Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Molecular epidemiology of pathogenic Leptospira spp. among large ruminants in the Philippines

The extent of Leptospira infection in large ruminants resulting to economic problems in livestock industry in a leptospirosis-endemic country like the Philippines has not been extensively explored. Therefore, we determined the prevalence and carrier status of leptospirosis in large ruminants using molecular techniques and assessed the risk factors of acquiring leptospirosis in these animals. Water buffalo and cattle urine samples (n=831) collected from 21 farms during 2013–2015 were subjected to flaB-nested PCR to detect pathogenic Leptospira spp. Leptospiral flaB was detected in both species with a detection rate of 16.1%. Leptospiral DNA was detected only in samples from animals managed in communal farms. Sequence analysis of Leptospira flaB in large ruminants revealed the formation of three major clusters with L. borgpetersenii or L. kirschneri. One farm contained Leptospira flaB sequences from all clusters identified in this study, suggesting this farm was the main source of leptospires for other farms. This study suggested that these large ruminants are infected with various pathogenic Leptospira species causing possible major economic loss in the livestock industry as well as potential Leptospira reservoirs that can transmit infection to humans and other animals in the Philippines.
Oxidative damage is increased in human liver tissue adjacent to hepatocellular carcinoma

Accumulation of genetic alterations in hepatocarcinogenesis is closely associated with chronic inflammatory liver disease. 8‐oxo‐2′‐deoxyguanosine (8‐oxo‐dG), the major promutagenic DNA adduct caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS), leads to G:C → T:A transversions. These lesions can be enzymatically repaired mainly by human MutT homolog 1 (hMTH1), human 8‐oxo‐guanine DNA glycosylase (hOGG1) and human MutY homolog (hMYH). The aim of this study was to evaluate the extent of oxidative damage and its dependence on the cellular antioxidative capacity and the expression of specific DNA repair enzymes in tumor (tu) and corresponding adjacent nontumor (ntu) liver tissue of 23 patients with histologically confirmed hepatocellular carcinoma. 8‐oxo‐dG levels, as detected by high‐pressure liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection, were significantly (P = .003) elevated in ntu tissue (median, 129 fmol/μg DNA) as compared to tu tissue (median, 52 fmol/μg DNA), and were closely associated with inflammatory infiltration. In ntu tissue, the hepatic iron concentration and malondialdehyde levels were significantly (P = .001) higher as compared to tu tissue. Glutathione content, glutathione peroxidase activity and manganese superoxide dismutase messenger RNA (mRNA) expression did not show statistical differences between ntu and tu tissue. Real‐time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction revealed in tu tissue significantly (P = .014) higher hMTH1 mRNA expression compared to ntu tissue. In contrast, hMYH mRNA expression was significantly (P < .05) higher in ntu tissue. No difference in hOGG1 mRNA expression was seen between tu and ntu. In conclusion, these data suggest that ROS generated by chronic inflammation contribute to human hepatocarcinogenesis. The role of DNA repair enzymes appears to be of reactive rather than causative manner. (HEPATOLOGY 2004;39:1663–1672.)
Developmental Changes of Prefrontal Activation in Humans: A Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study of Preschool Children and Adults

Previous morphological studies indicated that development of the human prefrontal cortex (PFC) appears to continue into late adolescence. Although functional brain imaging studies have sought to determine the time course of functional development of the PFC, it is unclear whether the developmental change occurs after adolescence to adulthood and when it achieves a peak because of the narrow or discontinuous range in the participant's age. Moreover, previous functional studies have not focused on the anterior frontal region, that is, the frontopolar regions (BA9/10). Thus, the present study investigated the developmental change in frontopolar PFC activation associated with letter fluency task by using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), in subjects from preschool children to adults. We analyzed the relative concentration of hemoglobin (ΔHb) in the prefrontal cortex measured during the activation task in 48 typically-developing children and adolescents and 22 healthy adults. Consistent with prior morphological studies, we found developmental change with age in the children/adolescents. Moreover, the average Δoxy-Hb in adult males was significantly larger than that in child/adolescent males, but was not true for females. These data suggested that functional development of the PFC continues into late adolescence. Although the developmental change of the frontopolar PFC was independent of gender from childhood to adolescence, in adulthood a gender difference was shown.
Determination of optimal age for single vaccination of growing pigs with foot-and-mouth disease bivalent vaccine in South Korea

In South Korea, pigs were vaccinated once between 8 and 12 weeks of age because of the injection-site granulomas. Therefore this study was performed to determine the optimal age for single vaccination of growing pigs with the currently used type O FMD vaccine. With 498 pigs divided into four groups, seroprevalence of the antibody was analyzed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Although double vaccination is necessary to completely protect growing pigs from FMD virus infection with the current vaccine, the age of 8 weeks can be considered as the optimal age for piglet vaccination if the booster injection is unavailable.
Long-Term Antidepressant Treatment with Moclobemide for Aphasia in Acute Stroke Patients: A Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study

Background and Purpose: Pharmacotherapy aimed at stroke rehabilitation through direct central nervous effects may be assumed to work in a similar way for language recovery and sensory-motor recovery. Some data suggest that antidepressant drugs could be beneficial also for functional improvement. This prompted us to investigate whether regression from aphasia after acute stroke could be enhanced by antidepressive drug therapy. Methods: We randomised 90 acute stroke patients with aphasia to either 600 mg moclobemide or placebo daily for 6 months, within 3 weeks of the onset of stroke. Aphasia was assessed prior to treatment and at 6 months, using Reinvang’s ‘Grunntest for afasi’ and the Amsterdam-Nijmegen-Everyday-Language-Test (ANELT). Result: The degree of aphasia decreased significantly at 6 months, with no difference between the moclobemide- and the placebo-treated groups. Multivariate regression analysis including treatment group, activities of daily living, aetiology of stroke, ANELT, and Reinvang’s coefficient at baseline, and neurological deficit confirmed these results. In all, 13 in the moclobemide and 10 in the placebo group stopped taking the study medication. No further change was found in the 56 aphasic patients followed up for another 6 months with no medication. Conclusions: Compared to placebo, treatment with moclobemide for 6 months did not enhance the regression of aphasia following an acute stroke.
BIOCHEMICAL AND MORPHOFUNCTIONAL ASPECTS OF ARONIA MELANOCARPA EXTRACT INTERVENTION IN EXPERIMENTAL ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION

Various epidemiological studies have shown an inverse association between the consumption of polyphenols or polyphenol-rich foods and the risk of cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of the study was to emphasize the effects of the polyphenolic extract from the isolated and purified vegetable material represented by the mature fruit of the Aronia melanocarpa on biochemical parameters and histopatological modifications. The experiment was performed on the arterial hypertension model. The significant lipid peroxide diminution in the serum contained by the HTA+P group compared to the P group is a result of a considerable reduction in the MDA serum concentration. The antioxidant capacity of the serum is significantly improved (p<0.001) in the HTA+P rats, as well as the GSH concentration being normalized. In the arterial hypertensive model the cardio-protective effects of the polyphenolic extract from Aronia melanocarpa are represented by the antioxidant, hypocolesterolemiant intervention. The extract also ensures the integrity of the vascular endothelium. Any clinical applications using polyphenolic extract should rely on an acurate understanding of the action mechanisms that are relevant.
Measurement of CP Violation in the Phase Space of B[superscript ±]K[ superscript ±][superscript +][superscript -] and B[superscript ±]K[superscript

The charmless decays B (cid:1) ! K (cid:1) (cid:1) þ (cid:1) (cid:2) and B (cid:1) ! K (cid:1) K þ K (cid:2) are reconstructed using data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1 : 0 fb (cid:2) 1 , collected by LHCb in 2011. The inclusive charge asymmetries of these modes are measured as A CP ð B (cid:1) ! K (cid:1) (cid:1) þ (cid:1) (cid:2) Þ¼ 0 : 032 (cid:1) 0 : 008 ð stat Þ(cid:1) 0 : 004 ð syst Þ(cid:1) 0 : 007 ð J= c K (cid:1) Þ and A CP ð B (cid:1) ! K (cid:1) K þ K (cid:2) Þ ¼ (cid:2) 0 : 043 (cid:1) 0 : 009 ð stat Þ (cid:1) 0 : 003 ð syst Þ (cid:1) 0 : 007 ð J= c K (cid:1) Þ , where the third uncertainty is due to the CP asymmetry of the B (cid:1) ! J= c K (cid:1) reference mode. The signiﬁcance of A CP ð B (cid:1) ! K (cid:1) K þ K (cid:2) Þ exceeds three standard deviations and is the ﬁrst evidence of an inclusive CP asymmetry in charmless three-body B decays. In addition to the inclusive CP asymmetries, larger asymmetries are observed in localized regions of phase space. (cid:2) (cid:1) ! K þ K (cid:2) (cid:1) (cid:1) and B (cid:1) ! (cid:1) þ (cid:1) (cid:2) (cid:1) (cid:1)
Editor’s Highlight: CCR2 Regulates Inflammatory Cell Accumulation in the Lung and Tissue Injury following Ozone Exposure

Ozone-induced lung injury is associated with an accumulation of activated macrophages in the lung. Chemokine receptor CCR2 mediates the migration of inflammatory monocytes/macrophages to sites of tissue injury. It is also required for monocyte egress from the bone marrow. In the present studies, we analyzed the role of CCR2 in inflammatory cell trafficking to the lung in response to ozone. Treatment of mice with ozone (0.8 ppm, 3 h) resulted in increases in proinflammatory CCR2+ macrophages in the lung at 24 h, as well as proinflammatory CD11b + Ly6CHi and iNOS+ macrophages at 24 and 48 h. Mannose receptor+ anti-inflammatory macrophages were also observed in the lung 24 and 48 h post-ozone. Loss of CCR2 was associated with reduced numbers of proinflammatory macrophages in the lung and decreased expression of the proinflammatory cytokines, IL-1&bgr; and TNF&agr;. Decreases in anti-inflammatory CD11b + Ly6CLo macrophages were also observed in lungs of CCR2−/− mice treated with ozone, whereas mannose receptor+ macrophage accumulation was delayed; conversely, CX3CL1 and CX3CR1 were upregulated. Changes in lung macrophage subpopulations and inflammatory gene expression in CCR2−/− mice were correlated with reduced ozone toxicity and oxidative stress, as measured by decreases in bronchoalveolar lavage protein content and reduced lung expression of heme-oxygenase-1, 4-hydroxynonenal and cytochrome b5. These data demonstrate that CCR2 plays a role in both pro- and anti-inflammatory macrophage accumulation in the lung following ozone exposure. The fact that ozone-induced lung injury and oxidative stress are reduced in CCR2−/− mice suggests more prominent effects on proinflammatory macrophages.
In Vitro Cultivation of an Insect Microsporidian Tubulinosema ratisbonensis in Mammalian Cells

Abstract. Tubulinosema ratisbonensis is a microsporidian pathogen of Drosophila melanogaster belonging to the family Tubulinosematidae. The microsporidia in this family mainly cause infections in invertebrate hosts, but two members of this family, Brachiola vesicularum and Brachiola algerae, have been found to cause infections in humans as well. Moreover, B. algerae can be transmitted to immunodeficient mice and grows in mammalian cell cultures. Thus, the examination of the opportunistic properties of other members of the family Tubulinosematidae is important. Spores of T. ratisbonensis, isolated from infected fruit flies, were used to inoculate mammalian and insect cell cultures. Parasite growth was only seen in human lung fibroblasts. No growth was seen in Vero cells or insect cell cultures. Comparison of growth kinetics at 31°C and 37°C showed that there were fewer and smaller parasitic foci in cultures incubated at 37°C. Transmission electron microscopy revealed the typical ultrastructure of T. ratisbonensis, and scanning electron microscopy showed oval or slightly pyriform spores, with some spores having extruded their polar tubes. The PCR‐amplified sequences of rDNA fragments from infected cell cultures were 100% identical to the original T. ratisbonensis rRNA sequence. As T. ratisbonensis is able to proliferate in mammalian cell cultures, it may have the opportunistic properties of other members of the family Tubulinosematidae.
Analysis of local chronic inflammatory cell infiltrate combined with systemic inflammation improves prognostication in stage II colon cancer independent of standard clinicopathologic criteria

In Stage II colon cancer, multiple independent studies have shown that a dense intratumoural immune infiltrate (local inflammation) is associated with improved outcomes, while systemic inflammation, measured by various markers, has been associated with poorer outcomes. However, previous studies have not considered the interaction between local and systemic inflammation, nor have they assessed the type of inflammatory response compared with standard clinicopathologic criteria. In order to evaluate the potential clinical utility of inflammatory markers in Stage II colon cancer, we examined local and systemic inflammation in a consecutive series of patients with resected Stage II colon cancer between 2000 and 2010 who were identified from a prospective clinical database. Increased intratumoural chronic inflammatory cell (CIC) density, as assessed by pathologist review of hematoxylin and eosin stained slides, was used to represent local inflammation. Neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) >5, as calculated from pre‐operative full blood counts, was used to represent systemic inflammation. In 396 eligible patients identified, there was a non‐significant inverse relationship between local and systemic inflammation. Increased CIC density was significantly associated with improved overall (HR 0.45, p = 0.001) and recurrence‐free survival (HR 0.37, p = 0.003). High NLR was significantly associated with poorer overall survival (HR 2.56, p < 0.001). The combination of these markers further stratified prognosis independent of standard high‐risk criteria, with a dominant systemic inflammatory response (low CIC/high NLR) associated with the worst outcome (5‐year overall survival 55.8%). With further validation this simple, inexpensive combined inflammatory biomarker might assist in patient selection for adjuvant chemotherapy in Stage II colon cancer.
Intercultural dialogue with Indonesian state sector language teacher educators about the epistemology of ELT INSET

This is a study through, and of, intercultural dialogue about the epistemology of inservice courses (INSET) for Indonesian primary and secondary state sector teachers of English, taught by Indonesian state sector language teacher educators. The dialogue was with the professional staff of the English Department within an Indonesian Ministry of National Education centre that conducts national level INSET for state sector language teachers. The dialogue took place in Indonesia and was conducted almost exclusively in English. The research is grounded in the understanding that epistemological beliefs play a key role in knowledge interpretation and are a significant basis for professional action. The investigation of language teacher educators’ epistemological beliefs is therefore understood to provide useful insights into their professional thinking and classroom practices. Beliefs about the epistemology of INSET in English language teaching (ELT INSET) are understood to be beliefs about different forms of language teacher knowledge that feature in the ELT INSET classroom the value and justificatory demands that should be attached to each form, how they are most effectively put into focus, and how they should be placed in relation to each other. The study was conducted through different forms of dialogue with the participants, incorporated in a range of activities designed both for research purposes and to promote professional learning. These activities included the observation of, and postobservation dialogue about, two of the participants’ ELT INSET classroom practices. The study of intercultural dialogue dimension to the thesis is a product of a reflexive stance on such activities and the mediational tools that were used, in an intercultural context where issues of language, power, rapport and role expectations were
Nyström Solution to Oblique Scattering of Arbitrarily Polarized Waves by Dielectric-Filled Slotted Cylinders

We investigate oblique diffraction of arbitrarily polarized waves by axially slotted, dielectric-filled, perfectly conducting circular cylinders with infinitesimally thin walls. The relevant 2 × 2 system of coupled singular integral-integrodifferential equations is solved by a highly accurate Nyström method. For enhanced efficiency, several asymptotic terms are extracted from the kernels. This helps isolate the inherent singularities and, thus, transform the initial slowly converging Green-function expansions into rapidly converging series. As a consequence, all elements of the resulting Nyström matrix take exact expressions in the form of very rapidly converging series of elementary terms. Numerical examples and case studies are presented that validate the algorithm, illustrate its rapid convergence, and bring to light the effect of changing several physical and geometrical parameters on the reflection, transmission, and absorption characteristics of the structure.
Changes with Age in the Activities of β‐Secretase and the Aβ‐Degrading Enzymes Neprilysin, Insulin‐Degrading Enzyme and Angiotensin‐Converting Enzyme

We recently found that insoluble Aβ increases, but soluble Aβ decreases with age in normal brains. We now report the changes in activities of β‐secretase (BACE‐1) and Aβ‐degrading enzymes with age, and their relationships to concentrations of soluble and insoluble Aβ. We measured BACE‐1 activity and the levels and activities of neprilysin (NEP), insulin‐degrading enzyme (IDE) and angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) in normal control brains (16 years–95 years). We also compared the measurements to those in AD. BACE‐1 activity correlated closely with age in controls and was significantly higher in AD. In controls, NEP and IDE activities (but not protein levels) increased with age but ACE activity and level did not. BACE‐1 activity correlated directly with insoluble but inversely with soluble Aβ. IDE activity correlated directly with insoluble Aβ and NEP activity was inversely related to soluble Aβ. ACE level correlated directly with insoluble and inversely with soluble Aβ in controls but not AD. Both Aβ‐synthesizing and ‐degrading enzyme activities increase with age, coinciding with declining soluble Aβ and increasing insoluble Aβ. Further research is needed to establish whether these changes in enzyme activity and Aβ levels are causally related and if so how.
Antivirulence activity of azithromycin in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Antibiotics represent our bulwark to combat bacterial infections, but the spread of antibiotic resistance compromises their clinical efficacy. Alternatives to conventional antibiotics are urgently needed in order to complement the existing antibacterial arsenal. The macrolide antibiotic azithromycin (AZM) provides a paradigmatic example of an “unconventional” antibacterial drug. Besides its growth-inhibiting activity, AZM displays potent anti-inflammatory properties, as well as antivirulence activity on some intrinsically resistant bacteria, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In this bacterium, the antivirulence activity of AZM mainly relies on its ability to interact with the ribosome, resulting in direct and/or indirect repression of specific subsets of genes involved in virulence, quorum sensing, biofilm formation, and intrinsic antibiotic resistance. Both clinical experience and clinical trials have shown the efficacy of AZM in the treatment of chronic pulmonary infections caused by P. aeruginosa. The aim of this review is to combine results from laboratory studies with evidence from clinical trials in order to unify the information on the in vivo mode of action of AZM in P. aeruginosa infection.
Because better detections are still possible: Multi-aspect Object Detection with Boosted Hough Forest

In this work, we proceed to deconstruct the HF learning model to investigate whether a considerable better performance can be obtained detecting multi-aspect object categories. We introduce the novel Boosted Hough Forest (BHF): a HF where all the decision trees of the forest are trained in a stage-wise fashion, by optimizing a global differentiable loss function with Gradient Boosting, and using the concept of intermediate Hough voting spaces. This is in contrast to the local optimization performed in each tree node during the training of a standard HF. We also show how the multiple aspects of the object categories can be incorporated into the learning model by simply augmenting the dimensionality of the Hough voting spaces of the BHF. This allows our approach to naturally infer the pose of an object, simultaneously with the detection, for example. The experimental validation, considering four different datasets, conﬁrms that the performance of the HF is improved by the new BHF.
Working memory and short-term memory storage: What does backward recall tell us

The research is motivated by two concerns: Is backward recall in any fundamental sense different to forward recall, and is it possible to distinguish between simple, complex and delayed recall tasks apart from absolute levels of recall. To this end participants studied lists of words for backward serial recall in which word length (Experiment 1) and phonological similarity (Experiment 2) were manipulated. The results indicated that phonological similarity effects were present in backward recall in simple, complex and delayed tasks. In contrast, word length effect had no influence in any of the three tasks. This finding suggests that models of forward recall may not be applicable to backward recall.
A survey of glove-based input

Clumsy intermediary devices constrain our interaction with computers and their applications. Glove-based input devices let us apply our manual dexterity to the task. We provide a basis for understanding the field by describing key hand-tracking technologies and applications using glove-based input. The bulk of development in glove-based input has taken place very recently, and not all of it is easily accessible in the literature. We present a cross-section of the field to date. Hand-tracking devices may use the following technologies: position tracking, optical tracking, marker systems, silhouette analysis, magnetic tracking or acoustic tracking. Actual glove technologies on the market include: Sayre glove, MIT LED glove, Digital Data Entry Glove, DataGlove, Dexterous HandMaster, Power Glove, CyberGlove and Space Glove. Various applications of glove technologies include projects into the pursuit of natural interfaces, systems for understanding signed languages, teleoperation and robotic control, computer-based puppetry, and musical performance. <<ETX>>