Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Polycaryocyte formation mediated by Sindbis virus glycoproteins

The process of cell fusion mediated by Sindbis virus membrane proteins synthesized after infection was examined. At the times after infection at which virus proteins were detectable on the cell surface, Sindbis virus-infected BHK-21 cells were found to express a fusion function after brief treatment at acid pH. In studies employing wild-type virus and temperature-sensitive mutants and testing drug or protease inhibition of virus production, we made the following observations on Sindbis virus-mediated fusion from within. (i) Fusion requires the synthesis of virus glycoproteins and their transport to the cell surface. (ii) Modification of the cell plasma membrane by polypeptides PE2 and E1 alone is not sufficient for expression of the fusion function. (iii) The proteolytic conversion of plasma membrane-associated PE2 to E2 is not essential for fusion. (iv) Glycosylation of virus plasma membrane proteins is essential for fusion. (v) The lesions of Sindbis virus temperature-sensitive mutants do not affect their ability to fuse cells.
Histomorphological Effects Of Hunger Stress On Ovaries.

BACKGROUND Incidence of stress is on the rise in our daily life involving various neurobiological, endocrinological and behavioral changes. Hunger stress has a potent influence on mental, physical, and reproductive health by affecting the hypothalamic-pituitary gonadal axis. METHODS It was a laboratory based randomized control trial. Adult female mice (BALB-c strain) weighing 25-27 grams on first day of estrous cycle were taken in two groups (ten each). Group A was kept in normal environment of animal house for one month. Group B was given hunger stress by restricting the diet to about 50% per day for one month. Right ovaries of the animals were dissected out and observed for shape, color, and weight. Histological slides were prepared for the count of primary, secondary, and tertiary follicles. RESULTS Statistically significant decrease in animal and ovary weight with significant fall in ovarian follicles was observed. CONCLUSIONS Hunger stress affects the ovaries by reducing its weight and number of follicles.
After the Great Recession: The End of the Consumer Age

From the middle of the 1980s through 2007 the share of disposable income spent by U.S. consumers rose rapidly. While many commentators want to slap American consumers on the hand for their profligate ways, this behavior did create strong demand and contributed much to the good U.S. economic performance relative to most other developed countries over this period. Furthermore, the absence of deep drops in the consumption rate during recessions mitigated negative demand shocks, such as the dramatic decline in capital expenditures that followed the bursting of the late-1990s hightech bubble. Robust consumption helped create macroeconomic conditions that became known as the Great Moderation. In Cynamon and Fazzari (2008), we identified the period since the mid 1980s as the “Consumer Age. ” This story has a dark side, however. While spending grew robustly across the income distribution, incomes outside of the top quintile were stagnant (see the chapters in this volume by Palley and Setterfield ##). The result was rapid growth in debt-to-income ratios in virtually all income groups. In our 2008 article we identified a “risk of collapse” from rising financial fragility in the household sector. By mid 2010, it is clear that what appeared as a risk several years ago became reality. The Great Recession ended the quarter-century shopping spree by American consumers. In contrast to the recessions of 1990-91 and 2001, consumption dropped sharply in 2009 as credit markets seized up and home prices plummeted. The decline in real personal consumer spending from its peak in January, 2008 to May, 2009 was the largest drop since 1980. The cumulative loss of consumption relative to trend since 2008 now far exceeds that for any other period since World War 2. Consumption and household debt dynamics were obviously central to the macroeconomic forces that led up to the Great Recession. Furthermore, an understanding of these behaviors is necessary to understand the future path of the U.S. economy and to design effective policy to combat the stagnation that continues to grip the job market as we approach four years since the beginning of the recession. This chapter explores the source of the dramatic rise of American consumption. While the conventional life-cycle theory of consumption models the household as an atomistic agent and seeks an explanation from a familiar cast of macroeconomic variables, such as wealth, taxes, and interest rates, our theory conceives of the household as a fundamentally social agent guided by norms of behavior. Thus, while conventional
Presence of cleaved caspase 3 in swine embryos of different developmental capacities produced by parthenogenetic activation

This study assessed the presence of cleaved caspase 3 (CC3) during the in vitro development of swine embryos produced by parthenogenetic activation (PA). Embryos with high and low capacity to develop into blastocysts and the exposure to a caspase inhibitor (z‐DEVD‐fmk) were used to investigate the effect of CC3 on embryo development. The blastocyst rate (64.3% vs. 16.4%) and the average number of nuclei per blastocyst (39.7 vs. 19.8) were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in early‐ (before 24 hr) compared to late‐ (between 24 and 48 hr) cleaving embryos after PA. CC3 was mainly detected in the cytoplasm of Day‐2 and ‐4 embryos, but was primarily localized in the nucleus of Day‐5 and ‐6 embryos. The fluorescence signal for CC3 relative to negative controls was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in early‐ (2.42‐fold) compared to late‐cleaving (1.39‐fold) embryos at Day 2 of culture. Treatment with z‐DEVD‐fmk during the first 24 or 48 hr of the culture period resulted in more embryos developing into blastocysts compared to the control group (55.8% and 55.1% vs. 37%, respectively; P < 0.05). This study confirmed the presence of CC3 in PA embryos from the two‐cell to the blastocyst stage, and revealed that CC3 cellular‐localization changed during embryo development. CC3 was shown to be more abundant in early‐cleaving and more developmentally competent embryos compared to late‐cleaving and less developmentally competent embryos. The inhibition of caspase activity at the beginning, but not at the end, of the culture period affected development of PA embryos. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 78:673–683, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Role of OCT in the diagnosis and follow up of diabetic macular edema

The aim is to present, along with a brief literature review, the results of OCT scan in eyes with diabetic macular edema (DME), as well as examples of the utility of OCT for different therapeutic approaches. One-hundred and thirty-six eyes with diabetic retinopathy were analyzed with OCT to explore the different patterns of DME. Some eyes with DME were studied with OCT pre and postoperatively to determine the efficacy of photocoagulation and vitrectomy to restore a normal macular profile. Sixty-eight eyes with a central foveal thickness of 200µ or more were considered “edematous”. Three different patterns of DME were recognized and analyzed: macular thickening, cystoid macular edema and shallow retinal detachment. The change in macular profile and internal retinal structure after laser or surgical treatment are well visible with OCT. OCT contributes in understanding the anatomy of DME and the intraretinal damage and seems to be the technique of choice for the follow-up of macular edema. We think that this tool should always be used in monitoring the effect of therapies in future studies.
Normalization of testosterone level is associated with reduced incidence of myocardial infarction and mortality in men.

AIMS There is a significant uncertainty regarding the effect of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) on cardiovascular (CV) outcomes including myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between normalization of total testosterone (TT) after TRT and CV events as well as all-cause mortality in patients without previous history of MI and stroke. METHODS AND RESULTS We retrospectively examined 83 010 male veterans with documented low TT levels. The subjects were categorized into (Gp1: TRT with resulting normalization of TT levels), (Gp2: TRT without normalization of TT levels) and (Gp3: Did not receive TRT). By utilizing propensity score-weighted Cox proportional hazard models, the association of TRT with all-cause mortality, MI, stroke, and a composite endpoint was compared between these groups. The all-cause mortality [hazard ratio (HR): 0.44, confidence interval (CI) 0.42-0.46], risk of MI (HR: 0.76, CI 0.63-0.93), and stroke (HR: 0.64, CI 0.43-0.96) were significantly lower in Gp1 (n = 43 931, median age = 66 years, mean follow-up = 6.2 years) vs. Gp3 (n = 13 378, median age = 66 years, mean follow-up = 4.7 years) in propensity-matched cohort. Similarly, the all-cause mortality (HR: 0.53, CI 0.50-0.55), risk of MI (HR: 0.82, CI 0.71-0.95), and stroke (HR: 0.70, CI 0.51-0.96) were significantly lower in Gp1 vs. Gp2 (n = 25 701, median age = 66 years, mean follow-up = 4.6 years). There was no difference in MI or stroke risk between Gp2 and Gp3. CONCLUSION In this large observational cohort with extended follow-up, normalization of TT levels after TRT was associated with a significant reduction in all-cause mortality, MI, and stroke.
The Stress Acceleration Hypothesis of Nightmares

Adverse childhood experiences can deleteriously affect future physical and mental health, increasing risk for many illnesses, including psychiatric problems, sleep disorders, and, according to the present hypothesis, idiopathic nightmares. Much like post-traumatic nightmares, which are triggered by trauma and lead to recurrent emotional dreaming about the trauma, idiopathic nightmares are hypothesized to originate in early adverse experiences that lead in later life to the expression of early memories and emotions in dream content. Accordingly, the objectives of this paper are to (1) review existing literature on sleep, dreaming and nightmares in relation to early adverse experiences, drawing upon both empirical studies of dreaming and nightmares and books and chapters by recognized nightmare experts and (2) propose a new approach to explaining nightmares that is based upon the Stress Acceleration Hypothesis of mental illness. The latter stipulates that susceptibility to mental illness is increased by adversity occurring during a developmentally sensitive window for emotional maturation—the infantile amnesia period—that ends around age 3½. Early adversity accelerates the neural and behavioral maturation of emotional systems governing the expression, learning, and extinction of fear memories and may afford short-term adaptive value. But it also engenders long-term dysfunctional consequences including an increased risk for nightmares. Two mechanisms are proposed: (1) disruption of infantile amnesia allows normally forgotten early childhood memories to influence later emotions, cognitions and behavior, including the common expression of threats in nightmares; (2) alterations of normal emotion regulation processes of both waking and sleep lead to increased fear sensitivity and less effective fear extinction. These changes influence an affect network previously hypothesized to regulate fear extinction during REM sleep, disruption of which leads to nightmares. This network consists of a fear circuit that includes amygdala, hippocampus, and medial prefrontal cortex and whose substantial overlap with the stress acceleration findings allows the latter to be incorporated into a wider, more developmentally coherent framework.
PROPER-MOTION STUDY OF THE MAGELLANIC CLOUDS USING SPM MATERIAL

Absolute proper motions are determined for stars and galaxies to V = 17.5 over a 450 deg2 area that encloses both Magellanic Clouds. The proper motions are based on photographic and CCD observations of the Yale/San Juan Southern Proper Motion program, which span a baseline of 40 years. Multiple, local relative proper-motion measures are combined in an overlap solution using photometrically selected Galactic disk stars to define a global relative system that is then transformed to absolute using external galaxies and Hipparcos stars to tie into the ICRS. The resulting catalog of 1.4 million objects is used to derive the mean absolute proper motions of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC); (μαcos δ, μδ)LMC = (1.89, + 0.39) ± (0.27, 0.27) masyr−1 and (μαcos δ, μδ)SMC = (0.98, − 1.01) ± (0.30, 0.29) masyr−1. These mean motions are based on best-measured samples of 3822 LMC stars and 964 SMC stars. A dominant portion (0.25 mas yr−1) of the formal errors is due to the estimated uncertainty in the inertial system of the Hipparcos Catalog stars used to anchor the bright end of our proper motion measures. A more precise determination can be made for the proper motion of the SMC relative to the LMC; (μαcos δ, μδ)SMC-LMC = (−0.91, − 1.49) ± (0.16, 0.15) masyr−1. This differential value is combined with measurements of the proper motion of the LMC taken from the literature to produce new absolute proper-motion determinations for the SMC, as well as an estimate of the total velocity difference of the two clouds to within ±54 km s−1. The absolute proper-motion results are consistent with the Clouds' orbits being marginally bound to the Milky Way, albeit on an elongated orbit. The inferred relative velocity between the Clouds places them near their binding energy limit and, thus, no definitive conclusion can be made as to whether or not the Clouds are bound to one another.
Proinflammatory cytokine IL-1 β polymorphisms in sudden sensorineural hearing loss

The cause and pathogenesis of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) remain unknown. IL-1β is one of the most powerful inflammatory cytokines. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships between interleukin-1 β (IL-1β) gene polymorphisms (−511 C/T and +3953 C/T) in patients with SSNHL. One hundred two patients affected by SSNHL and 595 controls were genotyped for IL-1β gene polymorphisms. The polymorphisms were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction amplification and DNA fragment separation via electrophoresis. Compared to controls, the IL-1β (+3953) T allele increased the relative risk of SSNHL in subjects with IL-1β (−511) TT genotype (p = 0.022, OR = 9.111, 95% CI = 1.441–57.618). In this study, polymorphisms in the IL-1β −511 and IL-1β +3953 loci were assessed for evidence of association with SSNHL. From this assessment, a significant difference in carriage of both the IL-1β −511 T allele and the IL-1β +3953 T allele was observed between SSNHL and controls. This suggests that the IL-1β −511 and +3953 loci may play an important role in the etiopathogenesis of SSNHL.
MIGRATION INHIBITION OF HUMAN LEUKOCYTES MIXED WITH PHYTOHEMAGGLUTININ‐PREINCUBATED MONONUCLEAR LEUKOCYTES

An in vitro test able to demonstrate phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-induced migration inhibition of human peripheral blood leukocytes was investigated. The migration inhibition was demonstrated by the agarose migration technique. Purified mononuclear leukocytes which had been incubated for 30 min with PHA, then washed and added to non-separated leukocytes induced migration inhibition of the mixed cell population. Since no PHA was added to the non-separated leukocytes, a direct PHA effect on polymorph migration was avoided. If the PHA-preincubated mononuclear leukocytes were heated at 56 degrees C for 30 min, their ability to cause migration inhibition was abolished. This suggests that the inhibition was caused by migration inhibitory factor (MIF) produced by the PHA-stimulated lymphocytes.
Fertility of Male Germline Stem Cells Following Spermatogonial Transplantation in Infertile Mouse Models1

ABSTRACT Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) provide the foundation for spermatogenesis. Earlier studies have shown that the transplantation of SSCs restores fertility to infertile recipients. However, most of the previously described experiments have depended on transplantation using sexually immature animals, and the effectiveness of spermatogonial transplantation in mature animals has not been examined in detail. In this study, we evaluated the efficiency of offspring production by adult recipients of spermatogonial transplantation using germline stem (GS) cells, cultured spermatogonia with enriched SSC activity. GS cells were transplanted into mature WBB6F1-W/Wv (W) or busulfan-treated mice, which were then mated with female mice to obtain offspring from donor cells. We found that GS cells produced offspring most efficiently by transplantation into busulfan (44 mg/kg)-treated mice and all recipients produced progeny within 4 mo (76–111 days) after transplantation. When the dose dependence of offspring production was examined in W mice, approximately 40–80 SSCs were estimated to be required for fertility restoration. Efficient offspring production using GS cells and spermatogonial transplantation will be useful for analyzing factors involved in male fertility.
Call for wider application of sperm DNA fragmentation test

Dr. Khandwala and Dr. Eisenberg in their insightful commentary discussed and endorsed the role of sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) testing under specific circumstances in clinical practice (1). We concur with the authors that properly designed comparative studies, though ideal in providing the best quality evidence, are difficult to conduct in delineating the role of SDF testing in male infertility management.
Use of supplementary equipment for resuscitation of newborn infants at tertiary perinatal centres in Australia and New Zealand

Aim: Neonatal resuscitation is a common and important intervention. International consensus statements advise how newborns should be resuscitated and suggest equipment to be used. Use of equipment not specifically recommended in these guidelines has been advocated. We wished to determine how widely this supplementary equipment is used in a geographically defined region. Methods: Each of the 25 tertiary perinatal centres with on‐site deliveries in Australia and New Zealand was surveyed. The questionnaire asked about the use of the following items during delivery room resuscitation: pulse oximetry, exhaled carbon dioxide detection, polyethylene wrapping, oxygen blenders, laryngeal mask and oropharyngeal airways. Results: Data were obtained from all centres. Pulse oximetry is used at 12 (48%) centres. Exhaled CO2detection is used to confirm endotracheal tube placement at three (12%) of the centres. Polyethylene wrapping is used to prevent heat loss in very‐low‐birthweight infants at delivery at 11 (44%) centres. Oxygen blenders are used to modify the amount of oxygen delivered at nine (36%) centres. Laryngeal mask airways are infrequently used at two (8%) centres. Oropharyngeal airways are infrequently used at five (20%) centres.
Chemotaxis increases vertical migration and apparent transverse dispersion of bacteria in a bench‐scale microcosm

The success of in situ bioremediation is often limited by the inability to bring bacteria in contact with the pollutant, which they will degrade. A bench‐scale model aquifer was used to evaluate the impact of chemotaxis on the migration of bacteria toward the source of a chemical pollutant. The model was packed with sand and aqueous media was pumped across horizontally, simulating groundwater flow in a homogenous aquifer. A vertical gradient in chemoattractant was created by either a continuous injection of sodium benzoate or a pulse injection of sodium acetate. A pulse of chemotactic Pseudomonas putida F1 or a non‐chemotactic mutant of the same species was injected below the attractant. The eluent was sampled at the microcosm outlet to generate vertical concentration profiles of the bacteria and chemoattractant. Moment analysis was used to determine the center and variance of the bacterial profiles. The center of the chemotactic bacterial population was located at an average of 0.74 ± 0.07 cm closer to the level at which the chemoattractant was injected than its non‐chemotactic mutant in benzoate experiments (P < 0.015) and 0.4 ± 0.2 cm closer in acetate experiments (P < 0.05). The transverse dispersivity of the chemotactic bacteria was 4 ± 1 × 10−3 cm higher in benzoate experiments than the transverse dispersivity of the non‐chemotactic mutant and 1 ± 2 × 10−3 cm higher in acetate experiments. These results underscore the contribution of chemotaxis to improve transport of bacteria to contaminant sources, potentially enhancing the effectiveness of in situ bioremediation. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2011;108:2070–2077. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Immunoblot Method To Detect Streptococcus pneumoniae and Identify Multiple Serotypes from Nasopharyngeal Secretions

ABSTRACT Conventional culture techniques are limited in the ability to detect multiple Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes in nasopharyngeal (NP) secretions. We developed an immunoblot (IB) method with monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to detect S. pneumoniae and to identify serotypes. NP specimens stored in skim milk-tryptone-glucose-glycerol medium were assessed by the IB method and the reference culture method (RM). In the RM, four optochin-sensitive alpha-hemolytic colonies resembling pneumococci were typed by the Quellung reaction. In the IB method, a nitrocellulose membrane blot of surface growth was reacted with a pneumococcal surface adhesion (PsaA) MAb and visualized. Of 47 NP specimens, 32 (68%) were found to be positive and 13 (28%) were found to be negative for pneumococci by both methods; each method alone yielded one positive result. The sensitivity and specificity of the IB method for the detection of pneumococci were 97 and 93%, respectively. To identify serotypes, blots were tested with serotype-specific MAbs (4, 6A, 6B, 9V, 14, 18C, 19F, and 23F). To detect the remaining serotypes, positive serotype-specific replicate blots were compared visually to an original anti-PsaA-positive blot; four unidentified colonies were subcultured and serotyped by the Quellung reaction. Fifty-eight S. pneumoniae-positive NP specimens containing 69 pneumococcal strains (23 serotypes) were tested; 68 (98.6%) of the strains were detected by the IB method, and 66 (95.6%) were detected by the RM. For 11 specimens found to contain two serotypes, both methods detected both serotypes in 7 (63.6%), the IB method alone detected the two serotypes in 3 (27.3%), and the RM alone detected both serotypes in 1 (9%). The IB method identified multiple clones and minor populations of pneumococci in NP secretions. This method is useful for detecting specific serotypes and carriage of multiple serotypes in epidemiologic surveillance and carriage studies.
Monografias em Ciência da Computação n ° 08 / 13 Comparing Recommendation Approaches for Dataset Interlinking

Whenever a dataset t is published on the Web of Data, an exploratory search over existing datasets must be performed to identify those datasets that are potential candidates to be interlinked with t. This technical report introduces and compares two approaches to address the dataset interlinking recommendation problem, respectively based on Bayesian classifiers and on Social Network Analysis techniques. Both approaches define rank score functions that explore the vocabularies, classes and properties that the datasets use, in addition to the known dataset links. After extensive experiments using real-world datasets, the results show that the rank score functions achieve a mean average precision of around 60%. Intuitively, this means that the exploratory search for datasets to be interlinked with t might be limited to just the top-ranked datasets, reducing the cost of the dataset interlinking process.