Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Production of Laccase by a New Myrothecium verrucaria MD-R-16 Isolated from Pigeon Pea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] and its Application on Dye Decolorization

The present study was conducted to screen a laccase-producing fungal endophyte, optimize fermentation conditions, and evaluate the decolorization ability of the laccase. A new fungal endophyte capable of laccase-producing was firstly isolated from pigeon pea and identified as Myrothecium verrucaria based on a ITS-rRNA sequences analysis. Meanwhile, various fermentation parameters on the laccase production were optimized via response surface methodology (RSM). The optimal fermentation conditions were a fermentation time of five days, temperature 30 °C and pH 6.22. Laccase activity reached 16.52 ± 0.18 U/mL under the above conditions. Furthermore, the laccase showed effective decolorization capability toward synthetic dyes (Congo red, Methyl orange, Methyl red, and Crystal violet) in the presence of the redox mediator ABTS, with more than 70% of dyes decolorizing after 24 h of incubation. Additionally, the activity of laccase was relatively stable with pH (4.5–6.5) and a temperature range of 35–55 °C. Therefore, the high laccase production of the strain and the new fungal laccase could provide a promising alterative approach for industrial and environmental applications.
Beaches and Bluffs of Puget Sound and the Northern Straits Prepared in support of the Puget Sound Nearshore Partnership

Abstract : Beaches and bluffs of the Puget Sound region provide critical nearshore habitat functions and values for the region's fish and wildlife. Coastal bluffs are the primary source of beach sediment along the Puget Sound shore, and their natural erosion is essential for maintaining beaches and associated nearshore habitats. Critical habitats dependent on functioning coastal systems include coastal forests, spawning beaches for forage fish (such as surf smelt), eel-grass beds, and salt marshes, all of which shape the health of salmon populations.
Helicobacter pylori Infection in Children in Estonia: Decreasing Seroprevalence During the 11‐Year Period of Profound Socioeconomic Changes

Background. The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection is inversely associated with socioeconomic conditions in childhood. In Estonia, a high prevalence of H. pylori infection has been observed among children born in 1987 and earlier. Since 1991, after the dissolution of the USSR, profound social and economic changes have taken place in the country. The aim of the study was to evaluate changes in the seroprevalence of H. pylori infection among children in the period 1991–2002.
Role of the maternal environment in determining susceptibility to transplacentally induced chemical carcinogenesis in mouse fetuses.

Treatment of pregnant mice with 3-methylcholanthrene (MC) causes lung and liver tumors in the offspring, the incidences of which are greatly influenced by the Ah locus regulated induction phenotype for aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity (AHH) in both the mother and fetuses. In order to examine the biochemical and molecular mechanisms responsible for the modulating effect of maternal environment on tumor susceptibility, reciprocal crosses between responsive C57BL/6 and non-responsive DBA/2 mice were made and the pregnant mothers were treated i.p. on the 17th day of gestation with either olive oil alone, 30 mg/kg of MC, or 30 mg/kg of beta-naphthoflavone (beta NF). At various times after injection, the mothers were killed and the fetuses removed for enzymatic and molecular blot analysis. In fetal lung tissues, the absolute levels and relative induction ratios of AHH activity from D2B6F1 fetuses were very similar to those obtained in B6D2F1 fetuses during the first 24 h following a transplacental exposure to either inducing agent. This was also the case 48 h after an injection of beta NF. However, 48 h after exposure to MC, the AHH activity in fetal lungs from B6 mothers had declined to practically control values, whereas fetal lungs from D2 mothers still exhibited a high level of AHH activity. Similar induction kinetics for the CYPIA1 gene were obtained in fetal livers. These results were confirmed at the RNA level by quantitative slot-blot analysis of fetal RNA preparations. In both organs, treatment with inducing agents for the P450IA1 gene resulted in a rapid and early induction of CYPIA1 RNA by 4 h. Fetuses from D2 mothers, however, showed a more sustained induction of CYPIA1 RNA following exposure to MC than did fetuses from B6 mothers. These results suggest that the observed increase in tumor susceptibility observed in the offspring of D2 mothers compared to the offspring of B6 mothers was due, at least in part, to the differences in the persistence of induction of the CYPIA1 gene locus, and may be the result of differences in the clearance rates of MC from the fetal and maternal compartments or its pharmacokinetic distribution in the two types of maternal environments.
A Deterministic Geometric Representation of Temporal Rainfall: Results for a Storm in Boston

The use of a deterministic fractal-multifractal (FM) representation to model high-resolution rainfall time series via projections of fractal interpolating functions weighed by multifractal measures is reported. It is shown that the intrinsic shape and variability of an 8-hour Boston storm recorded every 15 s on October 25, 1980, may be encoded wholistically, employing the fractal geometric methodology. It is illustrated that the FM methodology provides very faithful descriptions of both major trends and small (noisy) fluctuations for this storm, resulting in preservation of not only classical statistical characteristics of the records but also multifractal and chaotic properties present in them. These results, and those for other storms, suggest that a stochastic framework for rainfall may be bypassed in favor of a deterministic representation based on projections.
CHARACTERIZING THE LOW-MASS MOLECULAR COMPONENT IN THE NORTHERN SMALL MAGELLANIC CLOUD

We present here the first results from a high-resolution survey of the 12CO(J = 1–0) emission across the northern part of the poorly enriched Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), made with the ATNF Mopra telescope. Three molecular complexes detected in the lower resolution NANTEN survey are mapped with a beam FWHM of ∼42″, to sensitivities of approximately 210 mK per 0.9 km s−1 channel, resolving each complex into 4–7 small clouds of masses in the range of Mvir ∼ 103–104 M☉ and with radii no larger than 16 pc. The northern SMC CO clouds follow similar empirical relationships to the southern SMC population, yet they appear relatively under-luminous for their size, suggesting that the star-forming environment in the SMC is not homogeneous. Our data also suggests that the CO cloud population has little or no extended CO envelope on scales ≳30 pc, further evidence that the weak CO component in the north SMC is being disassociated by penetrating UV radiation. The new high-resolution data provide evidence for a variable correlation of the CO integrated brightness with integrated H i and 160 μm emission; in particular CO is often, but not always, found coincident with peaks of 160 μm emission, verifying the need for matching-resolution 160 μm and H i data for a complete assessment of the SMC H2 mass.
Inflammatory pseudotumour of the lymph node in an HIV‐positive individual

Sir: In spite of the fact that prostatic adenocarcinoma and chronic lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL) are diseases typically observed in the elderly, a recent review of the literature reveals that the concurrence of both in the same prostate is an exceedingly rare event. The authors found only eight such cases in a review of 62 primary and secondary prostatic lymphomas retrieved from the ®les of several American Institutions. Besides this review, only one previous report with two additional cases has been recorded in recent years. A new case of this association is presented with special attention to the diagnostic dif®culties on small core prostatic biopsies A 80-year-old man presented with urinary obstruction and transient haematuria of a few months duration. Clinical examination showed a mass affecting both prostatic lobes. Computed tomography revealed a tumour to be within both lobes and invading the prostatic capsule. Regional lymph nodes were also affected. Serum prostate speci®c antigen (PSA) was 46 ng/ml. Needle core biopsies contained only small fragments of prostatic tissue without evidence of malignancy. Simple prostatectomy was then performed. The surgical piece weighed 49 g and measured 70 ́ 40 ́ 40 mm. Microscopically, two different neoplasms admixed with foci of benign prostatic hyperplasia were identi®ed. Some ®elds disclosed a mixture of both neoplasms (Figure 1): an epithelial tumour with diffuse in®ltrating and microacinar patterns (Gleason sum: 8 [53]) and a diffuse lymphoid neoplasm composed of small, well differentiated elements (Figure 2), replacing some peripheral areas of the prostate. Histopathology 2000, 36, 373±384
Induction of functional prolactin receptors by follicle-stimulating hormone in rat granulosa cells in vivo and in vitro.

The role of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in the regulation of prolactin (PRL) receptors in granulosa cells was investigated. After 2 days of incubation in a chemically defined medium, the specific binding of lz51- PRL to cultured granulosa cells was low (1.01 + 0.23 fmol/106 cells). In contrast, addition of FSH (100 ng/ ml) caused a 3-fold increase in the specific binding of lz51-PRL (3.86 f 0.33 fmol/106 cells). In viuo administra- tion of FSH for 2 days caused a similar 3-fold increase in 12’I-PRL to granulosa cells. FSH (1 pg) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG; 1 pg) did not displace 12’I-PRL, but human growth hormone (hGH) was as effective as PRL in competing for 12’I-PRL binding sites. The effect of PRL on progesterone, 20a-dihydropro- gesterone, and estrogen biosynthesis was investigated. During a B-day incubation in defined media containing 100 nM androstenedione (aromatase substrate), control and PRL-treated cells from unprimed animals secreted negligible amounts of steroid hormones. However, after pretreatment for 2 days in vitro with FSH (100 rig/ml), these cells responded to PRL (1 gg/ml) by showing a 5- fold and 3-fold increase in progesterone and 2Oa-dihy- droprogesterone production, respectively. In contrast, PRL did not increase estrogen formation by such cells, indicating the PRL effect was specifically coupled to progestin synthesis. The stimulatory effect of PRL on progesterone synthesis was dose-related; the minimal and apparent maximal effective doses of PRL were 30 rig/ml and 1 pg/ml, respectively. A dose-related in- crease in 20a-dihydroprogesterone was also observed with PRL but it was less than the progesterone re- sponse. Comparable steroidogenic responses to PRL were observed with granulosa cells pretreated with FSH for 2 days in viva, suggesting our in vitro obser- vations reflect a normal physiological event. The pro- gesterone/20a-dihydroprogesterone ratio was signifi- cantly decreased (a-fold) by PRL over control and FSH- treated cells, suggesting PRL decreased 20a-hydroxy- steroid dehydrogenase activity. These results demonstrate that 1) FSH stimulates the formation of specific PRL receptors in granulosa cells in vitro and in uiuo, 2) the FSH-induced PRL receptors
Novel pyridinium surfactants for efficient, nontoxic in vitro gene delivery.

Novel, double-chained pyridinium compounds have been developed that display highly efficient DNA transfection properties. The transfection efficiency of several of these compounds is enhanced by an order of magnitude, when compared with the transfection efficiency accomplished with the widely used cationic lipid system, lipofectin. Most importantly, the pyridinium compounds were found to be essentially nontoxic toward cells. Using various reporter genes, such as beta-galactosidase and pNEO (a gene construct that renders cells resistent to antibiotic derivatives of neomycin like G418), we demonstrate that the enhanced efficiency relates to the fact that a relative higher number of cells in the population is transfected (approximately 50% in the case of COS cells) by the pyridinium derivatives, whereas the delivery of DNA per cell is also enhanced. Furthermore, application of the pyridinium derivatives shows little cellular preference in their ability to transfect cells. By systematically modifying the structure of the pyridinium amphiphile, i.e., by changing either the headgroup structure or the alkyl chains, some insight was obtained that may lead to unraveling the mechanism of amphiphile-mediated transfection, and thus to protocols that further optimize the carrier properties of the amphiphile. Our results reveal that unsaturated alkyl chains enhance the transfection properties of the pyridinium-based amphiphiles. Preliminary experiments suggest that the structure-dependent improvement of transfection efficiency, when comparing pyridinium derivatives with lipofectin, likely relates to the mechanism of delivery rather than the packaging of the amphiphile/DNA complex.
Sleep Disturbances in Phenylketonuria: An Explorative Study in Men and Mice

Sleep problems have not been directly reported in phenylketonuria (PKU). In PKU, the metabolic pathway of phenylalanine is disrupted, which, among others, causes deficits in the neurotransmitters and sleep modulators dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. Understanding sleep problems in PKU patients may help explain the pathophysiology of brain dysfunction in PKU patients. In this explorative study, we investigated possible sleep problems in adult treated PKU patients and untreated PKU mice. In the PKU patients, sleep characteristics were compared to healthy first degree relatives by assessment of sleep disturbances, sleep-wake patterns, and sleepiness with the help of four questionnaires: Holland sleep disorder questionnaire, Pittsburgh sleep quality index, Epworth sleepiness scale, and Munich Chronotype Questionnaire. The results obtained with the questionnaires show that PKU individuals suffer more from sleep disorders, a reduced sleep quality, and an increased latency to fall asleep and experience more sleepiness during the day. In the PKU mice, activity patterns were recorded with passive infrared recorders. PKU mice switched more often between active and non-active behavior and shifted a part of their resting behavior into the active period, confirming that sleep quality is affected as a consequence of PKU. Together, these results give the first indication that sleep problems are present in PKU. More detailed future research will give a better understanding of these problems, which could ultimately result in the improvement of treatment strategies by including sleep quality as an additional treatment target.
Jupiter's polar auroral emissions

[1] This paper reports a study of Jupiter's polar auroral emissions observed in an extended series of FUV images. They were obtained on seven days, during winter 2000–2001, with the STIS camera on board the Hubble Space Telescope. The fixed pointing yielded highly accurate and consistent tracking of emisson features as Jupiter rotated, allowing the analysis of the auroral morphology and brightness on timescales ranging from seconds to days. In the Northern Hemisphere, the polar emissions, located poleward of the main oval, usually represent about 30% of the total auroral FUV emitted power. They show emission bursts lasting ∼100 s, while the main oval remains stable. The polar region may be divided into three regions apparently fixed in magnetic local time: the dawnside dark region, the poleward swirl region, and the duskside active region in which flares and arc-like features are observed. Each of these UV emission regions can be identified with its infrared counterpart and probably relates to a different sector of the Dungey cycle or Vasyliunas cycle plasma flows.
Retenção de água em carvão de bambu e madeira produzidos a diferentes temperaturas.

Ainda pouco discutida no Brasil, a biomassa do bambu e uma alternativa de energia com diversos usos. A utilizacao desse material, obtido por plantio ou manejo de bambuzais nativos, na producao de carvao para uso agricola pode melhorar as propriedades do solo. Neste texto, serao apresentados e debatidos dados sobre a retencao de agua em amostras do produto denominado biocarvao de bambu (biochar) e seu potencial uso como condicionador de solo. O objetivo foi verificar o resultado da carbonizacao de bambu a diferentes temperaturas e seus efeitos na retencao de agua a diferentes potenciais. Para comparacao, as analises foram realizadas tambem com amostras de carvao de madeira, produzido nos fornos tradicionais de carbonizacao utilizados no Brasil. Apos uma serie de testes, verificou-se que a elevacao da temperatura de carbonizacao aumenta o conteudo de agua retida com alta energia (>1500 kPa). Os biocarvoes produzidos nas temperaturas 500 oC e 550 oC e o biocarvao de madeira apresentaram os maiores valores de agua facilmente disponivel. Por esse parâmetro, os biocarvoes sao indicados para ser adicionados a substratos de mudas.
Rapid and Efficient Methods to Isolate, Type Strains and Determine Species of Agrobacterium spp. in Pure Culture and Complex Environments

Agrobacterium are Alphaproteobacteria common in most soils that closely interact with plants in two respects. Firstly, and as a general trait of the whole taxon, they are rhizospheric bacteria saprophytically living in the root environment (i.e. rhizosphere) of numerous plants. Rhizospheric interactions are generally considered to be of commensal type with no detrimental effect to the plant, but in most instances they are likely beneficial to plants. For evident agronomic purposes it is worthwhile to explore whether agrobacteria are themselves plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) or not. However, this requires an expert determination of the Agrobacterium taxonomy. Indeed our current investigations suggest that only some agrobacterial species from the abundant soil Agrobacterium guild are selected in the rhizosphere of a given plant. Secondly, but only when they harbor a dispensable Ti plasmid (i.e. tumor inducing plasmid), agrobacteria are plant pathogens able to cause the crown gall disease to most dicots and gymnosperms and some monocots (Pitzscke & Hirt, 2010). Ti plasmids are conjugative and can easily spread in indigenous soil agrobacteria. As a result transconjugant agrobacteria become in turn pathogenic, contributing both to disease spread and perennial soil contamination. An epidemiological survey of crown gall thus also requires expert determination of the Agrobacterium taxonomy. A set of biochemical and molecular methods were thus set up to facilitate the taxonomic assessment of agrobacteria either in pure culture or directly from complex environments such as soils, rhizospheres or tumours. After a presentation of the present state of Agrobacterium taxonomy, this work provides efficient methods to : i) isolate agrobacteria from complex environments thanks to elective media; ii) determine the Agrobacterium genus status of newly isolated strains on the basis of a minimal set of biochemical tests; iii) determine species and type novel isolates of Agrobacterium by sequence analysis of relevant marker genes; iv) determine amplicon content and genome architecture; v) detect the presence of Agrobacterium and Ti or Ri plasmid directly in complex environments by PCR using selected primers and metagenomic DNA extracted from whole bacterial communities.
Evidence in Support of a Role for Human T-cell Leukemia Virus Type I Tax in Activating NF-B via Stimulation of Signaling Pathways(*)

The human T-cell leukemia virus type I Tax protein activates NF-κB transcription factors from preformed cytoplasmic pools, including those pools that are retained by the IκB-α inhibitory protein. Degradation of IκB-α is enhanced by Tax, resulting in the liberation of some NF-κB, which then translocates into the nucleus. Here we have investigated the mechanism by which Tax causes degradation of IκB-α. Two IκB-α mutants defective in extracellular signal-induced degradation of IκB-α also blocked Tax-mediated κB-dependent transactivation when cotransfected into Jurkat T cells. Cotransfected wild-type IκB-α or an irrelevant mutant did not significantly effect transactivation induced by Tax. The signal-defective IκB-α proteins are mutated at either of two closely spaced serines in the N terminus of the protein (Ser and Ser). In wild-type IκB-α, one or both of these serines are inducibly phosphorylated with extracellular stimuli, and such phosphorylation appears necessary for subsequent degradation and thus activation of NF-κB. These results suggest that Tax triggers IκB-α degradation and thus NF-κB activation by a mechanism that converges with that induced by extracellular stimulation such as phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate/ionomycin or tumor necrosis factor α. A role for Tax in activating signal transduction pathways upstream of IκB-α is implied.
Quality of life outcomes of combination zalcitabine-zidovudine, saquinavir-zidovudine, and saquinavir-zalcitabine-zidovudine therapy for HIV-infected adults with CD4 cell counts between 50 and 350 per cubic millimeter. PISCES (SV14604) Study Group.

BACKGROUND This double-blind study evaluated treatment with zalcitabine-zidovudine, saquinavir-zidovudine, or saquinavir-zalcitabine-zidovudine on the health-related quality of life of HIV-infected adults with CD4 cell counts between 50 and 350 cells/mm3. METHODS Nine hundred and ninety-three HIV-infected male or female quality of life substudy patients aged 18 years or older, with CD4 cell counts between 50 and 350 cells/mm3 naïve to antiretroviral therapy or with less than 16 weeks of zidovudine therapy, were randomly assigned to one of three daily regimens: zalcitabine 0.75 mg and zidovudine 200 mg every 8 h (ddC/ZDV); saquinavir 600 mg and zidovudine 200 mg every 8 h (SQV/ZDV); or saquinavir 600 mg, zalcitabine 0.75 mg and zidovudine 200 mg every 8 h (SQV/ddC/ZDV). The health-related quality of life was measured using the Medical Outcome Study HIV (MOS-HIV) Health Survey subscale and physical and mental health summary scores, and a global visual analogue scale (VAS) score. The primary health-related quality of life endpoints were the MOS-HIV physical and mental health summary scores. RESULTS After 24 weeks of treatment, no statistically significant differences were observed between the three treatment groups on physical health and mental health summary scores (global test P = 0.118). After 48 weeks of treatment, statistically significant differences among the groups were observed for physical health and mental health summary scores (global test P = 0.020); no change in physical health summary scores from the baseline were seen in the triple combination therapy, whereas the ddC/ZDV combination therapy group showed decreases from baseline in physical health summary scores (P = 0.008). Six of the 10 individual MOS-HIV subscale scores and the VAS scores showed results consistent with the physical health summary endpoints after 48 weeks of therapy. No statistically significant differences in baseline to 48 week changes in MOS-HIV subscale or summary scores were seen between the ddC/ZDV and SQV/ZDV groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Patients on triple combination therapy maintained their quality of life over 48 weeks compared with significant decreases in the quality of life for ddC/ZDV combination therapy.