Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Framing media discourse: A content analysis of Chinese weibo posts on Chinese territorial disputes

This study considers framing differences among three types of media outlets on Weibo, China's most popular microblog. The author examines Weibo content for China's state-owned media, China's commercial media, and foreign media on the subject of two of China's ongoing territorial disputes. Using content analysis techniques, this work compares framing styles across the three types of media. Findings show significant differences among them. Specifically, Chinese state-owned media outlets, such as People's Daily and Xinhua News, are more likely to employ episodic framing, meaning their content is more event-oriented and focused on public issues. Meanwhile, foreign media such as The Wall Street Journal and Financial Times are more likely to employ thematic framing, suggesting that they pay more attention to more abstract issues and the presentation of facts in a broader context.
Synergistic Anticancer Activity of Topotecan— Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor Combinations against Drug-Resistant Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) Cell Lines

Extended-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC) responds to platinum/vepeside-based first-line chemotherapy but relapses rapidly as drug-resistant tumor. Topotecan (TPT) is the single chemotherapeutic agent approved for second-line treatment of SCLC. However, the response to TPT is short-lived and novel treatment modalities need to be developed. Sequential treatment of cytotoxic drugs and inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) showed promising preclinical anticancer activity and, in the present work, combinations of TPT with CDK inhibitors olomoucine, roscovitine and CDK4I are shown to exhibit synergistic cytotoxic activity against SCLC cell lines. Highest activity was found against TPT-resistant NCI-H417 and DMS153 cell lines and moderate chemosensitizing effects against a primary SCLC cell line and sensitive GLC19 cells at levels of CDK inhibitors which exerted low toxicity. A combination of 0.6 μM TPT with 0.6 μM roscovitine, exhibiting no significant cytotoxicity as single agents, reduced viability of the TPT-resistant NCI-H417 line (IC50 > 10 μM) by 50%. In the TPT resistant cell lines olomoucine and roscovitine, targeting CDK1,2,5,7, were highly effective, whereas in the more sensitive cell lines CDK4I, inhibiting mainly CDK4/6, showed activity. In NCI-417 cells, preincubation with roscovitine for one day proved synergistic with TPT. Thus, in good accordance with previous findings, CDK inhibitors are able to convert SCLC cancer cells which are cell-cycle arrested by a blockade of topoisomerase I by TPT to apoptotic cells. Since nowadays several CDK inhibitors are at various phases of clinical testing their combination with TPT seems to constitute a promising approach to improve second-line chemotherapy in SCLC.
Chemosphere Removal of estrogenic activities of bisphenol A and nonylphenol by oxidative enzymes from lignin-degrading basidiomycetes

Bisphenol A （ BPA ） and nonylphenol （ NP ） were treated with manganese peroxidase （ MnP ） and laccase prepared from the culture of lignin-degrading fungi. Laccase in the presence of 1-hydroxybenzotriazole(HBT), the so-called laccase-mediator system, was also applied to remove the estrogenic activity. Both chemicals disappeared in the reaction mixture within a 1-h treatment with MnP but the estrogenic activities of BPA and NP still remained 40% and 60% in the reaction mixtures after a 1-h and a 3-h treatment, respectively. Extension of the treatment time to 12 h completed the removal of estrogenic activities of BPA and NP. The laccase has less ability to remove these activities than MnP, but the laccase-HBT system was able to remove the activities in 6 h. A gel permeation chromatography （ GPC ） analysis revealed that main reaction products of BPA and NP may be oligomers formed by the action of enzymes. Enzymatic treatments extended to 48 h did not regenerate the estrogenic activitie, suggesting that the ligninolytic enzymes are effective for the removal of the estrogenic activities of BPA and NP.
Nucleus‐ and nucleomorph‐targeted histone proteins in a chlorarachniophyte alga

The plastid of chlorarachniophytes is distinguished by the retention of a relict nucleus (nucleomorph) derived from a green algal endosymbiont, which is located in the periplastidal compartment (PPC). The nucleomorph genome of a chlorarachniophyte, Bigelowiella natans, encodes several plastid‐targeted proteins and hundreds of housekeeping proteins, but it lacks many fundamental genes to maintain itself. Here we report the first two host nucleus‐encoded genes for proteins targeted to the nucleomorph, histone H2A and H2B. We identified 20 histone genes from the host nuclear genome, and based on phylogenetic analyses predicted that most of these are derived from the host, but that two histone genes are symbiont‐derived. The genes both encode N‐terminal extensions resembling PPC targeting signals, further suggesting they function in the nucleomorph. Using green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion proteins expressed in transformed cells, we confirmed that the putative symbiont H2A and H2B were targeted into the nucleomorph, whereas putative host proteins were localized to the host nucleus. Furthermore, we have developed a method to temporarily synchronize B. natans cells, and confirmed that both host and symbiont histone expression is controlled during the cell cycle. Our findings provide the first evidence of how the nucleomorph may be regulated by host‐encoded gene products.
Current guidelines in the pharmacological management of chronic heart failure

Treatment of heart failure has undergone major changes in the last two decades. European and US guidelines have absorbed these major changes and set the new standards. It is therefore mandatory that treatment of heart failure is based on this knowledge. According to these guidelines, patients with chronic symptomatic heart failure should be treated with a diuretic and sometimes digoxin and vasodilators, to relieve symptoms, in addition to an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and/or an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) and a β-blocker to improve prognosis. An aldosterone antagonist should be added in patients with more advanced heart failure. Prevention of heart failure has also become a major goal. We summarise here the major issues regarding the pharmacological treatment of chronic heart failure as indicated by the European and US guidelines.
Assessing shyness in Chinese older adults

The Shyness Scale (SS) is a brief instrument for assessing shyness as a personality trait. The psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the SS were investigated in a random sample of 192 Macau Chinese older adults. The Chinese version of the SS possesses high internal consistency and exhibited satisfactory short-term test–retest reliability. The Chinese version of the SS exhibited acceptable convergent validity with other negative measures of psychological well-being including negative emotional states (assessed by the Negative Affect Scale), loneliness (assessed by the UCLA Loneliness Scale), and state anxiety and trait anxiety (assessed by STAI). The divergent validity of the Chinese version of the SS was demonstrated by the negative but significant association between the SS and self esteem (assessed by Rosenberg Self Esteem Inventory).
A Pharmacokinetic/Viral Kinetic Model to Evaluate the Treatment Effectiveness of Danoprevir against Chronic HCV

Background Viral kinetic models have proven useful to characterize treatment effectiveness during HCV therapy with interferon (IFN) or with direct-acting antivirals. Methods We use a pharmacokinetic/viral kinetic (PK/VK) model to describe HCV RNA kinetics during treatment with danoprevir, a protease inhibitor. In a Phase I study, danoprevir monotherapy was administered for 14 days in ascending doses ranging from 200 to 600 mg per day to 40 patients of whom 32 were treatment-naive and 8 were non-responders to prior pegylated IFN-α/ribavirin treatment. Results In all patients, a biphasic decline of HCV RNA during therapy was observed. A two-compartment PK model and a VK model that considered treatment effectiveness to vary with the predicted danoprevir concentration inside the second compartment provided a good fit to the viral load data. A time-varying effectiveness model was also used to fit the viral load data. The antiviral effectiveness increased in a dose-dependent manner, with a 14-day time-averaged effectiveness of 0.95 at the lowest dose (100 mg twice daily) and 0.99 at the highest dose (200 mg three times daily). Prior IFN non-responders exhibited a 14-day time-averaged effectiveness of 0.98 (300 mg twice daily). The second phase decline showed two different behaviours, with 30% of patients exhibiting a rapid decline of HCV RNA, comparable to that seen with other protease inhibitors (>0.3 day-1), whereas the viral decline was slower in the other patients. Conclusions Our results are consistent with the modest SVR rates from the INFORM-SVR study where patients were treated with a combination of mericitabine and ritonavir-boosted danoprevir.
Electroacupuncture Pretreatment Attenuates Acute Lung Injury Through α7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor-Mediated Inhibition of HMGB1 Release in Rats After Cardiopulmonary Bypass

ABSTRACT Acute lung injury is a common complication after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). &agr;7 Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (&agr;7nAChR) and &agr;7nAChR-dependent cholinergic signaling are implicated in suppressing the release of high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) and reducing the inflammatory response. A previous study has shown the electroacupuncture (EA) pretreatment induces tolerance against lung injury. However, the role of EA in CPB is poorly understood. This study used EA and a rat model of CPB to determine whether EA was associated with CPB-induced lung injury. Rats were treated with EA at “Zusanli (ST36)” and “Feishu (BL13)” acupoints for 5 days before being subjected to CPB. Two hours post-CPB, samples of blood, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and lung tissues were processed for investigations. Our results showed that the expression of &agr;7nAChR in lung tissue was significantly decreased after CPB. EA pretreatment prevented the reduction in the expression of &agr;7nAChR, EA pretreatment reduced lung edema, inhibited inflammatory cytokines release in serum and lung as well as protein concentrations in BALF and HMGB1 release after CPB, and the beneficial effects were attenuated by &agr;-BGT. Our study demonstrates that EA pretreatment plays a protective role in CPB-induced ALI, and inhibits HMGB1 release through &agr;7nAChR activation in rats.
Hypothermia induces T-cell production of immunosuppressive cytokines.

BACKGROUND Hypothermia is associated with increased postoperative infectious complications. We hypothesized that hypothermia suppresses the inflammatory response by altering T-cell cytokine production from a proinflammatory to an antiinflammatory profile, thus explaining the increased susceptibility to infectious complications associated with perioperative hypothermia. METHODS Forty rats were randomized to either a Hypothermia (30 degrees C) or Control (38 degrees C) group. Blood samples taken at baseline and after 8 h of thermoregulation were stimulated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and ionomycin. Interleukin (IL)-2 receptor expression and intracellular IL-10 production were measured using monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry in CD4 and CD8 T cells. Differences in IL-10 production and IL-2 receptor expression for stimulated samples in the Hypothermia and Control groups were compared. RESULTS Stimulated CD4 cells demonstrated an antiinflammatory cytokine expression profile after hypothermia. Intracellular IL-10 production increased in the Hypothermia group but remained the same in the Control group (% change = 40 [3,87] and 2 [-36,26], respectively; P = 0.043). The increase in IL-2 receptor expression observed in the control group was suppressed after hypothermia (% change = 12[8,30] and 1 [-3,13], respectively; P = 0.026). We observed a greater increase in IL-10 production by CD8 cells from hypothermic animals than in those from control animals (% change = 41 [-8,90] and -4 [-40,5], respectively; P = 0.019). CD8 IL-2 receptor expression in hypothermic animals was similar to that of control animals (% change = 23 [-7,37] vs 25 [2,80], respectively; P = 0.32). CONCLUSIONS Hypothermia induced an antiinflammatory T-cell cytokine profile.
Tissue-Specific Regulation of Insulin Receptor mRNA Levels in Rats With STZ-Induced Diabetes Mellitus

In rats with STZ-induced diabetes mellitus, a reduction in insulin secretion is associated with increased insulin binding in the liver, muscle, fat, and kidney, but not in the brain. To test the hypothesis that tissue-specific modulation of insulin receptors (IRs) in STZ-induced diabetes occurs at the level of mRNA, IR mRNA levels were measured in the liver, kidney, and brain of Sprague-Dawley rats 15 days after intravenous administration of STZ (60 mg/kg body weight) and compared with those of control rats. Diabetic rats were either left untreated or given differing insulin regimens that were designed to achieve varying degrees of metabolic control. IR mRNA levels were measured by slot blot hybridization with a 32P-labeled rlR probe and standardized by 28S ribosomal RNA determination. Hepatic IR mRNA levels were increased significantly in both untreated diabetic rats and in those that received low-dose (2 U/day) insulin therapy. In contrast, hepatic IR mRNA levels did not differ significantly from controls in those that received moderate doses of insulin (3–8 U/day) and were significantly less than controls in those that received the highest doses (6–10 U/day). Renal IR mRNA levels also were increased significantly in the untreated diabetic rats but not in those that received low- or moderate-dose insulin therapy, and were significantly less than controls in those that received the highest doses. A highly significant negative correlation was observed between the level of hepatic (r = −0.84, P <0.001) and renal (r = −0.64, P < 0.001) IR mRNA, and the plasma concentration of insulin obtained at the time of death. No significant difference was observed in brain IR mRNA levels between untreated diabetic and control rats. Thus, in rats with insulin deficiency, modulation of insulin binding in the liver and kidney can be attributed, at least in part, to a change in steady-state IR mRNA levels.
Full range complex spectral domain optical coherence tomography for volumetric imaging at 47 000 A-scans per second

In this paper we demonstrate a high speed spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT) system capable of achieving full range complex imaging at a line scan rate of 47 kHz. By applying a beam-offset method, a constant modulation frequency is introduced into each B-scan that enables reconstruction of the full range complex SDOCT images of in vivo tissue samples. To make use of the full capacity of the detection camera used in the system, system control software is developed that streams the raw spectral fringe data directly into the computer memory. In order to assess performance of the high speed full range SDOCT system for imaging biological specimen, we present results imaged from the cuticle of the fingernail of a human volunteer in vivo and from chick embryos ex vivo. We also show the high sensitivity advantages of full range complex imaging as compared to conventional SDOCT. To the best of our knowledge, an imaging rate of 47 000 A-scans per second is the highest imaging rate that has ever been reported for full range complex imaging. Notwithstanding, the method reported here has no limitations on the imaging speed and thus offers a useful tool to achieve volumetric imaging of living samples where the high sensitivity region around zero delay line in the system can be utilized for imaging.
Current and emerging treatment options in the management of advanced ovarian cancer

ABSTRACT Introduction: Epithelial ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy. Recent advances in understanding the biology and its molecular and histological diversity have led to mechanism based therapeutic strategies such as poly-ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARP) targeting homologous recombination deficient tumor cells and anti-angiogenic therapies. Clinical trial designs in ovarian cancer have to evolve to incorporate assessment of the genomic complexity and identify predictive biomarkers to improve precision of treatment and outcome. Areas covered: This review summarizes present-day strategies used in the management of ovarian cancer and novel promising therapeutic approaches in development. The article is based on English peer-reviewed articles located on MEDLINE and related abstracts presented at major international meetings. Expert opinion: Two types of molecular targeted therapies, anti-angiogenics and PARP inhibitors, have been shown to be active in randomized clinical trials and approved by regulatory agencies. Management of ovarian cancer is poised to change with the continued advancement of precision medicine that is founded upon improved understanding of disease biology; separation into histologically and molecularly defined subgroups; and the incorporation of this new knowledge into early phase drug development and novel clinical trial design.
CHILDHOOD MALTREATMENT AND COMBAT POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DIFFERENTIALLY PREDICT FEAR‐RELATED FRONTO‐SUBCORTICAL CONNECTIVITY

Adult posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been characterized by altered fear‐network connectivity. Childhood trauma is a major risk factor for adult PTSD, yet its contribution to fear‐network connectivity in PTSD remains unexplored. We examined, within a single model, the contribution of childhood maltreatment, combat exposure, and combat‐related posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) to resting‐state connectivity (rs‐FC) of the amygdala and hippocampus in military veterans.
Activation Timecourse of Ventral Visual Stream Object-recognition Areas: High Density Electrical Mapping of Perceptual Closure Processes

Object recognition is achieved even in circumstances when only partial information is available to the observer. Perceptual closure processes are essential in enabling such recognitions to occur. We presented successively less fragmented images while recording high-density event-related potentials (ERPs), which permitted us to monitor brain activity during the perceptual closure processes leading up to object recognition. We reveal a bilateral ERP component (Ncl) that tracks these processes (onsets 230 msec, maximal at 290 msec). Scalp-current density mapping of the Ncl revealed bilateral occipito-temporal scalp foci, which are consistent with generators in the human ventral visual stream, and specifically the lateral-occipital or LO complex as defined by hemodynamic studies of object recognition.
Prevalence and Phylogenetic Analysis of Hepatitis B Virus among Nonhuman Primates in Taiwan

Abstract Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a public health problem worldwide, and apart from infecting humans, HBV has been found in nonhuman primates. This study investigated the prevalence and phylogenetic analysis of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis D virus (HDV) among nonhuman primates in Taiwan, an area where human HBV remains endemic. Serum samples from 286 captive nonhuman primates (i.e., 32 great apes [Pan troglodytes and Pongo pygmaeus], 42 gibbons [Hylobates sp. and Nomascus sp.], and 212 Cercopithecidae monkeys) were collected and tested for the presence of HBV- and HDV-specific serologic markers. None of the Cercopithecidae monkeys were reactive against serologic markers of HBV. In contrast, 21.9% (7/32) of great apes and 40.5% (17/42) of gibbons tested positive for at least one serologic marker of HBV. Of these, five gibbons were chronic HBV carriers, characterized by presence of HBV DNA and hepatitis B surface antigen in the serum. HBV DNA was also detected in the saliva of three of the chronic carries. None of these HBV carrier gibbons exhibited symptoms or significant change in serum clinical chemistry related to HBV infection. Phylogenetic analysis of the complete HBV genome revealed that gibbon viruses clustered with other HBV isolates of great apes and gibbons from Southeast Asia and separately from human-specific HBV. None of the HBV-infected animals were reactive against HDV. These findings indicate that HBV found in these animals is indigenous to their respective hosts and might have been introduced into Taiwan via the direct import of infected animals from Southeast Asia. To reduce the horizontal and vertical transmission of HBV in captive animals, the HBV carriers should be kept apart from uninfected animals.
Maternal antiepileptic drug use and effects on fetal development

Many pregnant women take antiepileptic medications, and concern has arisen about the risks this poses to the fetus. It has been debated whether the causative agent is the medication or the underlying maternal disorder. Review of the recent literature indicates that the effects seem to be from the medications themselves. The frequency of malformations is about two to three-fold above the background rate and is dose-related for some of the medications. There seem to be effects on birth weight, length, and head circumference caused by at least some of the medications. The risks are greater when more than one medication is used. Cognitive effects from the medications have been shown, although these effects are of lower magnitude than previously reported. More investigation needs to be done to determine the exact risks of each individual medication, especially the newer ones. Studies on underlying mechanisms indicate potential genetic susceptibility and altered developmental gene expression patterns.
Transcriptional regulation of flhDC by QseBC and σ 28 (FliA) in enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli

Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) serotype O157:H7, the causative agent of haemorrhagic colitis, has been shown to utilize a cell‐to‐cell signalling system to regulate gene expression. We have previously reported that the quorum sensing E. coli regulators B and C (QseBC) may act as a two‐component system in EHEC to transcriptionally regulate the expression of flagella and motility through flhDC, the master regulator of flagella and motility genes. Here, we performed deletion analyses using the flhDC promoter in order to determine the minimal promoter regions necessary for QseBC transcriptional activation. We also performed electrophoretic mobility shift assays, competition experiments and DNaseI footprints, which suggest that QseB directly binds the flhDC promoter at high‐ and low‐affinity binding sites. These analyses have allowed us to determine the potential consensus sequence to which QseB binds in order to regulate transcription. Additionally, we mapped the transcriptional start site of flhDC responsive to QseBC, leading to the identification of a conserved FliA (σ 28) consensus sequence. These results suggest that FliA (σ 28), a class 2 flagellar gene, may be aiding in the transcriptional initiation of class 1 genes (flhDC) in EHEC. In order to further characterize the role of FliA (σ 28) in transcription of the flhDC promoter, we constructed a fliA isogenic mutant in EHEC. The flhDC::lacZ transcriptional fusion showed decreased activity in the fliA mutant compared with wild‐type and complemented strains. Taken together, these results indicate that transcriptional initiation at the flhDC promoter by QseBC appears to be complex and dependent on the presence of FliA (σ 28).