Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Enzymatic Synthesis of Stable, Odorless, and Powdered Furanone Glucosides by Sucrose Phosphorylase

Sucrose phosphorylase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides catalyzed transglucosylation from sucrose to 4-hydroxy-3(2H)-furanone derivatives. When 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone (HDMF) and 2-ethyl-4-hydroxy-5-methyl-3(2H)-furanone or 5-ethyl-4-hydroxy-2-methyl-3(2H)-furanone (EHMF) were used as acceptors, their transfer ratios were more than 45%. In the case of glucosylation of HDMF, the major transfer product was identified as 2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone 4-O-α-D-glucopyranoside (DMF-G). In the case of glucosylation of EHMF, two major transfer products were obtained, and their structures were identified as 2-ethyl-5-methyl-3(2H)-furanone 4-O-α-D-glucopyranoside (2E5MF-G) and 5-ethyl-2-methyl-3(2H)-furanone 4-O-α-D-glucopyranoside (5E2MF-G) on the bases of spectrometric investigations. These glucosides were more stable than each aglycone. The glucosylated HDMF, DMF-G, was an odorless chemical, on the other hand, HDMF had a pineapple flavor. The glucosylated EHMF (EMF-G) were white odorless powders, though aglycone EHMF was a pale yellow syrup like a caramel with an intense sweet odor. Although DMF-G and EMF-G showed little radical-scavenging activity, hydrolyzates of these glucosides by an intestinal acetone powder from pigs had antioxidative activity as well as their aglycones. It was suggested that these glucosides improved some physical properties and may become prodrugs by glucosylation.
Prevalence, stability, 1-year incidence and predictors of depressive symptoms among Norwegian adolescents in the general population as measured by the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire

Abstract Background In numerous surveys the prevalence of depressive symptoms in adolescents has been examined in single sites and at one time point. Aims We examined depressive symptoms among adolescents aged 10–19 years in four different large school samples including two cohorts over a 10-year period in different locations in the same health region in central Norway including a total of 5804 adolescents. Two cohorts were retested within a 1-year time period to predict high versus low depressive symptom scores. Changes over a 6-year period in depressive symptom levels were examined in two of the samples of 12–14-year olds. Methods Depressive symptoms were estimated by the 13-item Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ). Covariates were student age, sex, school size and location. Results “Miserable or unhappy”, “Tired”, “Restlessness” and “Poor concentration” were the most commonly reported depressive symptoms. Depressive symptom levels and proportions of high scoring students were consistently higher among girls, in particular in mid and late adolescence. Poisson regression analysis showed that all SMFQ items significantly predicted total scores for the whole sample, while sex (girls having a higher risk) emerged as a consistent 1-year predictor of high depressive symptom levels. Conclusions The SMFQ constitutes a short, practical and feasible measure. We recommend that this standardized measure should be used in the assessment of depressive symptoms among adolescents in school, primary care and clinical settings but also to evaluate treatment outcome. High scorers should be evaluated in subsequent clinical interviews for the presence of a depressive disorder.
[Evaluation of the patients in Van Training and Research Hospital following the 2011 Van earthquake in Turkey].

BACKGROUND On 23 October 2011, an earthquake occurred in the city of Van, Turkey. This earthquake was an enormous devastating disaster and caused mass casualties. The descriptive analysis presented here serves as a reference not only for the present injury profile but also for future disaster response. METHODS This is a retrospective study based on the medical records of earthquake victims admitted to Van Training and Research Hospital. The results were compared with the current literature. RESULTS 1582 earthquake victims (806 male, 776 female, mean age 36.9 years) were admitted to emergency service. 301 of the patients were treated with hospital care in different departments: 84 (27.9%) in orthopedics surgery, 40 (13.2%) in general and pediatric surgery, 26 (9%) in thorax surgery, 34 (11%) in neurosurgery, 56 (19%) in internal medicine, 39 (13%) in the intensive care unit, and 22 (7%) in other departments. The total number of deceased was 60. CONCLUSION To minimize mortality and morbidity after earthquake disaster, immediate and effective triage should be done, and after the patients are transported to the hospital, individualized treatment should be planned according to the patients' respective clinical features. Coherent collaboration between many departments is vital.
Nanomedicine for prion disease treatment

Despite their devastating impact, no effective therapeutic yet exists for prion diseases at the symptomatic stage in humans or animals. Progress is hampered by the difficulty in identifying compounds that affect PrPSc and the necessity of any potential therapeutic to gain access to the CNS. Synthetic polymers known as dendrimers are a particularly promising candidate in this area. Studies with cell culture models of prion disease and prion infected brain homogenate have demonstrated that numerous species of dendrimers eliminate PrPSc in a dose and time dependent fashion and specific glycodendrimers are capable of crossing the CNS. However, despite their potential a number of important questions remained unanswered such as what makes an effective dendrimer and how dendrimers eliminate prions intracellularly. In a number of recent studies we have tackled these questions and revealed for the first time that a specific dendrimer can inhibit the intracellular conversion of PrPC to PrPSc and that a high density of surface reactive groups is a necessity for dendrimers in vitro anti-prion activity. Understanding how a therapeutic works is a vital component in maximising its activity and these studies therefore represent a significant development in the race to find effective treatments for prion diseases.
Egg jelly layers of Xenopus laevis are unique in ultrastructure and sugar distribution

Jelly coats surrounding the eggs of the South African clawed toad, Xenopus laevis, consist of three transparent, gelatinous layers: the innermost layer (J1), the middle layer (J2), and the outer layer (J3). The distribution of N‐acetylglucosamine within these jelly coats, as probed with FITC‐conjugated wheat germ agglutinin (WGA‐FITC), and the matrix ultrastructure of each layer, as visualized in platinum replicas produced by the quick‐freeze, deep‐etch, and rotary‐shadowing technique, suggests that each layer has a unique fiber and glycoprotein composition. J1 extends nearly 200 μm from the egg surface and exhibits no WGA‐FITC staining. Stereo images of platinum replicas indicates that J1 consists of a tightly knit network of 5–10 nm fibers decorated with 10–20 nm particulate components. In contrast, J2 is a relatively thin layer, extending only 25–40 μm from the outer aspect of J1. When visualized by confocal microscopy, J2 displays a multilayered WGA‐FITC staining pattern. The ultrastructure of J2 consists of sheets of fine fibers that run parallel to one another and that can be identified by their ability to bind WGA‐colloidal gold. The fibers of each sheet run at an oblique angle to fibers in neighboring layers. J3 extends 100 μm or more from J2. The WGA‐FITC staining pattern shows high intensity in its outer region and less intensity in regions closer to J2. Like J1, the J3 ultrastructure consists of a network of 5–10 nm fibers, decorated with 10–20 nm particulate components. The results of these studies add to a growing body of information that suggests the jelly coats surrounding the eggs of many animals consist of a fibrous glycoprotein superstructure that acts as a scaffold to which globular glycoproteins are bound. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Incidence of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or worse in colposcopy‐negative/human papillomavirus‐positive women with low‐grade cytological abnormalities

Please cite this paper as: Kelly R, Walker P, Kitchener H, Moss S. Incidence of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or worse in colposcopy‐negative/human papillomavirus‐positive women with low‐grade cytological abnormalities. BJOG 2012;119:20–25.
Semen characteristics and fertility of rabbits subjected to exhaustive use

Up to 26 ejaculations were obtained from male rabbits within a period of 8 hours. During the next 20 days, further ejaculates were collected to establish the pattern of restoration of normal values. Repeated ejaculation resulted in a marked and progressive decline in the 3 semen characters examined; sperm density returned only slowly (3 weeks) to the initial level whereas fructose and volume, in particular, responded much faster. No significant effect of ejaculate order on fertility, litter size or sex ratio was demonstrated.
Advantageous Comparison and the Slippery Slope to Fraud

Schrand and Zechman (2011) posit that economic factors can drive managers down the “slippery slope” of earnings management, in which the amount of earnings management by a company increases over time. This paper proposes that psychological forces can further encourage individuals to slide down the slippery slope. I show that, under certain circumstances, engaging in a small amount of earnings management alters the manager’s beliefs about the appropriateness of the act, which makes further earnings management more likely. Specifically, I predict and find in two experiments that making an initial decision to manage earnings creates a desire for rationalization. Participants presented with an egregious example of earnings management, which are commonly the focus of enforcement actions and press reports, engage in rationalization through a mechanism called “advantageous comparison” by which they conclude that what they did was relatively innocuous and therefore appropriate. My analysis also indicates that participants do not infer a signal about regulator intentions or the commonality of earnings management from the egregious example, and that presenting participants with an article detailing a similar example of earnings management mitigates advantageous comparison. These results have implications for academics interested in how fraud might occur over time and for regulators and practitioners who are interested in preventing it.
Preliminary study of the effect of FK506 nanospheric-suspension eye drops on rejection of penetrating keratoplasty.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a topical FK506 nanospheric suspension in a rat model of penetrating keratoplasty. METHODS FK506 nanospheres were prepared by using a biodegradable poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) copolymer (PLGA). Its distribution in the eye and blood after a single instillation was examined in rabbits. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats received corneal heterografts and were topically treated with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), PLGA, FK-506 0.01% (nanospheres), or dexamethasone 0.05% solutions twice a day for 28 days. Rejection index and graft-survival time were recorded and compared between the four groups. Three grafts were collected at different time points for immunohistochemical studies. RESULTS In the cornea, the FK-506 concentration reached its peak within 1 h of a single eye-drop instillation and then decreased by half (1667.85 +/- 611.87 ng/g) at 8 h. FK-506 cannot be detected in rabbit blood. There were significant differences in the graft-survival time between the FK-506 nanosphere group (15.09 +/- 4.81 days) and the other three groups [PBS (7.90 +/- 1.20, t = -4.594, P < 0.001), PLGA (8.44 +/- 0.88, t = - 4.074, P = 0.001) and dexamethasone (10.44 +/- 1.42, t = -2.790, P = 0.012)]. The rejected corneas in the FK506 nanosphere group showed significantly fewer CD4, CD8, CD68, CD79, vascular endothelial growth factor, ICAM, and tumor growth factor-beta(1)-positive cells than those in the other groups. CONCLUSIONS FK506 0.01% nanospheric-suspension eye drops delayed the occurrence of corneal allograft rejection and prolonged allograft survival time. The FK506 nanospheres may be valuable in suppressing corneal graft rejection.
Prevalence of periimplant disease in partially edentulous patients: a practice-based cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES Evaluation of the prevalence rates of periimplant mucositis and periimplantitis in partially edentulous patients in a private dental practice. MATERIAL AND METHODS The data of 89 patients were collected (52 female, 37 male, age at time of implant placement: 51.8 ± 10.3 years). All patients had been treated with dental implants of the same type and fixed superstructures between January 1999 and June 2006 (observational period: 68.2 ± 24.8 months). RESULTS The patient-related prevalence rate of periimplant mucositis (probing depth ≥ 4 mm and bleeding on probing [BOP]) was over all 44.9%. The respective rates in non-smokers without periodontal history were 30.4% and in smokers with periodontal history 80%. The multiple logistic regression analysis identified a significant association of mucositis with the independent variable "smoker" (odds ratio [OR] 3.77; P = 0.023). The patient-related prevalence rate of periimplantitis (probing depth ≥ 5 mm, BOP/pus, radiographic bone loss) was 11.2% (smokers with periodontal history: 53.3%, non-smokers: 2.8%). No periimplant disease was diagnosed in non-smoking patients without periodontal history and with a good compliance after treatment. Statistical analysis identified a significant association of periimplantitis with "smoker" (OR: 31.58; P<0.001) and "compliance" (OR: 0.09; P = 0.011). Periodontal history in general showed no significant association with periimplantitis. CONCLUSIONS Smoking and compliance are important risk factors for periimplant inflammations in partially edentulous patients.
Chemotaxis of Salmonella typhimurium to Amino Acids and Some Sugars

Patterns of chemotaxis by Salmonella typhimurium strain LT-2 to l-amino acids and to several sugars were quantitated by the Adler capillary procedure. Competition experiments indicated that LT-2 possesses three predominant receptors, or interacting sets of receptors, for amino acids. These were termed the aspartate, serine, and alanine classes, respectively. Studies with strains carrying point and deletion mutations affecting components of the phosphoenolpyruvate: glycose phosphotransferase system (PTS) made unlikely a role in primary reception of d-glucose by the three soluble PTS components, namely HPr, enzyme I, and factor III. A ptsG mutant defective in membrane-bound enzyme IIB′ of the high-affinity glucose transport system was shown to exhibit normal chemotaxis providing pleiotropic effects of the mutation were eliminated by its genotypic combination with other pts mutations or, phenotypically, by addition of cyclic AMP and substrate. A correlation was demonstrated between chemotaxis to glucose and activity of the low-affinity glucose transport complex, membrane-bound enzymes IIB:IIA, and an enzyme IIB:IIA mutant was shown to have a preponderant defect in chemotaxis to glucose and mannose. Of four systems capable of galactose transport, only the β-methylgalactoside transport system was implicated in chemotaxis to galactose. Some properties of a mutant possibly defective in processing of signals for chemotaxis to sugars is described.
Is elective cesarean section associated with a higher risk of asthma? A meta-analysis

Abstract Background: Recent meta-analyses indicate that children delivered by cesarean section have increased risk for asthma. However, the studies included in these previous meta-analyses showed significant heterogeneity. Furthermore, no previous meta-analysis has distinguished the association of elective and emergency CS, spontaneous and instrumental vaginal deliveries (VD) with the odds of asthma. Objective: To examine the association between specific mode of delivery and the prevalence of asthma. Methods: PUBMED, Google Scholar, EMBASE, and MEDLINE were searched to identify relevant studies. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated from the prevalence of asthma in children born by elective CS, emergent CS, instrumental VD and spontaneous VD. Meta-analysis was then used to derive a combined OR. Heterogeneity between studies was also tested in the findings. Results: A total of 26 studies were identified. The overall meta-analysis revealed an increase in the risk of asthma in children delivered by CS (OR = 1.16, 95% CI 1.14, 1.29), and no evidence of heterogeneity was found (I2 = 24.6%). Elective and emergency CS moderately increased the risk of asthma (OR = 1.21, 95% CI 1.17, 1.25; I2 = 39.9%; OR = 1.23, 95% CI 1.19–1.26). The risk of asthma was also higher in the children born by instrumental VD (OR = 1.07, 95% CI, 1.04–1.11) but with evidence of heterogeneity (I2 = 54.9%). Conclusion: About 20% increase in the subsequent risk of asthma was both found in children delivered by elective and emergency CS. The increasing rates of CS worldwide might partly explain the concomitant rise in asthma during the same time period.
Production, purification, and characterization of xylanase from a hyperxylanolytic mutant of Aspergillus ochraceus

Enhancement of the productivity of xylanase and β‐xy‐losidase of Aspergillus ochraceus was investigated by multistep mutagenesis. The spores of the wild strain were subjected to UV and N‐methyl‐N‐nitro‐N‐nitro‐soguanidine (NTG). The hyperxylanolytic mutant (NG‐13), which showed good clearing on the surface of the xylan‐agar plate, secretes xylanase and β‐xylosidase at high levels during growth on commercial xylan and on agricultural wastes. Both liquid and solid state cultures were employed in the study for enzyme production. The xylanase from NG‐13 was purified to homogeneity by ammonium sulfate precipitation and gel filtration. This purified enzyme showed a pH optimum of 6.0 and was stable in the range of pH 5 to 10. Prolonged stability of the enzyme was observed at 45°C though its activity was maximal at 50°C. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be 4.3 × 104 by SDS‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and 5 × 104 by gel filtration on Sephadex G‐75. The kinetic data showed that the Km and Vmax values for xylan were 1 × 10−3M and 19.6 μmol/ min/mg protein, respectively. The enzyme was both more active and thermostable in the presence of K+and was inactivated by thiol reagents such as Hg2+, p‐hydroxymercuribenzoate (PHMB), 3′, 5′‐dithiobis (2′‐nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB), and N‐ethylmaleimide (NEM).
Factors Influencing Continuation of Breastfeeding in a Cohort of Women

The objective of this studywas to prospectively explore the influence ofwomen’s experiences in preparing for and establishing breastfeeding on the duration of breastfeeding. A cohort of 490 women was surveyed at intervals during pregnancy and after giving birth. Data were collected on breastfeeding outcomes and experiences and analyzed using multiple logistic regression. After controlling for sociodemographic variables, women were less likely to be still fully breastfeeding at 6 to 10 weeks postpartum if they believed they needed more breastfeeding information prior to delivery or had experienced breastfeeding problems. Women were less likely to be fully breastfeeding at 4 months postpartum if they had experienced breastfeeding problems. This prospective study demonstrated the influence ofwomen’s preparedness for breastfeeding and their experiences in establishing breastfeeding on breastfeeding duration. Improvements in prenatal education about breastfeeding and management of breastfeeding problems are likely to increase breastfeeding duration.
Characterization of glycosaminoglycans in tubular epithelial cells: calcium oxalate and oxalate ions effects.

BACKGROUND The interaction between tubular epithelial cells and calcium oxalate crystals or oxalate ions is a very precarious event in the lithogenesis. Urine contains ions, glycoproteins and glycosaminoglycans that inhibit the crystallization process and may protect the kidney against lithogenesis. We examined the effect of oxalate ions and calcium oxalate crystals upon the synthesis of glycosaminoglycans in distal [Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK)] and proximal (LLC-PK1) tubular cell lines. METHODS Glycosaminoglycan synthesis was analyzed by metabolic labeling with (35)S-sulfate and enzymatic digestion with specific mucopolysaccharidases. Cell death was assessed by fluorescent dyes and crystal endocytosis was analised by flow cytometry. RESULTS The main glycosaminoglycans synthesized by both cells were chondroitin sulfate and heparan sulfate most of them secreted to the culture medium or present at cellular surface. Exposition of MDCK cells to oxalate ions increased apoptosis rate and the incorporation of (35)S-sulfate in chondroitin sulfate and heparan sulfate, while calcium oxalate crystals were endocyted by LLC-PK1, induced necrotic cell death, and increased (35)S-sulfate incorporation in glycosaminoglycans. These effects seem to be specific and due to increased biosynthesis, since hydroxyapatite and other carboxylic acid did not induced cellular death or glycosaminoglycan synthesis and no changes in sulfation degree or molecular weight of glycosaminoglycans could be detected. Thapsigargin inhibited the glycosaminoglycan synthesis induced by calcium oxalate in LLC-PK1, suggesting that this effect was sensitive to the increase in cytosolic calcium. CONCLUSION Tubular cells may increase the synthesis of glycosaminoglycans to protect from the toxic insult of calcium oxalate crystals and oxalate ions, what could partially limit the lithogenesis.
Tissue‐specific NK cell populations and their origin

Tissue‐specific NK cell subpopulations are found in adult gut, liver, and endometrium, as well as other sites in the body. Some differ phenotypically and functionally from pbNK cells, and their origin is disputed. In this review, we discuss tissue‐specific NK cells and suggest that subpopulations differentiate in situ from tissue‐resident hematopoietic progenitor cells. The understanding of the origins and maturation requirements of tissue‐specific NK cells could lead to new classes of immunotherapy for organ‐specific pathologies of infectious and malignant origin.
Hippocampal cell genesis does not correlate with spatial learning ability in aged rats

Aging in rodents is known to lead to deficits in spatial learning and memory, including decreased performance on the Morris water maze. Recent attention has focused on the possible role of adult hippocampal neurogenesis in regulating spatial learning and memory. Therefore, in this study, we have examined levels of hippocampal cell proliferation in relation to water maze performance in aged and young male Fischer 344 rats. Aged rats (24 months old) were divided into aged‐unimpaired and aged‐impaired groups based on comparison with performance of young animals. Animals received five daily injections of the thymidine‐analog bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and were killed 1 week later. Total numbers of BrdU‐labeled cells were quantified in the hippocampal dentate gyrus and hilus and were related to behavioral performance. Whereas aging was associated with a significant reduction in the number of BrdU‐labeled cells, behavioral impairment with aging was not associated with a further reduction in BrdU labeling. In the context of aging, these finding do not support a direct relationship of adult hippocampal neurogenesis with learning and memory capability. J. Comp. Neurol. 459:201–207, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.