Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Alcohol Dehydrogenase Gene from Synechocystis sp. Confers Salt Tolerance in Transgenic Tobacco

Synechocystis salt-responsive gene 1 (sysr1) was engineered for expression in higher plants, and gene construction was stably incorporated into tobacco plants. We investigated the role of Sysr1 [a member of the alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) superfamily] by examining the salt tolerance of sysr1-overexpressing (sysr1-OX) tobacco plants using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reactions, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and bioassays. The sysr1-OX plants exhibited considerably increased ADH activity and tolerance to salt stress conditions. Additionally, the expression levels of several stress-responsive genes were upregulated. Moreover, airborne signals from salt-stressed sysr1-OX plants triggered salinity tolerance in neighboring wild-type (WT) plants. Therefore, Sysr1 enhanced the interconversion of aldehydes to alcohols, and this occurrence might affect the quality of green leaf volatiles (GLVs) in sysr1-OX plants. Actually, the Z-3-hexenol level was approximately twofold higher in sysr1-OX plants than in WT plants within 1–2 h of wounding. Furthermore, analyses of WT plants treated with vaporized GLVs indicated that Z-3-hexenol was a stronger inducer of stress-related gene expression and salt tolerance than E-2-hexenal. The results of the study suggested that increased C6 alcohol (Z-3-hexenol) induced the expression of resistance genes, thereby enhancing salt tolerance of transgenic plants. Our results revealed a role for ADH in salinity stress responses, and the results provided a genetic engineering strategy that could improve the salt tolerance of crops.
Multidisciplinary Ophthalmic Imaging Choroidal Thickness in Patients With Reticular Pseudodrusen Using 3 D 1060-nm OCT Maps

Citation: Haas P, Esmaeelpour M, Ansari-Shahrezaei S, Drexler W, Binder S. Choroidal thickness in patients with reticular pseudodrusen using 3D 1060-nm OCT maps. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2014;55:2674–2681. DOI:10.1167/iovs.13-13338 PURPOSE. To map and analyze choroidal thickness (ChT) in AMD patients with reticular pseudodrusen (RPD) using three-dimensional (3D) 1060-nm optical coherence tomography (OCT).
Mechanoelectrical remodeling and arrhythmias during progression of hypertrophy

Despite a clear association between left ventricular (LV) mechanical dysfunction in end‐stage heart failure and the incidence of arrhythmias, the majority of sudden cardiac deaths occur at earlier stages of disease development. The mechanisms by which structural, mechanical, and molecular alterations predispose to arrhythmias at the tissue level before the onset of LV dysfunction remain unclear. In a rat model of pressure overload hypertrophy (PoH) produced by ascending aortic banding, we correlated mechanical and structural changes measured in vivo with key electrophysiological changes measured ex vivo in the same animals. We found that action potential prolongation, a hallmark of electrical remodeling at the tissue level, is highly correlated with changes in LV wall thickness but not mechanical function. In contrast, conduction delays are not predicted by either mechanical or structural changes during disease development. Moreover, disrupted Cx43 phosphorylation at intermediate (increased) and late (decreased) stages of PoH are associated with moderate and severe conduction delays, respectively. Interest‐ingly, the level of interaction between Cx43 and the cytoskeletal protein ZO‐1 is exclusively decreased at the late stage of PoH. Closely coupled action potentials consistent with afterdepolarization‐mediated triggered beats were readily observed in 6 of 15 PoH hearts but never in controls. Similarly, PoH (8/15) but not control hearts exhibited sustained episodes of ventricular tachycardia after rapid stimulation. The initiation and early maintenance of arrhythmias in PoH were formed by rapid and highly uniform activation wavefronts emanating from sites distal to the former site of stimulation. In conclusion, repolarization but not conduction delays are predicted by structural remodeling in PoH. Cx43 phosphorylation is disrupted at intermediate (increased) and late (decreased) stages, which are associated with conduction delays. Dephosphorylation of Cx43 is associated with loss of interaction with ZO‐1 and severe conduction delays. Remodeling at all stages of PoH predisposes to triggers and focal arrhythmias. —Jin, H. , Chemaly, E. R. , Lee, A. , Kho, C. , Hadri, L. , Hajjar, R. J., Akar, F. G. Mechanoelectrical remodeling and arrhythmias during progression of hypertrophy. FASEBJ. 24, 451–463 (2010). www.fasebj. org
Earth‐eating and reinfection with intestinal helminths among pregnant and lactating women in western Kenya

We conducted a longitudinal study among 827 pregnant women in Nyanza Province, western Kenya, to determine the effect of earth‐eating on geohelminth reinfection after treatment. The women were recruited at a gestational age of 14–24 weeks (median: 17) and followed up to 6 months postpartum. The median age was 23 (range: 14–47) years, the median parity 2 (range: 0–11). After deworming with mebendazole (500 mg, single dose) of those found infected at 32 weeks gestation, 700 women were uninfected with Ascaris lumbricoides, 670 with Trichuris trichiura and 479 with hookworm. At delivery, 11.2%, 4.6% and 3.8% of these women were reinfected with hookworm, T. trichiura and A. lumbricoides respectively. The reinfection rate for hookworm was 14.8%, for T. trichiura 6.65, and for A. lumbricoides 5.2% at 3 months postpartum, and 16.0, 5.9 and 9.4% at 6 months postpartum. There was a significant difference in hookworm intensity at delivery between geophagous and non‐geophagous women (P = 0.03). Women who ate termite mound earth were more often and more intensely infected with hookworm at delivery than those eating other types of earth (P = 0.07 and P = 0.02 respectively). There were significant differences in the prevalence of A. lumbricoides between geophagous and non‐geophagous women at 3 (P = 0.001) and at 6 months postpartum (P = 0.001). Women who ate termite mound earth had a higher prevalence of A. lumbricoides, compared with those eating other kinds of earth, at delivery (P = 0.02), 3 months postpartum (P = 0.001) and at 6 months postpartum (P = 0.001). The intensity of infections with T. trichiura at 6 months postpartum was significantly different between geophagous and non‐geophagous women (P = 0.005). Our study shows that geophagy is associated with A. lumbricoides reinfection among pregnant and lactating women and that intensities built up more rapidly among geophagous women. Geophagy might be associated with reinfection with hookworm and T. trichiura, although these results were less unequivocal. These findings call for increased emphasis, in antenatal care, on the potential risks of earth‐eating, and for deworming of women after delivery.
Optimization of Data Processing of Primary Radar Systems

In the work, the optimal structure for processing signal data, data of primary and secondary processing of primary radar systems is synthesized. Thanks to the creation of an information base for storing signal data on the required number of radar surveys, in each element of which signal data with the quality indicators of their acquisition are stored, inter stage optimization of processing signal data and primary and secondary data is possible.
Peripheral cellular and humoral responses to infestation with the cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus in Santa Gertrudis cattle

Resistance to cattle tick infestation in single‐host ticks is primarily manifested against the larval stage and results in the immature tick failing to attach successfully and obtain a meal. This study was conducted to identify immune responses that characterize the tick‐resistant phenotype in cattle. Thirty‐five tick‐naïve Santa Gertrudis heifers were used in this study, thirty of which were artificially infested for thirteen weeks with tick larvae while five animals remained at a tick‐free quarantine property to serve as a control group. Following thirteen weeks of tick infestation, the animals in this trial exhibited highly divergent tick‐resistant phenotypes. Blood samples collected throughout the trial were used to measure peripheral immune parameters: haematology, the percentage of cellular subsets comprising the peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) population, tick‐specific IgG1 and IgG2 antibody titres, IgG1 avidity for tick antigens and the ability of PBMC to recognize and proliferate in response to stimulation with tick antigens in vitro. The tick‐susceptible cattle developed significantly higher tick‐specific IgG1 antibody titres compared to the tick‐resistant animals. These results suggest that the heightened antibody response either does not play a role in resistance or might contribute to increased susceptibility to infestation.
Insulin Resistance and Depressive Symptoms in Young Adult Males: Findings From Finnish Military Conscripts

Objective: To investigate whether the association between insulin resistance (IR) and depressive symptoms is present already in young adult males. The association between IR and depression has been poorly studied, although the existence of a connection of Type II diabetes with depression is well established. We previously demonstrated at epidemiological level in two groups of men aged 31 years and 61 to 63 years that IR is linked with depressive symptoms. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, involving 1054 healthy Finnish male military conscripts of about 19 years of age, IR was defined through homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR). The severity of the depressive symptoms was evaluated through a Finnish modification of the 13-item Beck Depression Inventory (R-BDI). Moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms were said to be present, if the R-BDI score was ≥8, and mild depressive symptoms were present if the R-BDI score was 5 to 7. Results: After adjusting for confounders, moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms increased the risk for IR, as defined by the highest decile of the HOMA-IR, up to 2.8-fold (odds ratio = 2.8; 1.2–6.5). Mild depressive symptoms were not significantly associated with IR. Conclusions: In young adult males, co-occurring strictly defined IR seems to be positively associated with current moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms. cAMP = cyclic adenosine monophosphate; CI = confidence interval; HOMA = homeostasis model assessment; HPA = hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal; GR = glucocorticoid receptor; IR = insulin resistance; OR = odds ratio; PKA = protein kinase A; R-BDI = Finnish modification of the 13-item Beck Depression Inventory.
AKT1, AKT2 and AKT3-dependent cell survival is cell line-specific and knockdown of all three isoforms selectively induces apoptosis in 20 human tumor cell lines

AKT is a key serine/threonine kinase in the PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway1 and activation of AKT is often observed in human cancers. To explore the role of AKT in cell survival in different tumor cells, we tested 20 human tumor cell lines for response to knockdown of AKT by small interference RNA (siRNA) and/or a kinase-dead mutant AKT. siRNA-mediated knockdown of all three AKT isoforms in tumor cell lines led to a reduction of phosphorylation of AKT substrates. Knockdown of AKT resulted in apoptosis in 6 out of 11 tumor cells with activated AKT. In contrast, knockdown of AKT induced apoptosis in 3 out of 9 cell lines with a low level of active AKT. The responsiveness of the cells to knockdown of AKT was not affected by mutational status of p53 but appeared correlated with overexpression of HER2. To assess the role of individual AKT isoforms, five of the cell lines responsive to knockdown of AKT were further characterized. In ZR-75 cells, AKT1 is the predominant isoform responsible for cell proliferation and survival. Conversely, in IGROV1 cells, AKT2 plays a major role in cell proliferation, but no single isoform is essential for cell survival. Thus, the relative importance of the AKT isoforms is cell linespecific. Our data suggest that inhibiting all three AKT isoforms is necessary to elicit maximal apoptotic response in tumor cells, and the level of activated AKT is a favorable but not always reliable biomarker for pre-selection of responsive tumor cell lines to AKT inhibitors.
Direct Pharmacological Inhibition of β-Catenin by RNA Interference in Tumors of Diverse Origin

The Wnt/β-catenin pathway is among the most frequently altered signaling networks in human cancers. Despite decades of preclinical and clinical research, efficient therapeutic targeting of Wnt/β-catenin has been elusive. RNA interference (RNAi) technology silences genes at the mRNA level and therefore can be applied to previously undruggable targets. Lipid nanoparticles (LNP) represent an elegant solution for the delivery of RNAi-triggering oligonucleotides to disease-relevant tissues, but have been mostly restricted to applications in the liver. In this study, we systematically tuned the composition of a prototype LNP to enable tumor-selective delivery of a Dicer-substrate siRNA (DsiRNA) targeting CTNNB1, the gene encoding β-catenin. This formulation, termed EnCore-R, demonstrated pharmacodynamic activity in subcutaneous human tumor xenografts, orthotopic patient-derived xenograft (PDX) tumors, disseminated hematopoietic tumors, genetically induced primary liver tumors, metastatic colorectal tumors, and murine metastatic melanoma. DsiRNA delivery was homogeneous in tumor sections, selective over normal liver and independent of apolipoprotein-E binding. Significant tumor growth inhibition was achieved in Wnt-dependent colorectal and hepatocellular carcinoma models, but not in Wnt-independent tumors. Finally, no evidence of accelerated blood clearance or sustained liver transaminase elevation was observed after repeated dosing in nonhuman primates. These data support further investigation to gain mechanistic insight, optimize dose regimens, and identify efficacious combinations with standard-of-care therapeutics. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(9); 2143–54. ©2016 AACR.
Inference of Population Structure Using Genetic Markers and a Bayesian Model Averaging Approach for Clustering

The analysis of the structure of populations on the basis of genetic data is essential in population genetics. It is used, for instance, to study the evolution of species or to correct for population stratification in association studies. These genetic data, normally based on DNA polymorphisms, may contain irrelevant information that biases the inference of population structure. In this paper we adapt a recently proposed algorithm, named multistart EMA, to be used in the inference of population structure. This algorithm is able to deal with irrelevant information when obtaining the (probabilistic) population partition. Additionally, we present a maker selection test able to obtain the most relevant markers to retrieve that population partition. The proposed algorithm is compared with the widely used STRUCTURE software on the basis of the F(ST) metric and the log-likelihood score. It is shown that the proposed algorithm improves the obtention of the population structure. Moreover, information about relevant markers obtained by the multi-start EMA can be used to improve the results obtained by other methods, correct for population stratification or even also reduce the economical cost of sequencing new samples. The software presented in this paper is available online at http://www.sc. ehu.es/ccwbayes/members/guzman.
Die neue Unverbindlichkeit: Wirtschaftspolitische Koordinierung in Europa

Seit der Europaischen Wahrungsunion verfugt die Europaische Union uber wirtschaftspolitische Kompetenzen, die bisher den Nationalstaaten vorbehalten waren. Der neu gewonnenen geldpolitischen Entscheidungsmacht der EU steht jedoch die nationale Souveranitat in Fragen der Wirtschafts- und Beschaftigungspolitik gegenuber. Um Konflikte zwischen der EU und den einzelnen Landern zu vermeiden, greifen die EU-Staaten auf Koordinierungsformen zuruck, die im Internationalen Wahrungsfonds und der OECD seit Jahrzehnten erfolgreich eingesetzt werden. Bekanntestes Beispiel dafur ist die so genannte Offene Methode der Koordinierung. Sie gilt als zukunftsweisendes politisches Instrument. Armin Schafer widerlegt jedoch die optimistischen Erwartungen. Er zeigt vielmehr, dass eine solche weiche Form der Koordinierung, die letztlich lediglich auf dem Mangel an inhaltlicher Ubereinstimmung basiert, den Mitgliedstaaten eine neue Unverbindlichkeit ermoglicht und den Regierungen keinerlei Verpflichtungen auferlegt.
Anaesthesia for microlaryngeal and laser laryngeal surgery: impact of subglottic jet ventilation

Abstract Objective: Over the past 20 years, jet ventilation techniques have been developed to enable safe and controlled microlaryngoscopy and the accurate treatment of laryngeal pathology. This study examined how advances in jet ventilation tube design have facilitated safe endolaryngeal surgery. Study design: The study documented the development and use of the Jockjet subglottic jet ventilation tube system at the Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney. The new system consisted of two components: a Teflon tube with an outer diameter of 4 mm at the larynx, and a companion ventilator. The facility for end-tidal carbon dioxide and distal airways pressure monitoring was incorporated via dedicated channels. The Venturi jet was produced via a covered tip to prevent trauma to the tracheal mucosa. Setting: The Prince of Wales and Sydney Children's Hospitals, incorporated with The University of New South Wales. Patients: From June 2002 to March 2008 inclusive, 1000 consecutive patients underwent microlaryngeal surgery at this institution. Subglottic jet ventilation, via the Jockjet tube, was employed for 332 patients. Main outcome measures: Anaesthetic safety and intra-operative surgical access. Results: In all the 332 patients observed, surgical access was optimised and no adverse anaesthetic outcomes were encountered. Conclusion: Subglottic jet ventilation facilitates safe airway management during microlaryngeal and laser laryngeal surgery.
The continuing benefits of education: adult education and midlife cognitive ability in the British 1946 birth cohort.

OBJECTIVE Evidence shows education positively impacts cognitive ability. However, researchers have given little attention to the potential impact of adult education on cognitive ability, still malleable in midlife. The primary study aim was to examine whether there were continuing effects of education over the life course on midlife cognitive ability. METHODS This study used data from the Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development, also known as the British 1946 birth cohort, and multivariate regression to estimate the continuing effects of adult education on multiple measures of midlife cognitive ability. RESULT Educational attainment completed by early adulthood was associated with all measures of cognitive ability in late midlife. The continued effect of education was apparent in the associations between adult education and higher verbal ability, verbal memory, and verbal fluency in late midlife. We found no association between adult education and mental speed and concentration. DISCUSSION Associations between adult education and midlife cognitive ability indicate wider benefits of education to health that may be important for social integration, well-being, and the delay of cognitive decline in later life.
Coffee consumption attenuates short-term fructose-induced liver insulin resistance in healthy men.

BACKGROUND Epidemiologic and experimental data have suggested that chlorogenic acid, which is a polyphenol contained in green coffee beans, prevents diet-induced hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance. OBJECTIVE We assessed whether the consumption of chlorogenic acid-rich coffee attenuates the effects of short-term fructose overfeeding, dietary conditions known to increase intrahepatocellular lipids (IHCLs), and blood triglyceride concentrations and to decrease hepatic insulin sensitivity in healthy humans. DESIGN Effects of 3 different coffees were assessed in 10 healthy volunteers in a randomized, controlled, crossover trial. IHCLs, hepatic glucose production (HGP) (by 6,6-d2 glucose dilution), and fasting lipid oxidation were measured after 14 d of consumption of caffeinated coffee high in chlorogenic acid (C-HCA), decaffeinated coffee high in chlorogenic acid, or decaffeinated coffee with regular amounts of chlorogenic acid (D-RCA); during the last 6 d of the study, the weight-maintenance diet of subjects was supplemented with 4 g fructose · kg(-1) · d(-1) (total energy intake ± SD: 143 ± 1% of weight-maintenance requirements). All participants were also studied without coffee supplementation, either with 4 g fructose · kg(-1) · d(-1) (high fructose only) or without high fructose (control). RESULTS Compared with the control diet, the high-fructose diet significantly increased IHCLs by 102 ± 36% and HGP by 16 ± 3% and decreased fasting lipid oxidation by 100 ± 29% (all P < 0.05). All 3 coffees significantly decreased HGP. Fasting lipid oxidation increased with C-HCA and D-RCA (P < 0.05). None of the 3 coffees significantly altered IHCLs. CONCLUSIONS Coffee consumption attenuates hepatic insulin resistance but not the increase of IHCLs induced by fructose overfeeding. This effect does not appear to be mediated by differences in the caffeine or chlorogenic acid content. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00827450.
Celecoxib Impairs Heart Development via Inhibiting Cyclooxygenase-2 Activity in Zebrafish Embryos

Background:Celecoxib, a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, is a commonly ingested drug that is used by some women during pregnancy. Although use of celecoxib is associated with increased cardiovascular risk in adults, its effect on fetal heart development remains unknown. Methods:Zebrafish embryos were exposed to celecoxib or other relevant drugs from tailbud stage (10.3–72 h postfertilization). Heart looping and valve formation were examined at different developmental stages by in vivo confocal imaging. In addition, whole mount in situ hybridization was performed to examine drug-induced changes in the expression of heart valve marker genes. Results:In celecoxib-treated zebrafish embryos, the heart failed to undergo normal looping and the heart valve was absent, causing serious blood regurgitation. Furthermore, celecoxib treatment disturbed the restricted expression of the heart valve markers bone morphogenetic protein 4 and versican—but not the cardiac chamber markers cardiac myosin light chain 2, ventricular myosin heavy chain, and atrial myosin heavy chain. These defects in heart development were markedly relieved by treatment with the cyclooxygenase-2 downstream product prostaglandin E2, and mimicked by the cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor NS398, implying that celecoxib-induced heart defects were caused by the inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 activity. Conclusions:These findings provide the first in vivo evidence that celecoxib exposure impairs heart development in zebrafish embryos by inhibiting cyclooxygenase-2 activity.