Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
PROFILIN-1 IN CAPILLARY MORPHOGENESIS OF VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL CELLS

Vascular endothelial cells (VEC) assemble into capillary-like structures during angiogenesis, and this neovascularization process plays an important role in a wide range of physiological and pathological scenarios. Based on significant upregulation of its expression in VEC during capillary morphogenesis, profilin-1 (Pfn1 - a ubiquitously expressed actin-binding protein) was previously implicated in capillary morphogenesis of VEC. The overall objective of the present study was to investigate whether and how loss of Pfn1 function affects a) the various cellular functions that are important for capillary morphogenesis such as VEC migration, invasion and proliferation, and b) the overall capillary forming ability of VEC. Loss of Pfn1 function in VEC was achieved either by suppressing the overall expression of Pfn1 by RNA interference method or selectively abrogating specific ligand-interactions (actin, proline-rich ligands) of Pfn1 by expressing various point-mutants of Pfn1 in a near-null endogenous Pfn1 background (knockdown and knock-in approach). Loss of Pfn1 expression causes a major change in actin cytoskeleton in VEC. Particularly, there is a significant depletion of actin filaments and focal adhesions in VEC when Pfn1 expression was silenced. Silencing of Pfn1 expression also significantly impairs the migratory ability of VEC. Analyses of leading edge dynamics revealed that Pfn1 depletion results in decreased velocity and frequency of lamellipodial protrusion. Further experiments with point-mutants of Pfn1 showed that both actin and polyproline interactions of Pfn1 are required for efficient lamellipodial protrusion and overall migration of VEC. Loss of Pfn1 expression is associated with reduced dynamics of VE-cadherin dependent cell-cell adhesion, which was also found to be correlated with increased nuclear accumulation of p27 Kip1 (a major cell-cycle inhibitor) and reduced VEC proliferation. Finally, we found that loss of overall expression of Pfn1 significantly impairs collagen gel invasion and three-dimensional (3-D) capillary morphogenesis of VEC. Abolishing either of actin or polyproline interactions of Pfn1 also leads to a dramatic inhibition of capillary mophogenesis of VEC. Taken together, these results demonstrate that Pfn1 plays a critical role in capillary morphogenesis of VEC through its interactions with both actin and polyproline ligands. This study may further imply that Pfn1 could be a novel angiogenesis target.
Is Charitable Giving by Nonitemizers Responsive to Tax Incentives? New Evidence

Was nonitemizer giving responsive to the 1982-6 "above-the-line" tax deduction provided for in the 1981 Economic Recovery Tax Act? Here, a Tobit model is applied to Treasury Individual Tax Model file data for 1985 and 1986 to estimate the price elasticity of nonitemizer giving. Nonitemizer giving is found to be price-responsive. The responsiveness is, however, smaller than that for itemizer giving (at least for 1986 when the nonitemizer deduction was fully phased in), suggesting diminishing returns from extending the itemizers-only deduction to nonitemizers. These findings also question whether the nonitemizer deduction can be touted as a highly efficient tax subsidy.
Comparative Efficiency of Propylene Glycol and Polyethylene Glycol in Enhancing Percutaneous Absorption and Release of a Drug Through Silicone Membrane and Rat Skin

The present study describes comparative efficiency of propylene glycol (PG) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) in enhancing percutaneous absorption and release of cetirizine hydrochloride (a model drug) through silicone membrane and rat skin. Various gel formulations of cetirizine HCl were prepared and optimized by using response surface methodology containing different ratios of PG(X1) and PEG(X2) taken as two independent variables whereas cumulative amount of cetirizine HCl was used to calculate dependent (response) variables (Y1 - Y7). The results showed that independent variables had remarkable effects (p < 0.05) on dependant variables. The cetirizine HCl is freely soluble in water and PBS. The value of partition coefficient (Ko/w) calculated is 1.91±0.03. Formulations G1-G9, G11 and G13 showed good homogeneity while formulations G10 and G12 showed comparatively good homogeneity. Formulations G2-G9 showed spreadability in a range of 3.2-4.6 cm while formulations G1 and G10- G13 showed comparatively less spreadability i.e. 2.0-2.3 cm. The pH values of the prepared gels were measured at 25±1°C which ranged between 5.8-7.2. The viscosity of all prepared gels was determined and they were found within the limits i.e. 130-138 Cps × 10 3 . Primary skin irritation test was performed for optimized gels i.e. G4 and G8 on 11 volunteers and found no irritation or lesions. G4 and G8 possess greater values of flux ER . The values of tlag of these gels were minimum. Therefore G4 and G8 pass across the membrane in less time in comparison with other gels. Values of Kp and I/R were also more prominent in G4 and G8. It was concluded that PG and PEG can be successfully used in combination as permeation enhancers for transdermal delivery of cetirizine HCl.
Mutational analysis of the fingers domain of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase

Using BspMI cassette vectors, we have constructed a series of mutations in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase (RT) that cause specific amino acid substitutions within the polymerase domain. The RNA-dependent DNA polymerase, DNA-dependent DNA polymerase, and RNase H activities of the mutant RTs were assayed. The elucidation of the structure of HIV-1 RT makes it possible to determine the locations of specific mutations in the three-dimensional structure of HIV-1 RT [E. Arnold, A. Jacobo-Molina, R. G. Nanni, R. L. Williams, X. Lu, J. Ding, A. D. Clark, Jr., A. Zhang, A. L. Ferris, P. Clark, A. Hizi, and S. H. Hughes, Nature (London) 357:85-89, 1992; L. A. Kohlstaedt, J. Wang, J. M. Friedman, P. A. Rice, and T. A. Steitz, Science 256:1783-1790, 1992]. The mutations described in this report are between amino acids 25 and 81, within the "fingers" domain of RT (Kohlstaedt et al., Science 256:1783-1790, 1992). It has been suggested that this domain may play a role in positioning the template. Although the fingers domain does not contain the active site for polymerization, several of the mutations within this domain disrupt polymerase activity without significantly affecting RNase H activity.
Investigating the utilisation of ERP systems in the UAE

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems have changed the way organisations process their information, yet limited research has been conducted to investigate employees’ utilisation of ERP systems. This research proposes a model that integrates the technology acceptance model (TAM) with the task-technology fit (TTF) model to investigate ERP systems usage. An empirical study was conducted to analyse the data. The data were analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM) techniques to evaluate the strength of the hypothesised relationships. The results strongly support the extended TAM in predicating employees’ utilisation of ERP systems. This research also finds that the TTF model is a valuable addition to TAM for ERP systems tasks. The results and the implications of the findings are discussed in the study.
A Web-based System to Support Inquiry Learning - Towards Determining How Much Assistance Students Need

How much assistance should be provided to students as they learn with educational technology? Providing help allows students to proceed when struggling, yet can depress their motivation to learn independently. Assistance withholding encourages students to learn for themselves, yet can also lead to frustration. The web-based inquiry-learning program, Voyage to Galapagos (VTG), helps students âfollowâ the steps of Darwin through a simulation of the Galapagos Island. Students explore the islands, take pictures of animals, evaluate their characteristics and behavior, and use scientific methodology to âdiscoverâ evolution. A preliminary study with 48 middle school students examined three levels of assistance: (1) no support, (2) error flagging, text feedback on errors, and hints, and (3) pre-emptive hints with error flagging, error feedback, and hints. The results indicate that higher performing students gainfully use the programâs support more frequently than lower performing students, those who arguably have a greater need for it. We conjecture that this could be a product of the current program only providing an early phase of the learning process and also that higher performers generally are better at asking for help. Lower performers may benefit at later phases of work, which we will test in a future study.
Testosterone hydroxylation in bovine liver: enzyme kinetic and inhibition study

In order to sort out the involvement of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A and possibly CYP2B in testosterone hydroxylation in cattle, enzyme kinetic and inhibition studies were performed. Most relevant kinetic constants (Km and Vmax) for 6β-, 16β- and 2β-testosterone hydroxylase (OHT) activities were determined and accounted for 93.4 ± 13.8, 36.4 ± 6.1 and 110.8 ± 15.2 μM, respectively, for Km and 0.558 ± 0.03, 0.280 ± 0.013, and 0.338 ± 0.017 nmol min–1 mg–1 protein, respectively, for Vmax. Eadie–Hofstee plot analysis pointed out how these enzymatic activities in cattle follow a monophasic kinetic pattern. Preliminary inhibition studies conducted with the CYP3A inhibitor ketoconazole and the CYP2B inhibitors orphenadrine and 9-ethynylphenanthrene seemed to suggest the major involvement of CYP3A in testosterone hydroxylation in cattle. Immuno-inhibition studies with an anti-peptide antibody against bovine CYP3A4 confirmed the predominant role of CYP3A in testosterone hydroxylation in bovine liver, proving the usefulness of anti-peptide antibodies in defining the contribution of specific P450 isoforms in drug metabolism in veterinary species.
Variación geoprosódica en dos entonaciones de Castilla y León: análisis de frases declarativas e interrogativas sin expansión

En este trabajo presentamos los primeros resultados del analisis acustico correspondientes a una parte del corpus experimental obtenido de las grabaciones de lectura de frases de una informante vallisoletana y otra salmantina. Las principales diferencias se dan en la entonacion interrogativa. La interrogativa vallisoletana alcanza menos altura en el tonema que la correspondiente salmantina, especialmente en el caso de las llanas y, sobre todo, de las esdrujulas, donde el ascenso tonal supera el valor de una octava. En cuanto al pretonema, parece, por el contrario, que el pico tonal se eleva mas en la interrogativa vallisoletana. En las declarativas hallamos diferencias claras en el tonema, que presenta un mayor descenso en la entonacion vallisoletana (sobre todo, en agudas y esdrujulas). En cuanto a los valores prosodicos de duracion e intensidad, hemos observado diferencias en la modalidad interrogativa, donde la informante salmantina alarga mas las vocales y registra un ligero aumento de la intensidad.
FLOW CYTOMETRY DETERMINATION OF BCl-2 EXPRESSION IN ANIMALS INFECTED WITH BOVINE LEUKAEMIA VIRUS

Investigations were performed in lambs experimentally infected with blood lymphocytes of leukaemic cow. The presence of specific bovine leukaemia virus (BLV) antibodies in sera of infected animals was detected in agar gel immunodiffusion test and ELISA. Proviral DNA was detected with PCR and nested PCR. Dual-colour flow cytometry analysis with the use of specific monoclonal antibodies (for lymphocyte CD markers, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and Bcl-2 protein) and conjugates labelled with FITC or PE was performed. The results demonstrated much higher level of PCNA in leukaemic lymphocytes than in healthy ones and these values were dependent on the stage of the disease. Expression of Bcl-2 protein was much stronger in lymphocytes of infected animals than in control group. The BLV infection caused depletion of CD4 lymphocytes in infected sheep and proliferation of IgM+ CD19+ cells. These cells had immature character without tendency to differentiation, and their vitality was prolonged due to Bcl-2 protein, which physiologically blocks apoptosis.
Do lesbians overestimate alcohol use norms? Exploring the potential utility of personalized normative feedback interventions to reduce high-risk drinking in Southern California lesbian communities

ABSTRACT This study examines the potential utility of social norms-based approaches to reduce heavy alcohol use in lesbian community settings. In a sample of 278 Southern Californian lesbians recruited from social media networks to complete an online survey, the majority of participants overestimated the quantity of alcohol consumed by their lesbian peers and more frequent lesbian bar attendance was associated with elevated perceptions of how much other lesbians drink. Greater than 90% of participants expressed interest in receiving personalized normative feedback, suggesting that culturally tailored personalized normative feedback interventions focused on correcting perceptions of heavy drinking may be successful in mitigating the alcohol-related risks of lesbians in Southern California, and potentially beyond.
Pollination and other biotic interactions in figs of Ficus eximia Schott (Moraceae)

Pollination and other biotic interactions in figs of Ficus eximia Schott (Moraceae)). During the period from 1992 to 1997, interactions of several organisms and Ficus eximia figs, a monoecious species, were studied in plants located in Campinas/SP and Londrina/PR (Brazil). Ficus eximia is pollinated by a single fig wasp species, Pegoscapus sp. (Hymenoptera: Agaonidae, Agaoninae), but also visited by other 14 non-pollinating wasps (Agaonidae, Eurytomidae, Torymidae). Mites (Tarsonemidae), nematodes (Diplogasteridae) and fungi which use the body of the pollinating fig wasp to disperse themselves were also observed. RESUMO - (Polinizacao e outras interacoes bioticas em siconios de Ficus eximia Schott (Moraceae)). Durante o periodo de 1992 a 1997, as interacoes de varios organismos e figos de Ficus eximia, uma especie monoica, foram estudadas em plantas localizadas em Campinas/SP e Londrina/PR (Brasil). Ficus eximia ep olinizada por uma unica especie de vespa de figo,Pegoscapus sp. (Hymenoptera: Agaonidae, Agaoninae), e associada a outras 14 especies de vespas nao-polinizadoras (Agaonidae, Eurytomidae, Torymidae). Acaros (Tarsonemidae), nematoides (Diplogasteridae) e fungos, os quais utilizam o corpo da vespa polinizadora para se dispersarem, foram tambem observados.
Periodontal disease is associated with gestational diabetes mellitus: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND Few studies have specifically examined the relationship between periodontal disease and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The objective of this study was to examine whether maternal periodontal disease is associated with GDM. METHODS A case-control study was conducted of 53 pregnant women with GDM and 106 pregnant women without GDM at Woman's Hospital, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The periodontal examinations were performed by a calibrated dentist who was masked to the diabetic status of the pregnant women. Periodontitis was defined as the presence of any site with a probing depth (PD) >or=4 mm or a clinical attachment loss (AL) >or=4 mm. The severity of periodontal disease was measured in quartiles of PD and clinical AL. Univariable analysis and multivariable logistic regression were used to examine the relationships between periodontal disease and GDM. RESULTS The percentage of periodontitis was 77.4% in women with GDM and 57.5% in women without GDM, with an odds ratio (OR) of 2.5 and a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.2 to 5.3. After adjusting for confounding variables of maternal age, parity, race, marital status, education, family income, smoking, alcohol consumption, systemic antibiotics during pregnancy, family history of diabetes, income, dental insurance coverage, and body mass index, the adjusted OR (95% CI) was 2.6 (1.1 to 6.1). The adjusted ORs (95% CIs) of GDM comparing the highest-to-lowest quartiles of PD and clinical AL were 3.8 (1.0 to 14.0) and 4.5 (1.2 to 16.9). CONCLUSION This study supports the hypothesis of an association between periodontal disease and GDM.
Acute effects of a single, oral dose of d9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) administration in healthy volunteers.

RATIONALE Animal and humans studies suggest that the two main constituents of cannabis sativa, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) have quite different acute effects. However, to date the two compounds have largely been studied separately. OBJECTIVE To evaluate and compare the acute pharmacological effects of both THC and CBD in the same human volunteers. METHODS A randomised, double-blind, cross-over, placebo controlled trial was conducted in 16 healthy male subjects. Oral THC 10 mg or CBD 600 mg or placebo was administered in three consecutive sessions, at one-month interval. Physiological measures and symptom ratings were assessed before, and at 1, 2 and 3 hours post drug administration. The area under the curve (AUC) between baseline and 3 hours, and the maximum absolute change from baseline at 2 hours were analysed by one-way repeated measures analysis of variance, with drug condition (THC or CBD or placebo) as the factor. RESULTS Relative to both placebo and CBD, administration of THC was associated with anxiety, dysphoria, positive psychotic symptoms, physical and mental sedation, subjective intoxication (AUC and effect at 2 hours: p < 0.01), an increase in heart rate (p < 0.05). There were no differences between CBD and placebo on any symptomatic, physiological variable. CONCLUSIONS In healthy volunteers, THC has marked acute behavioural and physiological effects, whereas CBD has proven to be safe and well tolerated.
Reconstruction of Spatial Thermal Gradient Encoded in Thermosensory Neuron AFD in Caenorhabditis elegans

During navigation, animals process temporal sequences of sensory inputs to evaluate the surrounding environment. Thermotaxis of Caenorhabditis elegans is a favorable sensory behavior to elucidate how navigating animals process sensory signals from the environment. Sensation and storage of temperature information by a bilaterally symmetric pair of thermosensory neurons, AFD, is essential for the animals to migrate toward the memorized temperature on a thermal gradient. However, the encoding mechanisms of the spatial environment with the temporal AFD activity during navigation remain to be elucidated. Here, we show how the AFD neuron encodes sequences of sensory inputs to perceive spatial thermal environment. We used simultaneous calcium imaging and tracking system for a freely moving animal and characterized the response property of AFD to the thermal stimulus during thermotaxis. We show that AFD neurons respond to shallow temperature increases with intermittent calcium pulses and detect temperature differences with a critical time window of 20 s, which is similar to the timescale of behavioral elements of C. elegans, such as turning. Convolution of a thermal stimulus and the identified response property successfully reconstructs AFD activity. Conversely, deconvolution of the identified response kernel and AFD activity reconstructs the shallow thermal gradient with migration trajectory, indicating that AFD activity and the migration trajectory are sufficient as the encoded signals for thermal environment. Our study demonstrates bidirectional transformation between environmental thermal information and encoded neural activity. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Deciphering how information is encoded in the nervous system is an important challenge for understanding the principles of information processing in neural circuits. During navigation behavior, animals transform spatial information to temporal patterns of neural activity. To elucidate how a sensory system achieves this transformation, we focused on a thermosensory neuron in Caenorhabditis elegans called AFD, which plays a major role in a sensory behavior. Using tracking and calcium imaging system for freely moving animals, we identified the response property of the AFD. The identified response property enabled us to reconstruct both neural activity from a temperature stimulus and a spatial thermal environment from neural activity. These results shed light on how a sensory system encodes the environment.
COST ANALYSIS OF ANTIHYPERTENSIVE AGENTS IN RURAL POPULATION: A PROSPECTIVE STUDY Original Article

Objective: To calculate the direct medical and non-medical cost, indirect non-medical cost of prescription involved in the treatment of hypertension in rural inpatients at tertiary care teaching hospital. Methods: A cross sectional, prospective and patient based cost of illness study was conducted in tertiary care hospital, Chidambaram for 12 mo and 267 new prescriptions was selected for the analysis. The data collected from the prescription included patient’s socio-demographics, hypertension stage, drug therapy consumption, anti-hypertensive category and cost of each drug. Drug procurement costs were calculated, by using the TNG medical supply list of the most commonly prescribed drugs, for each drug on a daily and annual basis.
Fouling Mechanisms in a Laboratory‐Scale UV Disinfection System

The fouling of quartz sleeves surrounding UV disinfection lamps is a perennial problem affecting both drinking water and wastewater applications. The mechanisms of fouling are not fully understood, but factors promoting fouling are believed to include heat, high hardness and/or high iron concentrations, and hydrodynamic forces. The role of UV radiation itself is unclear. The goal of this paper is to attempt to isolate the fouling mechanisms and to provide key information about those induced by UV radiation, using a unique laboratory‐scale continuous‐flow UV reactor. Its design allowed for irradiated and nonirradiated zones and control of both temperature and UV intensity at the fouling surface. Synthetic wastewater samples were tested with two levels of calcium, iron, phosphorus, and biochemical oxygen demand (as beef broth), and constant levels of magnesium and nitrogen to assess the effects of the four key variables. Average UV fluence before fouling exceeded 35 mJ/cm2, based on collimated beam tests. Foulant accumulation was monitored by UV intensity measurements and by mass and composition of foulant collected after an average of 56 hours of continuous operation. Tests showed that relative UV intensity dropped by as much as 100% when iron was present. Detailed results were assessed and yielded support for the following three UV‐induced fouling mechanisms: (a) precipitation of ferric hydroxide [Fe(OH)3], (b) release of calcium from calcium‐organics complexes followed by precipitation of iron‐organics complexes, and (c) calcium carbonate precipitation. Other fouling mechanisms, such as sedimentation of preformed particles and sorption of calcium onto preformed colloids of Fe(OH)3, occurred outside the zone of UV radiation. Hence, these could be confused with concurrent UV‐induced mechanisms in full‐scale reactors. Iron and/or calcium undoubtedly created the most favorable conditions for fouling to occur; in the absence of both, fouling would be unlikely. The rates of fouling were enhanced when organics were also present; however, when phosphorus was present, fouling in the UV section was reduced. Indeed, UV may be viewed as inhibiting the fouling caused by phosphate complexes.