Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Population Persistence and Offspring Fitness in the Rare Bellflower Campanula cervicaria in Relation to Population Size and Habitat Quality

Abstract: Data from several animal species and a few plant species indicate that small populations face an elevated risk of extinction. Plants are still underrepresented in these studies concerning the relation between population size and persistence. We studied the effect of population size on persistence among natural populations of the rare bellflower Campanula cervicaria in Finland. We monitored 52 bellflower populations for 8 years and found that the mean population size decreased from 24 to 14 during this period. Small populations with ≤5 individuals were more prone to losing all fertile plants than were larger ones. Reduction in population size was nevertheless unrelated to the degree of population isolation, measured as the distance to the nearest known population. To test the hypothesis that offspring fitness is lower in small populations, we germinated bellflower seeds from different‐sized populations in a laboratory and found that seed germination ability was independent of population size. The seedlings raised from seeds of small populations grew faster than those taken from larger populations. Population size was negatively related to the amount of shade in the habitats. In conclusion, decreasing population sizes of C. cervicaria seemed not to be caused by lowered germination ability or growth rate in small populations; rather, population size reductions appeared to be due to closing of vegetation in the habitats.
Delusionality and response to open-label fluvoxamine in body dysmorphic disorder.

BACKGROUND Available data suggest that the delusional variant of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), a type of delusional disorder, may respond to serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) and that delusionality (lack of insight) in BDD may improve with SRI treatment. However, this research has been hampered by the lack of a reliable and valid scale to assess delusionality. METHOD Thirty subjects (21 women, 9 men; mean age = 33.3 +/- 9.0 years) with DSM-IV BDD were prospectively treated with open-label fluvoxamine for 16 weeks. Subjects were assessed at regular intervals with the Brown Assessment of Beliefs Scale (BABS), the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale Modified for BDD (BDD-YBOCS; a measure of BDD severity), and other instruments. The BABS is a reliable and valid 7-item, semistructured, clinician-administered scale that assesses current delusionality. RESULTS In this prospective, open-label study, 63% of BDD subjects responded to fluvoxamine. Delusional and nondelusional subjects had similar improvement in BDD symptoms. In addition, insight significantly improved in both delusional and nondelusional subjects. Baseline BABS scores did not contribute significantly to endpoint BDD-YBOCS scores in a regression analysis. CONCLUSION Degree of delusionality did not predict fluvoxamine response, and delusionality significantly improved. These findings are preliminary and require confirmation in controlled trials. The implications of these findings for other types of delusions requires investigation.
Intrinsic apoptotic pathways of gingival epithelial cells modulated by Porphyromonas gingivalis

Porphyromonas gingivalis can inhibit chemically induced apoptosis in primary cultures of gingival epithelial cells through blocking activation of the effector caspase‐3. The anti‐apoptotic phenotype of P. gingivalis is conserved across strains and does not depend on the presence of fimbriae, as fimbriae‐deficient mutants and a naturally occurring non‐fimbriated strain were able to impede apoptosis. To dissect the survival pathways modulated by P. gingivalis, protein and gene expression of a number of components of apoptotic death pathways were investigated. P. gingivalis infection of epithelial cells resulted in the phosphorylation of JAK1 and Stat3. Quantitative real‐time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction showed that expression of Survivin and Stat3 itself, targets of activated Stat3, were elevated in P. gingivalis‐infected cells. siRNA knockdown of JAK1, in combination with knockdown of Akt, abrogated the ability of P. gingivalis to block apoptosis. In contrast, cIAP‐1 and cIAP‐2 were not differentially regulated at either the protein or mRNA levels by P. gingivalis. One mechanism by which P. gingivalis can block apoptotic pathways in gingival epithelial cells therefore is through manipulation of the JAK/Stat pathway that controls the intrinsic mitochondrial cell death pathways. Induction of a pro‐survival phenotype may prevent programmed host cell death and aid survival of P. gingivalis within gingival epithelial cells.
Studies on the properties of highly purified cytochrome P-448 and its dependent activity benzo[a]pyrene hydroxylase, from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, produces a cytochrome P-450 enzyme with a Soret peak in the reduced-CO difference spectrum at 448 nm. The enzyme purified to homogeneity (88-97% pure on a specific content basis) has a molecular wt. of 55 500 as determined by SDS-PAGE. Amino acid analysis of yeast cytochrome P-448 revealed 407 amino acid residues per molecule with a 43% complement of hydrophobic residues. Although the number of residues is smaller than cytochrome P-448 enzymes from mammalian sources, the percentage of hydrophobic residues is almost identical. Estimation of the haem content of yeast cytochrome P-448 showed that one haem group was present per molecule. Phospholipid was present at very low levels. The molecular wt. of the polypeptide chain plus an estimated 5-6 units of hexose and of hexosamine is in good agreement with the molecular wt. value obtained from SDS-PAGE. A reconstituted system of purified cytochrome P-448, purified NADPH-cytochrome P-450 (c) reductase and phospholipid showed aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity towards benzo[a]pyrene. Both protein components, NADPH and dilauroyl phosphatidylcholine (or emulgen 911) were necessary for full activity. The NADPH requirement could be replaced by cumene hydroperoxide or H2O2 generated in situ from a glucose oxidase system; in each case Vmax is increased, but the apparent affinity for benzo[a]pyrene, as measured by an increased Km, is lowered. The spin state of purified yeast cytochrome P-448 was 94% low spin (22 degrees C) as determined from the temperature-dependent spin-state equilibrium. The addition of benzo[a]pyrene to this enzyme resulted in a change to higher spin state (18% high spin at 22 degrees C). Equilibrium gel filtration analysis of the number of benzo[a]pyrene binding sites per mole of enzyme monomer showed a value of 1 for purified yeast cytochrome P-448 and 6 for this enzyme in microsomal form. The corresponding values for purified and microsomal cytochrome P-450 from phenobarbital-pretreated rats are 1 and 6, respectively. However, purified cytochrome P-448 from beta-naphthoflavone-induced rats gave a value of 6 benzo[a]pyrene binding sites. Type I binding spectra with purified yeast cytochrome P-448 were observed with benzo[a]pyrene, lanosterol, ethylmorphine, dimethylnitrosamine, sodium phenobarbitone and perhydrofluorene. Type II spectral changes were observed with imidazole, aniline and benzphetamine. Cytochrome P-448 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae is identified as a distinct enzyme of the P-450 family. This enzyme however has many properties in common with cytochrome P-448 from mammalian sources. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
The biogeochemical role of Actinobacteria in Altamira Cave, Spain.

The walls and ceiling of Altamira Cave, northern Spain, are coated with different coloured spots (yellow, white and grey). Electron microscopy revealed that the grey spots are composed of bacteria and bioinduced CaCO(3) crystals. The morphology of the spots revealed a dense network of microorganisms organized in well-defined radial and dendritic divergent branches from the central area towards the exterior of the spot, which is coated with overlying spheroidal elements of CaCO(3) and CaCO(3) nest-like aggregates. Molecular analysis indicated that the grey spots were mainly formed by an unrecognized species of the genus Actinobacteria. CO(2) efflux measurements in rocks heavily covered by grey spots confirmed that bacteria-forming spots promoted uptake of the gas, which is abundant in the cave. The bacteria can use the captured CO(2) to dissolve the rock and subsequently generate crystals of CaCO(3) in periods of lower humidity and/or CO(2). A tentative model for the formation of these grey spots, supported by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy data, is proposed.
[Smoking and alcohol consumption as risk factors of pulmonary tuberculosis in Chengdu: a matched case-control study].

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between personal behaviors (smoking and alcohol consumption) and contracting pulmonary tuberculosis. METHODS 346 persons (173 cases and 173 controls) were selected from 12 communities of Chengdu area, all the cases were active TB patients (by WHO criteria) from March 1996 to March 1997. Controls were matched for age, sex and living district. Subjects were interviewed face to face by trained interviewers using questionnaires. RESULTS The results of univariate analysis showed that active smoking (OR = 2.12, P = 0.006), passive smoking (OR = 1.55, P = 0.04), type of cigarettes (OR = 1.31, P = 0.005) and alcohol consumption (OR = 1.81, P = 0.008) were significantly associated with TB. Yet, multivariate logistic regression analysis did not find smoking or alcohol consumption being in independent association with TB, but it showed that persons who were smokers with the addition of alcohol consumption had a higher risk to contract TB (OR = 7.729, 95% C.I. = 1.5215-39.2634). Significant association was noted in the dose-response analysis (OR = 1.73, 95% C.I. = 1.300-2.3028). CONCLUSION These data indicate that smoking alone or sole alcohol consumption bears no relationship with TB, but smoking plus alcohol abuse is probably a risk factor for pulmonary tuberculosis in Chengdu, and in this connection, a proposal of prospective study to further demonstrate this risk factor is warranted.
Mucosal-associated invariant T cells promote inflammation and exacerbate disease in murine models of arthritis.

OBJECTIVE The function of mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells remains largely unknown. We previously reported an immunoregulatory role of MAIT cells in an animal model of multiple sclerosis. The aim of this study was to use animal models to determine whether MAIT cells are involved in the pathogenesis of arthritis. METHODS MR1-/- and MR1+/+ DBA/1J mice were immunized with bovine type II collagen (CII) in complete Freund's adjuvant to trigger collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). To assess CII-specific T cell recall responses, lymph node cells from mice with CIA were challenged with CII ex vivo, and cytokine production and proliferation were evaluated. Serum levels of CII-specific antibodies were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Collagen antibody-induced arthritis (CAIA) was induced in MR1-/- and MR1+/+ C57BL/6 mice by injection of anti-CII antibodies followed by injection of lipopolysaccharide. To demonstrate the involvement of MAIT cells in arthritis, we induced CAIA in MR1-/- C57BL/6 mice that had been reconstituted with adoptively transferred MAIT cells. MAIT cell activation in response to cytokine stimulation was investigated. RESULTS The severity of CIA was reduced in MR1-/- DBA/1J mice. However, T and B cell responses to CII were comparable in MR1-/- and MR1+/+ DBA/1J mice. MR1-/- C57BL/6 mice were less susceptible to CAIA, and reconstitution with MAIT cells induced severe arthritis in MR1-/- C57BL/6 mice, demonstrating an effector role of MAIT cells in arthritis. MAIT cells became activated upon stimulation with interleukin-23 (IL-23) or IL-1β in the absence of T cell receptor stimuli. CONCLUSION These results indicate that MAIT cells exacerbate arthritis by enhancing the inflammation.
Synthesis of specific identified, phosphorylated, heat shock, and heat stroke proteins through the cell cycle of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The methods of centrifugal elutriation, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, and dual isotopic labeling were applied to the study and identification of a number of purified yeast proteins. The location of polypeptide spots corresponding to specific proteins was determined on two-dimensional gels. A dual-label method was used to determine the rates of synthesis through the cell cycle of the identified proteins as well as to confirm the results of previous studies from our laboratory on unidentified proteins. The identified proteins, and the more generally defined phosphorylated, heat shock, and heat stroke proteins were found to follow the general pattern of exponential increase in rate of synthesis through the cell cycle. In addition, colorimetric enzyme activity assays were used to examine the catabolic enzyme alpha-glucosidase (EC 3.2.1.20). Both the activity and synthesis of alpha-glucosidase were found to be nonperiodic with respect to the cell cycle. These data contrast with earlier reports of periodicity, which employed induction and selection synchrony to study enzyme expression through the yeast cell cycle.
Protective effect of adrenolytic drugs against fatal myocardial epinephrine concentrations.

Three adrenolytic drugs: Dibenamine hydrochloride, Priscol and Fourneau's 933F, were found to protect the heart of the rat either completely or partially against normally fatal doses of epinephrine and to permit the survival of normally fatal accumulations of epinephrine in the myocardium. Dibenamine hydrochloride is by far the most potent, 933F the weakest of these drugs. Their modes of action are different. Both 933F and Priscol seem to partially block the penetration of epinephrine into the myocardial cells, although not to the same extent; Dibenamine hydrochloride seems to render the heart itself insensitive to epinephrine without impairing, indeed even facilitating its excessive deposition and accumulation in the heart muscle.
Are snowboarders more likely to damage their spines than skiers? Lessons learned from a study of spinal injuries from the Otago skifields in New Zealand.

AIMS The aim of this study was to determine the incidence, nature, and circumstances of spinal injuries caused by skiing and snowboarding at the Otago skifields and treated at Dunedin Hospital during the period 1991 to 2002. METHODS Patients were identified from the audit records of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Dunedin Hospital. RESULTS Twenty-five cases were included in the study, 18 snowboarders, and 7 skiers. Twenty-two cases had spinal fractures, with skiers having a higher proportion of burst fractures and multiple fractures. The most frequently fractured vertebrae were T12 and L1, and wedge fractures were the most common fracture type. Jump-related activities were the most common cause of injury in snowboarders, in contrast to skiers whose injuries were more commonly fall-related. CONCLUSIONS Skier-related spinal injuries were rare and sporadic over the study period, whereas snowboarder-related spinal injuries were more frequent and more recent in occurrence.
A European Perspective on Costs and Cost Effectiveness of Ophthalmic Combinations in the Treatment of Open-Angle Glaucoma

Purpose Efficacy, safety, and cost implications are important considerations when choosing an ophthalmic treatment. Fixed-combination glaucoma medications containing brimonidine 0.2% and timolol 0.5%, or dorzolamide 2% and timolol 0.5%, were compared with brimonidine 0.2% and dorzolamide 2% that were used as adjunctive therapy to timolol 0.5%. Methods A literature review was conducted to determine the outcome parameters of intraocular pressure reduction and tolerability after 3 months of use of brimonidine or dorzolamide, each together with timolol as a fixed-combination or in concomitant therapy. Modelled cost-minimization and cost-effectiveness analyses were performed to investigate the economic consequences of ophthalmic therapy with brimonidine, dorzolamide, and timolol from a societal perspective. Results The literature review found that brimonidine and dorzolamide used as fixed combinations with timolol as well as in adjunctive therapy to timolol were equally effective and safe. Furthermore, in the European countries studied, the fixed combination of brimonidine/timolol represented a less costly option when compared to the fixed combination of dorzolamide/timolol evaluated over both a 3-month and a 12-month horizon. Conclusions Brimonidine used as a fixed-combination therapy with timolol provided better cost value than dorzolamide/timolol in all the countries studied. For most countries, the fixed combination of brimonidine and timolol also provided better cost value than adjunctive therapy with brimonidine, which was more cost effective than adjunctive therapy with dorzolamide.
Influence of Staphylococcus aureus antibody on experimental endocarditis in rabbits

To evaluate the potential protective benefit of antibody to whole cells of Staphylococcal aureus for the prevention of endocarditis, the rabbit endocarditis model was used. Methicillin-sensitive (17A) and methicillin-resistant (173) S. aureus strains were evaluated in rabbits with or without indwelling intracardiac catheters. All immunized rabbits developed significant homologous agglutinating antibody titers (the mean reciprocal titers were 15,300 to strain 17A and 1,150 to strain 173). After challenge, virtually no significant differences were observed between immunized and unimmunized animals with respect to (i) incidence of endocarditis, (ii) concentration of bacteria in infected vegetations, (iii) incidence of metastatic renal abscesses, or (iv) concentrations of bacteria in infected kidneys. The clearance of homologous S. aureus strains from blood cultures was similar for immunized and unimmunized animals at 10 to 90 min after intravenous challenge. In vivo adherence of homologous S. aureus strains to aortic valves and vegetations was similar in immunized and unimmunized animals when evaluated at 30 and 90 min postchallenge. Even without catheterization, the incidence of bacteremia and renal abscesses was the same in immunized and unimmunized rabbits. Whole-cell-induced S. aureus antibody did not prevent or modify any stage in the development of endocarditis in rabbits.
Unifying first and last conjunct agreement

To goal of this paper is to establish the empirical domain of conjunct-sensitive agreement in SC and provide a uniform account of FCA and LCA based on t he operation Agree. We will see that the FCA/LCA paradigm in SC is rather complex. Furthermo e, while the conditions on FCA and LCA for the most part mirror each other, there are cont exts where the parallelism breaks down. I will show that the whole FCA/LCA paradigm, including the contexts where the parallelism between FCA and LCA breaks down, can be accounted for in an Agree-based system without postulating any arbitrary language-specific morphological mecha nisms, which should be taken as a strong argument in favor of the operation Agree (and the a ssumption that agreement should be handled in the syntax by Agree), as well as the particular app roach to Agree, and more generally feature checking, adopted in this paper. The system argued for in the paper allows one instance of uninterpretable features, namely valued uninterpret abl features, not to undergo feature checking and does not require uninterpretable features in ge eral to undergo feature checking with interpretable features. The gist of the analysis proposed in the paper is that the probe that is responsible for participial agreement searches for a goal to value its number and gender features. Since Conjunction Phrase, henceforth &P, is specified only for number , the probe finds disjoint valuators, &P for number and the first conjunct for gender. This is a ll that happens in FCA cases. However, the existence of two potential valuators for a single N-probe causes a problem in cases involving movement, i.e. pied-piping of a valuator, like (1b) : since both goals noted above are in principle mobile in SC this results in ambiguous targeting fo r m vement, which makes movement impossible and cancels the valuation in question. The particip ial probe then initiates a second probing operation within a larger search space that includes the seco nd njunct. Since the second conjunct, which can
Training Family Day Care Providers to Work with Special Needs Children

This paper describes short-term results from a program designed to train family day care providers to work with special needs children. Thirteen providers participated in training sessions and biweekly on-site consultations, and began to mainstream young handicapped children into their family day care homes. Six months after the start of training, the trainees' attitudes towards handicapped children, knowledge about programming for the disabled, and utilization of physical space for enhancing child growth and development were compared to pretraining levels on these measures. Results demonstrated overall significant positive change for the trainees from pre- to posttraining. The paper discusses these findings and their implications.
Kisspeptin regulates ovarian steroidogenesis during delayed embryonic development in the fruit bat, Cynopterus sphinx

Cynopterus sphinx, a fruit bat, undergoes delayed embryonic development during the winter months, a period that corresponds to low levels of progesterone and estradiol synthesis by the ovary. Kisspeptins (KPs) are a group of neuropeptide hormones that act via G‐protein coupled receptor 54 (GPR54) to stimulate hypothalamic secretion of Gonadotropin‐releasing hormone, thereby regulating ovarian steroidogenesis, folliculogenesis, and ovulation. GPR54 is also expressed in the ovary, suggesting a direct role for KPs in ovarian steroidogenesis. The aim of present study was to determine if a low serum level of KP is responsible for reduced progesterone and estradiol levels during the period of delayed embryonic development in C. sphinx. Indeed, low serum KP abundance corresponded to reduced expression of GPR54 in ovarian luteal cells during the period of delayed development compared to normal development. In vitro and in vivo treatment with KP increased GPR54 abundance, via Extracellular signal regulated kinase and its downstream mediators, leading to increased progesterone synthesis in the ovary during delayed embryonic development. KP treatment also increased cholesterol uptake and elevated expression of Luteinizing hormone receptor and Steroid acute regulatory protein in the ovary, suggesting that elevation in circulating KP during delayed embryonic development may reactivate luteal activity. KPs may also enhance cell survival (BCL‐2, reduced Caspase 3 activity) and angiogenesis (Vascular endothelium growth factor) during this period. The findings of this study thus demonstrate a regulatory role for KPs in the maintenance of luteal steroidogenesis during pregnancy in C. sphinx.