Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Transcriptional regulation of the sucrase gene of Staphylococcus xylosus by the repressor ScrR

In Staphylococcus xylosus, scrB is one of two genes necessary for sucrose utilization. It encodes a sucrase that hydrolyzes intracellular sucrose-6-phosphate generated by the uptake of sucrose via the sucrose-specific enzyme II of the phosphotransferase system, the gene product of scrA. ScrB sucrase activity is inducible by the presence of sucrose in the culture medium. Primer extension experiments demonstrated that the observed regulation is achieved at the level of scrB transcription initiation. The protein mediating sucrose-specific regulation of scrB was found to be encoded immediately upstream of the sucrase gene. The nucleotide sequence of the regulatory gene scrR comprises an open reading frame that specifies a protein of 35.8 kDa. This protein exhibits similarity to transcriptional regulators of the GalR-LacI family. Inactivation of the scrR reading frame in the genome of S. xylosus led to the constitutive expression of scrB at a high level, identifying ScrR as a repressor of transcription. Sucrose-specific regulation of scrB was also lost upon deletion of 4 bp of a palindromic sequence (OB) covering positions +6 to +21 downstream of the scrB transcriptional start site. These results suggested a direct interaction of the ScrR repressor and the operator OB. Accordingly, a fusion protein consisting of the maltose-binding protein of Escherichia coli and the ScrR protein was able to interact with an scrB promoter fragment in gel mobility shift experiments but failed to bind an scrB fragment carrying the 4-bp deletion derivative of OB. An scrR promoter fragment, which dose not contain a sequence resembling OB, was not shifted by the fusion protein. This result corroborates scrR primer extension analyses showing that transcription of the repressor gene itself is not regulated. Therefore, the sucrase gene operator OB is the target sequence through which the ScrR protein exerts its negative effect on transcription initiation. In the promoter region of scrA, the gene essential for sucrose transport, two palindromic sequences that are similar to the scrB operator are found. Their presence in scrA suggests that ScrR controls a sucrose-specific regulon in S. xylosus.
Omega-3 enriched egg production: the effect of α -linolenic ω -3 fatty acid sources on laying hen performance and yolk lipid content and fatty acid composition

1. Diets high in total lipids, saturated fatty acids, trans fatty acids, and having high ω-6:ω-3 fatty acid ratios, have been shown to be related to increased instances of coronary heart disease, while diets high in ω-3 fatty acids have been shown to decrease the risk. 2. Feeding ω-3 fatty acid diets to laying hens has been shown to improve the quality of eggs produced in terms of saturation and ω-3 content. 3. A study was undertaken to determine if the ω-3 fatty acid source, when fed to hens, influences the amount transferred to eggs. 4. Flaxseed and flaxseed oil, along with chia seed and chia seed oil, were the two main sources of ω-3 fatty acid examined during the 84 d trial. 5. All α-linolenic enriched treatments yielded significantly higher ω-3 fatty acid contents per g of yolk and per yolk, than the non-α-linolenic enriched diets. Chia oil and chia seed yielded 54·5 and 63·5% more mg of ω-3 fatty acid per g of yolk for the 56 d test period, and 13·4 and 66·2% more for the 84 d test period, than flaxseed oil and flaxseed, respectively. 6. The differences in omega-3 content were significant, except for the chia oil compared with the flax oil, at the end of the trial. 7. This trial has shown that differences in conversion exist among ω-3 fatty acid sources, at least when fed to hens, and indicates that chia may hold a significant potential as a source of ω-3 fatty acid for enriching foods, thereby making these foods a healthier choice for consumers.
The Antidiabetic Effects of The Bioactive Flavonoid (Kaempferol-3-O-β-D-6{P- Coumaroyl} Glucopyranoside) Isolated From Allium cepa.

BACKGROUND Allium cepa has been in use in traditional medicine in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. The aqueous and ethanolic extracts have been found effective in lowering blood glucose levels in experimental diabetic rats and guinea pigs. METHODS The study was carried out to isolate the active principle responsible for the observed hypoglycaemic effect in experimental animals. Freeze-dried aqueous extract of Allium cepa was separated into various fractions using column chromatography with silica gel as a stationary phase. The column was eluted with various ratios of mixtures of hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol. These column fractions obtained were tested for hypoglycaemic effects in alloxan-induced diabetic male rats. The identified active fraction was further separated by means of preparative thin layer chromatography (P-TLC) using silica gel as stationary phase and mixture of solvents chloroform, ethyl acetate, and methanol in the ratio of 10: 4: 1 respectively as the mobile phase. Pre-coated P-TLC plates were used and the fraction bands were identified under u.v. lamp and by spraying with concentrated sulphuric acidvanillin reagent. The isolated bands (Rf 0.438) were scrapped off from the P-TLC plates, redissolved in absolute methanol, filtered and concentrated to dryness. RESULTS The isolated compound's structure was determined be means of one and two dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy as well as comparison with literature data. The isolated compound given at 25 mg/kg dose reduced blood glucose in diabetic rats in manner which was comparable to the effect obtained with 2 mg/kg of glibenclamide (p < 0.05). The structure of the compound was found to be that of kaempferol- 3-O-β - D 6{P-coumaroyl} glucopyranoside. CONCLUSION The research findings have supported the claims that extracts of Allium cepa possess glucose lowering properties in experimental diabetic animals.
Parkinson's disease is associated with hippocampal atrophy

Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) may have hippocampal atrophy compared with controls. We compared hippocampal, and extra‐hippocampal volumes between PD, PDD (patients with PD who have mild cognitive impairment or dementia), Alzheimer's disease (AD) and controls using volumetric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Participants (10 patients with PD, 10 with PDD, 11 with AD, and 12 control subjects) had an informant interview, neurological examination, and psychometric testing. Established, reliable methods were used to measure the hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, temporal, frontal, and parieto‐occipital lobes. Correction for intracranial volume was carried out before comparison. There was no age difference between groups (mean age, 74 years). On the Clinical Dementia Rating scale (CDR) cognitive impairment was mild (CDR = 0.5) in the majority of PDD and AD patients. Hippocampal (P < 0.0004) volumes were smaller in the patient groups. Effect sizes compared with the control group were: PD, 0.66; PDD, 1.22; and AD, 1.81. The other volumes did not differ significantly. Among PD and PDD patients, recognition memory (r = 0.54, P = 0.015) and Mini‐Mental State Examination scores (r = 0.56, P = 0.01) correlated with left, but not right hippocampal volume. In conclusion, hippocampal volume showed a pattern (Control > PD > PDD > AD) suggesting progressive hippocampal volume loss in PD. Volumetric MRI imaging might provide an early marker for dementia in PD. © 2003 Movement Disorder Society
Lesions of the prelimbic prefrontal cortex prevent response conflict produced by action–outcome associations

Rats with prelimbic (PL) cortex lesions were tested on a discrete-trial discrimination where food rewards were used as both discriminative cues and reinforcing outcomes. On incongruent trials, the discriminative cue food differed from the outcome food; on congruent trials they were the same. When cue and outcome foods differ, a conflict is created between the response directly promoted by the food as a cue (mediated by stimulus–response, S–R, associations) and the response indirectly promoted by the food as an outcome (mediated via action–outcome associations). No conflict is produced when cue and outcome foods are the same. Sham-lesioned rats acquired the discrimination more slowly for incongruent trials than for congruent trials, and incongruent trials were more susceptible to disruption by delay. In contrast there was no difference between congruent and incongruent trial types in PL-lesioned animals during acquisition or delay testing. Delays between cue and response had greater overall effects on lesioned than on sham-lesioned animals. These results are consistent with the behaviour of PL-lesioned animals being controlled by S–R associations with no response conflict due to interference from action–outcome associations.
A Capital Structure Channel of Monetary Policy

Abstract We study the transmission channels from central banks’ quantitative easing programs via the banking sector when central banks start purchasing corporate bonds. We find evidence consistent with a “capital structure channel” of monetary policy. The announcement of central bank purchases reduces the bond yields of firms whose bonds are eligible for central bank purchases. These firms substitute bank term loans with bond debt, thereby relaxing banks’ lending constraints: banks with low tier-1 ratios and high nonperforming loans increase lending to private (and profitable) firms, which experience a growth in investment. The credit reallocation increases banks’ risk-taking in corporate credit.
Case control MR‐CISS and 3D TOF MRA imaging study of medullary compression and hypertension in hemifacial spasm

The association between ventro‐lateral medulla (VLM) compression and hypertension has not been compared between hemifacial spasm (HFS) and healthy controls using advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques specific for detecting neurovascular compression. We conducted a MR‐constructive interference in a steady state (CISS) and Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) imaging study of VLM compression in hypertensive HFS patients and hypertensive controls compared with healthy controls without hypertension. A total of 125 subjects, including 45 HFS, 51 healthy controls, and 29 hypertensive controls were included. When compared with healthy controls, there was a higher prevalence of VLM compression in hypertensive HFS (82.2% vs. 41.2%, P < 0.001, odds ratio = 6.61, 95% CI 2.37–19.48), and hypertensive controls (72.4% vs. 41.2%, P = 0.007, odds ratio = 3.75, 95% CI 1.42–9.89). Although the prevalence in hypertensive HFS was higher compared to controls with hypertension, this was not significant (82.2% vs. 72.4%). Compared to healthy controls, there was an increasing proportion of higher compression scores on the right (P = 0.001) and left (P = 0.038) (chi square for trend) in hypertensive HFS and hypertensive controls. Kruskal‐Wallis test revealed that the mean right compression score on the right (P = 0.003), left (P = 0.026) and the mean bilateral compression score (P < 0.0001) was higher in hypertensive HFS and hypertensive controls compared to healthy controls. MR‐CISS and MRA imaging revealed a greater likelihood of VLM compression in hypertensive HFS and hypertensive controls compared to healthy controls. Our case control study provides further support that VLM compression is associated with hypertension in HFS. © 2008 Movement Disorder Society
Glycemic index, glycemic load and childhood obesity: A systematic review

Background: Several evidences have been reported so far in terms of the relationship between obesity and glycemic index and glycemic load in children. However, the number of review studies that have dealt with recent findings is quite low. The purpose of present study is to review the existing evidences in this regard. Materials and Methods: First of all, the phrases: "Glycaemic index", "Glycaemic load", "Glycemic index" OR "Glycemic load" accompanied by one of the words: "Adolescent", "Young", "Youth" "Children" OR "Child" were searched in texts of articles existing in ISI and PUBMED databases which were obtained out of 1001 articles. Among these, some articles, which reviewed the relationship of obesity with glycemic index and glycemic load, were selected. Finally, 20 articles were studied in current review study. Results: The majority of cross-sectional studies have found children′s obesity directly linked with glycemic index and glycemic load; however, cohort studies found controversial results. Also, the intervention studies indicate the negative effect of glycemic index and glycemic load on obesity in children. Conclusion: Published evidences reported inconsistent results. It seems that existing studies are not sufficient and more studies are needed in this regard.
Enchytraeid abundance in Araucaria Mixed Forest determined by cold and hot wet extraction.

Enchytraeids are small oligochaetes found worldwide in soils with sufficient moisture and organic matter, but scarcely studied in the Southern hemisphere. This is the third study on enchytraeid abundance in Brazil using wet extraction and the first carried out in Araucaria Mixed Forest (subtropical region). The sampling and extraction were based on the standard method ISO 23611-3/2007 using an adapted split soil corer and wet extraction with and without heat to assess the abundance of enchytraeids in a forest fragment at Embrapa Forestry in Colombo, Paraná State. The samplings were performed in 3 occasions between September 2011 and April 2012. The average numbers estimated by each method varied from appr. 2.000-12.000 (cold) and 5.000-12.000 ind. / m2 (hot), respectively, with a maximum of 44.000 ind. / m2 in one of the samples, the highest value reported so far in Brazil. The hot extraction was more advantageous, given the speed and preservation of the specimens in vivo, allowing taxonomic identification. Advantages and disadvantages of wet extractions compared to handsorting and formol methods are also discussed. Guaranidrilus, Hemienchytraeus, Enchytraeus, Fridericia and Achaeta were the genera identified in the samples.
Abundance of Interstitial Eosinophils in Renal Allografts Is Associated with Vascular Rejection

Background. The authors investigated the possible relevance of significant interstitial graft eosinophilic infiltrate (SIGEI) to the pathologic diagnosis of renal transplants. Methods. The authors performed a clinical and pathologic review of 29 consecutive patients with renal allograft failure and nephrectomy. As a result of their size, such specimens are more conducive than biopsies to the investigation of large blood vessels. SIGEI was diagnosed when eosinophils represented 10% or more of the interstitial inflammatory infiltrate. Vascular rejection was graded according to the Banff criteria. Risk for allergic interstitial nephritis and immunosuppression at the time of the nephrectomy—high dose, minimal, or none—was determined from the clinical history. Results. SIGEI was observed in 13 of the 29 patients and was absent in 16. Vascular (Banff type II) rejection was present in 11 of 13 cases with SIGEI and in 9 of 16 cases without SIGEI. The relation between SIGEI and Banff type II rejection was statistically significant: in 14 patients on high-dose immunosuppression, vascular rejection was present in all 5 cases with SIGEI, whereas in the 9 grafts without SIGEI, only 3 had vascular rejection (P=0.04). The authors did not find an association between SIGEI and risk for iatrogenic interstitial nephritis: SIGEI was seen in only 4 of 15 patients with high or moderate iatrogenic risk. Conclusions. In this series of allograft nephrectomies, SIGEI was significantly associated with vascular rejection (Banff type II) but not with risk of allergic iatrogenic nephritis, suggesting that the presence of SIGEI may be a helpful criterion in the pathologic diagnosis of renal allografts.
Both Epsilon-Toxin and Beta-Toxin Are Important for the Lethal Properties of Clostridium perfringens Type B Isolates in the Mouse Intravenous Injection Model

ABSTRACT Clostridium perfringens is capable of producing up to 15 toxins, including alpha-toxin (CPA), beta-toxin (CPB), epsilon-toxin (ETX), enterotoxin, beta2-toxin (CPB2), and perfringolysin O. Type B isolates, which must produce CPA, CPB, and ETX, are associated with animal illnesses characterized by sudden death or acute neurological signs, with or without intestinal damage. Type B pathogenesis in ruminants is poorly understood, with some animals showing lesions and clinical signs similar to those caused by either type C or type D infections. It is unknown whether host or environmental conditions are dominant for determining the outcome of type B disease or if disease outcomes are determined by variable characteristics of type B isolates. To help clarify this issue, 19 type B isolates were evaluated for toxin production during late-log-phase growth via quantitative Western blotting and by biological activity assays. Most type B isolates produced CPB levels similar to those produced by type C isolates in vitro and have the potential to produce genotype C-like disease. The lethality of type B isolate supernatants administered intravenously to mice was evaluated with or without prior trypsin treatment, and monoclonal antibody neutralization studies also were performed. Correlation analyses comparing toxin levels in type B supernatants versus lethality and neutralization studies both found that the main contributor to lethality without pretreatment with trypsin was CPB, whereas neutralization studies indicated that CPB and ETX were both important after trypsin pretreatment. At least part of the CPB produced by type B isolates remained active after trypsin treatment. However, the overall lethalities of most supernatants were lower after trypsin pretreatment. Also, there was a significant association between ETX, CPB2, and CPA production in vitro among type B isolates. However, our results suggest that both CPB and ETX are likely the most important contributors to the pathogenesis of C. perfringens type B infections in domestic animals.
Seasonal changes in the human alteration of fire regimes beyond the climate forcing

Human activities have altered fire regimes for millennia by suppressing or enhancing natural fire activity. However, whether these anthropogenic pressures on fire activity have exceeded and will surpass climate forcing still remains uncertain. We tested if, how and the extent to which seasonal fire activity in southern France has recently (1976–2009) deviated from climate-expected trends. The latter were simulated using an ensemble of detrended fire–climate models. We found both seasonal and regional contrasts in climatic effects through a mixture of drought-driven and fuel-limited fire regimes. Dry contemporary conditions chiefly drove fire frequency and burned area, although higher fire activity was related to wetter conditions in the last three years. Surprisingly, the relative importance of preceding wet conditions was higher in winter than in summer, illustrating the strong potential dependency of regional fire–climate relationships on the human use and control of fires. In the Mediterranean mountains, warm winters and springs favour extensive fires in the following dry summer. These results highlight that increasing dryness with climate change could have antagonistic effects on fire regime by leading to larger fires in summer (moisture-limited), but lower fire activity in winter (fuel-limited fire regime). Furthermore, fire trends have significantly diverged from climatic expectations, with a strong negative alteration in fire activity in the Mediterranean lowlands and the summer burned area in the mountains. In contrast, alteration of winter fire frequency in the Mediterranean and Temperate mountains has shifted from positive to negative (or null) trends during the mid-1990s, a period when fire suppression policy underwent major revisions. Our findings demonstrate that changes in land-use and fire suppression policy have probably exceeded the strength of climate change effects on changing fire regime in southern Europe, making regional predictions of future fires highly challenging.
Effects of feeding a high-grain diet at a restricted intake on lactation performance and rebreeding of ewes.

Fifty-six mature Polypay ewes were used in two experiments to examine the effects of feeding a high-grain diet at a restricted intake on milk production and composition, lamb performance and out-of-season breeding. Ewes were fed either a high-grain diet (85% concentrate and 15% forage) or a high-forage diet. The high-forage diets were 68% forage and 32% concentrate in Experiment 1 and 80% forage and 20% concentrate in Experiment 2. Forage forage and 20% concentrate in Experiment 2. Forage source was orchardgrass hay (Experiment 1) or alfalfa cubes (Experiment 2). Feed intake of the high-grain diet was restricted by 20% (compared with ewes fed high forage) so that intake of energy was similar for both dietary groups. Daily milk production was 19% higher (P < .05) in Exp. 1 and 8% higher (P < .10) in Exp. 2 for ewes fed high grain than for those fed high forage (2.71 vs 2.28 kg/d and 3.18 vs 2.95 kg/d in Exp. 1 and 2, respectively). Milk protein percentage and daily amount of milk protein were higher (P < .05) and the percentage of milk fat was lower (P < .03) for ewes fed the high-grain diet than for those fed the high-forage diet. Diet did not affect milk fat production (grams/day) or lamb growth rate. In both experiments blood insulin concentration was higher for ewes fed the high-grain diet than for those fed the high-forage diet; however, no improvements in reproductive performance were observed. Limit feeding high-grain diets is an effective alternative to forage for lactating ewes.
Cabergoline in acromegaly: a renewed role for dopamine agonist treatment?

OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN Eighteen active acromegalics entered a prospective open study with cabergoline (CAB), a dopaminergic drug much more potent than bromocriptine (Br). METHODS CAB was administered for 6 months at doses ranging between 0.5 mg twice weekly and 0.5 mg/day. Clinical-anamnestic characteristics of the patients were: (i) sensitivity to dopamine agonist drugs (10 patients); (ii) resistance to somatostatin analogs (SAs) (8 patients): (iii) intolerance to SA (3 patients). In 2 patients marked hyperprolactinemia was present. RESULTS Basal GH was 6.6 microg/l (2.2-50) (median (range)), and on treatment it was 3.5 microg/l (1.2-34) (P=0.013). The corresponding IGF-I values were 720 microg/l (410-1438) and 375 microg/l (167-1260) respectively (P=0.00001). Individual GH levels decreased below 2 microg/l in 5 patients, and between 2 and 5 microg/l in another 5 patients. IGF-I levels were suppressed below 50% of baseline in 8 patients and normal age-adjusted IGF-I values were reached in 5 patients (27% of the series). The retrospective comparison with previous chronic treatment with Br in the 10 suitable patients showed a greater effectiveness of CAB (IGF-I decrease on CAB treatment, 46.8%, on Br treatment, 31%, P=0.02). Adenoma shrank in the 3 patients whose pituitary imaging was repeated during CAB. CONCLUSIONS These results envisage that CAB may represent a worthy therapeutic tool in acromegalic patients, inducing a degree of IGF-I and GH suppression comparable to SAs, administered by the oral route and much less expensive.
APPROACHES TO MANAGEMENT OF DISCIPLINE IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KENYA

In Kenya, each secondary school has its own unique way of maintaining discipline within the school. However, there are common methods of discipline that most schools use like school rules, punishment, and guidance and counselling. All these methods to some extent have helped the schools to manage discipline problems. For effective management of discipline, the cooperation between the head, staff, students, parents and the community is essential. In view of the causes of student indiscipline in secondary schools in Kenya, various stakeholders have made suggestions regarding how this problem can be addressed The paper discusses the role of the various stakeholders in the management of discipline in schools in