Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Intraguild predation and competitive displacement between Nesidiocoris tenuis and Dicyphus maroccanus, two biological control agents in tomato pests

Dicyphus maroccanus Wagner and Nesidiocoris tenuis Reuter (Hemiptera: Miridae) are 2 biological control agents in tomatoes. Through the crop seasons, a natural shift in the occurrence of both mirids in favor of N. tenuis has been observed at the end of the cropping cycle in eastern Spain. To better optimize their conservation, the reasons for the observed change, such as intraguild interactions (IGP) or the influence of environmental conditions, are worth elucidating. To do this, we first studied the IGP of adult females on heterospecific nymphs in the laboratory. We next studied exploitative competition between adults and nymphs of each species when feeding on Ephestia kueniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) eggs in the laboratory. Finally, to analyze the competitive displacement between both mirids, we conducted a semifield experiment in which both predators were released together. All experiments were conducted at 2 temperature regimes (20 and 25°C). Adult‐to‐nymph intraguild interactions occurred only at 25 ºC at very low levels, showing that N. tenuis attacked and consumed a greater proportion of heterospecific nymphs. Nesidiocoris tenuis was a better competitor than D. maroccanus when feeding on the shared prey in the presence of its heterospecific nymph at 25 ºC. In semifield conditions, N. tenuis showed a competitive advantage over D. maroccanus at both temperatures. We conclude that there is not direct interference between both species, however, N. tenuis has a greater ability to outcompete, since it is best adapted to higher temperatures and it is able to remove food sources for D. maroccanus.
Medical Students' Implicit Bias and the Communication of Norms in Medical Education

ABSTRACT Issue. Medical educators should consider how institutional norms influence medical students' perceptions of implicit bias. Understanding normative structures in medical education can shed light on why this influence is associated with students' resistance to implicit bias. Evidence. Extant research across diverse fields of study uncovers and theorizes layers of norms and normative systems and how they are related to ethical behavior. This review bridges the fields of communication, bioethics, and medical education, constructing an organized foundation and common language by which researchers can build effective educational interventions. First, the nature and effects of implicit bias are described. Second, the nature of normative systems in medical education is explicated. Concepts from the fields of education and communication are transferred to medical education. Third, the structure of the communication of norms in medical education is revealed, through theoretical research in bioethics and empirical medical education research. Implications. Recommendations are provided for medical educators to improve activities intended to encourage reflection on implicit bias. These recommendations include reframing educational activities as endeavors in “personal” development and uncovering and transforming those normative structures that encourage resistance to implicit bias.
Early human safety study of turmeric oil (Curcuma longa oil) administered orally in healthy volunteers.

OBJECTIVE Turmeric extract and turmeric oil have shown chemoprotective effect against chemically-induced malignancies in experimental animals. They can reverse precancerous changes in oral submucous fibrosis in humans. The use of turmeric or Curcuma longa Linn as a spice and household remedy has been known to be safe for centuries. In view of the long term administration required for cancer prevention a Phase I clinical trial of turmeric oil (TO) was designed to study the safety and tolerance of TO in volunteers for a period of 3 months. MATERIAL AND METHODS Nine healthy volunteers between 20 and 33 years of age were tested for haemoglobin, blood counts, liver and kidney functions, bleeding and clotting time and serum electrolytes initially and at 1 and 3 months of treatment. They were administered 0.6 ml of TO three times a day for 1 month and 1 ml in 3 divided doses for 2 months. The acute tolerability study on Day 1 was conducted in a Clinical Pharmacology daycare Unit. Blood pressure and pulse were recorded frequently on Day 1 and at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours and fortnightly till 12 weeks. Volunteers were daily supervised for TO intake as well as for any side effects throughout the study period. RESULTS Nine volunteers were enrolled for the study. One discontinued on 3rd day for allergic skin rashes which, on discontinuation of TO, gradually disappeared by two weeks. Another discontinued on 7th day for intercurrent fever requiring antibiotic treatment. Seven volunteers completed the study. There was no effect of TO, in two doses, on pulse and blood pressure and no side effects in acute tolerability study on Day 1. There was no effect of TO intake on weight, blood pressure, symptoms and signs upto 12 weeks. There was no clinical, haematological, renal or hepatic-toxicity of TO at 1 month and 3 months. Serum lipids did not show significant change except in one volunteer (reversible). CONCLUSIONS In view of the potential for reversing oral submucous fibrosis, a precancerous condition for oral cancer, TO, can be recommended directly for a Phase II trial in patients.
Improving Recruitment into Geriatric Medicine in Canada: Findings and Recommendations from the Geriatric Recruitment Issues Study

As the number of Canadians aged 65 and older continues to increase, declining recruitment into geriatric medicine (GM) raises concerns about the future viability of this medical subspecialty. To develop effective strategies to attract more GM trainees into the field, it is necessary to understand how medical students, residents, GM trainees, and specialists make career choices. The Geriatric Recruitment Issues Study (GRIST) was designed to assess specific methods that could be used to improve recruitment into geriatrics in Canada. Between November 2002 and January 2003, 530 participants were invited to complete the GRIST survey (117 Canadian geriatricians, 12 GM trainees, 96 internal medicine residents, and 305 senior medical students). Two hundred fifty‐three surveys (47.7%) were completed and returned (from 54 participating geriatricians, 9 GM trainees, 50 internal medicine residents, and 140 senior medical students). The survey asked respondents to rate factors influencing their choice of medical career, the attractiveness of GM, and the anticipated effectiveness of potential recruitment strategies. Although feedback varied across the four groups on these issues, consistencies were observed between medical students and residents and between GM trainees and geriatricians. All groups agreed that role modeling was effective and that summer student research programs were an ineffective recruitment strategy. Based on the GRIST findings, this article proposes six recommendations for improving recruitment into Canadian geriatric medicine training programs.
Haploinsufficiency in Peptidylglycine α-Amidating Monooxygenase Leads to Altered Synaptic Transmission in the Amygdala and Impaired Emotional Responses

The mammalian amygdala expresses various neuropeptides whose signaling has been implicated in emotionality. Many neuropeptides require amidation for full activation by peptidylglycine α-amidating monooxygenase (PAM), a transmembrane vesicular cuproenzyme and regulator of the secretory pathway. Mice heterozygous for the Pam gene (PAM+/−) exhibit physiological and behavioral abnormalities related to specific peptidergic pathways. In the present study, we evaluated emotionality and examined molecular and cellular responses that characterize neurophysiological differences in the PAM+/− amygdala. PAM+/− mice presented with anxiety-like behaviors in the zero maze that were alleviated by diazepam. PAM+/− animals were deficient in short- and long-term contextual and cued fear conditioning and required higher shock intensities to establish fear-potentiated startle than their wild-type littermates. Immunohistochemical analysis of the amygdala revealed PAM expression in pyramidal neurons and local interneurons that synthesize GABA. We performed whole-cell recordings of pyramidal neurons in the PAM+/− amygdala to elucidate neurophysiological correlates of the fear behavioral phenotypes. Consistent with these observations, thalamic afferent synapses in the PAM+/− lateral nucleus were deficient in long-term potentiation. This deficit was apparent in the absence and presence of the GABAA receptor antagonist picrotoxin and was abolished when both GABAA and GABAB receptors were blocked. Both evoked and spontaneous excitatory signals were enhanced in the PAM+/− lateral nucleus. Phasic GABAergic signaling was also augmented in the PAM+/− amygdala, and this difference comprised activity-independent and -dependent components. These physiological findings represent perturbations in the PAM+/− amygdala that may underlie the aberrant emotional responses in the intact animal.
Characterization of small‐field bistratified amacrine cells in macaque retina labeled by antibodies against synaptotagmin‐2

Macaque retinae were immunostained with monoclonal antibodies directed against the protein synaptotagmin‐2 (Syt2). Syt2 was localized in a population of small‐field amacrine cells, whose cell bodies formed a regular mosaic within the inner nuclear layer, indicating they represent a single amacrine cell type. The labeled amacrine cells had a bistratified appearance with a dense dendritic plexus in the OFF‐layer and only a few lobular processes extending into the ON‐layer of the inner plexiform layer, similar to A8 amacrine cells described in cat and human retina. Syt2‐labeled cells were immunoreactive for glycine but lacked immunoreactivity for γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA), suggesting they use glycine as their neurotransmitter. The density of these cells increases from ∼200/mm2 in peripheral retina to ∼1,400/mm2 in central retina. Their bipolar cell input was studied by immunolabeling experiments using various bipolar cell markers combined with CtBP2, a marker of presynaptic ribbons. Our data show that Syt2‐labeled amacrine cells receive input from both OFF and ON cone bipolar cells, as well as from rod bipolar cells. The OFF input is dominated by the diffuse bipolar cell DB1 (44%) and the OFF midget bipolar cell (38%). Here we describe a population of bistratified small‐field amacrine cells closely resembling A8 amacrine cells and their cone‐dominated bipolar cell input. J. Comp. Neurol. 521:709–724, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Electropharmacological and Proarrhythmic Effects of a Class III Antiarrhythmic Drug Nifekalant Hydrochloride Assessed Using the In Vivo Canine Models

Abstract: Cardiovascular effects of Nifekalant were examined using halothane-anesthetized dogs, and its proarrhythmic potential was estimated with chronic complete atrioventricular block dogs. Nifekalant was intravenously administered to the halothane-anesthetized dogs in three doses of 0.03, 0.3, and 3 mg/kg/10 minutes with a pause of 20 minutes (n = 6). The low dose hardly affected any of the cardiovascular parameters. The middle dose, a clinically recommended antiarrhythmic dose, decreased the total peripheral resistance, increased the cardiac output, and prolonged the ventricular repolarization phase and effective refractory period. The high dose increased the left ventricular contraction, transiently decreased the mean blood pressure, and enhanced the atrioventricular conduction, besides potentiation of the changes induced by the middle dose. Increment in the repolarization phase by the high dose was greater than that in the refractoriness, leading to increase of ventricular electrical vulnerability. To the atrioventricular block animals, clinically relevant antiarrhythmic dose of 3 mg/kg p.o. of Nifekalant and its 10-times-higher dose were administered. The high dose prolonged QT interval leading to torsades de pointes in all animals (n = 5), which was not detected by the clinical dose (n = 5). These results suggest that antiarrhythmic dose of Nifekalant can be used safely; however, caution should be paid for patients complicating bradycardia and/or a risk of elevated plasma drug concentration.
Cyberbullying Definition Among Adolescents: A Comparison Across Six European Countries

Several criteria have been proposed for defining cyberbullying to young people, but no studies have proved their relevance. There are also variations across different countries in the meaning and the definition of this behavior. We systematically investigated the role of five definitional criteria for cyberbullying, in six European countries. These criteria (intentionality, imbalance of power, repetition, anonymity, and public vs. private) were combined through a set of 32 scenarios, covering a range of four types of behaviors (written-verbal, visual, exclusion, and impersonation). For each scenario, participants were asked whether it was cyberbullying or not. A randomized version of the questionnaire was shown to 295 Italian, 610 Spanish, 365 German, 320 Sweden, 336 Estonian, and 331 French adolescents aged 11-17 years. Results from multidimensional scaling across country and type of behavior suggested a clear first dimension characterized by imbalance of power and a clear second dimension characterized by intentionality and, at a lower level, by anonymity. In terms of differences across types of behaviors, descriptive frequencies showed a more ambiguous role for exclusion as a form of cyberbullying, but general support was given to the relevance of the two dimensions across all the types of behavior. In terms of country differences, French participants more often perceived the scenarios as cyberbullying as compared with those in other countries, but general support was found for the relevance of the two dimensions across countries.
Comparative proteomic analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage of familial and sporadic cases of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic lung disease characterized by progressive deterioration of the alveolar integrity. Among IPF identified phenotypes, that of familial (f-)IPF is usually associated with several gene mutations which are seldom observed in sporadic (s-)IPF. This study aimed at investigating the molecular patterns and variability in f-IPF and s-IPF patients through a differential proteomic analysis. Protein patterns of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples from 10 familial and 17 sporadic IPF patients were compared using 2D electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to proteomic data and an enrichment analysis was also performed to characterize specific pathogenic mechanisms and to identify potential biomarkers. BALF samples from f-IPF showed 87 protein spots differentially expressed than those from s-IPF samples; once identified, these spots revealed 22 unique proteins. The functional analysis showed that the endothelial reticulum stress probably plays a central pathogenetic role in f-IPF with an up-regulation of proteins involved in wounding and immune responses, coagulation system, and ion homeostasis. Up-regulated proteins in the s-IPF group were those involved in the oxidative stress response. PCA analysis of differentially expressed proteins clearly distinguished f-IPF from s-IPF patients, and in agreement with radiological and histological patterns, pointed out a higher heterogeneity in f-IPF than s-IPF samples. The ‘Slit/Robo signaling’, ‘clathrin-coated vesicle’ and ‘cytoskeleton remodelling’, were extrapolated by ‘pathways analysis’ and the results of ‘diseases (by biomarkers)’ highlighted a ‘connective tissue and autoimmune disease’, two aspects of increasing interest in IPF.
Localization of DNA binding activity of HIV-1 integrase to the C-terminal half of the protein.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) integrase (IN) is the viral protein required for integration of the HIV-1 genome into host cell DNA. A series of clones expressing portions of IN as lambda cII fusion proteins has been constructed in an Escherichia coli expression system; a Southwestern procedure was used to examine binding of the expressed proteins to DNA oligonucleotides. Proteins expressed by clone pHIP106, encoding the entire IN protein but no other pol sequence, and pKNA101, which expresses an IN fusion protein containing 23 amino acids of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase at its amino terminus, exhibited similar levels of oligonucleotide binding. Little DNA sequence specificity was associated with binding activity and there was a preference for Mn2+ over Mg2+ and Ca2+. Interestingly, the protein expressed by an N-terminal clone containing nucleotides coding for IN amino acids 1-141 (including a conserved His-Cys box) was unable to bind oligonucleotide, whereas the protein expressed by a C-terminal clone containing nucleotides coding for amino acids 142-288 exhibited binding equivalent to that of full-length IN. The C-terminal protein was unreactive with a MAb to the lambda cII leader peptide and with an antipeptide serum directed against amino acids 141-158. These results are consistent with the previously reported internal initiation of IN protein synthesis in E. coli at met 154, and indicate that the C-terminal clone does not express IN amino acids 142-153. These amino acids represent part of a conserved region termed D(35)E, containing amino acids 116-152, which has been implicated in IN DNA binding. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Formulation and Pharmacokinetics of Vitamin E TPGS Melt DispersionGranules: An Approach to Improve Oral Delivery of Flurbiprofen

Formulation of solid dispersions using BCS class II drugs is one of the fruitful technologies to improve the drug solubility and dissolution rate to improve the bioavailability, but suffers from poor flowability and stability. To overcome the above problems, present research was intended to prepare the solid dispersions using combination of melt dispersion and surface adsorption methods. In the present study flurbiprofen melt dispersion granules were prepared by incorporating vitamin E TPGS as the carrier material and lactose as an adsorbent to improve the dissolution rate and flowability. Melt dispersion granules were evaluated for angle of repose, solubility studies, differential scanning calorimetry, in vitro dissolution studies, stability studies and finally subjected to pharmacokinetic studies. From the differential scanning calorimetry studies, change in the drug peak in formulation revealed the change in drug crystallinity. F4 formulation showed not only good flowability but also complete drug release in 15 min when compared to other formulations and pure drug. From the pharmacokinetic evaluation, F4 formulation showed 1.38- fold higher bioavailability and 1.32-fold higher Cmax compared to plain flurbiprofen. Hence, the formulated vitamin E TPGS melt dispersion granules were able to improve the dissolution rate as well as the bioavailability of flurbiprofen.
Antioxidant drugs combined with alpha-interferon in chronic hepatitis C not responsive to alpha-interferon alone: a randomized, multicentre study.

OBJECTIVE After non-response to the initial course of therapy, retreatment with alpha-interferon is not effective. The aim of this study was to ascertain whether the administration of N-acetyl cysteine and vitamin E could increase the response rate to retreatment with alpha-interferon. DESIGN Prospective, multicentre clinical trial. SETTING Twelve hospitals in Lombardy, Italy. PARTICIPANTS 120 consecutive patients affected by biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis C who had been non-responders to a previous course of alpha-interferon, administered at the dosage of 3-6 million units (MU) three times a week (tiw) for 6 months. INTERVENTIONS The patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups of treatment: group A, natural interferon-alphaN3, 6 or 9 MU tiw, when the body weight was < 60 kg or > or = 60 kg, respectively; group B, the same dosage of natural interferon-alphaN3 in association with oral administration of N-acetyl cysteine 1200 mg/day and vitamin E 600 mg/day. The period of treatment was 6 months in both groups. RESULTS Neither end-therapy biochemical response nor sustained biochemical response rates were improved by the combination treatment, and in no case was clearance of the virus from serum observed. CONCLUSIONS In this randomized study carried out on 120 patients with chronic hepatitis C not responsive to alpha-interferon, oral supplementation with N-acetyl cysteine and vitamin E did not improve the poor efficacy of retreatment with alpha-interferon alone.
Sensorimotor corticocortical projections from rat barrel cortex have an anisotropic organization that facilitates integration of inputs from whiskers in the same row

We used a dual anterograde‐tracing paradigm to characterize the organization of corticocortical projections from primary somatosensory (SI) barrel cortex. In one group of rats, biotinylated dextran amine (BDA) and Fluoro‐Ruby (FR) were injected into separate barrel columns that occupied the same row of barrel cortex; in the other group, the tracers were deposited into barrel columns residing in different rows. The labeled corticocortical terminals in the primary motor (MI) and secondary somatosensory (SII) cortices were plotted, and digital reconstructions of these plots were quantitatively analyzed. In all cases, labeled projections from focal tracer deposits in SI barrel cortex terminated in elongated, row‐like strips of cortex that corresponded to the whisker representations of the MI or SII cortical areas. When both tracers were injected into separate parts of the same SI barrel row, FR‐ and BDA‐labeled terminals tended to merge into a single strip of labeled MI or SII cortex. By comparison, when the tracers were placed in different SI barrel rows, both MI and SII contained at least two row‐like FR‐ and BDA‐labeled strips that formed mirror image representations of the SI injection sites. Quantitative analysis of these labeling patterns revealed three major findings. First, labeled overlap in SII was significantly greater for projections from the same barrel row than for projections from different barrel rows. Second, in the infragranular layers of MI but not in the supragranular layers, labeled overlap was significantly higher for projections from the same SI barrel row. Finally, in all layers of SII and in the infragranular layers of MI, the amount of labeled overlap was proportional to the proximity of the tracer injection sites. These results indicate that SI projections to MI and SII have an anisotropic organization that facilitates the integration of sensory information received from neighboring barrels that represent whiskers in the same row. J. Comp. Neurol. 466:525–544, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.