Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
De Novo Synthesis of Amino Acids by the Ruminal Bacteria Prevotella bryantii B 14 , Selenomonas ruminantium HD 4 , and Streptococcus bovis ES 1

The influence of peptides and amino acids on ammonia assimilation and de novo synthesis of amino acids by three predominant noncellulolytic species of ruminal bacteria, Prevotella bryantii B14, Selenomonas ruminantium HD4, and Streptococcus bovis ES1, was determined by growing these bacteria in media containing NH4Cl and various additions of pancreatic hydrolysates of casein (peptides) or amino acids. The proportion of cell N and amino acids formed de novo decreased as the concentration of peptides increased. At high concentrations of peptides (10 and 30 g/liter), the incorporation of ammonia accounted for less than 0.16 of bacterial amino acid N and less than 0.30 of total N. At 1 g/liter, which is more similar to peptide concentrations found in the rumen, 0.68, 0.87, and 0.46 of bacterial amino acid N and 0.83, 0.89, and 0.64 of total N were derived from ammonia by P. bryantii, S. ruminantium, and S. bovis, respectively. Concentration-dependent responses were also obtained with amino acids. No individual amino acid was exhausted in any incubation medium. For cultures of P. bryantii, peptides were incorporated and stimulated growth more effectively than amino acids, while cultures of the other species showed no preference for peptides or amino acids. Apparent growth yields increased by between 8 and 57%, depending on the species, when 1 g of peptides or amino acids per liter was added to the medium. Proline synthesis was greatly decreased when peptides or amino acids were added to the medium, while glutamate and aspartate were enriched to a greater extent than other amino acids under all conditions. Thus, the proportion of bacterial protein formed de novo in noncellulolytic ruminal bacteria varies according to species and the form and identity of the amino acid and in a concentrationdependent manner.
Resident Dendritic Cells Prevent Postischemic Acute Renal Failure by Help of Single Ig IL-1 Receptor-Related Protein1

Ischemia-reperfusion (IR) triggers tissue injury by activating innate immunity, for example, via TLR2 and TLR4. Surprisingly, TLR signaling in intrinsic renal cells predominates in comparison to intrarenal myeloid cells in the postischemic kidney. We hypothesized that immune cell activation is specifically suppressed in the postischemic kidney, for example, by single Ig IL-1-related receptor (SIGIRR). SIGIRR deficiency aggravated postischemic acute renal failure in association with increased renal CXCL2/MIP2, CCL2/MCP-1, and IL-6 mRNA expression 24 h after IR. Consistent with this finding interstitial neutrophil and macrophage counts were increased and tubular cell necrosis was aggravated in Sigirr-deficient vs wild-type IR kidneys. In vivo microscopy revealed increased leukocyte transmigration in the postischemic microvasculature of Sigirr-deficient mice. IL-6 and CXCL2/MIP2 release was much higher in Sigirr-deficient renal myeloid cells but not in Sigirr-deficient tubular epithelial cells after transient hypoxic culture conditions. Renal IR studies with chimeric mice confirmed this finding, as lack of SIGIRR in myeloid cells largely reproduced the phenotype of renal IR injury seen in Sigirr−/− mice. Additionally, clodronate depletion of dendritic cells prevented the aggravated renal failure in Sigirr−/− mice. Thus, loss of function mutations in the SIGIRR gene predispose to acute renal failure because SIGIRR prevents overshooting tissue injury by suppressing the postischemic activation of intrarenal myeloid cells.
Tail Regeneration in Xenopus laevis as a Model for Understanding Tissue Repair

Augmentation of regenerative ability is a powerful strategy being pursued for the biomedical management of traumatic injury, cancer, and degeneration. While considerable attention has been focused on embryonic stem cells, it is clear that much remains to be learned about how somatic cells may be controlled in the adult organism. The tadpole of the frog Xenopus laevis is a powerful model system within which fundamental mechanisms of regeneration are being addressed. The tadpole tail contains spinal cord, muscle, vasculature, and other terminally differentiated cell types and can fully regenerate itself through tissue renewal—a process that is most relevant to mammalian healing. Recent insight into this process has uncovered fascinating molecular details of how a complex appendage senses injury and rapidly repairs the necessary morphology. Here, we review what is known about the chemical and bioelectric signals underlying this process and draw analogies to evolutionarily conserved pathways in other patterning systems. The understanding of this process is not only of fundamental interest for the evolutionary and cell biology of morphogenesis, but will also generate information that is crucial to the development of regenerative therapies for human tissues and organs.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Coinfection with Hepatit is B and C

A disproportionate number of people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are affected by viral hepatitis compared with the general population, because they are at higher risk due to similar routes of transmission of these blood-borne pathogens, as well as chronic persistence of virus in most hosts. Of all patients with HIV infection in the United States, about 10% are coinfected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and 25% are coinfected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Therefore, in total about one-third of the HIV population is affected by viral hepatitis. In the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), liver disease has become a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected persons and is the second leading cause of death in HIV-infected individuals, causing 9% of deaths. Coinfection with viral hepatitis, caused by either
Increased risk of multiple sclerosis after late Epstein-Barr virus infection: a historical prospective study

An association between infectious mononucleosis (IM) and MS has been proposed. In a historical prospective study we used records from the Danish State Serum Institute on heterophils antibody (HA) tests for IM performed in all Danish patients over a number of years. Included in the analysis were 6853 HA-positive persons analyzed from 1968 to 1978 (except 1975) and 12 886 HA-negative per sons analyzed in the years 1968, 1969, 1970 and 1978. A search for these persons in the central nationwide Danish Multiple Sclerosis Registry (DMSR) was performed. Among the HA-positive persons 16 cases of MS which met the diagnostic criteria were found with onset of MS after the year of the HA test and before follow-up on 1 January 1991. The expected number for a Danish population, matched by sex, age and year at start of observation, was 5.70 (P<0.05), the risk ratio being 2.81. No patient had developed MS before contracting IM. Among the HA-negative persons 12 were registered with onset of MS after the year of the HA test and before follow-up, the expected number being 10.47 (P > 0.05). Although Epstein-Barr virus is not suggested in itself to be the cause of MS, we propose that it is a co-factor in the pathogenesis of this disease.
Incidence, aetiology and outcome of pleural empyema and parapneumonic effusion from 1998 to 2012 in a population of New Zealand children

To document rising incidence rates of childhood empyema and parapneumonic effusion (PPE) in South Auckland, New Zealand between 1998 and 2012; to compare epidemiology, pathogens and outcomes of children with empyema and PPE; and to ascertain whether primary care antibiotic prescribing, delayed presentation, or bacterial epidemiology might account for the rising incident rates.
Effect of histamine on memory retrieval in old rats.

Effects of intracerebroventricular (i.c.v) injection of histamine (Hi) and its related compounds on prolongation of the response latency ensuing after a long interruption of learning were studied by testing the active avoidance response in old rats. After Hi application at doses of 50 and 100 ng, the response latency became significantly shorter than that determined in the pre-injection periods, suggesting that Hi facilitates memory retrieval in old rats. H1-agonists, 2-methylHi and 2-thiazolylethylamine, effected a dose-related shortening of response latency as seen after Hi application, whereas H2-agonists, 4-methylHi and impromidine, failed to prompt the response latency. Simultaneous i.c. v. injection of pyrilamine, a H1-antagonist and Hi abolished the Hi-induced shortening of response latency. Furthermore, intraperitoneal administration of histidine at doses of 200 and 500 mg/kg significantly shortened the response latency. Neither (R)-alpha-methylHi nor thioperamide caused a significant effect indicating that H3-receptor may not be involved in Hi-induced facilitation of memory retrieval. Based on these findings, it may be concluded that Hi takes an active part in facilitating memory recall via H1-receptor in old rats.
The combined theory of planned behaviour and technology acceptance model of mobile learning at Tehran universities

With the growth and progress of science and the constant development of new branches in the field of technologies, enormous changes have occurred in the dominion of education and learning. When observed in the narrow sense of electronic technologies, learning has outgrown its traditional frames and the electronic format has established its dominating role. Mobile learning can be observed as an emerging technology welcomed by various organisations in the present. This study examined the effect of existing factors in the composite-structural model of the theory of technology acceptance and planned behaviour on the acceptance of mobile learning by students of Tehran universities. To this end, 170 questionnaires were distributed and collected at all of the universities/each university of Tehran. Study results indicated that 85.7% of students have accepted mobile learning. Additionally, some of the survey's aspects, such as attitudinal factors, controlling beliefs factors and self-controlling beliefs, have led to a positive effect on the individual's actual behaviour in the acceptance of mobile learning.
Chemical composition, anti-inflammatory, molluscicidal and free-radical scavenging activities of the leaves of Ficus radicans ‘Variegata’ (Moraceae)

The methanol crude extract of the leaves of Ficus radicans Roxb. ‘Variegata’ (Moraceae) and the n-hexane, ethyl acetate and aqueous methanol fractions resulting from its fractionation were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory, molluscicidal and free-radical scavenging activities. The crude extract and fractions exhibited significant inhibition of inflammation in both croton oil (CO)-induced ear oedema in mice (p < 0.001) and carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema models (p < 0.01). The molluscicidal assay against Biomphalaria glabrata showed a weak activity for the n-hexane fraction (DL50 = 400 µg mL−1). A moderated 1,1-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free-radical scavenging activity was observed for the ethyl acetate fraction (IC50 = 66.2 µg mL−1). Fractionation of the extracts through chromatographic methods afforded the coumarins 7-methoxycoumarin, 7-hydroxy-6-methoxycoumarin and methoxy-3,4-dihydrocoumarin, the steroids β-sitosterol and β-sitosterol 3-O-β-glucopyranoside, as well as a cinnamic acid derivative and a flavonoid identified as trans-4-methoxy-2-β-D-glucopyranosyloxy cinnamic acid and quercetin 3-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-α-L-rhamnopyranoside, respectively. The compounds were identified on the basis of their NMR spectral data and comparison with those previously reported in the literature.
Diabetes, renal dysfunction, inflammation, and anemia: the deadly quartet in peripheral artery disease

The article reviews the burden of peripheral artery disease (PAD) and its association with diabetes, renal dysfunction, inflammation, and anemia. PAD is a marker of advanced atherosclerotic disease and is associated with a poor quality of life, ischemic events, and mortality. Polyvascular involvement is often observed in PAD patients (pts), and contributes to the greater risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Diabetes is a major risk factor for PAD, and the presence of PAD in diabetic pts is associated with unfavorable cardiovascular outcomes. In comparison to nondiabetic PAD pts, diabetic pts often have severe forms of PAD such as foot ulcers and gangrene, and more often have involvement of the distal extremities. Diabetes is often accompanied by anemia, particularly in the presence of impaired renal function. Chronic kidney disease and PAD share some common risk factors and frequently coexist. In PAD pts, renal dysfunction has been associated with an increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events and mortality. Anemia is quite prevalent in PAD pts, especially in those with critical limb ischemia. The severity of anemia has been identified as an independent predictor of limb loss and mortality. C-reactive protein (CRP) is associated with the development of PAD and diabetes. Increased levels of CRP in diabetic pts intensify the risk for PAD development. Data regarding the prognostic role of CRP in PAD pts suggest that CRP is a better prognostic marker for short-term rather than long-term mortality. Considering the close relationship between diabetes, renal dysfunction, inflammation, and anemia in PAD pts, a multidisciplinary approach is needed in order to improve quality of life and prevent ischemic events and fatal outcomes.
The sensitivity of adverse event cost estimates to diagnostic coding error.

OBJECTIVE To examine the impact of diagnostic coding error on estimates of hospital costs attributable to adverse events. DATA SOURCES Original and reabstracted medical records of 9,670 complex medical and surgical admissions at 11 hospital corporations in Ontario from 2002 to 2004. Patient specific costs, not including physician payments, were retrieved from the Ontario Case Costing Initiative database. STUDY DESIGN Adverse events were identified among the original and reabstracted records using ICD10-CA (Canadian adaptation of ICD10) codes flagged as postadmission complications. Propensity score matching and multivariate regression analysis were used to estimate the cost of the adverse events and to determine the sensitivity of cost estimates to diagnostic coding error. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Estimates of the cost of the adverse events ranged from $16,008 (metabolic derangement) to $30,176 (upper gastrointestinal bleeding). Coding errors caused the total cost attributable to the adverse events to be underestimated by 16 percent. The impact of coding error on adverse event cost estimates was highly variable at the organizational level. CONCLUSIONS Estimates of adverse event costs are highly sensitive to coding error. Adverse event costs may be significantly underestimated if the likelihood of error is ignored.
An Integrative Framework for Understanding the Innovation Ecosystem

In order to gain deeper understanding of how innovation contributes to economic prosperity, we offer an integrative framework, which consists of a theoretical model and a set of methodological guidelines. The theoretical model posits that diverse communities of people and organizations engage both the production and use of networks of innovations in an ecosystem. The methodological guidelines help researchers conduct the analysis of discourse about multiple innovations in multiple communities from multiple sources, exploiting the synergy between human and computational analyses. Taken together, the framework provides an integrative perspective that helps shift innovation research and policy making from the paradigm-drive, discipline-based orientation to a problem-driven, interdisciplinary orientation.
Trust and the role of the public library in the integration of refugees: The case of a Northern Norwegian city

This article discusses how public libraries contribute to the generation of social capital and social trust among refugees participating in library programmes while enrolled in a compulsory government introductory programme to Norwegian language and society. The students’ experiences with the library have made them more trusting toward the institution of the public library and library patrons in general. Complementing earlier studies, the paper shows that library programmes for immigrants can contribute to the creation of social trust. Library programmes can play an important part in facilitating and speeding up trust-creating processes, making integration less traumatic, although trust in unknown people (generalized trust) remains low, before, during, and after the completion of the programmes.
Vacuolation and the release of heparin in mast cells cultivated in vitro

Recently mast cell rich tissue from a mast cell tumor of a dog (Bloom, ’42) was found to contain an anticoagulant of a potency so great that in the case of one tumor each unit weight yielded upon extraction “almost 50 times as much heparin as has been obtained from the richest normal source of the most active form of heparin” (Oliver, Bloom, and Mangieri, ’47). The extraction of this substance in such massive amounts confirmed the contention of Holmgren and Wilander (’37) and others (Jorpes, ’46) that the mast cell produces heparin. Throughout this work an intriguing fact was apparent, the blood clotting time of the dogs was normal even in animals which were host to tumor tissue measurable in pounds. Since mast cells produce heparin, the presence of a normal clotting time in tumor bearings dogs might mean one of two things ; first, that heparin was not liberated from the cells in appreciable quantity or second, that having passed out of the cells it was destroyed or inactivated. From the work of Paff, Bloom, and Reilly (’47) the conclusion seems justified that the mast celh in these tumor bearing dogs did not release heparin in appreciable quantity.
DINÂMICA E PRODUÇÃO DE UMA FLORESTA SOB REGIME DE MANEJO SUSTENTÁVEL NA AMAZÔNIA CENTRAL

Avaliou-se os efeitos de curto e medio prazos do sistema silvicultural policiclico, na dinâmica e producao, em uma floresta ombrofila densa no estado do Amazonas, tendo como base tres Unidades de Producao Anual da area de manejo florestal da empresa Mil Madeiras Preciosas em Itacoatiara, AM, exploradas entre os anos de 1996 a 1998, com intensidade de exploracao media de 20,02 m³. ha -1 . Os inventarios florestais continuos foram realizados antes e apos a exploracao nos anos de 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001 e 2014 em 41 parcelas permanentes de 1 hectare, onde foram mensuradas todas as arvores com DAP igual ou superior a 15 cm. Registrou-se a presenca de 195 especies, sendo 55 comerciais. Em valores medios, antes da exploracao, foram registradas 297,65 arvores.ha -1 , equivalente a area basal de 26,42 m². ha -1 e o volume de 393,62 m³. ha -1 . A floresta apresentou taxa media de ingresso de 3,20%. ano -1 , assim como 1,47%. ano -1 de mortalidade. Considerando apenas as especies de valor comercial, as taxas foram de 2,50%. ano -1 e 1,30 %. ano -1 para ingresso e mortalidade, respectivamente. O incremento em volume foi de 4,63 m 3 . ha -1 . ano -1 , dos quais 1,69 m 3 . ha -1 . ano -1 de especies comerciais. A floresta estudada apresentou estoques em area basal e volume do povoamento total e das especies comerciais, equivalentes aos registrados antes da exploracao, indicando que a intensidade de corte aplicada esta favorecendo a recuperacao do estoque madeireiro para um segundo ciclo de corte.
All-trans-retinoic acid suppresses interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha; a possible therapeutic agent for rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVES To study the effects of all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA), we determined the proliferation and cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and CD4+ T cells in healthy volunteers and patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and explored the possibility of using ATRA as a therapeutic agent for autoimmune diseases. METHODS Proliferation of these cells was determined by modified MTT assay, and expression of CC chemokine receptors 4 (CCR4) and CCR5 was determined by flow cytometry. Production and expression of interferon (IFN)-gamma, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha was determined by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The presence of STAT6 protein was determined by Western blot analysis. RESULTS ATRA did not affect the proliferation or production of IL-2 and IL-4. We did not detect STAT6 protein, and saw no evidence of the differentiation of PBMCs to Th1 or Th2 cells. In contrast, ATRA suppressed the production of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha significantly. There were no significant differences between the healthy volunteers and RA patients. CONCLUSIONS ATRA was demonstrated to affect the cytokine production of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha. ATRA might be useful in the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as RA.
Recent advances in plasmonic nanostructures for sensing: a review

Abstract. This review describes the recent advances in plasmonic nanostructures for various sensing applications. In particular, significant advances in surface-enhanced Raman, surface plasmon resonance, and metal-enhanced fluorescence-sensing methodologies associated with the introduction of plasmonic nanostructures, made over the past decade, are highlighted. Plasmonic properties of the various nanostructures employed for each sensing technique are also tabulated to provide a systematic overview of the state-of-the-art in each sensing field. This review is not intended to be a comprehensive compilation of the literature but rather a critical review of the recent significant advances in plasmonic nanostructures for each sensing regime.
The Relationship of Platinum Resistance and ERCC1 Protein Expression in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Objective: Although platinum-based chemotherapy remains the cornerstone for treatment of ovarian cancer, some patients are resistant to the treatment and will therefore not benefit from the standard platinum-based chemotherapy. Preclinical and clinical data have suggested a potential use of excision repair cross-complementation group 1 enzyme (ERCC1) as a molecular predictor of clinical resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy. Excision repair cross-complementation group 1 enzyme is a key enzyme in the nucleotide excision repair pathway which is involved in the DNA repair mechanisms in tumor cells damaged by treatment with platinum agents. The primary aim of the present study was to investigate if immunohistochemical expression of ERCC1 protein was associated with resistance to standard combination carboplatin and paclitaxel chemotherapy in newly diagnosed ovarian cancer patients. Methods: Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections from 101 patients with newly diagnosed ovarian cancer were used for immunohistochemical staining for the ERCC1 protein. All patients received carboplatin-paclitaxel combination chemotherapy. Results: Excision repair cross-complementation group 1 enzyme protein overexpression was found in 13.9% of the tumors. Platinum resistance was found in 75% of the tumors with positive ERCC1 protein expression compared with 27% among the patients with negative tumor staining for ERCC1 (P = 0.0013). These findings translated into a significant difference in progression-free survival in both univariate (P = 0.0012) and in multivariate analysis (P = 0.006). Conclusions: The data presented suggest a positive association between positive ERCC1 protein expression and clinical resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy.