Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
New insights on cellular distribution, microtubule interactions and post‐translational modifications of MS‐KIF18A

The present study highlights on the biochemical and immunological analysis of MS‐KIF18A in pre‐osteogenic MBA‐15 cells. The protein distribution in various cellular compartments was demonstrated by imaging and Western blot (WB) analysis. MS‐KIF18A interactions with cytoskeletal proteins were confirmed for tubulin and actin. The complex between MS‐KIF18A and microtubules (MT) was demonstrated in cellular system for endogenous proteins and also between recombinant proteins in pull down and immunoprecipitation (IP) assays. Multiple assays including metabolic labeling, cell fractionation and IP with anti‐MS‐KIF18A antibody demonstrated an association with actin that was prominent in the cell cytoplasm. Sub‐cellular fractionation identified diverse forms of MS‐KIF18A in cytoplasm and membrane/nucleus compartments which are suggested to represent the result of post‐transcriptional modifications, such as phosphorylation and glycosylation. These modifications on MS‐KIF18A were analyzed by bioinformatics and immunological assays. Furthermore, we studied the role of ubiquitin–proteasome system in the MS‐KIF18A degradation. Taken together, the current study sheds light on MS‐KIF18A a MT‐dependent kinesin and adds insights on the post‐translational modifications that potentially control the protein cellular distribution and its co‐association with cytoskeletal proteins. J. Cell. Physiol. 217: 618–625, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Immediate Transcriptional Response to a Temperature Pulse under a Fluctuating Thermal Regime

Abstract The response of ectotherms to temperature stress is complex, non-linear, and is influenced by life stage and previous thermal exposure. Mortality is higher under constant low temperatures than under a fluctuating thermal regime (FTR) that maintains the same low temperature but adds a brief, daily pulse of increased temperature. Long term exposure to FTR has been shown to increase transcription of genes involved in oxidative stress, immune function, and metabolic pathways, which may aid in recovery from chill injury and oxidative damage. Previous research suggests the transcriptional response that protects against sub-lethal damage occurs rapidly under exposure to fluctuating temperatures. However, existing studies have only examined gene expression after a week or over many months. Here we characterize gene expression during a single temperature cycle under FTR. Development of pupating alfalfa leafcutting bees (Megachile rotundata) was interrupted at the red-eye stage and were transferred to 6°C with a 1-h pulse to 20°C and returned to 6°C. RNA was collected before, during, and after the temperature pulse and compared to pupae maintained at a static 6°C. The warm pulse is sufficient to cause expression of transcripts that repair cell membrane damage, modify membrane composition, produce antifreeze proteins, restore ion homeostasis, and respond to oxidative stress. This pattern of expression indicates that even brief exposure to warm temperatures has significant protective effects on insects exposed to stressful cold temperatures that persist beyond the warm pulse. Megachile rotundata’s sensitivity to temperature fluctuations indicates that short exposures to temperature changes affect development and physiology. Genes associated with developmental patterning are expressed after the warm pulse, suggesting that 1 h at 20°C was enough to resume development in the pupae. The greatest difference in gene expression occurred between pupae collected after the warm pulse and at constant low temperatures. Although both were collected at the same time and temperature, the transcriptional response to one FTR cycle included multiple transcripts previously identified under long-term FTR exposure associated with recovery from chill injury, indicating that the effects of FTR occur rapidly and are persistent.
Comorbidity of Physical Disorders Among Patients With Severe Mental Illness With and Without Substance Use Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract Objective: Physical disorders in patients with severe mental illness (SMI) are common and they tend to be underdiagnosed by clinicians, which might lead to negative treatment outcomes. The presence of substance use disorders could further aggravate the situation. There are existing systematic reviews on physical disorders among individuals with SMI in general but none of these previous reviews stratified their findings by substance use disorder status. This study aimed to synthesize the evidence on the frequency of comorbid physical disorders among patients with SMI with or without substance use disorders. Methods: We searched for studies published in English between 1988 and 2017 in MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Global Health, Web of Science, Scopus, WHO Global Health Library (Global Index Medicus), Google Scholar, OpenGrey, the Grey Literature Report, Cochrane Library, International Standardized Randomized Controlled Trial Number Registry, WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, ClinicalTrials.gov, Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, and PROSPERO. There was no geographical restriction and the target population was adults (≥18 years) with diagnosed SMI including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other psychotic illnesses. The outcome of interest was physical disorder. Results: A total of 6,994 records were retrieved. Only 30 papers (representing 24 studies) met our inclusion criteria and 13 studies were included in the meta-analysis. The prevalence of most of the reported physical disorders was higher in SMI patients with substance use disorders than in those without substance use disorders. When ranked according to pooled prevalence level, hypertension (35.6%), tardive dyskinesia (35.4%), and hepatitis C (26.9%) were the most prevalent physical disorders among SMI patients with substance use disorders. For SMI patients without substance use disorders, hypertension (32.5%), tardive dyskinesia (25.1%), and endocrine disease (19.0%) were more common. Estimates for diabetes (7.5% vs. 7.5%) and cardiovascular diseases (11.8% vs. 11.3%) were similar across groups. Conclusions: Physical disorders among SMI patients vary by substance use disorder status. Clinicians managing SMI in patients should screen for physical disorders and substance use disorders and provide treatment or referral. Registration: International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) registration number CRD42017072286.
Communication between Health Professionals and Community Residents in Fukushima: A Focus on the Feedback Loop

ABSTRACT Interactive communication and the ability to consider feedback are critical for linking health professionals and the community. Goto and colleagues developed and conducted health literacy training workshops for public health nurses after the 2011 nuclear accident in Fukushima to improve their communication skills. The present study aimed to examine the association between past workshop attendance and nurses’ attitudes toward feedback from community residents. We conducted a questionnaire survey with 723 public health nurses in Fukushima and analyzed differences in feedback acceptance, work environment, basic characteristics, and health literacy levels between health literacy workshop attendees and non-attendees. Among 582 respondents, 19.4% were past attendees and showed a higher likelihood of accepting feedback from community residents (amount: adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.87, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.21–2.88; specificity: aOR = 1.69, 95%CI: 1.09–2.61; satisfaction: aOR = 2.34, 95%CI: 1.50–3.65) than did non-attendees after adjusting for other variables. Furthermore, work engagement was associated with positive feedback acceptance (amount: aOR = 1.43, 95%CI: 1.03–1.98; specificity: aOR = 1.57, 95%CI: 1.12–2.20; satisfaction: aOR = 1.97, 95%CI: 1.38–2.81). We note the importance of creating a better work environment as well as a training system at the organizational level that encourages public health nurses to learn about health literacy and to improve their communication skills. This could improve professional/community relationships, increase the accessibility of health information for the public, and ultimately improve community health.
Wetting Behavior and Tribological Properties of Polymer Brushes on Laser-Textured Surface

Polymer brush layers can act as effective lubricants owing to their low friction and good controllability. However, their application to the field of tribology is limited by their poor wear resistance. This study proposes a strategy combining grafting and surface texturing to extend the service life of polymer brushes. Surface microstructure and chemical composition were measured through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Water contact angles were measured to evaluate the surface wettability of the grafted silicon-based surface texture. Results showed the distinct synergistic effect between polymer brushes and laser surface texturing (LST). The prepared polymer brushes on textured surface can be a powerful mechanism for friction reduction properties, which benefit from their strong hydration effect on the lubrication liquid and promote the formation of a local lubricating film. Moreover, the wear life of polymer brushes can be immensely extended, as micro-dimples on the textured surface can effectively protect the polymer brushes. This study presents a method to enhance the load-bearing capacity and wear resistance of the grafted surface of polymer brushes.
Some aspects of lameness in dairy herds.

Abstract Excessive wear of the sole of the claws was a common cause of lameness in 2-year-old Friesian heifers. The lameness in older cattle frequently resulted from lesions sited in the interdigital space and in soft tissue structures elsewhere. Lameness was usually noted from 2–12 weeks after calving. Wear began soon after animals entered the herd and lameness resulted when animals walked long distances in wet conditions and after abrasive materials had accumulated on concrete holding yards. The time spent in yards, and the movement of animals on abrasive surfaces at each yarding, was influenced by the animal's ranking order of dominance and her sequence in the milking order. Lameness was often followed by delayed oestrus, poor breeding performance, shortened lactation, low yield of milk fat and a sudden drop in body weight. These animals were often culled. Preventative measures were extremely successful when directed at minimising wear, reducing the period heifers were confined in yards during milking .
Sex enhancers: challenges, threats and the need for targeted measures.

Humans have always aimed to use substances for improving their cognitive, physical and sexual performances: ancient civilizations resorted to hallucinogens in the attempt to get into contact with their gods; the widespread use of caffeine in its various forms (caffeinated and energy drinks, tablets, etc.) and the more recent development of glutamate activators (1,2)
Polygenic effects of schizophrenia on hippocampal grey matter volume and hippocampus–medial prefrontal cortex functional connectivity

Background Schizophrenia is a complex mental disorder with high heritability and polygenic inheritance. Multimodal neuroimaging studies have also indicated that abnormalities of brain structure and function are a plausible neurobiological characterisation of schizophrenia. However, the polygenic effects of schizophrenia on these imaging endophenotypes have not yet been fully elucidated. Aims To investigate the effects of polygenic risk for schizophrenia on the brain grey matter volume and functional connectivity, which are disrupted in schizophrenia. Method Genomic and neuroimaging data from a large sample of Han Chinese patients with schizophrenia (N = 509) and healthy controls (N = 502) were included in this study. We examined grey matter volume and functional connectivity via structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging, respectively. Using the data from a recent meta-analysis of a genome-wide association study that comprised a large number of Chinese people, we calculated a polygenic risk score (PGRS) for each participant. Results The imaging genetic analysis revealed that the individual PGRS showed a significantly negative correlation with the hippocampal grey matter volume and hippocampus–medial prefrontal cortex functional connectivity, both of which were lower in the people with schizophrenia than in the controls. We also found that the observed neuroimaging measures showed weak but similar changes in unaffected first-degree relatives of patients with schizophrenia. Conclusions These findings suggested that genetically influenced brain grey matter volume and functional connectivity may provide important clues for understanding the pathological mechanisms of schizophrenia and for the early diagnosis of schizophrenia.
Different Regions of Hepatitis B Virus X Protein Are Required for Enhancement of bZip-Mediated Transactivation versus Transrepression

ABSTRACT The hepatitis B virus X protein (pX) interacts directly with the bZip transactivator CREB and the bZip repressors ICERIIγ and ATF3, increasing their DNA-binding affinity in vitro and their transcriptional efficacy in vivo. However, the mechanism of bZip-pX interaction and of the pX-mediated increase in the bZip transcriptional efficacy remains to be understood. In this study with deletion mutants of pX, we delineated a 67-amino-acid region spanning residues 49 to 115 required for direct CREB, ATF3, and ICER IIγ interaction in vitro and in vivo and increased bZip/CRE binding in vitro. Transient transfections of the pX deletion mutants in AML12 hepatocytes demonstrate that pX49–115 is as effective as the full-length pX in enhancing the ATF3- and ICERIIγ-mediated transrepression. However, this pX region is inactive in increasing the transactivation efficacy of CREB; additional amino acid residues present in pX49–140are required to mediate the increased transactivation efficacy of CREB in vivo. This requirement for different regions of pX in affecting CREB transactivation suggests that amino acid residues 115 to 140 integrate additional events in effecting pX-mediated transactivation, such as concomitant interactions with select components of the basal transcriptional apparatus.
Culicoides species as potential vectors of African horse sickness virus in the southern regions of South Africa

African horse sickness (AHS), a disease of equids caused by the AHS virus, is of major concern in South Africa. With mortality reaching up to 95% in susceptible horses and the apparent reoccurrence of cases in regions deemed non‐endemic, most particularly the Eastern Cape, epidemiological research into factors contributing to the increase in the range of this economically important virus became imperative. The vectors, Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), are considered unable to proliferate during the unfavourable climatic conditions experienced in winter in the province, although the annual occurrence of AHS suggests that the virus has become established and that vector activity continues throughout the year. Surveillance of Culicoides within the province is sparse and little was known of the diversity of vector species or the abundance of known vectors, Culicoides imicola and Culicoides bolitinos. Surveillance was performed using light trapping methods at selected sites with varying equid species over two winter and two outbreak seasons, aiming to determine diversity, abundance and vector epidemiology of Culicoides within the province. The research provided an updated checklist of Culicoides species within the Eastern Cape, contributing to an increase in the knowledge of AHS vector epidemiology, as well as prevention and control in southern Africa.
Media Access is Associated with Knowledge of Optimal Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Practices in Tanzania

The importance of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) behaviors in low- and middle-income countries in preventing childhood illness is well established. Tanzania is known to have high rates of chronic malnutrition and childhood stunting—both of which have been linked to poor WASH practices. Interviews were conducted with 5000 primary caregivers of children aged 0–23 months. Four composite WASH knowledge variables were created to assess the relationship between WASH knowledge and access to different forms of media, such as television, radio, and mobile phones. WASH knowledge variables measure knowledge of when to wash hands, the need for soap when washing hands, when to wash a baby’s hands, and how eating soil or chicken feces can affect a baby’s health. Logistic and linear regression analyses were conducted to measure the association between media access and WASH knowledge. Having watched television was positively associated with higher WASH knowledge indicators (all p < 0.05). Higher WASH knowledge was positively associated with more frequent handwashing after cleaning a baby’s bottom (all p < 0.0001). The quantity of media access also had a positive linear effect on handwashing; more media items owned was associated with increases in handwashing. Study findings indicate media access is associated with WASH knowledge among caregivers in resource-poor settings.
Efficient Catalytic Upgradation of Bio-Based Furfuryl Alcohol to Ethyl Levulinate Using Mesoporous Acidic MIL-101(Cr)

Enlarging the dispersed micropores of metal-organic frameworks to the well-ordered mesostructure can enhance the accessibility of acidic sites for reactants resulting in the improvement of selectivity. With the regulation of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide/Cr3+ and ClSO3H sulfonation, a series of mesoporous MIL-101(Cr)-SO3H (MMSs) with multiple pore sizes and acidic properties were synthesized and explored to further facilitate the furfuryl alcohol (FA) ethanolization to ethyl levulinate (EL) for the first time. The optimal catalytic activity of 83.8% EL yield at full FA conversion demonstrated that the appropriate mesopore size, acidic density, and accessible −SO3H sites contributed to the superior performance of the MMS(0.3)-0.15. The turnover frequency value (14.8 h–1) obtained with MMS(0.3)-0.15 was comparable to the commercial Nafion NR50 (18.3 h–1) and much higher than the classical Amberlyst-15 (1.9 h–1), confirming the predominant catalytic performance. Furthermore, two coexistent reaction paths with 2-ethoxymethylfuran and 4,5,5-triethoxy-pentan-2-one as intermediates indicated the possibility of producing EL from FA.
Autoantibodies Directed Toward a Novel IA-2 Variant Protein Enhance Prediction of Type 1 Diabetes

We identified autoantibodies (AAb) reacting with a variant IA-2 molecule (IA-2var) that has three amino acid substitutions (Cys27, Gly608, and Pro671) within the full-length molecule. We examined IA-2var AAb in first-degree relatives of type 1 diabetes (T1D) probands from the TrialNet Pathway to Prevention Study. The presence of IA-2var–specific AAb in relatives was associated with accelerated progression to T1D in those positive for AAb to GAD65 and/or insulin but negative in the standard test for IA-2 AAb. Furthermore, relatives with single islet AAb (by traditional assays) and carrying both IA-2var AAb and the high-risk HLA-DRB1*04-DQB1*03:02 haplotype progress rapidly to onset of T1D. Molecular modeling of IA-2var predicts that the genomic variation that alters the three amino acids induces changes in the three-dimensional structure of the molecule, which may lead to epitope unmasking in the IA-2 extracellular domain. Our observations suggest that the presence of AAb to IA-2var would identify high-risk subjects who would benefit from participation in prevention trials who have one islet antibody by traditional testing and otherwise would be misclassified as “low risk” relatives.
Evolutionary study of potentially zoonotic hepatitis E virus genotype 3 from swine in Northeast Brazil

Hepatitis E virus (HEV), an emerging virus associated with acute hepatic disease, leads to thousands of deaths worldwide. HEV has already been reported in Brazil; however, there is a lack of epidemiological and molecular information on the genetic variability, taxonomy, and evolution of HEV. It is thus unclear whether hepatitis E is a neglected disease in Brazil or it has low relevance for public health in this country. Here, for the first time, we report the presence of HEV in Northeast Brazil. A total of 119 swine faecal samples were screened for the presence of HEV RNA using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and further confirmed by conventional RT-PCR; among these, two samples were identified as positive. Molecular evolution analyses based on capsid sequences revealed that the samples had close proximities to HEV sequences belonging to genotype 3 and were genetically related to subtype 3f isolated in humans. Parsimony ancestral states analysis indicated gene flow events from HEV cross-species infection, suggesting an important role of pig hosts in viral spillover. HEV’s ability for zoonotic transmission by inter-species host switching as well as its possible adaptation to new animal species remain important issues for human health.
The impact of prematurity on postnatal growth of different renal compartments

In humans, nephrogenesis ceases before birth, but the renal medulla compartment continues to develop after birth. We aim to evaluate the relative growth of different renal compartments in preterm babies compared with age‐matched term babies, and explore the impact of premature birth on postnatal renal maturation, remodelling and possible long‐term implications.
LC-MS- and NMR-Guided Isolation of Monoterpene Dimers from Cultivated Thymus vulgaris Varico 3 Hybrid and Their Antityrosinase Activity

Abstract Targeted isolation based on a combination of NMR and HPLC-PDA-MS of a dichloromethane extract of Thymus vulgaris Varico 3 aerial parts afforded one new p-cymene dimer, 6,3′,4′-trihydroxy-5,5′-diisopropyl-2,2′-dimethylbiphenyl (1), together with two known p-cymene derivatives (2 and 3), as well as five known compounds, namely, thymol (4), oleanolic acid (5), ursolic acid (6), cirsimaritin (7), and xanthomicrol (8). The structural elucidation of all compounds was performed by spectroscopic analyses, including 1D and 2D NMR, and HRESIMS experiments. The biphenyls were assayed for their inhibitory activity on tyrosinase. Compounds 2 and 3 showed negligible activity on tyrosinase, while compound 1 effectively inhibited the enzyme with 35% (± 0.3) inhibitory activity, higher than the inhibition of the reference compound kojic acid (18.6 ± 0.02).