Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Requirement for Nitric Oxide in Retinal Neuronal Cell Death Induced by Activated Müller Glial Cells

Abstract: Retinal Müller glial cells express the inducible isoform (‐2) of nitric oxide (NO) synthase (NOS) in vitro after stimulation by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) or in vivo in some retinal pathologies. Because NO may have beneficial or detrimental effects in the retina, we have used cocultures of retinal neurons with retinal Müller glial (RMG) cells from mice disrupted for the gene of NOS‐2 [NOS‐2 (‐/‐)] to clarify the role of NO in retinal neurotoxicity. We first demonstrated that NO produced by activated RMG cells was not toxic for RMG cells themselves. Second, the NO released from LPS/IFN‐γ‐stimulated RMG cells induced neuronal cell death, because no neuronal cell death has been observed in cocultures with RMG cells from NOS‐2 (‐/‐) mice and because inhibition of NOS‐2 induction by transforming growth factor‐β or blockade of NO release by different NOS inhibitors prevented neuronal cell death. Addition of urate, a peroxynitrite scavenger, or superoxide dismutase partially prevented neuronal cell death induced by NO, whereas the presence of a poly(ADP‐ribose) synthetase inhibitor, caspase inhibitors, or a guanylate cyclase inhibitor had no significant effect on cell death. These results demonstrated that a large release of NO from RMG cells in responsible for retinal neuronal cell death in vitro, suggesting a neurotoxic role for NO and peroxynitrite during retinal inflammatory or degenerative diseases, where RMG cells were activated.
Responses of atrial natriuretic peptide and brain natriuretic peptide to exercise in patients with chronic heart failure and normal control subjects

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) are known to be elevated in patients with chronic heart failure at rest. While it is known that during exercise the circulating level of ANP increases in patients with heart failure, the response of BNP to exercise in these patients relative to control subjects is unclear. Ten patients with stable chronic heart failure and 10 normal control subjects performed symptom‐limited exercise with respired gas analysis. All patients had depressed left ventricular ejection fractions (LVEF). Patients had lower peak oxygen consumption PV˙O2) than the control group [median (range) 1.18 (0.98–1.76) vs. 1.94 (1.53–2.31) L min−1; P < 0.001]. Circulating plasma levels of ANP and BNP were higher at rest in patients than in control subjects [ANP 335 (140–700) vs. 90 (25–500) pg mL−1; BNP 42 (25–50) vs. 20 (10–20) pg mL−1], and at peak exercise [ANP 400 (200–1000) vs. 130 (10–590); BNP 46 (40–51) vs. 20 (10–30)]. The rise in ANP at peak exercise was significant in patients compared with the resting level, but not in control subjects. For BNP, there was a significant rise in patients but no change in control subjects. The circulating plasma levels of both peptides showed a strong negative correlation with LVEF (ANP, P < 0.005; BNP, P < 0.0001) and, to a less extent, with RVEF. It is possible that BNP may give a better indication of cardiac function.
TOND1 confers tolerance to nitrogen deficiency in rice

Nitrogen (N), the most important mineral nutrient for plants, is critical to agricultural production systems. N deficiency severely affects rice growth and decreases rice yields. However, excessive use of N fertilizer has caused severe pollution to agricultural and ecological environments. The necessity of breeding of crops that require lower input of N fertilizer has been recognized. Here we identified a major quantitative trait locus on chromosome 12, Tolerance Of Nitrogen Deficiency 1 (TOND1), that confers tolerance to N deficiency in the indica cultivar Teqing. Sequence verification of 75 indica and 75 japonica cultivars from 18 countries and regions demonstrated that only 27.3% of cultivars (41 indica cultivars) contain TOND1, whereas 72.7% of cultivars, including the remaining 34 indica cultivars and all 75 japonica cultivars, do not harbor the TOND1 allele. Over-expression of TOND1 increased the tolerance to N deficiency in the TOND1-deficient rice cultivars. The identification of TOND1 provides a molecular basis for breeding rice varieties with improved grain yield despite decreased input of N fertilizers.
Attachment of Streptomyces coelicolor is mediated by amyloidal fimbriae that are anchored to the cell surface via cellulose

The chaplin proteins ChpA‐H enable the filamentous bacterium Streptomyces coelicolor to form reproductive aerial structures by assembling into surface‐active amyloid‐like fibrils. We here demonstrate that chaplins also mediate attachment of S. coelicolor to surfaces. Attachment coincides with the formation of fimbriae, which are connected to the cell surface via spike‐shaped protrusions. Mass spectrometry, electron microscopy and Congo red treatment showed that these fimbriae are composed of bundled amyloid fibrils of chaplins. Attachment and fimbriae formation were abolished in a strain in which the chaplin genes chpA–H were inactivated. Instead, very thin fibrils emerged from the spike‐shaped protrusions in this mutant. These fibrils were susceptible to cellulase treatment. This enzymatic treatment also released wild‐type fimbriae from the cell surface, thereby abolishing attachment. The reduced attachment of a strain in which the gene of a predicted cellulose synthase was inactivated also indicates a role of cellulose in surface attachment. We propose that the mechanism of attachment via cellulose‐anchored amyloidal fimbriae is widespread in bacteria and may function in initiation of infection and in formation of biofilms.
Modeling of end-effect in flux-switching permanent magnet machines

A lumped parameter magnetic circuit model is employed to predict the influence of the finite length of a flux- switching permanent magnet machine on the electromagnetic torque. It enables performance predictions from 2-D finite element analysis to be used to analyze the electromagnetic performance with due account of end-effects. A simplified method for determining the ratio of actual torque to the torque which would be developed when end-effects are neglected is proposed. The torque predicted in this way is validated by 3-D finite element analysis.
Farmers’ vulnerability to climate change-induced water poverty in spatially different agro-ecological areas of northwest Ethiopia

This study assessed the vulnerability levels of farmers to water poverty in spatially different agro-ecological areas of northwest Ethiopia, where severe climate change risks exist. Data were collected from 525 randomly selected rural households in dega (highland), woyna-dega (midland) and kola (lowland) agro-ecological zones using questionnaires. This study also used secondary meteorological data. Rural households' exposure and vulnerability levels were analyzed using simple regression, standardized precipitation index, drought intensity and climate vulnerability index (CVI). The study also used the United Nations Development Program's (UNDP's) equation to measure vulnerability differential across agro-ecologies. The indicators were normalized as indices by considering functional relationships of indicators with vulnerability. Composite vulnerability indices were calculated using the equal weighting method. The result indicates that households in kola agro-ecology were found to be more exposed and vulnerable (0.62 score) to climate change-induced water poverty than those households in woyna-dega (0.49) and dega (0.30 score). The assessment of vulnerability at the appropriate spatial scale is a key step in designing context-specific adaptation responses that are effective in addressing the needs of the poor people who reside in different agro-ecological settings.
SALT‐INDUCED ALTERATIONS IN LIPID COMPOSITION OF DIATOM NITZSCHIA LAEVIS (BACILLARIOPHYCEAE) UNDER HETEROTROPHIC CULTURE CONDITION 1

The diatom Nitzschia laevis Hust. is a potential producer of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). To elucidate its cellular response to salt stress, the effects of salinity on EPA production, lipid composition, and fatty acid distribution in the lipid pool were investigated. The highest contents of total fatty acids, EPA, and polar lipids were all obtained at NaCl of 20 g · L−1, under which 71.3% of total EPA existed in polar lipid fractions. In N. laevis, high salt concentration might induce the decrease in neutral lipids (NLs), whereas the production of polar lipids, including phospholipids (PLs) and glycolipids (GLs), was enhanced. The degree of fatty acid unsaturation of both neutral and polar lipid fractions increased sharply when NaCl concentration increased from 10 to 20 g · L−1 but decreased at NaCl concentration of 30 g · L−1. The amount of total free sterols was increased with the increase in salt concentration. All these changes in lipid and fatty acids suggested a decrease in membrane permeability and fluidity under high salt concentration, which could help the alga acclimate to the salinity stress.
Evidence of methylation of B77 avian sarcoma virus genome RNA subunits

B77 avian sarcoma virus RNA was labeled with (methyl-3H) methionine under conditions that prevent non-methyl incorporation of 3H radioactivity into purine rings. From the determined values for the extent of methylation of 4S RNA isolated from infected chicken embryo cells, it was estimated that 30 to 40S RNA subunits that results from heat denaturation of the 60 to 70S RNA contain approximately 21 methyl groups, of which 14 to 16 are present at internal positions as N6 -methyladenosine residues. In addition, each of the virion RNA subunits appears to contain about two methyl groups in the "capped" 5' -terminal structure m7G(5')ppp(5') gm. These properties are consistent with the hypothesis that the 30 to 40S genome RNA os oncornaviruses also serves an mRNA function in infected cells.
Comparative study of four candidate strategies to detect cervical cancer in different health care settings

Aim: Considering the differing but potentially supplementary properties of visual inspection of the cervix with acetic acid (VIA) and the cytological examination (CYTO) of cervical smears for the screening of cervical cancers, we examined the performance of these two tests and their combinations for the screening of cervical cancer in different health care settings.
Live animal measurement of carcass traits by ultrasound: assessment and accuracy of sonographers.

The establishment and evaluation of an assessment system to accredit sonographers for measuring the carcass traits of subcutaneous fat depths and longissimus muscle area (LMA) on potential breeding animals by real-time ultrasound is described. Repeatability of operators, variation between the animal's left and right sides, and variations in technique were assessed from measurements and repeat measurements of 30 cattle by up to eight operators at three testing sessions. Accuracy of carcass data was determined by repeatability of measurements, variability between measurers, between left and right sides of the carcass, and variation due to handling and dressing procedures. Correlations with carcass data averaged . 92 for rump fat, . 90 for rib fat, and . 87 for LMA. Residual SD averaged . 81 mm, . 88 mm, and 5.1 cm2. A very experienced sonographer can measure LMA only marginally less accurately than it can be measured on the carcass. In Session 3, the SE between repeat fat measurements for accredited sonographers averaged . 43 mm, indicating that fat depths can be measured more accurately, but when comparing measurements from different operators, adjustments may be required for differences in technique, otherwise overall accuracy will be about the same, approximately 1 mm. Scanned rump fat measurements were consistently approximately 20% higher than on the chilled, hanging carcass 24 h after slaughter; after applying the standard correction factor of 1.17, LMA measurements were similar. Scan and carcass rib fat measurements were similar for animals with less than or equal to 10 mm of fat cover, above which carcass measurements tended to be higher.
Fluid transfer between blood and tissues during exercise.

During 6 min exercise on a bicycle ergometer the volume of the leg in normal males increased so as to indicate, after correction for increased regional blood volume, an average trans-capillary fluid loss into the leg muscles of 19, 31, and 45 ml/kg tissue at light (300 kpm/min), moderate (900 kpm/min), and heavy (1200–1500 kpm/min) work load. The total fluid loss into the active muscle mass was calculated to comprise about 1100 ml during heavy work. Since the concomitant decrease of plasma volume was 600 ml, it follows that some 500 ml of fluid must have entered the circulatory system during the work. The study indicated that this compensatory fluid gain was accomplished by absorption of extravascular fluid from inactive tissues and partly caused by osmosis resulting from work induced arterial hyperosmolality (average increase 22 mOsm/kg H2O). Fluid absorption from inactive tissues was studied in experimental animals during exercise and in resting humans during arterial hyperosmolality produced by intravenous hypertonic infusions. The investigations suggested that at least half of the fluid gain to the circulatory system in heavy exercise could be ascribed to the increased arterial osmolality and the remainder to a reflex decrease of capillary pressure.
Cost and Effectiveness of Venlafaxine Extended-Release and Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors in the Acute Phase of Outpatient Treatment for Major Depressive Disorder

Objective: The purpose of this retrospective analysis was to estimate the cost and effectiveness of venlafaxine extended-release (VXR) compared with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in the outpatient treatment of major depressive disorder. Methods: Pooled data from 8, 8-week, randomized, double-blind studies comparing treatment of major depressive disorder with venlafaxine/venlafaxine XR (n = 851), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (fluoxetine, paroxetine, fluvoxamine; n = 748), or placebo (4 studies; n = 446) were retrospectively analyzed to determine the economic implications of symptom remission from the perspective of a US third party payer and that of an employer. A decision modeling approach was used to determine cost and effectiveness ratios. Results: Patients on VXR were associated with 22.8 depression-free days versus 18.6 depression-free days with the studied selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, based on the decision model. Productive and quality-adjusted days were also expected to increase for VXR patients (22.06 vs. 19.34 and 4.56 to 9.36 vs. 3.72 to 7.63), as was the percentage of patients achieving full activity (25.9% vs. 19.6%). The expected cost per patient achieving remission of symptoms was US$1303.94 and US$1514.96, and the cost per depression-free days was US$25.66 and US$28.25, for the VXR and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors groups, respectively. Conclusions: Treatment with VXR is not only expected to increase the rate of remission of symptoms but is also associated with achievement of full activity, higher number of depression-free days, productive days, and quality-adjusted days. VXR is a cost-effective treatment option for major depressive disorder.
Detection of Richter's transformation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia by PET/CT.

UNLABELLED Our objective was to evaluate the accuracy of PET/CT for the diagnosis of Richter's transformation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) to diffuse large cell lymphoma. METHODS A retrospective study was performed of 37 patients with CLL who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT at our institution between March 2003 and July 2005. All PET/CT scans were reviewed in consensus by 2 diagnostic radiologists. Sites of abnormal 18F-FDG uptake with a maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of greater than 5 were considered highly suggestive of Richter's transformation. The PET/CT findings were correlated with histologic findings from bone marrow or lymph node biopsy performed within 6 wk of PET/CT and with clinical follow-up. RESULTS The 37 patients (26 men and 11 women; mean age, 61 y, range, 40-82 y) underwent 57 PET/CT scans. In 10 (91%) of 11 patients with Richter's transformation, PET/CT detected sites of abnormal 18F-FDG uptake having an SUVmax of greater than 5. Richter's transformation was missed in 1 patient who had only low-grade 18F-FDG uptake (SUVmax < 5). Nine patients had false-positive PET/CT findings; in 3 of these patients, alternative malignancies were diagnosed (Hodgkin's disease; metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma; non-small cell lung cancer). In all remaining patients, PET/CT correctly excluded Richter's transformation. For the specific diagnosis of Richter's transformation of CLL to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, PET/CT had overall sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of 91%, 80%, and 53% and 97%, respectively. CONCLUSION PET/CT can detect Richter's transformation of CLL to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with a high sensitivity and a high negative predictive value.
Performance assessment of the InSAeS4 interferometric products

InSAeS4 is an Italian X band airborne SAR system, recently upgraded to a multi-antenna interferometric configuration. The system is able to acquire single pass across-track and along-track multi-baseline data with different acquisition modes characterized by different geometric resolutions and across-track swaths. In recent work we have analyzed the high resolution InSAeS4 products (obtained by transmitting 400 MHz bandwidth pulses), characterized by the narrowest across-track swath (1.5 Km wide). In this work, we focus on the InSAeS4 products characterized by the widest across-track swath, at expenses of the lowest geometric resolution. To this aim we show some results achieved with an interferometric dataset acquired by the system in 2013 over the Napoli area, Italy.
R5 Variants of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Preferentially Infect CD62L− CD4+ T Cells and Are Potentially Resistant to Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors

ABSTRACT The persistence of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in memory CD4+ T cells is a major obstacle to the eradication of the virus with current antiretroviral therapy. Here, we investigated the effect of the activation status of CD4+ T cells on the predominance of R5 and X4 HIV-1 variants in different subsets of CD4+ T cells in ex vivo-infected human lymphoid tissues and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). In these cell systems, we examined the sensitivity of HIV replication to reverse transcriptase inhibitors. We demonstrate that R5 HIV-1 variants preferentially produced productive infection in HLA-DR− CD62L− CD4+ T cells. These cells were mostly in the G1b phase of the cell cycle, divided slowly, and expressed high levels of CCR5. In contrast, X4 HIV-1 variants preferentially produced productive infection in activated HLA-DR+ CD62L+ CD4+ T cells, which expressed high levels of CXCR4. The abilities of the nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI) zidovudine and lamivudine to stop HIV-1 replication were 20 times greater in activated T cells than in slowly dividing HLA-DR− CD62L− CD4+ T cells. This result, demonstrated both in a highly physiologically relevant ex vivo lymphoid tissue model and in PBMCs, correlated with higher levels of thymidine kinase mRNA in activated than in slowly dividing HLA-DR− CD62L− CD4+ T cells. The non-NRTI nevirapine was equally efficient in both cell subsets. The lymphoid tissue and PBMC-derived cell systems represent well-defined models which could be used as new tools for the study of the mechanism of resistance to HIV-1 inhibitors in HLA-DR− CD62L− CD4+ T cells.
The route of administration (enteral or parenteral) affects the conversion of isotopically labeled L-[2-15N]glutamine into citrulline and arginine in humans.

BACKGROUND Glutamine exhibits numerous beneficial effects in experimental and clinical studies. It has been suggested that these effects may be partly mediated by the conversion of glutamine into citrulline and arginine. The intestinal metabolism of glutamine appears to be crucial in this pathway. The present study was designed to establish the effect of the feeding route, enteral or parenteral, on the conversion of exogenously administered glutamine into citrulline and arginine at an organ level in humans, with a focus on gut metabolism. METHODS Sixteen patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal surgery received an IV or enteral (EN) infusion of L-[2-(15)N]glutamine. Blood was sampled from a radial artery and from the portal and right renal vein. Amino acid concentrations and enrichments were measured, and net fluxes of [(15)N]-labeled substrates across the portal drained viscera (PDV) and kidneys were calculated from arteriovenous differences and plasma flow. RESULTS Arterial [(15)N]glutamine enrichments were significantly lower during enteral tracer infusion (tracer-to-tracee ratio [labeled vs unlabeled substrate, TTR%] IV: 6.66 +/- 0.35 vs EN: 3.04 +/- 0.45; p < .01), reflecting first-pass intestinal metabolism of glutamine during absorption. Compared with IV administration, enteral administration of the glutamine tracer resulted in a significantly higher intestinal fractional extraction of [(15)N]glutamine (IV: 0.15 +/- 0.03 vs EN: 0.44 +/- 0.08 micromol/kg/h; p < .01). Furthermore, enteral administration of the glutamine tracer resulted in higher arterial enrichments of [(15)N]citrulline (TTR% IV: 5.52 +/- 0.44 vs EN: 8.81 +/- 1.1; p = .02), and both routes of administration generated a significant enrichment of [(15)N]arginine (TTR% IV: 1.43 +/- 0.12 vs EN: 1.68 +/- 0.18). This was accompanied by intestinal release of [(15)N]citrulline across the PDV, which was higher with enteral glutamine (IV: 0.38 +/- 0.07 vs EN: 0.72 +/- 0.11 micromol/kg/h; p = .02), and subsequent [(15)N]arginine release in both groups. CONCLUSIONS In humans, the gut preferably takes up enterally administered glutamine compared with intravenously provided glutamine. The route of administration, enteral or IV, affects the quantitative conversion of glutamine into citrulline and subsequent renal arginine synthesis in humans.