Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Proteome analysis of barley seeds: Identification of major proteins from two‐dimensional gels (pI 4–7)

Germination of monocotyledonous plants involves activation and de novo synthesis of enzymes that degrade cell walls and starch and mobilize stored endosperm reserves for embryo growth. Two‐dimensional (2‐D) gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry were applied to identify major water‐soluble proteins in extracts of mature barley (Hordeum vulgare) seeds and to follow their fate during germination. About 1200 and 600 spots of pI 4–7 were detected on 2‐D gels by silver staining and colloidal Coomassie Brilliant Blue staining, respectively. About 300 spots were selected for in‐gel digestion followed by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization‐mass spectrometry‐peptide map fingerprint analysis. Database searches using measured peptide masses resulted in 198 identifications of 103 proteins in 177 spots. These include housekeeping enzymes, chaperones, defence proteins (including enzyme inhibitors), and proteins related to desiccation and oxidative stress. Sixty‐four of the identifications were made using expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Numerous spots in the 2‐D gel pattern changed during germination (micromalting) and an intensely stained area which contained large amounts of the serpin protein Z appeared centrally on the 2‐D gel. Spots containing α‐amylase also appeared. Identification of 22 spots after three days of germination represented 13 different database entries and 11 functions including hydrolytic enzymes, chaperones, housekeeping enzymes, and inhibitors.
A 1 V 2.5 μW fully-differential ASK demodulator with 12.5 pJ/bit FOM for ultra-low power biomedical applications

Wireless transceivers that receive data and power are important circuit blocks in implantable biomedical devices. In such wirelessly powered devices, supply and common-mode variations increase the error rate of the received data. In this paper we propose a fully-differential amplitude-shift-keying (ASK) demodulator for suppressing the effect of such undesired common mode variations on the received data. The proposed demodulator consists of a fully-differential envelope detector (ED) and programmable gain amplifier (PGA) that operates in the sub-threshold region, and a differential comparator that consumes only dynamic current. The proposed system is implemented in a 0.18 μm CMOS process and consumes 2.5 μΑ from a 1 V power supply. At a data rate of 200 kbps, this leads to an FOM of 12.5 pJ/bit.
Functions and development of red pulp macrophages

Macrophages are extremely heterogeneous mononuclear phagocytes widely distributed throughout the body. They play unique roles in each organ where they reside. Among macrophage subsets, red pulp macrophages (RPMs) that localize in the splenic red pulp, are critical for maintenance of blood homeostasis by actively phagocytosing injured and senescent erythrocytes and blood‐borne particulates. Recent evidence indicates that RPMs are mainly generated during embryogenesis and are maintained during adult life. Furthermore, the cell‐intrinsic and ‐extrinsic factors (namely, Spi‐C, IRF8/4, heme oxygenase‐1, and M‐CSF) that regulate the development and survival of RPMs have been identified. Although the immunological properties of RPMs have yet to be elucidated fully, pioneering studies have demonstrated that these cells are capable of inducing differentiation of regulatory T cells via expression of transforming growth factor‐β and secrete a large amount of type I interferons during parasitic infections. In this review, we describe recent advances in understanding of the functions and development of RPMs.
Complex Formation with Ypt11p, a rab-Type Small GTPase, Is Essential To Facilitate the Function of Myo2p, a Class V Myosin, in Mitochondrial Distribution in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

ABSTRACT We identified Ypt11p, a rab-type small GTPase, by its functional and two-hybrid interaction with Myo2p, a class V myosin of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The tail domain of Myo2p was coimmunoprecipitated with Ypt11p, suggesting that Ypt11p forms a complex with Myo2p at its tail domain in vivo. Mutational analysis of YPT11 suggests that Myo2p is a putative effector of Ypt11p. Deletion of YPT11 induced partial delay of mitochondrial transmission to the bud, and overexpression of YPT11 resulted in mitochondrial accumulation in the bud, indicating that Ypt11p acts positively on mitochondrial distribution toward the bud. We isolated two myo2 mutants, myo2-338 and myo2-573, which showed genetic interactions with YPT11. The myo2-573 mutation, identified by a synthetic lethal interaction with ypt11-null, induced a defect in mitochondrial distribution toward the bud, indicating that Myo2p plays a crucial role in polarized distribution of mitochondria. The myo2-338 mutation was identified as the mutation that abolished the effect of overexpressed YPT11, such as the Ypt11p-dependent accumulation of mitochondria in the bud, and the affinity of Myo2p for Ypt11p was reduced. These results indicate that complex formation of Ypt11p with Myo2p accelerates the function of Myo2p for mitochondrial distribution toward the bud.
DNA instability (strand breakage, uracil misincorporation, and defective repair) is increased by folic acid depletion in human lymphocytes in vitro

Folic acid is essential for the synthesis and repair of DNA. We report the effects of folate depletion on DNA stability in normal human lymphocytes in vitro. DNA strand breakage, uracil misincorporation, oxidative DNA base damage, and DNA repair capability were determined using variants of the comet assay (single cell gel electrophoresis). Lymphocyte proliferation was measured as an indicator of normal replication. Lymphocytes isolated from human venous blood were stimulated to grow in either complete medium containing folic acid (1 ng/ml–2 µg/ml) or medium deficient in folic acid for up to 10 days. Cells prepared for comet analysis were treated either with the bacterial DNA repair enzyme endonuclease III to determine the level of oxidized pyrimidines in lymphocyte DNA or with uracil DNA glycosylase, which detects misincorporated uracil. Cell number and viability were measured. Normal human lymphocyte DNA contained detectable amounts of misincorporated uracil (estimated as approximately 1000 per cell). DNA strand breakage and uracil misincorporation increased in a time‐ and concentration‐dependent manner after lymphocytes were cultured with decreasing amounts of folic acid. DNA damage was induced at folic acid concentrations routinely observed in plasma from the human population (1–10 ng/ml). Lymphocytes cultured under folate‐deficient conditions failed to grow normally compared with control cells. However, all lymphocytes remained viable as measured by Trypan blue exclusion. Cells deprived of folate were unable to efficiently repair oxidative DNA damage induced by hydrogen peroxide. Inhibition of repair was maximal after 8 days in culture. Folate supply had no effect on the level of oxidized pyrimidines in lymphocyte DNA, even after 10 days in culture, suggesting that folate deficiency increases uracil misincorporation relatively specifically. These in vitro results help to determine the mechanism(s) through which folic acid maintains DNA stability. —Duthie, S. J., Hawdon, A. DNA instability (strand breakage, uracil misincorporation, and defective repair) is increased by folic acid depletion in human lymphocytes in vitro. FASEB J. 12, 1491–1497 (1998)
Comparison of patient and proxy responses on risk factors for stroke

Capelle LG, Vlak MHM, Algra A, Rinkel GJE. Comparison of patient and proxy responses on risk factors for stroke. Acta Neurol Scand: 2011: 123: 160–166. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.
SwGridNet: A Deep Convolutional Neural Network based on Grid Topology for Image Classification

Deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) achieve remarkable performance on image classification tasks. Recent studies, however, have demonstrated that generalization abilities are more important than the depth of neural networks for improving performance on image classification tasks. Herein, a new neural network called SwGridNet is proposed. A SwGridNet includes many convolutional processing units which connect mutually as a grid network where many processing paths exist between input and output. A SwGridNet has high generalization capability because the multipath architecture has the same effect of ensemble learning. As described in this paper, details of the SwGridNet network architecture are presented. Experimentally obtained results presented in this paper show that SwGridNets respectively achieve test error rates of 2.95% and 15.67% in a CIFAR-10 and CIFAR-100 classification tasks. The results indicate that the SwGridNet performance approximates that of state-of-the-art deep CNNs.
A Ligand for the Chemokine Receptor CCR7 Can Influence the Homeostatic Proliferation of CD4 T Cells and Progression of Autoimmunity1

Homeostasis of T cell numbers in the periphery implies an ability of lymphocytes to sense cell numbers. Although the mechanisms are unknown, we find that the chemokine CCL21 (also known as TCA4, SLC, 6Ckine), a ligand for the chemokine receptor CCR7, can regulate homeostasis of CD4 (but not CD8) T cells. In the absence of CCR7 ligands, transferred CD4 T cells failed to expand in lymphopenic hosts, whereas in the presence of CCL21 overexpression, homeostatic CD4 T cell proliferation occurred even in nonlymphopenic recipients. Ag-specific CD4 T cells transferred into Ag-expressing mice proliferated and induced autoimmunity only in lymphopenic recipients. Pancreatic expression of CCL21 was sufficient to replace the requirement for lymphopenia in the progression of autoimmune disease. These results suggest that CD4 T cells use local concentrations of CCR7 ligands as an index of T cell steady state numbers and that homeostatic expansion of the T cell population may be a contributing factor in the development of autoimmune disease.
Dietary iso fl avone intake is associated with a reduced risk of myelodysplastic syndromes

Isoflavones have been suggested to have protective effects on certain cancers. However, the association of soya foods or dietary isoflavones with the risk of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) has not been examined. Thus, the aim of this hospital-based case–control study undertaken in China in 2012–2013 was to investigate the association between dietary isoflavone intake and MDS risk. The analysis included 208 cases aged 19–85 years with MDS and 208 controls individually matched to the cases by sex, birth quinquennium and residential locality. Information on habitual food intakes, including nine items of soya foods, was sought from in-person interviews using a validated 107-item FFQ. Dietary intakes of daidzein, genistein, glycitein and total isoflavones were estimated using the 2008 US Department of Agriculture Isoflavone Database. OR were calculated from conditional logistic regression after adjustment for potential confounding by demographics, lifestyle and dietary factors. The mean daily intake of total isoflavones was 19·0mg in cases and 23·0mg in controls. Dietary intake of isoflavones was inversely associated with the risk of MDS. The adjusted OR in the highest tertile compared with the lowest tertile of intake were 0·43 (95 % CI 0·21, 0·85) for daidzein, 0·36 (95 % CI 0·18, 0·74) for genistein, 0·49 (95 % CI 0·25, 0·97) for glycitein and 0·40 (95 % CI 0·20, 0·81) for total isoflavones. The findings suggest that higher dietary intake of isoflavones is associated with a reduced risk of MDS in a Chinese
Diseño, aplicación y evaluación de un programa de educación emocional en un centro penitenciario

Introduccion. El proposito de este estudio ha sido evaluar la incidencia que, sobre un grupo de internos de un centro penitenciario, ha tenido la aplicacion de un programa de educacion emocional para la mejora de la conciencia y la regulacion emocional. Se pretendia ofrecer a los internos estrategias de regulacion emocional que les fueran utiles en el centro penitenciario y a su vez les facilitaran su futura inclusion social. Metodo. Se ha utilizado un diseno cuasiexperimental de grupo unico con grupo control. Para medir las variables se utilizaron distintos instrumentos, entre ellos una adaptacion del CEE (GROP, 2001), un caso practico (planteamiento de una situacion generadora de emociones negativas), un analisis de las sanciones durante dos meses y un cuestionario de valoracion de las actividades del programa por parte de los participantes. Resultados. Se destaca que la mayoria de items del cuestionario aplicado al grupo experimental mejoran despues de formarse asi como las respuestas dadas en la resolucion del caso practico. Sin embargo no se puede hablar de diferencias significativas en el caso de las sanciones si se compara con el grupo control. Tambien los implicados valoraron positivamente el programa. Discusion. Los resultados manifiestan que la intervencion del programa de educacion emocional ha contribuido a la mejora de la conciencia y la regulacion emocional del grupo experimental.
Cardiovascular diseases and periodontology.

BACKGROUND Cardiovascular diseases represent a widespread heterogeneous group of conditions that have significant morbidity and mortality. The various diseases and their treatments can have an impact upon the periodontium and the delivery of periodontal care. AIM In this paper we consider three main topics and explore their relationship to the periodontist and the provision of periodontal treatment. METHOD The areas reviewed include the effect of cardiovascular drugs on the periodontium and management of patients with periodontal diseases; the risk of infective endocarditis arising from periodontal procedures; the inter-relationship between periodontal disease and coronary artery disease. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Calcium-channel blockers and beta-adrenoceptor blockers cause gingival overgrowth and tooth demineralisation, respectively. Evidence suggests that stopping anticoagulant therapy prior to periodontal procedures is putting patients at a greater risk of thromboembolic disorders compared to the risk of prolonged bleeding. The relationship between dentistry and infective endocarditis remains a controversial issue. It would appear that spontaneous bacteraemia arising from a patient's oral hygiene practices is more likely to be the cause of endocarditis than one-off periodontal procedures. The efficacy of antibiotic prophylaxis is uncertain (and unlikely to be proven), and the risk of death from penicillin appears to be greater than the risk of death arising from infective endocarditis. Finally, the association between periodontal disease and coronary artery disease has been explored and there seem to be many issues with respect to data handling interpretation. Many putative mechanisms have been suggested; however, these only further highlight the need for intervention studies.
A pilot study of concordance therapy for individuals with bipolar disorders who are non-adherent with lithium prophylaxis.

OBJECTIVES To assess the acceptability and feasibility of concordance therapy (CCT) in improving adherence with lithium prophylaxis in individuals with bipolar disorder. METHODS Ten subjects with bipolar I disorder and self-reported problems with lithium adherence were recruited. Eight participated in a 6-month study of CCT delivered by an expert in cognitive therapy. Reliable and valid assessments of self-reported adherence with lithium, attitudes towards, and knowledge of lithium and serum plasma lithium levels were measured pre- and post-intervention. Subjects' views of CCT were also recorded. RESULTS Statistically significant improvements in attitudes towards lithium (mean score baseline = 6.8; follow up = 4.1; Effect size = 1.6) were associated with improvements in self-reported adherence. Laboratory results demonstrated statistically significant increases in serum plasma lithium levels (mean increased from 0.41 to 0.6; effect size 1.7). Subjects viewed CCT as an acceptable intervention. However, only four of the 10 subjects completed all seven half-hour therapy sessions and homework tasks. CONCLUSIONS This small open study suggests that CCT may represent a useful addition to the 'stepped care' package of treatment for individuals with bipolar disorders. Research is underway to assess its efficacy and to establish whether novice therapists can also apply the model effectively.
A decomposition theorem and bounds for randomized server problems

The authors prove a lower bound of Omega ( square root logk/loglogk) for the competitive ratio of randomized algorithms for the k-server problem against an oblivious adversary. The bound holds for arbitrary metric spaces (of at least k+1 points) and provides a new lower bound for the metrical task system problem as well. This improves the previous best lower bound of Omega (loglogk) for arbitrary metric spaces, more closely approaching the conjectured lower bound of Omega (logk). They also prove a lower bound of Omega (/sup logk///sub loglogk/) for the server problem on k+1 equally-spaced points on a line, which corresponds to some natural motion-planning problems. <<ETX>>
Elderly Sexual Offenders: Two Unusual Cases *

Abstract: The aim of this case report is to describe two cases of sexual abuse by elderly subjects for which the Judge commissioned an expert psychiatric–forensic opinion. The elderly are generally believed to commit nonviolent crimes, whereas the two cases we observed feature forcible rape committed by elderly offenders, who showed no form of mental disease and had rationally planned their offense. They had never previously committed similar acts and had no history of homosexuality; both had been married for many years before the death of their wives and had adult children. Finally, no previous episodes of rape emerged in their personal histories during interrogations. The sociocultural context in which the crimes were committed was identical and arouses interest as regards both the method employed and how the crimes were discovered. The legal authorities then commissioned accurate investigations including medicolegal and psychiatric–forensic evaluations of the offenders and their victims.
Does Global Liquidity Help to Forecast US Inflation?

We construct a measure of global liquidity using the growth rates of broad money for the G7 economies. Global liquidity produces forecasts of US inflation that are significantly more accurate than the forecasts based on US money growth, Phillips curve, autoregressive and moving average models. The marginal predictive power of global liquidity is strong at three years horizons. Results are robust to alternative measures of inflation.
Genetic Characterization of 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol Degradation in Cupriavidus necator JMP134

ABSTRACT The degradation pathway of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP), a hazardous pollutant, in the aerobic bacterium Cupriavidus necator JMP134(pJP4) (formerly Ralstonia eutropha JMP134) is encoded by the tcp genes. These genes are located in a genetic context, tcpRXABCYD, which resembles a putative catabolic operon. In this work, these gene sequences were individually disrupted and mutant strains were evaluated for their ability to grow on or degrade 2,4,6-TCP. The tcpX and tcpA mutants completely failed to degrade this compound. Although the tcpC mutant was also unable to grow on 2,4,6-TCP, it still transformed this chlorophenol to 6-chlorohydroquinol. In contrast, the tcpD mutant grew on 2,4,6-TCP, suggesting the presence of additional maleylacetate reductase-encoding genes. Five other open reading frames encoding maleylacetate reductases, in addition to the tcpD gene, were found in the genome of C. necator, and two of them provide this function in the tcpD mutant. The tcpR gene, encoding a putative LysR-type transcriptional regulator, was disrupted, and this mutant strain completely failed to grow on 2,4,6-TCP. Transcriptional fusion studies demonstrated that TcpR activates the expression of the tcp genes, responding specifically to 2,4,6-TCP. The transcriptional start of the tcp operon was mapped, and a putative σ70-type promoter was identified.
Attitudes Toward Online Social Connection and Self-Disclosure as Predictors of Facebook Communication and Relational Closeness

This investigation tested a theoretical model of communication behavior with specific Facebook friends, such that attitudes toward (a) online self-disclosure, and (b) online social connection, predict Facebook communication frequency and, in turn, relational closeness. Participants included both undergraduates and older adults. Results generally supported the model, with the interaction effect between self-disclosure and social connection directly predicting Facebook communication and indirectly predicting relational closeness. For both dependent variables, online social connection was a positive predictor at low and moderate levels of online self-disclosure, but high levels reduced the association to nonsignificance. One implication of these results was that high-warrant information may discourage those with social anxiety from social network site communication.
Pittsburgh compound-B PET white matter imaging and cognitive function in late multiple sclerosis

Background: There is growing interest in white matter (WM) imaging with positron emission tomography (PET). Objectives: We studied the association of cognitive function in late multiple sclerosis (MS) with cortical and WM Pittsburgh compound-B PET (PiB-PET) binding. Methods: In the population-based Mayo Clinic Study of Aging, 24 of 4869 participants had MS (12 underwent PiB-PET). Controls were age and sex matched (5:1). We used automated or semi-automated processing for quantitative image analyses and conditional logistic regression for group differences. Results: MS patients had lower memory (p = 0.03) and language (p = 0.02) performance; smaller thalamic volumes (p = 0.003); and thinner temporal (p = 0.001) and frontal (p = 0.045) cortices on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) than controls. There was no difference in global cortical PiB standardized uptake value ratios between MS and controls (p = 0.35). PiB uptake was lower in areas of WM hyperintensities compared to normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) in MS (p = 0.0002). Reduced PiB uptake in both the areas of WM hyperintensities (r = 0.65; p = 0.02) and NAWM (r = 0.69; p = 0.01) was associated with decreased visuospatial performance in MS. Conclusion: PiB uptake in the cortex in late MS is not different from normal age-matched controls. PiB uptake in the WM in late MS may be a marker of the large network structures’ integrity such as those involved in visuospatial performance.