Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The evaluation of nutrient quality of ramie leaves silage and hay in complete mixed ration for Etawah-Crossbreed goat using in vitro technique

A research have been conducted to evaluate the effect of ramie leaves silage and hay in Etawah Crossbreed (PE) goat complete mixed ration (CMR) on nutrient content, fermentability, and digestibility by in vitro. There were seven CMR dietary treatments i.e. P0 (control ration) = 50% napier grass + 50% concentrate, P1 = 30% napier grass + 20% ramie leaves silage + 50% concentrate, P2 = 20% napier grass + 30% ramie leaves silage + 50% concentrate, P3 = 10% napier grass + 40% ramie leaves silage + 50% concentrate, P4 = 30% napier grass + 20% ramie leaves hay + 50% concentrate, P5 = 20% napier grass + 30% ramie leaves hay + 50% concentrate, and P6 = 10% napier grass + 40% hay + 50% concentrate. Both ramie leaves silage and hay increased the CMR digestibility and nutrient content, except the crude fiber. Control ration had a higher crude fiber than silage and hay. The CMR which contain ramie leaves silage (40%) had higher nutrient digestibilities compared to the other rations. Rations which were added with ramie leaves silage (P1 – P3) had a higher VFA concentration compared to the other rations. Ammonia concentration of rations added with preserved ramie leaves were lower than control, however ammonia concentration in all treatments were in optimal range. Acetate proportion was higher in CMR which contain ramie leaves hay than CMR which contain silage and the nutrients digestibilities were lower. Adding ramie leaves silage in rations resulted higher propionate and butyrate proportion than control and rations which added with ramie leaves hay. Either silage or hay ramie leaves can be used up to 40% as Napier grass substitute in the PE CMR.
EVALUATION OF ANTIBACTERIAL EFFICACY OF CHIA (SALVIA HISPANICA) SEEDS EXTRACT AGAINST PORPHYROMONAS GINGIVALIS, FUSOBACTERIUM NUCLEATUM AND AGGREGATIBACTER ACTINOMYCETEMCOMITANS-AN IN-VITRO STUDY

Background: Chia ( Salvia hispanica L.) seeds are used widely because of its nutritional value, antioxidant and antibacterial activity against various microorganisms but there are no studies that relate the antibacterial activity of Chia seeds against periodontal pathogens. Hence, this study aimed to determine the antimicrobial activity of Chia seeds extract on Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. Materials and Methods: Extract of Chia seeds in ethanol and distilled water were obtained by cold maceration. The crude residue was obtained by evaporation at room temperature. The antimicrobial efficacy of Chia seeds in all extracts were assessed against oral microorganisms by finding out zone of inhibition and minimal inhibitory concentration. Results : Chia seeds ( Salvia hispanica ) in ethanol and distilled water were found to be effective against A.actinomycetamcmitans, P.gingivalis and F.nucleatum by highest zone of inhibition being 18mm for aqueous extract of Chia seeds against A.actinomycetamcomitans. Minimum inhibitory concentration for aqueous extract of Chia seeds for A.actinomycetamcomitans and P.gingivalis was established at 50% and for F.nucleatum at 12.5%. The minimum inhibitory concentration of the ethanolic extract of Chia seeds for A.actinomycetamcomitans, P.gingivali and F.nucleatum was 12.5%, 6.25% and 50 % respectively. Conclusion: From results of the study, it is suggested that an ethanolic and aqueous extract of Chia seeds ( S.hispanica ) has antimicrobial activity against P. gingivalis A. actinomycetemcomitans and F.nucleatum.
Vitamin D repletion ameliorates adipose tissue browning and muscle wasting in infantile nephropathic cystinosis‐associated cachexia

Ctns−/− mice, a mouse model of infantile nephropathic cystinosis, exhibit hypermetabolism with adipose tissue browning and profound muscle wasting. Ctns−/− mice are 25(OH)D3 and 1,25(OH)2D3 insufficient. We investigated whether vitamin D repletion could ameliorate adipose tissue browning and muscle wasting in Ctns−/− mice.
IL-1β-31/IL1-RA genetic markers association with idiopathic generalized epilepsy and treatment response in a cohort of Egyptian population

Abstract Background: Neuroinflammation is an important feature of epileptogenesis. Objectives: To investigate the association of Interleukin-1beta-31 (IL-1β-31) and Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL1-RA) genetic polymorphisms with idiopathic generalized epilepsy and demonstrate their influence on drug resistance in children. Materials and Methods: One hundred children with idiopathic generalized epilepsy were age and gender-matched with apparently healthy controls. Both groups were genotyped for IL-1β-31, and IL1-RA gene variants, analysis of these single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) was done through restriction digestion of the corresponding polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assay. Results: Genotype frequency of rs1143627 TT of IL-1β-31 and the homozygous IL1RN*I were found to be more prevalent in epileptic patients (p < .05, OR 0.12 and 5.27respectively). Also observed, T allele of IL-1β-31 and IL1-RAI/I were substantially positively correlated with drug resistance against those who responded well to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). Conclusions: The significant association with IL-1β-31T and IL1-RAN*I alleles potentiated their useful role as predictive markers for the development of epilepsy and response to medical therapy.
Title The role of the Mre 11-Rad 50-Nbs 1 complex in double-strandbreak repair-Facts and myths

Homologous recombination (HR) initiates double-strand break (DSB) repair by digesting 5′-termini at DSBs, the biochemical reaction called DSB resection, during which DSBs are processed by nucleases to generate 3′ singlestrand DNA. Rad51 recombinase polymerizes along resected DNA, and the resulting Rad51–DNA complex undergoes homology search. Although DSB resection by the Mre11 nuclease plays a critical role in HR in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, it remains elusive whether DSB resection by Mre11 significantly contributes to HR-dependent DSB repair in mammalian cells. Depletion of Mre11 decreases the efficiency of DSB resection only by 2to 3-fold in mammalian cells. We show that although Mre11 is required for efficient HR-dependent repair of ionizing-radiation–induced DSBs, Mre11 is largely dispensable for DSB resection in both chicken DT40 and human TK6 B cell lines. Moreover, a 2to 3-fold decrease in DSB resection has virtually no impact on the efficiency of HR. Thus, although a large number of researchers have reported the vital role of Mre11-mediated DSB resection in HR, the role may not explain the very severe defect in HR in Mre11-deficient cells, including their lethality. We here show experimental evidence for the additional roles of Mre11 in (i) elimination of chemical adducts from DSB ends for subsequent DSB repair, and (ii) maintaining HR intermediates for their proper resolution.
Cannabidiol Protects Dopaminergic Neuronal Cells from Cadmium

The protective effect of cannabidiol (CBD), the non-psychoactive component of Cannabis sativa, against neuronal toxicity induced by cadmium chloride (CdCl2 10 μM) was investigated in a retinoic acid (RA)-differentiated SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell line. CBD (1 μM) was applied 24 h before and removed during cadmium (Cd) treatment. In differentiated neuronal cells, CBD significantly reduced the Cd-dependent decrease of cell viability, and the rapid reactive oxygen species (ROS) increase. CBD significantly prevented the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress (GRP78 increase) and the subcellular distribution of the cytochrome C, as well as the overexpression of the pro-apoptotic protein BAX. Immunocytochemical analysis as well as quantitative protein evaluation by western blotting revealed that CBD partially counteracted the depletion of the growth associated protein 43 (GAP43) and of the neuronal specific class III β-tubulin (β3 tubulin) induced by Cd treatment. These data showed that Cd-induced neuronal injury was ameliorated by CBD treatment and it was concluded that CBD may represent a potential option to protect neuronal cells from the detrimental effects of Cd toxicity.
Structure of the zinc-finger antiviral protein in complex with RNA reveals a mechanism for selective targeting of CG-rich viral sequences

Significance Zinc finger antiviral protein (ZAP) protects cells from infection by diverse RNA viruses through its ability to specifically detect and deplete viral RNAs that have a greater frequency of CG dinucleotides than host messenger RNAs. We solved an X-ray crystal structure of the domain of ZAP that recognizes RNA and found that a crucial component of RNA recognition by ZAP is a pocket on the protein surface that can accommodate a CG dinucleotide but no other dinucleotides. The structure explains in atomic detail how ZAP is able to selectively recognize CG-rich viral RNAs as foreign and thereby provide hosts with a defense against viral infection. Infection of animal cells by numerous viruses is detected and countered by a variety of means, including recognition of nonself nucleic acids. The zinc finger antiviral protein (ZAP) depletes cytoplasmic RNA that is recognized as foreign in mammalian cells by virtue of its elevated CG dinucleotide content compared with endogenous mRNAs. Here, we determined a crystal structure of a protein-RNA complex containing the N-terminal, 4-zinc finger human (h) ZAP RNA-binding domain (RBD) and a CG dinucleotide-containing RNA target. The structure reveals in molecular detail how hZAP is able to bind selectively to CG-rich RNA. Specifically, the 4 zinc fingers create a basic patch on the hZAP RBD surface. The highly basic second zinc finger contains a pocket that selectively accommodates CG dinucleotide bases. Structure guided mutagenesis, cross-linking immunoprecipitation sequencing assays, and RNA affinity assays show that the structurally defined CG-binding pocket is not required for RNA binding per se in human cells. However, the pocket is a crucial determinant of high-affinity, specific binding to CG dinucleotide-containing RNA. Moreover, variations in RNA-binding specificity among a panel of CG-binding pocket mutants quantitatively predict their selective antiviral activity against a CG-enriched HIV-1 strain. Overall, the hZAP RBD RNA structure provides an atomic-level explanation for how ZAP selectively targets foreign, CG-rich RNA.
Phosphorus Availability Regulates TORC1 Signaling via LST8 in Chlamydomonas[OPEN]

Phosphorus regulates TORC1 signaling in the model green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii through the TOR-interacting protein LST8 and the global transcriptional regulator of phosphorus deficiency PSR1. Target of rapamycin complex 1 (TORC1) is a central regulator of cell growth. It balances anabolic and catabolic processes in response to nutrients, growth factors, and energy availability. Nitrogen- and carbon-containing metabolites have been shown to activate TORC1 in yeast, animals, and plants. Here, we show that phosphorus (P) regulates TORC1 signaling in the model green alga Chlamydomonas (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii) via LST8, a conserved TORC1 subunit that interacts with the kinase domain of TOR. P starvation results in a sharp decrease in LST8 abundance and downregulation of TORC1 activity. A hypomorphic lst8 mutation resulted in decreased LST8 abundance, and it both reduced TORC1 signaling and altered the cellular response to P starvation. Additionally, we found that LST8 levels and TORC1 activity were not properly regulated in a mutant defective in the transcription factor PSR1, which is the major mediator of P deprivation responses in Chlamydomonas. Unlike wild-type cells, the psr1 mutant failed to downregulate LST8 abundance and TORC1 activity when under P limitation. These results identify PSR1 as an upstream regulator of TORC1 and demonstrate that TORC1 is a key component in P signaling in Chlamydomonas.
The Impact of Organizational Pressures on Environmental Performance of Firms

The role of various organizational pressures in influencing performance of firms has been an interesting research topic in a variety of fields and has received the attention of researchers working in the field of environmental strategy. Although there are previous studies that have looked at the influence of various pressures in influencing firms’ environmental strategies, our study provides a more holistic analysis considering a variety of such pressures in a single framework. We discuss a research study to analyze how pressures from internal and external stakeholders of a firm, economic pressures, environmental regulations, and pressures of environmental compliance have affected environmental performance of firms using data collected from manufacturing firms in the United Kingdom. We have found that internal stakeholders provide the greatest impact in shaping environmental performance of firms, closely followed by economic pressures, environmental regulations, and external stakeholders in that order. Fears of penalties due to environmental compliance have the least impact, although this pressure also has a positive and significant impact on environmental performance.
HOUSE PRICES AND BALANCE OF TRADE DYNAMICS IN SOUTH AFRICA: EVIDENCE FROM AN AGNOSTIC IDENTIFICATION PROCEDURE

This paper analyses the relationship between house prices and the trade balance in South Africa using an agnostic identification procedure. This method allows a housing demand shock to be identified in an eight-variable VAR model by imposing sign restrictions on the impulse responses of consumer prices, private consumption, residential investment, nominal interest rate, real house prices and mortgage loan, while trade balance and real effective exchange rate responses are left unrestricted. We apply a Bayesian Vector Autoregressive (BVAR) model to quarterly data from 1979:Q1 to 2011:Q4 and report a sizable effect of house price shocks on trade balance. The results indicate that a 1 percent decline in house prices can improve the trade balance by 0.2 percent. This suggests that house prices represent an additional instrument for trade-balance adjustment besides the traditional exchange rate channel. However, the effect of housing demand shock on the exchange rate is short-lived and insignificant. Therefore, house prices affect the South African trade balance mainly through the wealth and balance sheet effects on private consumption and investment, respectively. Further, we find that the contribution of house price shocks to the historical path of the trade balance is less prominent in 2000s; possibly substantiating the effectiveness in the conduct of South African monetary policy, which has been shown to be incorporating house price movements in its interest rate setting behaviour.
Supporting Our Lifelong Engagement: Mothers and Teens Exercising (SOLE MATES); a feasibility trial

ABSTRACT This study aimed to examine the feasibility of the Supporting Our Lifelong Engagement; Mothers and Teens Exercising (SOLE MATES) program. SOLE MATES, a single-arm six-week feasibility trial, comprised six face-to-face sessions. Participants were mothers (n = 27) with daughters (n = 31) aged 12–16 years. Data were collected in Ireland between January 2018 and March 2018. Feasibility benchmarks examined recruitment, data collection, acceptability, resources and participant responses. The primary outcome was daughters’ step counts, measured via sealed pedometer for seven consecutive days at baseline and six weeks. Secondary outcomes included mothers’ step counts, measures of communication, co-participation in activity, health-related quality of life and parenting practices. Feasibility benchmarks were reached or exceeded, except for retention. Eligibility rates were 93.4%, and baseline activity levels were low. Program content, measures and facilitators were acceptable, demonstrated through a mean score of 4.14 (SD 0.3) on a 5-point Likert Scale. Daily steps increased in mothers (2,875 increase, p = .009) and daughters (1,393 increase, p = .007). Positive feasibility metrics demonstrated the program’s appeal. Participant responses for outcome measures also indicated program success. However, the relatively homogenous sample and relatively poor initial participation rate were study limitations. The intervention should be evaluated in a randomized controlled trial.
Cytokine Profile Distinguishes Children With Plasmodium falciparum Malaria From Those With Bacterial Blood Stream Infections

Abstract Background Malaria presents with unspecific clinical symptoms that frequently overlap with other infectious diseases and is also a risk factor for coinfections, such as non-Typhi Salmonella. Malaria rapid diagnostic tests are sensitive but unable to distinguish between an acute infection requiring treatment and asymptomatic malaria with a concomitant infection. We set out to test whether cytokine profiles could predict disease status and allow the differentiation between malaria and a bacterial bloodstream infection. Methods We created a classification model based on cytokine concentration levels of pediatric inpatients with either Plasmodium falciparum malaria or a bacterial bloodstream infection using the Luminex platform. Candidate markers were preselected using classification and regression trees, and the predictive strength was calculated through random forest modeling. Results Analyses revealed that a combination of 7–15 cytokines exhibited a median disease prediction accuracy of 88% (95th percentile interval, 73%–100%). Haptoglobin, soluble Fas-Ligand, and complement component C2 were the strongest single markers with median prediction accuracies of 82% (with 95th percentile intervals of 71%–94%, 62%–94%, and 62%–94%, respectively). Conclusions Cytokine profiles possess good median disease prediction accuracy and offer new possibilities for the development of innovative point-of-care tests to guide treatment decisions in malaria-endemic regions.
Clinical features and therapeutic response in adult and pediatric patients with American tegumentary leishmaniasis in Rio de Janeiro.

BACKGROUND American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL) is a neglected disease with wide territorial distribution. Knowledge is scarce in children and adolescents. This study aims to compare the clinical features and response to antimony treatment in pediatric and adult patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis. METHODS A retrospective cohort study was performed with 659 patients who attended a reference centre in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 2000 to 2015. The pediatric cohort consisted of 131 (20%) patients and the adult cohort consisted of 528 (80%) patients. RESULTS The epidemiological profile, antimony therapeutic response and incidence of adverse events (AE) were different in the pediatric cohort compared with the adult cohort. Mucosal form was less frequent in the pediatric cohort (RR:0.49, p=0.011). Lesions in the head, neck and trunk were more frequent in the pediatric cohort (RR:1.49, p=0.043). The effectiveness of antimony treatment was superior in the pediatric cohort (88.3% vs 76.6%) with a shorter healing time (RR:0.49, p=0.009). Pediatric patients had lower proportions of moderate to severe AE compared with adults (RR:0.45, p=0.027). Clinical AE predominated in the adult cohort (RR:0.40, p=0.000) and laboratory AE in the pediatric cohort (RR:1.50, p=0.023). CONCLUSIONS This study adds to the body of knowledge on differences that exist between different age groups in ATL.
Rate and risk factors of recurrent tuberculosis in Yemen: a 5-year prospective study

Abstract Background: Tuberculosis is a major public health concern in Yemen. Recurrence of tuberculosis complicates the situation further, and has severe negative economic and health consequences. This study estimated the tuberculosis recurrence rate during a 5-year follow-up period, and identified risk factors associated with recurrence. Methods: This was a prospective study with a 5-year follow-up period conducted at health centres with tuberculosis units in ten governorates. Participants were prospectively enrolled in the study from July 2007 to June 2008, with the last patient completing treatment on March 15, 2009. Results: A cohort of 814 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis completed treatment and was followed-up for five years. During the follow-up, 3.4% (n = 28) died and 4.3% (n = 35) were lost to the study, giving a final cohort of 751 patients. The mean age ± standard deviation was 32 ± 13 years. Males represented 57.6% of the subjects. The overall recurrence rate of tuberculosis was 9.5% (71/751), with significant variation between subgroups of patients (range = 7–25.8%). The highest recurrence rates were found in patients with diabetes (25.8%, p < .001), non-adherent patients (22%, p < .001), smokers (16.1%, p = .010), patients with cavitary lung disease (14.4%, p = .004), patients with weight gain ≤5% during the intensive phase (13.3%, p < .001) and unemployed patients (11.9%, p = .017). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, these risk factors were independently associated with recurrent tuberculosis: diabetes (adjusted odds ratio, aOR 3.78, 95% confidence interval, CI 1.84–7.80), non-adherence (aOR 3.22, 95% CI 1.76–5.87), weight gain ≤5% (aOR 2.51, 95% CI 1.39–4.55), smoking (aOR 2.18, 95% CI 1.07–4.47), presence of lung cavitation (aOR 2.01, 95% CI 1.16–3.46), and unemployment (aOR 2.15, 95% CI 1.16–4.01). Conclusion: The recurrence rate of tuberculosis in Yemen was high. The presence of risk factors in newly diagnosed patients should alert healthcare professionals. As most of risk factors were modifiable, the World Health Organisation model of patient-centered care in tuberculosis treatment should be promoted in all tuberculosis centres in the country.
Is phenotypical prefrailty all the same? A longitudinal investigation of two prefrailty subtypes in TILDA.

BACKGROUND Fried's frailty phenotype is defined by five criteria: exhaustion, unexplained weight loss, weakness, slowness and low physical activity. Prefrailty (PF) meets one or two criteria. PF is of interest as a target for preventative interventions, but it is not known if it is a homogenous syndrome. OBJECTIVE to compare the longitudinal trajectories of two PF groups: one defined by exhaustion and/or unexplained weight loss (PF1) and one defined by one or two of the following: weakness, slowness, low physical activity (PF2). DESIGN AND SETTING population-based longitudinal study of ageing. SUBJECTS One-thousand four-hundred seventy-six PF participants aged ≥50 years from wave 1 of the study (2010), followed 2-yearly over four longitudinal waves (2012, 2014, 2016, 2018). METHODS generalised estimating equations (GEEs) were used to assess the effect of PF type across waves to predict cumulative mortality and disability in basic activities of daily living (ADL) and independent ADL (IADL), adjusting for baseline characteristics (age, sex, education, living alone, self-rated health, comorbidity, body mass index). RESULTS in wave 1, there were 503 PF1 and 973 PF2 participants. By wave 5, 38 (7.6%) PF1 and 145 (14.9%) PF2 participants had died. In PF1 participants, mean numbers of ADL and IADL disabilities both increased from 0.1 to 0.2 from wave 1 to wave 5, whilst in PF2 increases were from 0.2 to 0.5. Adjusted GEE models suggested significantly divergent trajectories of IADL disability by wave 2, ADL disability by wave 3 and mortality by wave 3. CONCLUSION PF may not be a homogenous biological syndrome.