Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A role for HKT1 in sodium uptake by wheat roots.

The high affinity potassium transporter, HKT1 from wheat was introduced into Florida wheat in sense and antisense orientation under control of a ubiquitin promoter. Ten transgenic lines expressing the transgene were identified and two of these showed strong down-regulation of the native HKT1 transcript. One line (271) was expressing the antisense construct and the other (223) was expressing a truncated sense construct. The two lines were examined further for phenotype relating to cation transport. Membrane depolarisations were measured in low (0.1 mm) K+ and high (100 mm) NaCl. Under these conditions there was no difference between line 271 and the control at low K+, but at high Na+ there was a rapid depolarisation that was significantly larger in control plants. 22Na uptake was measured in this line and there was a significant decrease in uptake at 100 mm NaCl in the transgenic line when compared with the control. The two transgenic lines were grown at high NaCl (200 mm) and analysed for growth and root sodium content. Lines 271 and 223 showed enhanced growth under salinity when compared with the control and had lower sodium in the root. Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) analysis of transverse sections of the root showed that Na+ and K+ were strongly localised to stelar regions when compared with other ions, and that the Na+ : K+ ratios were reduced in salt-stressed transgenic tissue when compared with the control.
Approach to equilibrium in weakly coupled non-Abelian plasmas.

We follow the time evolution of non-Abelian gauge bosons from far-from-equilibrium initial conditions to thermal equilibrium by numerically solving an effective kinetic equation that becomes accurate in the weak coupling limit. We consider isotropic initial conditions that are either highly overoccupied or underoccupied. We find that overoccupied systems thermalize through a self-similar cascade reaching equilibrium in multiples of a thermalization time t(eq)≈72. /(1+0.12logλ(-1))×1/λ(2)T, whereas underoccupied systems undergo a "bottom-up" thermalization in a time t(eq)≈[34. +21.log(Q/T)]/(1+0.037logλ(-1))×(Q/T)(1/2)/λ(2)T, where Q is the characteristic momentum scale of the initial condition. We apply this result to model initial stages of heavy-ion collisions and find rapid thermalization roughly in a time Qt(eq)≲10 or t(eq)≲1 fm/c.
Regulation of podJ Expression during theCaulobacter crescentus Cell Cycle

ABSTRACT The polar organelle development gene, podJ, is expressed during the swarmer-to-stalked cell transition of theCaulobacter crescentus cell cycle. Mutants with insertions that inactivate the podJ gene are nonchemotactic, deficient in rosette formation, and resistant to polar bacteriophage, but they divide normally. In contrast, hyperexpression of podJresults in a lethal cell division defect. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the podJ promoter region revealed a binding site for the global response regulator, CtrA. Deletion of this site results in increased overall promoter activity, suggesting that CtrA is a negative regulator of the podJ promoter. Furthermore, synchronization studies have indicated that temporal regulation is not dependent on the presence of the CtrA binding site. Thus, although the level of podJ promoter activity is dependent on the CtrA binding site, the temporal control of podJ promoter expression is dependent on other factors.
Estimation of vascular endothelial growth factor gene -460 C/T polymorphism as a biomarker in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients from the Indian subcontinent.

AIM Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common malignancies in India. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a major mediator of angiogenesis, is known to play a key role in the pathophysiology of tumorigenesis. Polymorphisms of the VEGF gene have been shown to influence the risk of OSCC, but it remains to be elucidated in the Indian population. Thus, the present study was designed to detect the VEGF gene -460 C/T polymorphism in OSCC patients from the Indian population, which is genetically distinct from previously-studied populations. METHODS Peripheral blood samples of 80 OSCC patients and 80 healthy individuals were collected for a case-control study design. The VEGF gene -460 C/T polymorphism was detected by polymerase chain reaction-based restriction analysis. RESULTS The analysis revealed significant differences between normal individuals and patients with OSCC (P < 0.05). The distribution of the TT homozygote and the T allele in the patient group was significantly greater than in the control group. CONCLUSION The present study provides novel evidence of the role of the VEGF gene -460 C/T polymorphism as a suitable genetic marker of OSCC in the Indian population.
Chronic orchitis: a neglected cause of male infertility?

Infection and inflammation of the male reproductive tract are accepted as important aetiological factors of infertility. With regard to their impact on male reproductive function, orchitis and epididymo‐orchitis due to local or systemic infection as well as noninfectious aetiological factors are of particular concern. There is clinical and pathological evidence that chronic inflammatory conditions of the testes can disrupt spermatogenesis and irreversibly alter both sperm number and quality. In the majority of patients, however, diagnosis is hampered by an asymptomatic course of the disease and unspecific clinical signs. Hence, respective epidemiological data are scarce. On the other hand, systematic histopathological work‐up of testicular biopsies from infertile men indicates a high prevalence of inflammatory reactions. A characteristic pattern of inflammatory lesions with focal or multifocal, predominantly peritubular lymphocyte infiltration and concomitant damage of seminiferous tubules is seen in chronic orchitis of various origins. This supports the concept that induction of testicular inflammation is associated with a T‐cell‐mediated autoimmune response, i.e. disruption of the immune privilege. Moreover, despite the patchy distribution of the lesions, testicular volume and score counts for spermatogenesis may be significantly reduced. In conclusion, asymptomatic inflammatory reactions in the testis should not be neglected as an underlying cause or co‐factor of male infertility. However, definitive diagnosis of chronic asymptomatic orchitis still requires testicular biopsy and guidelines for the therapeutic management are not yet available.
Erbium lanthanum co-doped fiber for L-band amplifier with high efficiency, low non-linearity and low NF

We have developed an erbium/lanthanum doped fibre (ELDF) that has high Er concentration, and which attained high efficiency without quenching. We demonstrated that the ELDF had high gain per length, low non-linearity at L-band, and low noise figure compared to conventional EDF.
Tobacco-specific nitrosamine exposures in smokers and nonsmokers exposed to cigarette or waterpipe tobacco smoke.

INTRODUCTION The causal relationship between tobacco smoking and a variety of cancers is attributable to the carcinogens that smokers inhale, including tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs). We aimed to assess the exposure to TSNAs in waterpipe smokers (WPS), cigarette smokers (CS), and nonsmoking females exposed to tobacco smoke. METHODS We measured 2 metabolites, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL) and its glucuronides (NNAl-Gluc) in the urine of males who were either current CS or WPS, and their wives exposed to either cigarette or waterpipe smoke in a sample of 46 subjects from rural Egypt. RESULTS Of the 24 current male smokers, 54.2% were exclusive CS and 45.8% were exclusive WPS. Among wives, 59.1% reported exposure to cigarette smoke and 40.9% to waterpipe smoke. The geometric mean of urinary NNAL was 0.19 ± 0.60 pmol/ml urine (range 0.005-2.58) in the total sample. Significantly higher levels of NNAL were observed among male smokers of either cigarettes or waterpipe (0.89 ± 0.53 pmol/ml, range 0.78-2.58 in CS and 0.21-1.71 in WPS) compared with nonsmoking wives (0.04 ± 0.18 pmol/ml, range 0.01-0.60 in CS wives, 0.05-0.23 in WPS wives, p = .000). Among males, CS had significantly higher levels of NNAL compared with WPS (1.22 vs. 0.62; p = .007). However, no significant difference was detected in NNAL levels between wives exposed to cigarette smoke or waterpipe smoke. CONCLUSIONS Cigarette smokers levels of NNAL were higher than WPS levels in males. Exposure to tobacco smoke was evident in wives of both CS and WPS. Among WPS, NNAL tended to increase with increasing numbers of hagars smoked/day.
Social cognition as an RDoC domain

While the bulk of research into neural substrates of behavior and psychopathology has focused on cognitive, memory and executive functions, there has been a recent surge of interest in emotion processing and social cognition, manifested in designating Social Cognition as a major RDoC domain. We describe the origins of this field's influence on cognitive neuroscience and highlight the most salient findings leading to the characterization of the “social brain” and the establishments of parameters that quantify normative and aberrant behaviors. Such parameters of behavior and neurobiology are required for a potentially successful RDoC construct, especially if heritability is established, because of the need to link with genomic systems. We proceed to illustrate how a social cognition measure can be used within the RDoC framework by presenting a task of facial emotion identification. We show that performance is sensitive to normative individual differences related to age and sex and to deficits associated with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. Neuroimaging studies with this task demonstrate that it recruits limbic and frontal regulatory activation in healthy samples as well as abnormalities in psychiatric populations. Evidence for its heritability was documented in genomic family studies and in patients with the 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Measures that meet such criteria can help build translational bridges between cellular molecular mechanisms and behavior that elucidate aberrations related to psychopathology. Such links will transcend current diagnostic classifications and ultimately lead to a mechanistically based diagnostic nomenclature. Establishing such bridges will provide the elements necessary for early detection and scientifically grounded intervention. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Molecular Bases of Catalysis and ADP-Ribose Preference of Human Mn2+-Dependent ADP-Ribose/CDP-Alcohol Diphosphatase and Conversion by Mutagenesis to a Preferential Cyclic ADP-Ribose Phosphohydrolase

Among metallo-dependent phosphatases, ADP-ribose/CDP-alcohol diphosphatases form a protein family (ADPRibase-Mn-like) mainly restricted, in eukaryotes, to vertebrates and plants, with preferential expression, at least in rodents, in immune cells. Rat and zebrafish ADPRibase-Mn, the only biochemically studied, are phosphohydrolases of ADP-ribose and, somewhat less efficiently, of CDP-alcohols and 2´,3´-cAMP. Furthermore, the rat but not the zebrafish enzyme displays a unique phosphohydrolytic activity on cyclic ADP-ribose. The molecular basis of such specificity is unknown. Human ADPRibase-Mn showed similar activities, including cyclic ADP-ribose phosphohydrolase, which seems thus common to mammalian ADPRibase-Mn. Substrate docking on a homology model of human ADPRibase-Mn suggested possible interactions of ADP-ribose with seven residues located, with one exception (Cys253), either within the metallo-dependent phosphatases signature (Gln27, Asn110, His111), or in unique structural regions of the ADPRibase-Mn family: s2s3 (Phe37 and Arg43) and h7h8 (Phe210), around the active site entrance. Mutants were constructed, and kinetic parameters for ADP-ribose, CDP-choline, 2´,3´-cAMP and cyclic ADP-ribose were determined. Phe37 was needed for ADP-ribose preference without catalytic effect, as indicated by the increased ADP-ribose K m and unchanged k cat of F37A-ADPRibase-Mn, while the K m values for the other substrates were little affected. Arg43 was essential for catalysis as indicated by the drastic efficiency loss shown by R43A-ADPRibase-Mn. Unexpectedly, Cys253 was hindering for cADPR phosphohydrolase, as indicated by the specific tenfold gain of efficiency of C253A-ADPRibase-Mn with cyclic ADP-ribose. This allowed the design of a triple mutant (F37A+L196F+C253A) for which cyclic ADP-ribose was the best substrate, with a catalytic efficiency of 3.5´104 M-1s-1 versus 4´103 M-1s-1 of the wild type.
Cloud seclusion and security

Crowd-sourcing is an amalgamation of outsourcing to the crowd. Being an extremely well flourishing paradigm crowd sourcing is soon to be the new Cloud computing because it has revolutionized the entire organizational setup. In this paper we not only show the circumstances that led to the modern day crowd-sourcing but also the concerns of security complications and privacy invasions that have arisen from extensive shifting of the world's business to crowd-sourced work force. Since it is not uncommon to find solutions to long standing problems in the hands of peripherals or people who have limited to no relation to the field of the problem, it is important that any crowd-sourcing paradigm is able to ensure diversity of perspective. From logo designing to finding extraterrestrial life we can tackle it all using crowd-sourcing. However, some of the impacts that have been undeniably felt are low product quality, due to unqualified work force, less monetary commitment from the entrepreneur side (leading to lack of responsibility) and ethical aspect owing to low paid crowd-workers. This paper aims to target some of these problems and propose solutions to these.
Myxococcus xanthus autocide AMI

Autocide AMI of Myxococcus xanthus was purified and shown to be a mixture of fatty acids: 46.4% saturated, 49.3% monounsaturated, and 4.3% diunsaturated. The specific autocidal activities (units per milligram) were as follows: purified AMI, 1,000; saturated fraction, 100; monounsaturated fraction, 800; diunsaturated fraction, 2,200. Model fatty acids mimicked to some extent the activity of AMI, although none of the fatty acids tested were as active as purified AMI. Spontaneous and induced mutants of M. xanthus were selected for resistance to AMI and to fatty acids. The AMI-resistant mutants were also resistant to the model fatty acids, whereas resistance to fatty acids was specific to the compound used for mutant selection. All AMI- and fatty acid-resistant mutants examined were found to be blocked in fruiting body formation. Some of these mutants were able to form normal fruiting bodies when mixed with the extracellular fluid of the parental strain. The data suggest that AMI plays a role in developmental lysis of M. xanthus.
Estimates of Cenozoic Oceanic Sedimentation Rates

Estimation of average Cenozoic sedimentation rates for the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans indicates global synchronous fluctuations. Paleocene-early Eocene and late Eocene-early Miocene rates are only a fraction of middle Eocene and middle Miocene-Recent rates. These changes must reflect significantly different modes of continental weathering, which may be due to alternate states of atmospheric circulation marked by reduction of global precipitation.
Improving physical activity in daycare interventions.

BACKGROUND The aim of the study was to objectively determine whether the Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) program improved physical activity levels during the school day. METHODS The study compared the physical activity levels of subjects from 26 daycare centers, randomized into treatment (N=13) and control (N=13) groups. The subjects were 3 to 5 year olds (N=209, 104 males and 105 females; age [years]=3.85±0.8 [mean±standard deviation]), and accelerometry was used to determine the subjects' physical activity levels. Accelerometers were attached to each subject for 2 days before and immediately after a 6-month intervention. Height, mass, and waist were also measured. RESULTS Regression analyses indicated that the treatment group demonstrated significant increases in moderate and vigorous physical activity, as compared to the control group (F(1, 207)=6.3, p<0.05, Cohen's d=0.30; F(1, 207)=4.7, p<0.05, Cohen's d=0.25, respectively). The treatment group also showed significant increases in total physical activity (F(1, 218)=12.4; p<0.05) from pre- to post-test with significant increases in moderate and vigorous intensity physical activity (F(1, 218)=18.6, p<0.05; F(1, 218)=23.3, p<0.05, respectively). Regression analyses revealed significant increases in height for both groups from pre- to post-tests, but no differences were noted between groups. CONCLUSIONS Implementation of the NAP SACC program in treatment daycare facilities resulted in significant increases in objectively measured physical activity levels, compared to the control group, demonstrating physical activity improvement in the treatment daycare centers.
Nutritional Neurosciences Neuropeptide Y and Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone Concentrations within Specific Hypothalamic Regions of Lean but Not Ob / ob Mice Respond to Food-Deprivation and Refeeding 1 , 2 , 3

Leptin is proposed to control food intake at least in part by regulating hypothalamic neuropeptide Y (NPY), a stimulator of food intake, and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), an inhibitor of food intake. Ob/ob mice are leptin-deficient and would thus be expected to exhibit alterations in hypothalamic NPY and CRH. We therefore measured concentrations of NPY and CRH in discrete regions of the hypothalamus (i.e., ARC, arcuate nucleus; PVN, paraventricular nucleus; VMH, ventromedial nucleus; DMH, dorsomedial nucleus; and SCN, suprachiasmatic nucleus) of 6.5–7-wk-old ob/ob and lean mice with free access to stock diet, 24 h after food deprivation, and 1 h after refeeding. Fed ob/ob mice had 55–75% higher concentrations of NPY in the ARC, VMH and SCN than lean mice. Food deprivation increased NPY concentrations ;70% in the ARC, PVN and VMH of lean mice, and refeeding lowered NPY concentrations ;70% in the PVN of these mice. NPY in these hypothalamic regions of ob/ob mice was unresponsive to food deprivation or refeeding. The most pronounced change in CRH concentrations within the regions examined (i.e., ARC, PVN and VMH) occurred in the ARC of lean mice where refeeding lowered CRH concentrations by 75% without influencing ARC CRH concentrations in ob/ob mice. The hypothalamic concentrations of two neuropeptides involved in body weight regulation (i.e., NPY and CRH) in leptindeficient ob/ob mice respond abnormally to abrupt changes in nutritional status. J. Nutr. 128: 2520–2525, 1998.
Captured retroviral envelope syncytin gene associated with the unique placental structure of higher ruminants

Syncytins are envelope genes of retroviral origin that have been co-opted for a role in placentation and likely contribute to the remarkable diversity of placental structures. Independent capture events have been identified in primates, rodents, lagomorphs, and carnivores, where they are involved in the formation of a syncytium layer at the fetomaternal interface via trophoblast cell–cell fusion. We searched for similar genes within the suborder Ruminantia where the placenta lacks an extended syncytium layer but displays a heterologous cell-fusion process unique among eutherian mammals. An in silico search for intact envelope genes within the Bos taurus genome identified 18 candidates belonging to five endogenous retrovirus families, with one gene displaying both placenta-specific expression, as assessed by quantitative RT-PCR analyses of a large panel of tissues, and conservation in the Ovis aries genome. Both the bovine and ovine orthologs displayed fusogenic activity by conferring infectivity on retroviral pseudotypes and triggering cell–cell fusion. In situ hybridization of placenta sections revealed specific expression in the trophoblast binucleate cells, consistent with a role in the formation—by heterologous cell fusion with uterine cells—of the trinucleate cells of the cow and the syncytial plaques of the ewe. Finally, we show that this gene, which we named “Syncytin-Rum1,” is conserved among 16 representatives of higher ruminants, with evidence for purifying selection and conservation of its fusogenic properties, over 30 millions years of evolution. These data argue for syncytins being a major driving force in the emergence and diversity of the placenta.
Cyclic adenosine monophosphate–responsive element modulator alpha overexpression impairs function of hepatic myeloid‐derived suppressor cells and aggravates immune‐mediated hepatitis in mice

Molecular factors driving immune‐mediated inflammation in the liver are incompletely understood. The transcription factor, cyclic adenosine monophosphate‐responsive element modulator alpha (CREMα) can endorse differentiation of T lymphocytes toward T‐helper (Th)17 cells, thereby promoting autoimmunity in systemic lupus erythematosus or lung inflammation. To investigate the role of CREMα in liver disease, we subjected transgenic (Tg) mice overexpressing CREMα under control of the CD2 promoter (cremtg mice), which restrains expression mainly to lymphocytes (T, natural killer [NK], and NKT cells), to acute and chronic liver injury models. Already in steady state, Tg CREMα overexpression broadly reduced hepatic immune cell numbers by decreasing their viability, but did not affect immune cell migration or the fibrogenic response to chronic liver injury. Strikingly, cremtg mice developed more severe immune‐mediated hepatitis with a higher mortality rate, compared to wild‐type (wt) mice, upon concanavalin A (ConA) administration. Unlike in T cells from spleen, CREMα overexpression did not induce a predominant Th17 response in intrahepatic T cells, given that hepatic cremtg CD4+ T cells expressed less interleukin (IL)‐17 than wt T cells. Reconstitution of Rag1−/− mice with Crem−/− T cells did not ameliorate ConA hepatitis. Overexpression of CREMα did not influence NK and NKT‐cell effector functions either. Interestingly, a subset of monocytic myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) also expressed CD2 and CREMα. Cremtg MDSCs isolated from liver expressed reduced inducible nitric oxide synthase and arginase 1 and displayed a reduced T‐cell suppressive activity. The adoptive transfer of wt MDSCs was capable of reducing the fulminant immune‐mediated liver damage in cremtg mice to wt level. Conclusion: These results suggest compartmental differences of T cell activation pathways between liver and other organs in autoimmunity and define a functional role of CREMα in hepatic monocytic MDSCs for the pathogenesis of immune‐mediated liver disease. (Hepatology 2015;61:990–1002)
Using New York Times Picks to Identify Constructive Comments

We examine the extent to which we are able to automatically identify constructive online comments. We build several classifiers using New York Times Picks as positive examples and non-constructive thread comments from the Yahoo News Annotated Comments Corpus as negative examples of constructive online comments. We evaluate these classifiers on a crowd-annotated corpus containing 1,121 comments. Our best classifier achieves a top F1 score of 0.84.