Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
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Hydrochory plays a key role in the maintenance, diversity and evolution of aquatic plants and has traditionally been thought to (i) decrease or erase patterns of isolation-by-distance, (ii) increase outbreeding, and (iii) result in a downstream increase of genetic diversity. These hypotheses, which are especially relevant in organisms with water-mediated fertilization and a high ability to disperse vegetatively, are tested here from fine-scale spatial analyses of genetic variation at both the haploid and diploid phases in the aquatic moss Rhynchostegium riparioides (Hedw.) Cardot. A substantial geographical partitioning of genetic variation was found at the scale of the river basin and indirect measures of dispersal point to an overall weaker dispersal ability of the moss diaspores than pollen or wind-dispersed seeds. These observations, as well as the high Fis observed at the diploid stage and the very close proximity of potential fathers of the heterozygous diploid genotypes, strongly challenge the hypothesis that water enhances sperm and diaspore-mediated gene flow. In R. riparioides, the severe dispersal limitations revealed by the spatial analyses of genetic structure suggest that shoot fragments rather than spores are involved in local dispersal, which is fully consistent with the low levels of genetic diversity observed within populations. Extremely limited routine dispersal by unspecialized vegetative diaspores, coupled with discrete episodes of local population extinctions and colonizations by spores, account for the absence of a downstream increase of genetic diversity. As a result, although spore-producing plants are typically seen as most efficient dispersers, and although streams are traditionally seen as dispersal corridors, severe limitations of clonal dispersal at the local scale and discrete opportunities of random spore dispersal and establishment among colonies, both explain why typical metapopulation processes also apply to aquatic
U.S. Banking Integration and State-Level Exports

Using inter-state banking deregulation in the U.S. as an exogenous experiment, the authors find that a 1% increase in banking integration between U.S. states caused a 0.164-0.184% increase in the foreign exports/domestic shipments ratio for U.S. state level exports in the years 1992-1996. They can ascribe these effects to the integration by banks with foreign assets: a 1% increase in banking integration through such banks caused the exports/domestic shipments ratio to increase by 0.22-0.41% while the expansion of banks with purely domestic assets appears to have no impact. Given the empirical specification, this increase in openness can be attributed to an increase in capital to cover variable and fixed export costs relative to domestic shipping costs and a higher provision of trade finance services. Serving new destinations (the extensive margin defined at the state-country level) accounts for 22% to 28% of the banking integration effect that the authors observe.
TEAD-1 Overexpression in the Mouse Heart Promotes an Age-dependent Heart Dysfunction*

TEA domain transcription factor-1 (TEAD-1) is essential for proper heart development and is implicated in cardiac specific gene expression and the hypertrophic response of primary cardiomyocytes to hormonal and mechanical stimuli, and its activity increases in the pressure-overloaded hypertrophied rat heart. To investigate whether TEAD-1 is an in vivo modulator of cardiac specific gene expression and hypertrophy, we developed transgenic mice expressing hemagglutinin-tagged TEAD-1 under the control of the muscle creatine kinase promoter. We show that a sustained increase in TEAD-1 protein leads to an age-dependent dysfunction. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed decreases in cardiac output, stroke volume, ejection fraction, and fractional shortening. Isolated TEAD-1 hearts revealed decreased left ventricular power output that correlated with increased βMyHC protein. Histological analysis showed altered alignment of cardiomyocytes, septal wall thickening, and fibrosis, although electrocardiography displayed a left axis shift of mean electrical axis. Transcripts representing most members of the fetal heart gene program remained elevated from fetal to adult life. Western blot analyses revealed decreases in p-phospholamban, SERCA2a, p-CX43, p-GSK-3α/β, nuclear β-catenin, GATA4, NFATc3/c4, and increased NCX1, nuclear DYKR1A, and Purα/β protein. TEAD-1 mice did not display cardiac hypertrophy. TEAD-1 mice do not tolerate stress as they die over a 4-day period after surgical induction of pressure overload. These data provide the first in vivo evidence that increased TEAD-1 can induce characteristics of cardiac remodeling associated with cardiomyopathy and heart failure.
ANTI-HYPERGLYCEMIC ACTIVITY OF MURRAYA KOENIGII IN COMPARISON WITH PIOGLITAZONE IN EXPERIMENTAL SMALL ANIMAL MODELS

Background: Murraya koenigii is commonly known as curry leaf plant and is habitually used as an imperative spice in India and other tropical countries. There were inadequate studies available to establish antihyperglycemic activity of Murraya in animal studies. In this study we have evaluated anti hyperglycemic activity of Murraya koenigii leaf (aqueous extract) in comparison with Pioglitazone in alloxan induced diabetic rats. Methodology: The study were conducted on 18 Albino rats (Wister) for three groups consists of Diabetic control, diabetic and Pioglitazone and diabetic and Murraya koenigii. Statistical values were being expressed as mean ± SEM, Statistical difference in mean were analyzed by one way ANOVA. Results: Administration of the Murraya koenigii, produced statistically significant reduction in the blood glucose level (p<0.0001) which was 240.1 before treatment and reduced to 224 after treatment. Pioglitazone has produced peak reduction in blood glucose level 199.8 and was statistically significant (p<0.001) compared to the value of 232 before drug administration. Conclusion: from our study it was evident that Murraya koenigii have beneficial effects in the management of alloxan induced diabetes in male wister rats as an anti-hyperglycemic agent in comparison with known insulin sensitizer Pioglitazone.
Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemoperfusion in combined treatment of locally advanced and disseminated gastric cancer: Results of a single-centre retrospective study

Abstract Background: Patients with locally advanced gastric cancer (GC) and/or peritoneal metastases have a poor prognosis despite systemic chemotherapy or palliative surgery. The aim of this retrospective comparative non-randomised study was to evaluate aggressive cytoreduction in combination with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemoperfusion (HIPEC) as a novel treatment strategy for patients with intraperitoneal disseminated and locally advanced GC. Patients and methods: Forty-nine GC patients with serosal invasion (n = 19), limited peritoneal metastases (n = 20), or disseminated peritoneal metastases and tense ascites (n = 10) underwent combination therapy with HIPEC. Three matched control groups undergoing standard therapies were retrospectively identified. Results: Combination therapy for serosa-invasive GC reduced the level of metachronous peritoneal carcinomatosis and increased median survival from 12 months to 22.5 months (p = 0.001). The median and 1-year survival rates for intraperitoneal disseminated GC patients undergoing therapy with the use of HIPEC were 12 months and 68.8% compared with 8 months and 25%, respectively (p = 0.004) for control subgroup patients (palliative chemotherapy). The symptomatic use of HIPEC allows effective elimination of recurrent ascites in GC patients. Conclusion: HIPEC is a well-tolerated and effective method of adjuvant therapy for gastric cancer with high risk of intraperitoneal progression. Cytoreduction followed by HIPEC improves survival in patients with limited peritoneal carcinomatosis of gastric origin.
Modulation of calcium‐activated non‐specific cation currents by cyclic AMP‐dependent phosphorylation in neurones of Helix.

1. Currents through calcium‐activated non‐specific cation (CAN) channels were studied in the fast burster neurone of Helix aspersa and Helix pomatia. CAN currents were activated by reproducible intracellular injections of small quantities of Ca2+ utilizing a fast, quantitative pressure injection technique. 2. External application of forskolin (10‐25 microM), an activator of adenylate cyclase, caused the endogenous bursting activity of the cells to be replaced by beating activity. These same concentrations of forskolin reduced CAN currents reversibly to about 50%. 3. External application of IBMX (3‐isobutyl‐1‐methylxanthine, 100 microM), an inhibitor of phosphodiesterase, the enzyme which breaks down cyclic AMP, reduced CAN currents reversibly to about 40%. 4. External application of the membrane‐permeable cyclic AMP analogues 8‐bromo‐cyclic AMP and dibutyryl‐cyclic AMP (100 microM) caused almost complete block of the CAN current. A marked reduction in the CAN current was also observed following quantitative injections of cyclic AMP (internal concentrations up to 50 microM) directly into the cells from a second pressure injection pipette. 5. Similar results were obtained with quantitative injections of the catalytic subunit (C‐subunit) of the cyclic AMP‐dependent protein kinase (internal concentrations 10(‐4) units of enzyme) directly into the cells from a second pressure injection pipette. 6. Injection of the non‐hydrolysable GTP analogue, GTP‐gamma‐S (internal concentrations 100 microM), which stimulates G‐proteins, produced a prolonged increase in CAN current amplitude by as much as 300%. 7. External application of serotonin (100‐200 microM) caused a transition from bursting to beating activity of the neurones and mimicked cyclic AMP's effects on CAN currents. Two other neurotransmitters, dopamine and acetylcholine, were not significantly effective in reducing CAN currents. 8. Injection of a peptide inhibitor of cyclic AMP‐dependent protein kinase suppressed serotonin's action on bursting and on CAN current. 9. Our results indicate that CAN currents in Helix burster neurones are modulated by cyclic AMP‐dependent membrane phosphorylation. They suggest that the physiological transmitter that induces this second messenger action is serotonin. The dual control of CAN channels by two second messengers, namely Ca2+ and cyclic AMP, has important functional implications. While Ca2+ activates these channels which generate the pacemaker current in these neurones, cyclic AMP‐dependent phosphorylation down‐regulates them, thereby resulting in modulation of neuronal bursting activity.
Genetic Variation in GPX 1 Is Associated with GPX 1 Activity in a Comprehensive Analysis of Genetic Variations in Selenoenzyme Genes and Their Activity and Oxidative Stress in Humans 1 , 2

Previous studies suggest some effects of selenium on risk of several chronic diseases, which may be mediated through a small number of selenoenzymes with antioxidant properties. In this cross-sectional analysis of 195 participants from the Seattle Barrett’s Esophagus Study whowere free of esophageal cancer at the time of blood draw, we examined whether the number of the minor alleles in 26 tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of five selenoenzyme genes [i.e., glutathione peroxidase 1–4 (GPX1–4) and selenoprotein P (SEPP1)] was associated with activity of GPX1 in white blood cells and GPX3 in plasma, and concentrations of SEPP1 and markers of oxidative stress [malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl content] in plasma. At the gene level, associations were observed between overall variation in GPX1 and GPX1 activity (P = 0.02) as well as between overall variation in GPX2 and SEPP1 concentrations (P = 0.03). By individual SNP, two variants in GPX1 (rs8179164 and rs1987628) showed a suggestive associationwithGPX1 activity (P=0.10 and 0.08, respectively) and twoGPX2 variants (rs4902346 and rs2071566)were associatedwith SEPP1 concentration (P= 0.004 and 0.002, respectively). Furthermore, two SNP in the SEPP1 gene (rs230813 and rs230819) were associated with MDA concentrations (P = 0.03 and 0.02, respectively). Overall, our study supports the hypothesis that common genetic variants in selenoenzymes affect their activity. J. Nutr. 142: 419–426, 2012.
Recurrent Community-associated Staphylococcus aureus Infections in Children Presenting to Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, Texas

Background: There are limited data characterizing recurrent staphylococcal disease in children. We sought to define the clinical features and laboratory findings of children with recurrent community-associated Staphylococcus aureus infections presenting to Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, TX. Methods: Medical records of children with recurrent, culture-proven community-associated S. aureus infections at Texas Children’s Hospital from 8/1/2001 to 7/29/2009 were reviewed, and antibiotic susceptibility patterns were obtained for all S. aureus isolates. Results: Six hundred ninety-four otherwise healthy patients presented to Texas Children’s Hospital with 2–7 episodes of community-associated S. aureus infection, accounting for 1495 encounters, 823 hospitalizations and 3337 inpatient days. In 90% of patients with ⩽12 months separating their initial and recurrent infections, the methicillin susceptibility of the initial and recurrent isolates was the same, compared with 79% of patients with > 12 months separating their infections. The overall antibiotic susceptibility pattern did not change between isolates in 71% of otherwise healthy children compared with only 33% of children with eczema. Ninety-two percent of otherwise healthy children had only recurrent skin and soft tissue infections; 8% had ≥1 non–skin and soft tissue infections. The location of skin and soft tissue infections varied by age, with children ⩽36 months of age being more likely to have ≥1 S. aureus infection located in the diaper area. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that recurrent staphylococcal disease requiring emergency center or inpatient care is common, accounting for significant utilization of hospital resources. Children with recurrent staphylococcal infections are likely to have repeated infections from the same staphylococcal strain (by antibiotic susceptibility pattern), indicating that persistent colonization, frequent exposure to others who are chronically colonized, or environmental contamination is playing a role in recurrent disease. Finally, our study emphasizes the need for repeat cultures in children with recurrent disease, as 29% of healthy children and 67% of children with a predisposing risk factor (such as eczema) have a change in the antibiotic susceptibility pattern between S. aureus isolates.
Autoreactivity in HIV-1 broadly neutralizing antibodies: implications for their function and induction by vaccination

Purpose of reviewThis review discusses progress in understanding the impact of immune tolerance on inducing broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs), and how such knowledge can be incorporated into novel immunization approaches. Recent findingsOver 120 bnAbs have now been isolated, all of which bear unusual features associated with host tolerance controls, but paradoxically may also be required for their function. Evidence that poly/autoreactivity of membrane proximal external region bnAbs can invoke such controls has been demonstrated by knock-in technology, highlighting its potential for studying the impact of tolerance in the generation of bnAb lineages to distinct HIV-1 envelope targets. The requirement for extensive affinity maturation in developing neutralization breadth/potency during infection is being examined, and similar studies in the setting of immunization will be aided by testing novel vaccine approaches in knock-in models that either selectively express reverted V(D)J rearrangements, or unrearranged germline segments, from which bnAb lineages originate. SummaryIt is increasingly apparent that immune tolerance, sometimes invoked by self-reactivity that overlaps with bnAb epitope specificity, adds to a formidable set of roadblocks impeding bnAb induction. The path to an effective HIV-1 vaccine may thus benefit from a deeper understanding of host controls, including categorizing those that are unique or common at distinct bnAb targets, and ranking those most feasible to overcome by immunization. Ultimately, such emerging information will be critical to incorporate into new vaccine approaches that can be tested in human trials.
Transcriptional Regulation of PIK 3 CA Oncogene by NF-kappa B in Ovarian Cancer Microenvironment

PIK3CA upregulation, amplification and mutation have been widely reported in ovarian cancers and other tumors, which strongly suggests that PIK3CA is a promising therapeutic target. However, to date the mechanisms underlying PIK3CA regulation and activation in vivo is still unclear. During tumorigenesis, host-tumor interactions may play a critical role in editing the tumor. Here, we report a novel mechanism through which the tumor microenvironment activates the PIK3CA oncogene. We show that PIK3CA upregulation occurs in non-proliferating tumor regions in vivo. We identified and characterized the PIK3CA 59 upstream transcriptional regulatory region and confirmed that PIK3CA is transcriptionally regulated through NF-kB pathway. These results offer a new mechanism through which the tumor microenvironment directly activates oncogenic pathways in tumor cells. Citation: Yang N, Huang J, Greshock J, Liang S, Barchetti A, et al. (2008) Transcriptional Regulation of PIK3CA Oncogene by NF-kB in Ovarian Cancer Microenvironment. PLoS ONE 3(3): e1758. doi:10.1371/journal.pone. 0001758 Editor: Edathara Abraham, University of Arkansas, United States of America Received January 15, 2008; Accepted February 7, 2008; Published March 12, 2008 Copyright: 2008 Yang et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Funding: This work was supported by NCI P01-CA83638 SPORE in Ovarian Cancer (Career Development Award, LZ); the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (GC and LZ); Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation (LZ) and the American Cancer Society (LZ). AG was supported in part by a predoctoral fellowship from the Hellenic Ministry of Education (Program HERACLITOS, EPEAEK). DK was partly supported by the Italian Association for Cancer Research (AIRC). Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. * E-mail: linzhang@mail.med.upenn.edu
Randomized controlled multicentre trial of cognitive behaviour therapy in the early initial prodromal state: effects on social adjustment post treatment

Aim: Improvement of social adjustment is a major aim of indicated prevention in young people at risk of developing psychosis. The present study explores the effect of specific cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) as compared with supportive counselling (SC) on social adjustment in people in a potential early initial prodromal state of psychosis (EIPS) primarily defined by self‐experienced cognitive thought and perception deficits (basic symptoms).
Long-Term Results of Early Cyclosporin Therapy in Juvenile IDDM

In juvenile IDDM patients, immunosuppression with cyclosporin A allows partial beta-cell function recovery and transient remissions of insulin dependency. The effects of this therapeutic approach, however, have not been evaluated in the long-term, since no reported trial exceeded 1 year. Here we analyze 130 diabetic children followed at our institution during the first years of their disease. Cyclosporin was given to 83 of them at an initial dose of 7.2 ± 0.1 mg·kg−1·day−1, which was decreased stepwise then interrupted after 6–62 months, depending on the response to therapy. A total of 47 diabetic children, who served as control subjects in two trials, were pooled for comparison. Over 4 years, the cyclosporin-treated group kept plasma C-peptide ∼ twice as high as the control group (P < 0.02). It took 5.8 ± 0.6 years for C-peptide secretion stimulated by glucagon to become undetectable in the cyclosporin group versus 3.2 ± 0.6 years in the control group (P < 0.02). Average insulin dose remained lower by 0.2–0.4 U·kg−1·day−1 and glycated hemoglobin by ∼ 1% in cyclosporin-treated patients (P < 0.02), who also had less hypoglycemia than the diabetic control subjects (P < 0.05). After 4 years, differences between the groups became nonsignificant. We observed no significant secondary effects of cyclosporin. In conclusion, positive effects of low-dose cyclosporin in recently diagnosed clinical IDDM patients are prolonged beyond interruption of the drug. The magnitude and duration of the benefit, however, do not appear sufficient to justify this immunosuppressive treatment in clinical practice.
Towards Utilizing Paper-Citation Relations for Research Paper Recommendation

Research paper recommenders emerged over the last decade to ease finding publications relating to researchers’ area of interest. However, the approaches assumed the availability of the whole contents of the recommending papers to be freely accessible, which are not always true due to factors such as copyright restrictions. By leveraging the advantages of collaborative filtering approach, we mine the hidden association between a target paper and its citations to provide a unique and useful list of research papers as recommendations. Using a publicly available dataset, our proposed approach has recorded a significant improvement over the baseline in providing relevant and useful recommendations at the top of the recommendation list.
Shipboard measurements of atmospheric and surface seawater pCO 2 in the North Pacific carried out from January 1999 to October 2000 on the voluntary observation ship MS Alligator Liberty by

Partial pressures of CO2 in surface seawater (pCO2) and the overlying air (pCO2) were measured in the North Pacific (mainly 30–40°N) from January 1999 to October 2000 (9 cruises) onboard the voluntary observation ship MS Alligator Liberty. Distributions of pCO2 and pCO2 showed that the western North Pacific (west of 180°) acted as a sink for atmospheric CO2 throughout the year except for August, whereas the eastern North Pacific (east of 160°W) acted as a sink for only half the year (November to May). Total dissolved inorganic carbon (TCO2) estimated from pCO2 and total alkalinity showed a larger seasonal decrease (April to June) in the western North Pacific than in the eastern North Pacific, in accordance with the seasonal decrease in nitrate + nitrite (NOx = NO3 + NO2). The 9.5 C/N ratio calculated from the relationship between decreased TCO2 and [NOx] implied a larger influence of biological activity in the western North Pacific. Using pCO2 estimated from the relationship between pCO2 and sea surface temperature, we assessed the monthly CO2 fluxes in the western North Pacific for the year 2000. The fluxes ranged from ca. 0 Gt-C yr in the summer to ca. –0.4 Gt-C yr in the winter, with an annual average of –0.2 Gt-C yr, which corresponds to about 10% of the annual oceanic CO2 uptake over the 1990s.