatment. On the other hand, the intracellular resveratrol retention in cells treated with MK571 (3-[[3-[2-(7-chloroquinolin-2-yl)vinyl]phenyl]-(2-dimethylcarbamoylethylsulfanyl)methylsulfanyl] propionic acid), a multidrug resistance-associated protein inhibitor, strongly suggests the involvement of this ABC transporter family in the efflux of resveratrol conjugates from human liver.
Aircraft vertical profiles of trace gas and aerosol pollution over the mid‐Atlantic United States: Statistics and meteorological cluster analysis

[1] From 1997 to 2003, airborne measurements of O3, CO, SO2, and aerosol properties were made during summertime air pollution episodes over the mid-Atlantic United States (34.7–44.6°N, 68.4–81.6°W) as part of the Regional Atmospheric Measurement, Modeling, and Prediction Program (RAMMPP). Little diurnal variation was identified in the CO, SO2, and Angstrom exponent profiles, although the Angstrom exponent profiles decreased with altitude. Boundary layer O3 was greater in the afternoon, while lower free tropospheric O3 was invariant at ∼55 ppbv. The single scattering albedo increased from morning to afternoon (0.93 ± 0.01–0.94 ± 0.01); however, both profiles decreased with altitude. A cluster analysis of back trajectories in conjunction with the vertical profile data was used to identify source regions and characteristic transport patterns during summertime pollution episodes. When the greatest trajectory density lay over the northern Ohio River Valley, the result was large O3 values, large SO2/CO ratios, highly scattering particles, and large aerosol optical depths. Maximum trajectory density over the southern Ohio River Valley resulted in little pollution. The greatest afternoon O3 values occurred during periods of stagnation. North-northwesterly and northerly flow brought the least pollution overall. The contribution of regional transport to afternoon boundary layer O3 was quantified. When the greatest cluster trajectory density lay over the Ohio River Valley (∼59% of the profiles), transport accounted for 69–82% of the afternoon boundary layer O3. Under stagnant conditions (∼27% of the profiles), transport only accounted for 58% of the afternoon boundary layer O3. The results from this study provide a description of regional chemical and transport processes that will be valuable to investigators from the Baltimore, New York, and Pittsburgh EPA Supersites.
Partner distress in the context of adult anorexia nervosa: the role of patients' perceived negative consequences of AN and partner behaviors.

OBJECTIVE Romantic partners can play an important role in the recovery from anorexia nervosa (AN). It is important to understand partners' behaviors and variables associated with their own distress. The aim was to examine associations of patients' perceived negative consequences of AN, behavioral strategies employed by partners, and partner distress. METHOD We used a cross-sectional design to assess associations between self-reports of patients' perceived negative consequences of AN, partners' caregiver distress, negative affect, relationship satisfaction, and observational coding measures of partners' behavioral strategies of change promotion and acceptance/validation. Sixteen adult patient-partner dyads in committed relationships were assessed at baseline of a couple-based intervention for AN. RESULTS Partners' change promotion moderated the association between patients' perceived negative consequences of AN and partners' caregiver distress. Partners' acceptance/validation was associated with partners' negative affect. DISCUSSION This report represents the first description of specific partner behaviors in the context of AN. Partners who reported the least distress were those who were trying to promote changes in AN behaviors in patients who reported high negative consequences of AN, and partners who were trying to show understanding of the patients' experience. Future studies should examine the impact of partner behaviors on AN treatment outcome.
Temperature and wavelength dependent refractive index equation for stochiometric lithium tantalite

We present a new wavelength and temperature dependent refractive index equations for 0.5% MgO doped periodically poled stoichiometric LiTaO3 crystal for both extra-ordinary and ordinary polarizations. Our equations fit experimental data over a wide temperature (25-250°C) and spectral ranges: 0.35-6 ¿m for the extra-ordinary wave and 0.375-3.75 ¿m for the ordinary wave. The equations were cross validated with measurements of o-eo and e-oo interactions, involving both ordinary and extra-ordinary refractive indices. These dispersion equations are based on new measurements data derived from quasi phase matched frequency conversion experiments, and they are also in good agreement with previously published data.
Prolyl 4-hydroxylase Isoenzymes I and II Have Different Expression Patterns in Several Human Tissues

Prolyl 4-hydroxylase plays a central role in the synthesis of all collagens. We have previously reported that the recently identified Type II isoenzyme is its main form in chondrocytes and possibly in capillary endothelial cells, while Type I is the main form in many other cell types. We report here that the Type II isoenzyme is clearly the main form in capillary endothelial cells and also in cultured umbilical vein endothelial cells, whereas no Type I isoenzyme could be detected in these cells by immunostaining or Western blotting. The Type II isoenzyme was also the main form in cells of the developing glomeruli in the fetal kidney and tubular structures of collecting duct caliber in both fetal and adult kidney, in occasional sinusoidal structures and epithelia of the bile ducts in the liver, and in some cells of the decidual membrane that probably represented invasive cytotrophoblasts in the placenta. Osteoblasts in a fetal calvaria, i.e., a bone developing by intramembranous ossification, stained strongly for both types of isoenzyme. The Type I isoenzyme was the main form in undifferentiated interstitial mesenchymal cells of the developing kidney, for example, and in fibroblasts and fibroblastic cells in many tissues. Skeletal myocytes and smooth muscle cells appeared to have the Type I isoenzyme as their only prolyl 4-hydroxylase form. Hepatocytes expressed small amounts of the Type I enzyme and very little if any Type II, the Type I expression being increased in malignant hepatocytes and cultured hepatoblastoma cells. The data suggest that the Type I isoenzyme is expressed especially by cells of mesenchymal origin and in developing and malignant tissues, whereas the Type II isoenzyme is expressed, in addition to chondrocytes and osteoblasts, by more differentiated cells, such as endothelial cells and cells of epithelial structures. (J Histochem Cytochem 49:1143–1153, 2001)
ShRNA-Targeted MAP4K4 Inhibits Hepatocellular Carcinoma Growth

Purpose: Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase kinase 4 (MAP4K4) is overexpressed in many types of cancer. Herein, we aimed to investigate its expression pattern, clinical significance, and biological function in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Experimental Design: MAP4K4 expression was examined in 20 fresh HCCs and corresponding nontumor liver tissues. Immunohistochemistry for MAP4K4 was performed on additional 400 HCCs, of which 305 (76%) were positive for hepatitis B surface antigens. The clinical significance of MAP4K4 expression was analyzed. MAP4K4 downregulation was performed in HCC cell lines HepG2 and Hep3B with high abundance of MAP4K4, and the effects of MAP4K4 silencing on cell proliferation in vitro and tumor growth in vivo were evaluated. Quantitative real-time PCR arrays were employed to identify the MAP4K4-regulated signaling pathways. Results: MAP4K4 was aberrantly overexpressed in HCCs relative to adjacent nontumor liver tissues. This overexpression was significantly associated with larger tumor size, increased histologic grade, advanced tumor stage, and intrahepatic metastasis, as well as worse overall survival and higher early recurrence rate. Knockdown of the MAP4K4 expression reduced cell proliferation, blocked cell cycle at S phase, and increased apoptosis. The antitumor effects of MAP4K4 silencing were also observed in vivo, manifested as retarded tumor xenograft growth. Furthermore, multiple tumor progression–related signaling pathways including JNK, NFκB, and toll-like receptors were repressed by MAP4K4 downregulation. Conclusions: MAP4K4 overexpression is an independent predictor of poor prognosis of HCC patients, and inhibition of its expression might be of therapeutic significance. Clin Cancer Res; 17(4); 1–11. ©2010 AACR.
Chemical Composition of Scots Pine Bark as a Bioindicator of Environmental Quality in Riga, Latvia / Priežu Mizu ķīmiskais Sastāvs Kā Vides Stāvokļa Bioindikators Rīgā (Latvija)

Abstract The chemical composition of pine bark was used for the determination of environmental quality in Rīga. Bark samples were collected at 54 sites in Rīga differing in vegetation and building area characteristics (urban forests, parks and cemeteries, dwelling houses, and streets and railway zones) and at 52 sites from rural areas in Latvia (background level). Concentrations of Ca, Mg, Na, K, Fe, Mn, Zn, Ni, Cu, Cd, Pb, and pH was determined in the samples. The results showed significantly higher concentrations of chemical elements in pine bark collected in Rīga, compared to background levels: Fe and Cu concentrations three times higher, and other elements - up to 1.8 times. The highest element concentrations in Rīga were near streets (Sarkandaugava, Jaunmīlgrāvis, Daugavgrīva, Čiekurkalns, Imanta area, etc.). Element concentration and pH was significantly dependent on the distance from the closest street. The lowest element concentrations were found in urban forests (Jugla, Biķernieki, Beberbeķi) and parks and cemeteries (I Forest Cemetery, Jaunciema Cemetery). Mežaparks (forest), Sarkandaugava, Jaunmīlgrāvis, and Vecmīlgrāvis together formed the most polluted area in Rīga due to the close location near and downwind from the harbour. Vides stāvokļa novērtēšanai Rīgā kā bioindikators izmantots priedes mizas ķīmiskais sastāvs. Paraugi tika ievākti 54 vietās pilsētā atkarībā no veģetācijas un apbūves īpatnībām: urbānie meži, parki un kapsētas, dzīvojamās mājas un ielu malas un dzelzceļa zonas. Fona līmeņa raksturošanai izvēlētas 52 vietas Latvijā ārpilsētas mežos. Visos paraugos noteikta Ca, Mg, Na, K, Fe, Mn, Zn, Ni, Cu, Cd, Pb koncentrācija un pH. Rezultāti parādīja, ka Rīgā, salīdzinot ar fona līmeni, bija lielāka visu priedes mizā analizēto ķīmisko elementu vidējā koncentrācija. Fe un Cu koncentrācija pilsētvidē bija trīs reizes, bet pārējo ķīmisko elementu koncentrācija - līdz 1,8 reizes lielāka, salīdzinot ar lauku vidi. Pilsētvidē lielākās ķīmisko elementu koncentrācijas konstatētas gar brauktuvēm (Sarkandaugavā, Jaunmīlgrāvī, Daugavgrīvā, Èiekurkalnā, Imantā un citur). Konstatēts, ka ķīmisko elementu koncentrācijas būtiski izmainās, attālinoties no brauktuves. Viszemākās ķīmisko elementu koncentrācijas priedes mizā bija pilsētmežos (Jugla, Biķernieki, Beberbeķi), kā arī parkos un kapsētās (I Meža kapi, Jaunciema kapi). Tomēr Mežaparks (mežs) līdz ar Sarkandaugavu, Jaunmīlgrāvi un Vecmīlgrāvi bija stiprāk piesārņotais Rīgas rajons, jo tas atrodas ostas kompleksa un valdošo rietumu vēju tiešā ietekmes zonā.
Benthic foraminifer Mg/Ca anomalies in South Atlantic core top sediments and their implications for paleothermometry

We used modern epibenthic foraminifer tests of Cibicidoides mundulus and Planulina wuellerstorfi from South Atlantic core top sediments in order to establish Mg/Ca‐temperature relationships for the temperature range from 0 to 15°C. We obtained the following calibrations: Mg/Ca (mmol/mol) = 0.830*exp(0.145*BWT (°C)) for P. wuellerstorfi, and Mg/Ca (mmol/mol) = 0.627*exp(0.143*BWT (°C)) for C. mundulus. However, a number of tests, especially those bathed in North Atlantic Deep Water, revealed higher Mg/Ca ratios than predicted from the calibration. Our data suggest that Δ[CO32−] of bottom water exerts a significant control on ΔMg/Ca (temperature‐corrected) of C. mundulus (ΔMg/Ca = 0.017*Δ[CO32−] − 0.14), while ΔMg/Ca of P. wuellerstorfi is more likely to be governed by TCO2 (ΔMg/Ca = −0.007*TCO2 + 15). Since both Δ[CO32−] and TCO2 are closely linked to [CO32−], it is inferred that carbonate ion acts as secondary control, after temperature, on benthic shell Mg/Ca below ∼4°C. A drop in [CO32−] by 25 μmol/kg at 4 km water depth, as suggested for the Last Glacial Maximum, would decrease Mg/Ca by up to 0.4 mmol/mol, which leads to an underestimation of bottom water temperature by ∼3.5°C. Therefore our results indicate that the Mg/Ca thermometer should be used cautiously for benthic foraminifers where changes in the carbonate chemistry are present in the paleoceanographic record.
Using a Hierarchical Approach to Model Regional Source Sink Dynamics for Neotropical Nearctic Songbirds to Inform Management Practices on Department of Defense Installations

Abstract : The decline of Nearctic-Neotropical migratory birds over the last two-decades remains one of the most pressing issues in conservation biology. The DoD manages 25 million acres of land and has the joint responsibility of managing these high-quality forest, desert, prairie, and other lands while concurrently engaging in military readiness activities that can alter the structure and function of those habitats. Given that forest loss and fragmentation threaten terrestrial biodiversity worldwide, it is critical for DoD to understand what species are affected by these processes. Among vertebrate taxa, the DoD has taken an active role in the conservation and management of Neotropical-Nearctic migratory birds. DoD properties serve as critical habitat for several avian species of concern with many installations having been designated as Important Bird Areas. For continued effective management of migratory bird populations on DoD installation, both the spatial and temporal changes in distribution and dynamics of avian populations must beactively monitored.
Emerging tropical diseases in Australia. Part 2. Ciguatera fish poisoning

Abstract Ciguatera poisoning is a food-borne neuro-intoxication caused by consumption of finfish that have accumulated ciguatoxins in their tissues. Ciguatera is a distressing and sometimes disabling condition that presents with a self-limiting though occasionally severe gastro-intestinal illness, progressing to a suite of aberrant sensory symptoms. Recovery can take from days to years; second and subsequent attacks may manifest in a more severe illness. Ciguatera remains largely a pan-tropical disease, although tourism and export fish markets facilitate increased presentation in temperate latitudes. While ciguatera poisoning in the South Pacific was recognised and eloquently described by seafarers in the 18th Century, it remains a public-health challenge in the 21st Century because there is neither a confirmatory diagnostic test nor a reliable, low-cost screening method to ascertain the safety of suspect fish prior to consumption. A specific antidote is not available, so treatment is largely supportive. The most promising pharmacotherapy of recent decades, intravenous mannitol, has experienced a relative decline in acceptance after a randomized, double-blind trial failed to confirm its efficacy. Some questions remain unanswered, however, and the use of mannitol for the treatment of acute ciguatera poisoning arguably deserves revisiting. The immunotoxicology of ciguatera is poorly understood, and some aspects of the epidemiology and symptomatology of ciguatera warrant further enquiry.
A simple thermal pain model for the evaluation of analgesic activity in healthy subjects

Objective: Assessment of the analgesic effect of an agent in an experimental pain model permits a level of control not possible in a clinical pain setting and is an ideal approach for evaluation of analgesic drugs. The aim of the present study was to establish a simple and reliable method of producing experimental pain, which can be used for screening of various analgesic agents. Materials and Methods: The standardized method was followed in all cases, by recording thermal pain threshold in seconds in 24 healthy volunteers using hot air source at two different speeds, which is equipped in an acrylic-made chamber adjustable to three different levels. Reproducibility of the test procedure was evaluated by recording the thermal threshold parameter by a single observer on two sessions (interday reproducibility) and second observer on one session (interobserver reproducibility) separately. Validity of model was further tested by evaluating the analgesic effect of tramadol on 12 healthy volunteers. Results: Thermal pain model was found to produce low variability with coefficient of variation (CV) less than 10%. Interobserver and interday reproducibility were very good, as shown by Bland–Altman plot, with most of the values within ± 2SD. There was a significant increase in pain threshold time with use of tramadol as compared to placebo which was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The newly developed pain model offers a stable and sensitive method for the early assessment of analgesic activity.
THE INFLUENCE OF COMPENSATION, MOTIVATION, AND WORK DISCIPLINE ON EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE AT SOHO SUHRAH BAKERY MAKASSAR

Human resources play a crucial role in organizations as they directly impact employee performance and the achievement of organizational goals. Improving employee performance can be achieved through various factors such as compensation, motivation, and work discipline. This research aims to examine the individual and combined effects of compensation, work motivation, and work discipline on employee performance at Soho Suhra Bakery Makassar. The research adopts an associative quantitative method, with a population size of 30 employees. The analysis utilizes multiple linear regression techniques. The results of the T-test indicate that the compensation variable (X1), work motivation (X2), and work discipline (X3) significantly influence employee performance (Y). The t-statistic value for the compensation variable (X1) is 5.559, which is greater than the t-table value of 2.055. Conversely, the t-statistic value for work motivation (X2) is -1.461, which is less than the t-table value of 2.055, and the t-statistic value for work discipline (X3) is 0.443, also less than the t-table value of 2.055. The F-test reveals an F-statistic value of 15.303, which is greater than the F-table value of 2.99, with a significance level of 0.000. This research also demonstrates that compensation variables (X1), work motivation (X2), and work discipline (X3) influence employee performance (Y) at Soho Suhra Bakery Makassar simultaneously.
Slower Snowmelt in Spring Along With Climate Warming Across the Northern Hemisphere

Climate warming is altering historical patterns of snow accumulation and ablation, hence threatening natural water resources. We evaluated the impact of climate warming on snowmelt rates using the GlobSnow v2.0 and the second Modern‐Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications data sets over the Northern Hemisphere (NH) during the past 38 years (1980–2017). Higher ablation rates were found in the locations with deeper snow water equivalent (SWE) because high snow melt rates occurred in late spring and early summer in deep snowpack regions. In addition, due to the reduction of SWE in deep snowpack regions, moderate and high snow ablation rates showed a decreasing trend. Therefore, slower snowmelt rates were found over the entire NH in a warmer climate in general. Based on projections of SWE in Representative Concentration Pathways 2.6, 4.5, and 8.5 climate scenarios, slower snowmelt rates in the NH may continue to happen in the future.
Predictive values of neurocognition and negative symptoms on functional outcome in schizophrenia: a longitudinal first-episode study with 7-year follow-up.

OBJECTIVE The relationship between cognition and outcome in people with schizophrenia has been established in studies that, for the most part, examined chronic patients and were cross-sectional in design. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationships between neurocognitive variables assessed at illness onset and functional outcome in a longitudinal design. An additional area of interest was whether the severity of negative symptoms would predict outcome independently from neurocognitive variables or whether there would be an overlap in their predictive power. METHOD The authors administered a comprehensive cognitive battery and clinical assessments to 99 subjects who were in their first episode of illness and analyzed the relationship of cognition and symptom severity at intake with community outcome after an average follow-up period of 7 years. RESULTS Verbal memory, processing speed and attention, and the severity of negative symptoms at intake were related to subsequent outcome. Global psychosocial functioning was predicted by negative symptoms and attention. Verbal memory was the significant predictor of the degree of impairment in recreational activities. Impairment in relationships was predicted by negative symptoms and memory, whereas attention and negative symptoms were predictive of work performance. There was an overlap in the variance in outcome explained by cognitive variables and negative symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Verbal memory and processing speed and attention are potential targets for psychosocial interventions to improve outcome. Results from cross-sectional or chronic patient studies do not necessarily correspond to the findings of this prospective first-episode study in which cognition appears to explain less of the variance in outcome.
Virtualization of Hardware - Introduction and Survey

In this paper we introduce to virtualization of hardware on reconfigurable devices. We identify three main approaches denoted with temporal partitioning, virtualized execution, and virtual machine. For each virtualization approach, we discuss the application models, the required execution architectures, the design tools and the run-time systems. Then, we survey a selection of important projects in the field.