Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Antiepileptic and Neuroprotective Effects of Oleamide in Rat Striatum on Kainate-Induced Behavioral Seizure and Excitotoxic Damage via Calpain Inhibition

Oleamide was first known as a sleep-inducing fatty acid amide, and later shown to have wide range of neuropharmacological effects upon different neurochemical systems. However, the effects of oleamide on brain damage have scarcely been studied, and the molecular mechanisms and sites of its action remain elusive. Kainic acid (KA) has been used to produce an epileptic animal model that mimics human temporal lobe epilepsy and to induce calpain-activated excitotoxicity, which occurs in numerous neurodegenerative disorders. In this study, we examined whether oleamide protects against the KA-induced excitotoxic brain damage accompanied by behavioral seizure activity and neuronal cell death. Moreover, whether these effects of oleamide were mediated by calpain activity-related cellular mechanisms was investigated. KA-induced epileptic rats were produced by an intrastriatal injection of KA (5 nmole). Oral administration of oleamide (0.5, 2, and 10 mg/kg) 30 min prior to the KA injection showed dose-dependent inhibition of the KA-induced behavioral seizure activities that were monitored starting from 60 to 180 min post-surgery. Further repetitive oral administration of oleamide (once per day) for the next 4 consecutive days post-KA injection produced significant neuroprotection against the disrupted neuronal integrity that resulted from KA-induced excitotoxic damage that was also demonstrated by staining of striatal tissue sections with cresyl violet, hematoxylin/eosin, and fluoro-Jade B. In addition, oleamide blocked the KA-induced cleavage of cyclin-dependent kinase-5 coactivator (Cdk5-p35) and collapsin response mediator protein-2, which are believed to be mediated by calpain activation in striatal tissues dissected from KA-induced epileptic rats. Oleamide also reversed the KA-induced reduction in expression of an endogenous calpain inhibitory protein, calpastatin, and a marker of synaptic activity, synapsin-II. The hypothesis that oleamide could induce direct calpain inhibition was further investigated using in vitro calpain assays in both brain tissue and a cell-free and calpain-overexpressed neuronal cell system. These findings together suggest that oleamide has protective effects against excitotoxicity-induced neuronal death and behavioral seizure, partly via its direct calpain inhibitory activity.
Distinct Functions of NS5A in Hepatitis C Virus RNA Replication Uncovered by Studies with the NS5A Inhibitor BMS-790052

ABSTRACT BMS-790052, targeting nonstructural protein 5A (NS5A), is the most potent hepatitis C virus (HCV) inhibitor described to date. It is highly effective against genotype 1 replicons and also displays robust genotype 1 anti-HCV activity in the clinic (M. Gao et al., Nature 465:96-100, 2010). BMS-790052 inhibits genotype 2a JFH1 replicon cells and cell culture infectious virus with 50% effective concentrations (EC50s) of 46.8 and 16.1 pM, respectively. Resistance selection studies with the JFH1 replicon and virus systems identified drug-induced mutations within the N-terminal region of NS5A. F28S, L31M, C92R, and Y93H were the major resistance mutations identified; the impact of these mutations on inhibitor sensitivity between the replicon and virus was very similar. The C92R and Y93H mutations negatively impacted fitness of the JFH1 virus. Second-site replacements at NS5A residue 30 (K30E/Q) restored efficient replication of the C92R viral variant, thus demonstrating a genetic interaction between NS5A residues 30 and 92. By using a trans-complementation assay with JFH1 replicons encoding inhibitor-sensitive and inhibitor-resistant NS5A proteins, we provide genetic evidence that NS5A performs the following two distinct functions in HCV RNA replication: a cis-acting function that likely occurs as part of the HCV replication complex and a trans-acting function that may occur outside the replication complex. The cis-acting function is likely performed by basally phosphorylated NS5A, while the trans-acting function likely requires hyperphosphorylation. Our data indicate that BMS-790052 blocks the cis-acting function of NS5A. Since BMS-790052 also impairs JFH1 NS5A hyperphosphorylation, it likely also blocks the trans-acting function.
Indian Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act: Stumbling or Striving Ahead?

v Abbreviations xviii Chapter 1: Introduction 1 Domestic violence, a journey from the private to the public sphere 8 Global agenda development on the issue of domestic violence 11 State response to address domestic violence 14 Chapter 2: Domestic violence in India: Women’s movement and state response . 18 State responses versus feminists’ demands 23 UN Framework for model domestic violence legislation 28 UN framework influence on PWDVA 29 PWDVA compared to other Acts 31 Salient features of PWDVA 2005 32 Progress o\f Implementation of PWDVA 36
Listeriolysin of Listeria monocytogenes forms Ca2+‐permeable pores leading to intracellular Ca2+ oscillations

Listeriolysin (LLO) is a major virulence factor of Listeria monocytogenes, a Gram‐positive bacterium that can cause life‐threatening diseases. Various signalling events and cellular effects, including modulation of gene expression, are triggered by LLO through unknown mechanisms. Here, we demonstrate that LLO applied extracellularly at sublytic concentrations causes long‐lasting oscillations of the intracellular Ca2+ level of human embryonic kidney cells; resulting from a pulsed influx of extracellular Ca2+ through pores that are formed by LLO in the plasma membrane. Calcium influx does not require the activity of endogenous Ca2+ channels. LLO‐formed pores are transient and oscillate between open and closed states. Pore formation and Ca2+ oscillations were also observed after exposure of cells to native Listeria monocytogenes. Our data identify LLO as a tool used by Listeria monocytogenes to manipulate the intracellular Ca2+ level without direct contact of the bacterium with the target cell. As Ca2+ oscillations modulate cellular signalling and gene expression, our findings provide a potential molecular basis for the broad spectrum of Ca2+‐dependent cellular responses induced by LLO during Listeria infection.
Mortality caused by sepsis in patients with end-stage renal disease compared with the general population.

BACKGROUND In the United States, infection is second to cardiovascular disease as the leading cause of death in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and septicemia accounts for more than 75% of this category. This increased susceptibility to infections is partly due to uremia, old age, and comorbid conditions. Although it is intuitive to believe that mortality caused by sepsis may be higher in patients with ESRD compared with the general population (GP), no such data are currently available. METHODS We compared annual mortality rates caused by sepsis in patients with ESRD (U.S. Health Care Financing Administration 2746 death notification form) with those in the GP (death certificate). Data were abstracted from the U.S. Renal Data System (1994 through 1996 Special Data request) and the National Center for Health Statistics. Data were stratified by age, gender, race, and diabetes mellitus (DM). Sensitivity analyses were performed to account for potential limitations of the data sources. RESULTS Overall, the annual percentage mortality secondary to sepsis was approximately 100- to 300-fold higher in dialysis patients and 20-fold higher in renal transplant recipients (RTRs) compared with the GP. Mortality caused by sepsis was higher among diabetic patients across all populations. After stratification for age, differences between groups decreased but retained their magnitude. These findings remained robust despite a wide range of sensitivity analyses. Indeed, mortality secondary to sepsis remained approximately 50-fold higher in dialysis patients compared with the GP, using multiple cause-of-death analyses; was approximately 50-fold higher in diabetic patients with ESRD compared with diabetic patients in the GP, when accounting for underreporting of DM on death certificates in the GP; and was approximately 30-fold higher in RTRs compared with the GP, when accounting for the incomplete ascertainment of cause of death among RTRs. Furthermore, despite assignment of primary cause-of-death to major organ infections in the GP, annual mortality secondary to sepsis remained 30- to 45-fold higher in the dialysis population. CONCLUSIONS Patients with ESRD treated by dialysis have higher annual mortality rates caused by sepsis compared with the GP, even after stratification for age, race, and DM. Consequently, this patient population should be considered at high-risk for the development of lethal sepsis.
The Multilevel Monte Carlo method used on a Lévy driven SDE

Abstract In this paper the Multilevel Monte Carlo method introduced by Giles [Operations Research 56: 607–617, 2008] is refined by the extended complexity theorem and applied to Lévy process driven SDEs. The restricted approximate Euler scheme is used to simulate the SDEs. Recent results about the convergence by Fournier [ArXiv e-prints: 2009] and by Jacod, Kurtz, Máléard and Protter [Annales de l'Institut Henri Poincare (B) Probability and Statistics 41: 523–558, 2005] are used. The theoretical results are illustrated by numerical simulations.
Improvement in facial erythema within 30 minutes of initial application of brimonidine tartrate in patients with rosacea.

BACKGROUND Brimonidine tartrate (BT) 0.5% gel demonstrated significantly greater efficacy versus vehicle gel once-daily for the treatment of moderate to severe erythema of rosacea. OBJECTIVES To assess the 30-minute speed of onset of topical BT 0.5% gel in reducing facial erythema in Phase III studies as measured by subject and clinician assessments of erythema. METHODS Two Phase III, randomized, controlled studies with identical design in which subjects with moderate erythema of rosacea (study A: n=260; study B: n=293) were randomized 1:1 to apply topical BT 0.5% or vehicle gel once-daily for 4 weeks. Evaluations included severity of erythema based on Clinician's Erythema Assessment (CEA) and Patient's Self-Assessment (PSA) prior to study drug application and at 30 minutes after application on days 1, 15, and 29. RESULTS 97.7% and 96.6% of subjects reported normal study completion for studies A and B, respectively. The percentage of subjects achieving a 1-grade improvement in both CEA and PSA was significantly increased at 30 minutes post-dosing with BT 0.5% gel compared to vehicle gel on visit days (day 1: 27.9 vs 6.9%, P <0.001; day 15: 55.9 vs 21.1%, P <0.001; Day 29: 58.3 vs 32.0%, P <0.001 for BT 0.5% gel vs vehicle) in study A. Similar results were shown for study B. CONCLUSIONS Once-daily topical BT gel 0.5% is not only efficacious at reducing facial erythema but also exhibits response within 30 minutes of application in a significant number of patients throughout both Phase III studies.
Human Cultured Endothelial Cells Do Secrete Endothelin‐1

Summary Endothelin-1 (ET-1) has been identified in the conditioned medium of porcine endothelial cells. Human endothelin (ET-1) cloned from a placenta cDNA library is similar to porcine, but it is not known whether endothelin itself is secreted by human endothelial cells. To answer this question, a conditioned medium taken every 48 h from confluent cultures of umbilical vein endothelial cells was analyzed by HPLC and all fractions were tested for their ability to inhibit [125I]ET-1 binding on human placenta membranes. Only one fraction did inhibit [125I]ET-1 binding. When the conditioned medium was spiked with ET-1, the same single fraction inhibited [125I]ET-1 binding showing that ET-1, itself, is present in the conditioned medium of human endothelial cells. ET-1 accumulates with time, reaching a plateau at 48 h. ET-1 secretion is not increased by a 24-h incubation of endothelial cells with phorbol myristate acetate, interleukin-1, tumor necrosis factor, thrombin or neuropeptide Y.
Design and Optimization of Circular Magnetic Structures for Lumped Inductive Power Transfer Systems

A solution that enables safe, efficient, and convenient overnight recharging of electric vehicles is needed. Inductive power transfer (IPT) is capable of meeting these needs, however, the main limiting factor is the performance of the magnetic structures (termed power pads) that help transfer power efficiently. These should transfer 2-5 kW with a large air gap and have good tolerance to misalignment. Durability, low weight, and cost efficiency are also critical. 3-D finite-element analysis modeling is used to optimize circular power pads. This technique is viable, since measured and simulated results differ by 10% at most. A sample of power pads was considered in this work, and key design parameters were investigated to determine their influence on coupled power and operation. A final 2 kW 700-mm-diameter pad was constructed and tested having a horizontal radial tolerance of 130 mm (equivalent to a circular charging zone of diameter 260 mm) with a 200 mm air gap. The leakage magnetic flux of a charging system was investigated via simulation and measurement. The proposed pads meet human exposure regulations with measurement techniques specific by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) which uses the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines as a foundation.
The Changing Nature of Gender Selection into Employment: Europe Over the Great Recession

The Great Recession has strongly influenced employment patterns across skill and gender groups in EU countries. We analyse how these changes in workforce composition might distort comparisons of conventional measures of gender wage gaps via non-random selection of workers into EU labour markets. We document that male selection (traditionally disregarded) has become positive during the recession, particularly in Southern Europe. As for female selection (traditionally positive), our findings are twofold. Following an increase in the labour-force participation of less-skilled women, due to an added-worker effect, these biases declined in some countries where new female entrants were able to find jobs, whereas they went up in other countries which suffered large female employment losses. Finally, we document that most of these changes in selection patterns were reversed during the subsequent recovery phase, confirming their cyclical nature.
A robust battery state-of-charge estimation method for embedded hybrid energy system

An optimized state of charge (SOC) estimation method is critical for energy control strategy in hybrid energy system. For an embedded system, the executed algorithm should be less time consuming and also robust on measurement noise from sensors. Moreover, the estimation method should also be insensitive to initial SOC for the purpose of avoiding battery relaxing time in real application. The proposed method in this paper combines adaptive unscented Kalman filter (AUKF) and multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS) to meet the above demands of embedded hybrid energy system. Samples which consist of battery current, terminal voltage and temperature are used to for MARS model training. The effectiveness and robustness of the proposed method is validated by experimental test. Also, the proposed method is compared with least squares support vector machine (LSSVM) based method in estimated accuracy and time consumption. Experiment results indicate that the proposed method is less time consuming as well as good accuracy is guaranteed.
Role of Dipicolinic Acid in the Germination, Stability, and Viability of Spores of Bacillus subtilis

ABSTRACT Spores of Bacillus subtilis spoVF strains that cannot synthesize dipicolinic acid (DPA) but take it up during sporulation were prepared in medium with various DPA concentrations, and the germination and viability of these spores as well as the DPA content in individual spores were measured. Levels of some other small molecules in DPA-less spores were also measured. These studies have allowed the following conclusions. (i) Spores with no DPA or low DPA levels that lack either the cortex-lytic enzyme (CLE) SleB or the receptors that respond to nutrient germinants could be isolated but were unstable and spontaneously initiated early steps in spore germination. (ii) Spores that lacked SleB and nutrient germinant receptors and also had low DPA levels were more stable. (iii) Spontaneous germination of spores with no DPA or low DPA levels was at least in part via activation of SleB. (iv) The other redundant CLE, CwlJ, was activated only by the release of high levels of DPA from spores. (v) Low levels of DPA were sufficient for the viability of spores that lacked most α/β-type small, acid-soluble spore proteins. (vi) DPA levels accumulated in spores prepared in low-DPA-containing media varied greatly between individual spores, in contrast to the presence of more homogeneous DPA levels in individual spores made in media with high DPA concentrations. (vii) At least the great majority of spores of several spoVF strains that contained no DPA also lacked other major spore small molecules and had gone through some of the early reactions in spore germination.
Putting people into place

Over the past two decades, there has been an explosion of empirical research on neighborhoods and health. However, although the data and approaches owe much to the early contributions of demographers and population scientists, this debt is largely unrecognized. Likewise, challenges posed in the early literature remain largely unanswered. I argue that just as demographers and population scientists were pioneers in the study of neighborhoods and health, they are uniquely poised to lead the field again. Putting people into place means explaining behavior and outcomes in relation to a potentially changing local context. A more dynamic conceptualization is needed that fully incorporates human agency, integrates multiple dimensions of local social and spatial context, develops the necessary longitudinal data, and implements appropriate tools. Diverse approaches with complementary strengths will help surmount the many analytic challenges to studying the dynamics of neighborhoods and health, including agent-based microsimulation models.
Dysphagia Without Endoscopically Evident Disease: To Dilate Or Not?

OBJECTIVES:It is not known whether patients with symptoms of dysphagia but normal upper endoscopy benefit from empiric esophageal dilation. The aim of this prospective study was to determine whether patients with solid food dysphagia and normal upper endoscopy have symptomatic benefit from empiric dilation using a through-the-scope balloon.METHODS:Patients who were seen for complaints of solid food dysphagia and who had normal endoscopic examinations at our institution from 1998 through 1999 were identified. Those patients who had agreed before sedation to participate in the study, if eligible, were randomized to either sham or balloon dilation using an 18-mm through-the-scope balloon at the time of esophagogastroduodenoscopy. All potentially eligible patients who had given provisional consent completed a dysphagia questionnaire and a 10-cm visual analog dysphagia scale before endoscopy. Follow-up questionnaires were completed on day 1 and at 3 months and 6 months after the procedure. The primary endpoint of the study was the patient's self-assessment of difficulty swallowing, based on the questionnaires.RESULTS:A total of 83 patients met the study criteria and were randomized to balloon dilation (n = 43) or sham (n = 40). The two groups were comparable in age, sex, severity of baseline dysphagia, and use of antireflux medication. Improvement in dysphagia comparing sham to balloon on day 1 was 66% versus 67% (p = 0.99); at 3 months it was 82% versus 76% (p = 0.56); and at 6 months it was 84% versus 73% (p = 0.38). There were no reported complications in either group.CONCLUSION:The data from this prospective randomized, controlled study do not support the practice of empiric dilation in patients with symptoms of dysphagia without an endoscopically evident cause of dysphagia.
Comparison of foodservice management performance level between dietitians and non-dietitians in senior centers using IPA

This study investigated the management importance and performance level of foodservice managers at senior centers. Using the survey, perceived importance and performance levels of seven foodservice management areas were evaluated and analyzed. Data showed the foodservice facilities were being managed by dietitians (61.6%) or non-dietitians (38.9%). The result indicated that overall importance level (3.43) was higher than performance level (3.02) (p<.01). As of the IPA result, dietitians and non-dietitians had different perspectives in terms of managing the eight categories of foodservice areas. The differences in the IPA results between the two groups may reflect bias attributable to the respondents' degrees of knowledge and professional preparation. The research findings could enhance our understanding of importance of hiring professional dietitians to operate foodservice at senior centers and find out which management area should be concentrated for more effective foodservice management.
Evaluation of the in vitro Activity of Dermaseptin 01, a Cationic Antimicrobial Peptide, against Schistosoma mansoni

Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease that remains a considerable public health problem worldwide. Since the mainstay of schistosomiasis control is chemotherapy with a single drug, praziquantel, drug resistance is a concern. Here, we examined the in vitro effects of dermaseptin 01 (DS 01), an antimicrobial peptide found in the skin secretion of frogs of the genus Phyllomedusa, on Schistosoma mansoni adult worms. DS 01 at a concentration of 100 μg/ml reduced the worm motor activity and caused the death of all worms within 48 h in RPMI 1640 medium. At the highest sublethal concentration of antimicrobial peptide (75 μg/ml), a 100% reduction in egg output of paired female worms was observed. Additionally, DS 01 induced morphological alterations on the tegument of S. mansoni, and a quantitative analysis carried out by confocal microscopy revealed extensive destruction of the tubercles in a dose‐dependent manner over the concentration range of 50–200 μg/ml. It was the first time that an anthelmintic activity towards schistosomes has been reported for a dermaseptin.
In vitro adhesion of Candida glabrata to denture base acrylic resin modified by glow‐discharge plasma treatment

This study evaluated the potential of plasma treatments to modify the surface chemistry and hydrophobicity of a denture base acrylic resin to reduce the Candida glabrata adhesion. Specimens (n = 54) with smooth surfaces were made and divided into three groups (n = 18): control – non‐treated; experimental groups – submitted to plasma treatment (Ar/50 W; AAt/130 W). The effects of these treatments on chemical composition and surface topography of the acrylic resin were evaluated. Surface free energy measurements (SFE) were performed after the treatments and after 48 h of immersion in water. For each group, half (n = 9) of the specimens were preconditionated with saliva before the adhesion assay. The number of adhered C. glabrata was evaluated by cell counting after crystal violet staining. The Ar/50 W and AAt/130 W treatments altered the chemistry composition, hydrophobicity and topography of acrylic surface. The Ar/50 W group showed significantly lower C. glabrata adherence than the control group, in the absence of saliva. After preconditioning with saliva, C. glabrata adherence in experimental and control groups did not differ significantly. There were significant changes in the SFE after immersion in water. The results demonstrated that Ar/50 W treated surfaces have potential for reducing C. glabrata adhesion to denture base resins and deserve further investigation, especially to tailor the parameters to prolong the increased wettability.