Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Susceptibility of Cry 1 Ab-resistant and-susceptible sugarcane borer ( Lepidoptera : Crambidae ) to four Bacillus thuringiensis toxins q

Sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (F.), is a primary corn stalk borer pest targeted by transgenic corn expressing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) proteins in many areas of the mid-southern region of the United States. Recently, genes encoding for Cry1A.105 and Cry2Ab2 Bt proteins were transferred into corn plants (event MON 89034) for controlling lepidopteran pests. This new generation of Bt corn with stacked-genes of Cry1A.105 and Cry2Ab2 will become commercially available in 2009. Susceptibility of Cry1Ab-susceptible and -resistant strains of D. saccharalis were evaluated on four selected Bt proteins including Cry1Aa, Cry1Ac, Cry1A.105, and Cry2Ab2. The Cry1Ab-resistant strain is capable of completing its larval development on commercial Cry1Ab-expressing corn plants. Neonates of D. saccharalis were assayed on a meridic diet containing one of the four Cry proteins. Larval mortality, body weight, and number of surviving larvae that did not gain significant weight (<0.1 mg per larva) were recorded after 7 days. Cry1Aa was the most toxic protein against both insect strains, followed in decreasing potency by Cry1A.105, Cry1Ac, and Cry2Ab2. Using practical mortality (larvae either died or no significant weight gain after 7 days), the median lethal concentration (LC50) of the Cry1Ab-resistant strain was estimated to be >80-, 45-, 4.1-, and 0.5-fold greater than that of the susceptible strain to Cry1Aa, Cry1Ac, Cry1A.105 and Cry2Ab2 proteins, respectively. This information should be useful to support the commercialization of the new Bt corn event MON 89034 for managing D. saccharalis in the mid-southern region of the United States. 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
HEARD: An automatic human EAR detection technique

A new class of biometrics based upon ear features was introduced for use in the development of passive identification. This paper presents an efficient technique for automatic ear detection from side face images. The proposed technique detects human's ear without any training or assumption of prior knowledge about the input image, and it does not need any human intervention so it can be used successfully in a fully automated ear recognition system. Two new features have been proposed for ear detection: the first represents elongation and is expressed by the ratio between the boundary's width and height. The second describes compactness and is measured by the ratio between the number of pixels composing the boundary's area and the number of pixels composing its perimeter. Each ratio should exceed a certain threshold for human's ear. Moreover, the proposed approach relies on the fact that the ear is a semi rounded boundary which contains other smaller semi rounded boundaries. The proposed technique uses the roundness as another feature. In human's ear, roundness falls within a certain range. Using these three features better detection performance is achieved and less time was needed. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach.
Perspectiva de tutores y de empresas sobre el desarrollo de las competencias básicas de empleabilidad en el marco de los programas de formación profesional básica

El presente articulo analiza la percepcion que tutores y empresas colaboradoras de los programas de cualificacion profesional inicial —PCPI— tienen sobre el perfil competencial de los jovenes en relacion con las competencias basicas de empleabilidad. Ademas, muestra como el diseno y el desarrollo de estos programas formativos —entendiendose como una herramienta que ayuda a los alumnos a crecer desde el punto de vista competencial— facilitan la adquisicion de dichas competencias.El trabajo aqui presentado se caracteriza por emplear una metodologia de caracter cualitativo, donde se analizan y se interpretan los datos obtenidos a partir de entrevistas semiestructuradas aplicadas a una muestra de 17 tutores y 9 responsables de empresas de 17 PCPI, realizadas en 7 municipios del area metropolitana de Barcelona. Los resultados muestran una complementariedad entre la vision academica de los tutores de los centros docentes y la vision laboral de las empresas, al mismo tiempo que presentan una divergencia entre la valoracion positiva del perfil competencial de los jovenes por parte de las empresas —aunque con muchas posibilidades de mejora— y la valoracion no tan positiva por parte de los tutores.En la actualidad, estos programas de formacion profesional basica se consideran un recurso para impulsar la empleabilidad de los jovenes que se encuentran en riesgo de exclusion, puesto que favorecen su reincorporacion al sistema educativo y aumentan sus posibilidades de insercion laboral.
Effects of temperature on cycle length dependent changes and restitution of action potential duration in guinea pig ventricular muscle.

OBJECTIVE The aim was to investigate the effects of temperature on cycle length dependent changes of action potential duration and on restitution of action potential duration. METHODS Guinea pig papillary muscle action potentials were recorded using conventional microelectrode techniques. Action potential duration was measured at cycle lengths ranging from 500 to 2000 ms at both 27 degrees C and 37 degrees C. Restitution of action potential duration was determined by introducing an extra stimulus at progressively longer diastolic intervals from 40 to 9000 ms at pacing cycle lengths of 500, 1000, and 2000 ms. RESULTS At 37 degrees C, action potential duration measured at 90% of repolarisation (APD90) during continuous pacing and the maximum value of APD90 achieved during restitution (APD90pl) decreased by 18(SEM 6) ms (n = 7) and 24(7) ms (n = 6), respectively, when pacing cycle length was reduced from 2000 to 500 ms. At 27 degrees C, the magnitude of the shortening of APD90 and APD90pl observed when pacing cycle length was similarly reduced was greater than at 37 degrees C, ie, 143(21) ms (n = 6) and 115(11) ms (n = 6), respectively. Thus the relation for restitution of action potential duration shifted downwards with reduction in pacing cycle length, and the magnitude of this shift was greater at 27 degrees C than at 37 degrees C. The difference between APD90 at the shortest diastolic interval (40 ms) and at diastolic interval of 100 ms (range of premature action potential durations) was much greater at 27 degrees C than at 37 degrees C at all three pacing cycle lengths. CONCLUSIONS Reduction in temperature magnifies the cycle length dependent changes in action potential duration both during abrupt changes in cycle length, as with an extra stimulus, and during changes of steady state cycle length. This may indicate a greater dispersion of premature action potential durations during hypothermia, and hence predispose to hypothermia induced arrhythmias.
IFAU-Birth Order and Child Health 1 Birth Order and Child Health

Previous research has shown that birth order affects outcomes such as educational achievements, IQ and earnings. The mechanisms behind these effects are, however, still largely unknown. In this paper, we examine birth-order effects on health, and whether health at young age could be a transmission channel for birth-order effects observed later in life. Our results show that firstborns have worse health at birth. This disadvantage is reversed in early age and later-born siblings are more likely to be hospitalized for injuries and avoidable conditions, which could be related to less parental attention. In adolescence and as young adults, younger siblings are more likely to be of poor mental health and to be admitted to hospital for alcohol induced health conditions. We also critically test for reverse causality by estimating fertility responses to the health of existing children. We conclude that the effects on health are not severely biased; however, the large negative birth-order effects on infant mortality are partly due to endogenous fertility responses. Overall our results suggest that birth order effects are due to differential parental investment because parents’ time and resources are limited.
Transient ischemia induces regional myocardial glycogen synthase activation and glycogen synthesis in vivo.

Glycogen is consumed during ischemic preconditioning and synthesized during the subsequent period of ischemic tolerance. To better understand this sequence, we examined the effect of brief coronary artery occlusions on regional myocardial glycogen metabolism in intact, anesthetized rats. Sequential 2-min periods of left coronary artery occlusion reduced the glycogen concentration of the anterior left ventricle approximately 30% relative to the posterior region. During subsequent reperfusion, the activity of the physiologically active glycogen synthase I form of glycogen synthase increased threefold in the anterior region (0.58 +/- 0.11 vs. 0.18 +/- 0.08 mumol.g-1.min-1, P < 0.01), stimulating a similar regional increase in glycogen synthesis rate (0.24 +/- 0.04 vs. 0.08 +/- 0.03 mumol.g-1.min-1, P < 0.01). These events were preceded by a rise in regional glucose 6-phosphate concentration, which increased the activity of a myocardial glycogen synthase phosphatase. In diabetic rats glycogen synthase phosphatase activity was significantly lower, and postischemic glycogen synthase activation was significantly impaired. These data suggest the operation of a feedback loop in which transient ischemia leads to a glucose 6-phosphate-mediated increase in the activity of a phosphoprotein phosphatase active toward glycogen synthase. This suggests phospho-protein phosphatase activation may be a feature of the preconditioned myocardium.
Rock elasticity as a function of the uniaxial stress: laboratory measurements and theoretical modelling of vertical transversely isotropic and orthorhombic shales

We apply a rock‐physics model that describes the relationship between the effective stress and rock elasticity. We experimentally obtain and analyse a data set containing one vertical transversely isotropic and one orthorhombic shale sample. The vertical transversely isotropic symmetry of the first sample is caused by the layered structure of the rock. The seismic orthorhombicity of the second sample could be explained after microscopic analysis of thin section, which demonstrates an imperfect disorder of inhomogeneities. Both samples were loaded uniaxially in a quasi‐static regime. During the loading, we measured stress‐dependent seismic velocities and sample deformations. For the analysis of the stress‐dependent velocities and stiffnesses, we modelled the measured data set using a recent generalization of the porosity deformation approach. Comparison of the experimentally determined and numerically modelled data supports the applicability of the theory and helps in the interpretation of experimentally obtained data. In agreement with the theory, uniaxial stress increases the elliptic component of the seismic anisotropy and does not impact the anellipticity parameter. We demonstrate the distinct influence of the stiff and compliant porosities on the stress sensitivity of the elastic properties.
Antifungal properties of the immunosuppressant FK-506: identification of an FK-506-responsive yeast gene distinct from FKB1

FK-506 is a novel and potent antagonist of T-cell activation and an inhibitor of fungal growth. Its immunosuppressive activity can be antagonized by the structurally related antibiotic rapamycin, and both compounds interact with cytoplasmic FK-506-binding proteins (FKBPs) in T cells and yeast cells. In this paper, we show that FK-506 and two analogs inhibit vegetative growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in a fashion that parallels the immunosuppressive activity of these compounds. Yeast mutants resistant to FK-506 were isolated, and at least three complementation groups (fkr1, fkr2, and fkr3) were defined. These fkr mutants show no alteration in their levels of FK-506-binding activity. Likewise, strains carrying null alleles of FKB1 (the yeast gene coding for the FKBP) remain FK-506 sensitive, indicating that depletion of yeast FKBP is not sufficient to confer an FK-506 resistance phenotype, although fkb1 null mutants are resistant to rapamycin. FKB1 does not map to the three fkr loci defined here. These results suggest that yeast FKBP mediates the inhibitory effect of rapamycin but that at least one other protein is directly involved in mediating the activity of FK-506. Interestingly, the ability of FK-506 to rescue a temperature-sensitive growth defect of the fkr3 mutant suggests that the FKR3 gene may define such a protein.
Fine structure of the magnocellular subdivision of the ventral anterior thalamic nucleus (V Amc) of Macaca mulatta: I. Cell types and synaptology

The nucleus ventralis anterior pars magnocellularis (V Amc) is recognized only in primates and is the major recipient of the nigrothalamic projections. The neuronal and synaptic composition of this nucleus in the rhesus monkey was studied with the use of a variety of neuroanatomical techniques that included quantitative morphometry, anterograde and retrograde labeling with WGA‐HRP from the prefrontal cortex, and immunocytochemistry for glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD). Two major cell types were identified in the nucleus: thalamocortical projection neurons (PN) that were multipolar cells of various sizes, and small GAD‐immunoreactive cells, apparently local circuit neurons (LCN). The approximate ratio of the two types of cells was 10:1.
Protein complex formation during denitrification by Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The most efficient means of generating cellular energy is through aerobic respiration. Under anaerobic conditions, several prokaryotes can replace oxygen by nitrate as final electron acceptor. During denitrification, nitrate is reduced via nitrite, NO and N2O to molecular nitrogen (N2) by four membrane‐localized reductases with the simultaneous formation of an ion gradient for ATP synthesis. These four multisubunit enzyme complexes are coupled in four electron transport chains to electron donating primary dehydrogenases and intermediate electron transfer proteins. Many components require membrane transport and insertion, complex assembly and cofactor incorporation. All these processes are mediated by fine‐tuned stable and transient protein–protein interactions. Recently, an interactomic approach was used to determine the exact protein–protein interactions involved in the assembly of the denitrification apparatus of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Both subunits of the NO reductase NorBC, combined with the flavoprotein NosR, serve as a membrane‐localized assembly platform for the attachment of the nitrate reductase NarGHI, the periplasmic nitrite reductase NirS via its maturation factor NirF and the N2O reductase NosZ through NosR. A nitrate transporter (NarK2), the corresponding regulatory system NarXL, various nitrite (NirEJMNQ) and N2O reductase (NosFL) maturation proteins are also part of the complex. Primary dehydrogenases, ATP synthase, most enzymes of the TCA cycle, and the SEC protein export system, as well as a number of other proteins, were found to interact with the denitrification complex. Finally, a protein complex composed of the flagella protein FliC, nitrite reductase NirS and the chaperone DnaK required for flagella formation was found in the periplasm of P. aeruginosa. This work demonstrated that the interactomic approach allows for the identification and characterization of stable and transient protein–protein complexes and interactions involved in the assembly and function of multi‐enzyme complexes.
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura associated with statin treatment

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a rare condition but associated with 90% mortality if left untreated. The diagnosis is usually made when there is thrombocytopenia and microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia, although the full pentad also includes fever, renal impairment, and neurological dysfunction. A variety of underlying causes have been implicated in acquired TTP including bacterial and viral infections, bone marrow and organ transplantation, pregnancy, immune disorders, and certain drugs. To date there is just one case report of TTP associated with statin treatment. The clinical course of a patient who presented with TTP after being started on simvastatin, a HMG-CoA inhibitor, is described.
Comparison of Site Response Characteristics Inferred from Microtremors and Earthquake Shear Waves

We investigated the validity of seismic site response characteristics es- timated from microtremors by comparing them with those of earthquake motions. For this purpose we observed microtremors as well as earthquake motions using large (5-km diameter) and small (0.5-km diameter) arrays deployed on soft sedi- ments. Specifically, we examined four estimates from microtremors: relative site amplification factors to incident shear waves, site amplification factors by the Naka- mura method, resonance frequency in horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratios, and horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratios. As a result of the comparisons, we obtained the following conclusions. The relative amplification factors can be inferred from horizontal-component ratios of microtremors to a reference site within a small area of several hundred meters. The horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratios inferred by the Nakamura method partly reflect site amplification factors, but do not agree with site amplification factors. A sharp-peak frequency in the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratios is possibly the resonance frequency. The horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratios of microtremors either agree with those of earthquake motions at some array sites or are slightly smaller at the other sites.
Preventive Therapy of Experimental Colitis with Selected iron Chelators and Anti-oxidants

Objectives: Iron chelators, such as maltol and kojic acid, have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. They may have beneficial effects on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) because iron can develop and aggravate inflammation in IBD. In the present study, the effect of selected iron chelators and anti-oxidants were evaluated on a model of trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis. Methods: Colitis was induced with instillation of 75 mg/kg TNBS in 0.25 ml ethanol 50% via the anus in fasted male Wistar rats. The animals were assigned randomly to 12 groups (n = 6) and treated once daily, started 2 hours before colitis induction, with normal saline (5 ml/kg), maltol (70, 140, 280 mg/kg), kojic acid (75, 150, 300 mg/kg), vitamin E (400 mg/kg), deferiprone (L1) (150 mg/kg) and prednisolone (4 mg/kg) orally and deferoxamine (50 mg/kg) intraperitoneally for 5 days. In the sixth day, rats were scarified and colon tissues were assessed macroscopically and pathologically. Results: Maltol (280 mg/kg) was able to reduce colon weight / length ratio, ulcer index and total colitis index similar to prednisolone, deferoxamine and deferiprone as positive controls. However, kojic acid and vitamin E could not significantly alleviate macroscopic and/or pathologic features of inflammation in comparison to normal saline. Conclusions: Maltol with the highest test dose was capable to protect against experimentally induced colitis. Kojic acid and vitamin E were not effective in this animal model of colon inflammation. More detailed studies are warranted to explore the mechanisms involved in anti-colitic property of maltol and to explain ineffectiveness of kojic acid and vitamin E.
Shigella flexneri type III secretion system effectors OspB and OspF target the nucleus to downregulate the host inflammatory response via interactions with retinoblastoma protein

OspF, OspG and IpaH9.8 are type III secretion system (T3SS) effectors of Shigella flexneri that downregulate the host innate immune response. OspF modifies mitogen‐activated protein kinase pathways and polymorphonuclear leucocyte transepithelial migration associated with Shigella invasion. OspF also localizes in the nucleus to mediate chromatin remodelling, resulting in reduced transcription of inflammatory cytokines. We now report that OspB can be added to the set of S. flexneri T3SS effectors required to modulate the innate immune response. T84 cells infected with a ΔospB mutant resulted in reduced polymorphonuclear leucocyte transepithelial migration and mitogen‐activated protein kinase signalling. Tagged versions of OspB localized with endosomes and the nucleus. Further, T84 cells infected with the ΔospB mutant showed increased levels of secreted IL‐8 compared with wild‐type infected cells. Both GST–OspB and GST–OspF coprecipitated retinoblastoma protein from host cell lysates. Because ΔospB and ΔospF mutants share similar phenotypes, and OspB and OspF share a host binding partner, we propose that OspB and OspF facilitate the remodelling of chromatin via interactions with retinoblastoma protein, resulting in diminished inflammatory cytokine production. The requirement of multiple T3SS effectors to modulate the innate immune response correlates to the complexity of the human immune system.
PPARα and PPARγ attenuate HIV‐induced dysrégulation of tight junction proteins by modulations of matrix metalloproteinase and proteasome activities

The blood‐brain barrier (BBB) plays an important role in HIV trafficking into the brain and the development of the central nervous system complications in HIV infection. Tight junctions are the main structural and functional elements that regulate the BBB integrity. Exposure of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (hCMEC/D3 cell line) to HIV‐infected monocytes resulted in decreased expression of tight junction proteins, such as junctional adhesion molecule‐A (JAM)‐A, occludin, and zonula occludens (ZO)‐1. Control experiments involved exposure to uninfected monocytes. Alterations of tight junction protein expression were associated with increased endothelial permeability and elevated transendothelial migration of HIV‐ infected monocytes across an in vitro model of the BBB. Notably, overexpression of the peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor (PPAR)α or PPARγ attenuated HIV‐mediated dysregulation of tight junction proteins. With the use of exogenous PPARy agonists and silencing of PPARα or PPARγ, these protective effects were connected to down‐regulation of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) and proteasome activities. Indeed, the HIV‐ induced decrease in the expression of JAM‐A and occludin was restored by inhibition of MMP activity. Moreover, both MMP and proteasome inhibitors attenuated HIV‐ mediated altered expression of ZO‐1. The present data indicate that down‐regulation of MMP and proteasome activities constitutes a novel mechanism of PPAR‐induced protections against HIV‐induced disruption of brain endothelial cells. — Huang, W. , Eum, S. Y. , Andras, I. E. , Hennig, B. , Toborek, M. PPARa and PPARy attenuate HIV‐induced dysregulation of tight junction proteins by modulations of matrix metalloproteinase and proteasome activities. FASEBJ. 23, 1596–1606 (2009)
Drug effects on multiple and concurrent schedules of ethanol‐ and food‐maintained behaviour: context‐dependent selectivity

Drugs that more potently or effectively reduce ethanol‐maintained behaviour versus an alternative are considered selective and are considered promising pharmacotherapies for alcoholism. Such results are often obtained using separate groups or multiple schedules where ethanol and the alternative are available alone or sequentially. Recently, we observed that when ethanol and food were available sequentially under a multiple schedule, fluvoxamine and varenicline were selective; yet this selectivity disappeared when ethanol and food were concurrently available.