Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The transcription factors NF-kappab and AP-1 are differentially regulated in skeletal muscle during sepsis.

Sepsis is associated with increased muscle proteolysis and upregulated transcription of several genes in the ubiquitin-proteasome proteolytic pathway. Glucocorticoids are the most important mediator of sepsis-induced muscle cachexia. Here, we examined the influence of sepsis in rats on the transcription factors NF-kappaB and AP-1 in skeletal muscle and the potential role of glucocorticoids in the regulation of these transcription factors. Sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Control rats were sham-operated. NF-kappaB and AP-1 DNA binding activity was determined by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) in extensor digitorum longus muscles at different time points up to 16 h after sham-operation or CLP. Sepsis resulted in an early (4 h) upregulation of NF-kappaB activity followed by inhibited NF-kappaB activity at 16 h. AP-1 binding activity was increased at all time points studied during the septic course. When rats were treated with the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist RU38486, NF-kappaB activity increased, whereas AP-1 activity was not influenced by RU38486. The results suggest that NF-kappaB and AP-1 are differentially regulated in skeletal muscle during sepsis and that glucocorticoids may regulate some but not all transcription factors in septic muscle.
Comparison of p53 expression in dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans and dermatofibroma: Lack of correlation with proliferation rate

p53 protein plays an important role in control of cell proliferation by suppressing proliferation of cells with DNA damage. Mutations of the p53 gene increase the stability of the encoded nonfunctional protein which accumulates in the nuclei, allowing it to be detectable by immunohistochemistry. Mutant p53 protein has been observed in preneoplastic and neoplastic conditions supporting its role in the development of some human cancers. In this immunohistochemical study, we examined p53 expression in 12 Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans (DFSP) and 10 Dermatofibromas (DF). Results were compared with the cellular proliferation rate by using the monoclonal antibody Mib‐1 which detects Ki‐67 antigen expression. Nuclear accumulation of the p53 protein was observed in 11 DFSP. All DF were negative for p53. No statistical correlation could be established between p53 and Mib‐1 staining in our cases. We conclude that mutations of the p53 gene may be involved in the molecular pathogenesis of DFSP but not of DF. Mib‐1 index can not be successfully used to distinguish DFSP from DF.
High-Speed, Low-Power, Magnetic Non-Volatile Flip-Flop With Voltage-Controlled, Magnetic Anisotropy Assistance

A magnetic non-volatile flip-flop (MNV-FF) design, with the assistance of voltage-controlled magnetic anisotropy (VCMA) effect, is proposed for low-power and high-speed applications. The MNV-FF employs perpendicular-anisotropy magnetic junnel junctions (MTJs) and exploits the VCMA effect for assisting data backup operations, in cooperation with either spin-transfer torque (STT) or spin-Hall effect (SHE). Thanks to the VCMA assistance, the required STT or SHE current density and pulse duration can be greatly reduced for MTJ switching, resulting in faster and more energy-efficient operations. Our simulation results show that the proposed VCMA-assisted MNV-FFs can achieve 98.4% and 74.6% improvement in data backup energy, and 89.5% and 19.0% improvement in data backup delay, compared to conventional STTand SHE-based MNV-FFs, respectively.
Molecular dynamics simulations of a bacterial autotransporter: NalP from Neisseria meningitidis

NalP is an autotransporter secretory protein found in the outer membrane of Neisseria meningitidis. The crystal structure of the NalP translocator domain revealed a transmembrane β-barrel containing a central α-helix. The role of this α-helix, and of the conformational dynamics of the β-barrel pore have been studied via atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. Three simulations, each of 10 ns duration, of NalP embedded within a solvated DMPC bilayer were performed. The helix was removed from the barrel interior in one simulation. The conformational stability of the protein is similar to that of other outer membrane proteins, e.g., OmpA, in comparable simulations. The transmembrane β-barrel is stable even in the absence of the α-helix. Removal of the helix results in an influx of water into the pore region, suggesting the helix acts as a ‘plug’. Water molecules entering the resultant pore form hydrogen bonds with the barrel lining that compensate for the loss of helix-barrel hydrogen bonds. The dimensions of the pore fluctuate over the course of the simulation revealing it to be flexible, but only wide enough to allow transport of the passenger domain in an unfolded or extended conformation. The simulations help us to understand the role of the central helix in plugging the pore and in maintaining the width of the barrel, and show that the NalP monomer is sufficient for the transport of the passenger domain in an unfolded or extended conformation.
Acute toxicity levels and ethological responses of Channa striatus to fertilizer industrial wastewater.

The present paper deals with the toxicity of fertilizer's industrial wastewater on snake head fish Channa striatus (Bloch) previously named as Ophiocephalus sp. , at different concentrations viz., 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 percent on the behavioural changes and mortality. The exposed fish showed hyperactivity viz., jumping, operculum movement, distance travelling, somersaulting at higher concentration such as 60, 80, and 100 percent within 48 hr. At lower concentrations such as 20 and 40 percent exposed fish showed hyperactivities viz., linear movement and eye movement within 48 hr. The LC50 values of industrial wastewater were also determined viz. 89, 75, 70 and 69 percent at different duration of exposure time i.e. 48, 72, 96 and 120 hr respectively. The obtained data revealed that LC50 value decreased with increase of exposure.
Robust Simple Adaptive Control with Relaxed Passivity and PID Control of a Helicopter Benchmark

Abstract The paper is dedicated to experimenting a simple LMI procedure to design simple adaptive control laws for ‘almost stable’ systems. The procedure initially conceived for regulation problems around zero equilibrium point is extended to PID like tracking control problem. LMI results gives conditions to guarantee robustness of the simple adaptive control law with respect to parametric uncertainties. Experiments are done on a 3D helicopter benchmark model.
Ciprofloxacin-resistant Campylobacter persists in raw retail chicken after the fluoroquinolone ban

In 2005, the FDA withdrew approval for the use of fluoroquinolones in live poultry production. To assess any changes in countable numbers of ciprofloxacin-resistant Campylobacter before and after the fluoroquinolone withdrawal, retail whole raw chicken carcasses (RTCC) purchased in Northwest Arkansas from 2004 to 2006 were sampled for this purpose. Using a previously published direct-plating method developed in our laboratory, we quantified trends of Campylobacter and ciprofloxacin-resistant Campylobacter loads by direct plating whole chicken carcass rinses on Campylobacter agar (CA) or Campylobacter agar containing 8.6 µg/ml ciprofloxacin (CCA). Countable populations of Campylobacter were recovered from 74, 96, and 63% of carcasses sampled in 2004, 2005, and 2006 respectively. The percentages of carcasses with minimum detectable levels of ciprofloxacin-resistant Campylobacter were 20, 42 and 33%, sampled in 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively. Our 3 year analysis in one geographical area indicated a persistence of Campylobacter and ciprofloxacin-resistant Campylobacter on retail raw chicken carcasses despite the cessation of fluoroquinolone use in poultry production.
Workspace Determination of General 6-d.o.f. Cable Manipulators

This paper addresses workspace determination of general 6-d.o. f. cable-driven parallel manipulators with more than seven cables. The workspace under study is called force-closure workspace, which is defined as the set of end-effector poses satisfying the force-closure condition. Having force-closure in a specific end-effector pose means that any external wrench applied to the end-effector can be balanced through a set of non-negative cable forces under any motion condition of the end-effector. In other words, the inverse dynamics problem of the manipulator always has a feasible solution at any pose in the force-closure workspace. The workspace can be determined by the Jacobian matrix and, thus, it is consistent with the usual definition of workspace in the robotics literature. A systematic method of determining whether or not a given end-effector pose is in the workspace is proposed. Based on this method, the shape, boundary, dimensions and volume of the workspace of a 6-d.o. f. , eight-cable manipulator are discussed.
Toll-like receptor 9 signaling protects against murine lupus.

OBJECTIVE Hypomethylated CpG-containing DNA, which is recognized by Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR-9), has been strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of autoantibody-mediated diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus. This study was undertaken to determine the role of TLR-9 in the MRL/+ and MRL/lpr models of murine lupus. METHODS TLR-9-deficient MRL mice were generated by backcrossing a TLR-9-deficient allele against the MRL backgrounds by a speed congenic technique. Parameters of murine lupus were examined by routine methods. Regulatory T cell activity was assessed by autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction (AMLR), an in vitro assay for autoreactivity. RESULTS Surprisingly, TLR-9-deficient animals of both the MRL/+ and the MRL/lpr backgrounds developed more severe lupus, as judged by anti-DNA and rheumatoid factor autoantibodies, total serum Ig isotypes, lymphadenopathy, inflammatory infiltrates in the salivary gland and kidney, proteinuria, and mortality, in comparison with their TLR-9-sufficient littermates. In vitro, regulatory T cells from TLR-9-deficient animals were impaired in their ability to suppress the AMLR. CONCLUSION In the MRL model of murine lupus, TLR-9 signaling plays a protective role, perhaps by modulating the activity of regulatory T cells. These results contrast with findings of recent studies that implicate TLR-9 in the pathogenesis of anti-DNA responses, based in part on investigations in incompletely backcrossed TLR-9-deficient MRL/lpr mice in vivo or transgenic B cells in vitro. The present results highlight the need for caution in the assessment of disease paradigms based on the study of isolated cell populations in vitro, as well as in vivo studies of knockout animals involving non-ideal genetic models.
NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR VEGETATIVE GROWTH OF MYXOCOCCUS XANTHUS

Dworkin, Martin (Indiana University Medical Center, Indianapolis, Ind.). Nutritional requirements for vegetative growth of Myxococcus xanthus. J. Bacteriol. 84:250–257. 1962. —This investigation was part of a program to clarify the environmental regulation of fruiting-body formation in a fruiting myxobacterium. By use of a dispersed-growing strain of Myxococcus xanthus, the nutritional requirements for vegetative growth have been defined. Exponential growth will take place on a medium containing 17 amino acids and salts. The generation time is 8 to 10 hr. Various optima have been established. There are no requirements for exogenous vitamins, and, with the exception of glycogen, a variety of organic materials do not significantly stimulate growth.
Conventional DTI vs. slow and fast diffusion tensors in cat visual cortex

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) uses water diffusion anisotropy in axonal fibers to provide a tool for analyzing and tracking those fibers in brain white matter. In the present work, multidirectional diffusion MRI data were collected from a cat brain and decomposed into slow and fast diffusion tensors and directly compared with conventional DTI data from the same imaging slice. The fractional anisotropy of the slow diffusing component (Dslow) was significantly higher than the anisotropy measured by conventional DTI while reflecting a similar directionality and appeared to account for most of the anisotropy observed in gray matter, where the fiber density is notoriously low. Preliminary results of fiber tracking based on the slow diffusion component are shown. Fibers generated based on the slow diffusion component appear to follow the vertical fibers in gray matter. DslowTI may provide a way for increasing the sensitivity to anisotropic structures in cortical gray matter. Magn Reson Med 49:785–790, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Antioxidant and hepatoprotective activities of the oil fractions from wild carrot (Daucus carota ssp. carota)

Abstract Context: Wild carrot, Daucus carota L. ssp. carota (Apiacae), is widely distributed throughout the world and has various uses in traditional medicine in Lebanon. Objective: The present study aimed to fractionate and analyze the chemical composition of the Daucus carota oil extract (DCOE) fractions and to evaluate their antioxidant and hepatoprotective properties in vitro and in vivo. Materials and methods: DCOE was chromatographed on silica gel column to produce four fractions: pentane (F1), 50:50 pentane:diethyl ether (F2), diethyl ether (F3), and 93:7 chloroform: methanol (F4). Qualitative and quantitative analyses of oil fractions were performed by GC-MS and HPLC techniques. The in vitro antioxidant properties were assessed using DPPH, FIC, and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. The hepatoprotective property was determined by examining the levels of serum markers (alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST)) and hepatic antioxidant (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione-S-transferase (GST)) enzymes in CCl4-intoxicated mice pretreated with intraperitoenal 50, 100, or 200 mg/kg b.w. of the oil fractions for 5 d. Results: GCMS analysis of F2 revealed the presence of 2-himachalen-6-ol (61.4%) which is reported for the first time in Daucus carota species. F3 and F4 were rich in phenolics and flavonoids and demonstrated significant DPPH activity (IC50 = 0.29 and 0.38 mg/ml, respectively) and high FRAP values (225.11 and 437.59 µmol FeSO4/g, respectively). The sesquiterpene-rich fraction F1 had the highest FIC ability (IC50 = 0.28 mg/ml). Pretreatment with F1 and F4 reversed the CCl4-induced decrease in SOD, CAT, and GST levels and reduced significantly hepatic damage. Discussion and conclusion: The current results suggested that wild carrot oil fractions exhibited a unique chemical composition and possessed significant antioxidant activities as well as hepatoprotective effects against CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity.
Clinical Performance of Check-Direct CPE, a Multiplex PCR for Direct Detection of bla KPC, bla NDM and/or bla VIM, and bla OXA-48 from Perirectal Swabs

ABSTRACT We evaluated the clinical performance of Check-Direct CPE for carbapenemase detection directly from 301 perirectal swabs (258 patients) in a nonoutbreak setting. Culture of a PCR-confirmed, carbapenemase-containing organism, or history of colonization with such organism within the previous 2 weeks, was used as the reference standard. Check-Direct CPE demonstrated a sensitivity value, specificity value, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of 100% (all bla KPC), 88%, 21%, and 100%, respectively. False positives accounted for 79% (n = 34) of samples for which a cycle threshold (CT ) value was reached. Simulated studies to evaluate specimen pooling as an approach to minimize costs showed no difference in CT values for pooled groups of three or five that each contained a single specimen spiked with ∼1,500 CFU bla KPC Klebsiella pneumoniae; however, the detection rate dropped to 60% at a seeded concentration of ∼150 CFU. When data were pooled, CT values for bla KPC were higher for heavy-feces-containing than for light-feces-containing liquid-suspended specimens. Furthermore, CT values for liquid-suspended specimens were 4 to 5 CT values lower (i.e., represented greater sensitivity) than those seen in direct swab analysis. Culture was equivalent to or better than Check-Direct CPE for 13/15 (87%) isolates tested in a limit-of-detection analysis. Detection of a carbapenemase gene at a CT cutoff value of ≤35 was culture confirmed in 23/24 (96%) of cases; however, CT values of >35 overlapped broadly between culture-positive (n = 21) and culture-negative (n = 36) specimens. Check-Direct CPE will likely prove most useful in high-prevalence areas or in outbreak settings where rapid carbapenemase detection is critical for infection control management.
Bidirectional relations between different forms of prosocial behaviors and substance use among female college student athletes

ABSTRACT Bidirectional, longitudinal relations between alcohol and marijuana use and prosocial behaviors in women college student athletes were examined. Participants were 187 female college students (Mage = 19.87 years; 91% White) who completed questionnaires on their use of marijuana and alcohol, and six forms of prosocial behaviors across 6 years (2004–2010). The findings yield overall evidence that earlier marijuana use predicted lower levels of most specific forms of prosocial behaviors for women athletes in later young adulthood. Early expressions of altruistic behaviors predicted less marijuana use in later young adulthood. Expression of public prosocial behaviors early in young adulthood predicted higher levels of hazardous drinking in late young adulthood. These novel findings have important implications for links between prosocial development and substance use in women college athletes.
Prevalence of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Young-Onset Compared to Late-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease – Part 1: Findings of the Two-Year Longitudinal NeedYD-Study

Background/Aims: Knowledge about neuropsychiatric symptoms in young-onset Alzheimer’s disease (YO-AD) is scarce, but essential to establish a prognosis and plan care for YO-AD patients. The aim of this study is to assess frequency parameters of neuropsychiatric symptoms in YO-AD over 2 years and investigate whether there are differences compared with late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (LO-AD). Methods: 98 YO-AD and 123 LO-AD patients and caregivers from two prospective cohort studies were included and assessed every 6 months for 2 years, using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory to evaluate neuropsychiatric symptoms. Results: Over the course of 2 years, the incidence, prevalence and persistence of neuropsychiatric symptoms were in general lower in YO-AD than in LO-AD, specifically for delusions, agitation, depression, anxiety, apathy, irritability and aberrant motor behavior. Frequency of individual symptoms showed large variability in both groups. Within the group of YO-AD patients, apathy was the most prevalent symptom. Conclusion: Neuropsychiatric symptoms, notably apathy, should be paid appropriate attention to in the diagnosis and treatment of YO-AD patients. Further research is needed to gain insight into the mechanisms underlying the differences in neuropsychiatric symptoms between YO-AD and LO-AD.
SN 2008in—BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN NORMAL AND FAINT SUPERNOVAE OF TYPE IIP

We present optical photometric and low-resolution spectroscopic observations of the Type II plateau supernova (SN) 2008in, which occurred in the outskirts of the nearly face-on spiral galaxy M61. Photometric data in the X-ray, ultraviolet, and near-infrared bands have been used to characterize this event. The SN field was imaged with the ROTSE-IIIb optical telescope about seven days before the explosion. This allowed us to constrain the epoch of the shock breakout to JD = 2454825.6. The duration of the plateau phase, as derived from the photometric monitoring, was ∼98 days. The spectra of SN 2008in show a striking resemblance to those of the archetypal low-luminosity IIP SNe 1997D and 1999br. A comparison of ejecta kinematics of SN 2008in with the hydrodynamical simulations of Type IIP SNe by Dessart et al. indicates that it is a less energetic event (∼5 × 1050 erg). However, the light curve indicates that the production of radioactive 56Ni is significantly higher than that in the low-luminosity SNe. Adopting an interstellar absorption along the SN direction of AV ∼ 0.3 mag and a distance of 13.2 Mpc, we estimated a synthesized 56Ni mass of ∼0.015 M☉. Employing semi-analytical formulae derived by Litvinova and Nadezhin, we derived a pre-SN radius of ∼126 R☉, an explosion energy of ∼5.4 × 1050 erg, and a total ejected mass of ∼16.7 M☉. The latter indicates that the zero-age main-sequence mass of the progenitor did not exceed 20 M☉. Considering the above properties of SN 2008in and its occurrence in a region of sub-solar metallicity ([O/H] ∼ 8.44 dex), it is unlikely that fall-back of the ejecta onto a newly formed black hole occurred in SN 2008in. We therefore favor a low-energy explosion scenario of a relatively compact, moderate-mass progenitor star that generates a neutron star.
Is the definition of daytime and nighttime blood pressure prognostically relevant?

ObjectivesAlthough the prognostic value of the day–night blood pressure (BP) changes is well established, the most appropriate method for definition of daytime and nighttime BP is still undefined. In a recent guidelines document of the European Society of Hypertension, there is no clear position in favor of one definition over other. MethodsIn the setting of the Progetto Ipertensione Umbria Monitoraggio Ambulariale study, we analyzed the prognostic impact of the day–night BP changes by using three widely used different definitions of day and night (large fixed-clock intervals, narrow fixed-clock intervals, diary) in 2934 initially untreated participants with essential hypertension. ResultsThree hundred and fifty-six cardiovascular events and 176 deaths over a median follow-up period of 7 years were observed. Nondippers showed a higher risk of total cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality than dippers regardless of the definition of day and night. Furthermore, the area under a receiver-operated characteristic curve analysis did not differ among the different definitions of day and night (large fixed-clock intervals, narrow fixed-clock intervals, diary) for total cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality (all P=NS). ConclusionThe data suggest that the prognostic value of the diurnal BP changes is comparable when day and night are defined using large fixed-clock intervals, narrow fixed-clock intervals, or actual time spent in and out of bed.
Pre-Treatment of Raw Sugarcane Molasses by Metal Complexing Agents for Improved Citric Acid Fermentation by Aspergillus Niger

The present study deals with the pre-treatment of sugar cane molasses for the enhanced production of citric acid by Aspergillus niger NG-4. Different metal complexing agents such as potassium ferrocyanide [K4Fe(CN)6] and ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) were also employed for molasses pre-treatment and the concentrations varied from 50-350 ppm. The maximum production of citric acid (36.4 g/l) was achieved in the medium pre-treated with 250 ppm potassium ferrocyanide. The kinetic parameters such as growth yield coefficients (Yp/s, Yp/x, Yx/s in g/g), volumetric rates (Qp, Qs, Qx in g/l/h) and specific substrate rates (qp, qs in g/g cells/h) of the research work were also undertaken. The value of Qp (0.134 g/l/h) is highly encouraging (p≤0.05).