Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Calcium and Cadmium on Growth and Accumulation of Cadmium, Calcium, Potassium and Sodium in Maize Seedlings

w e examined cadmium (0.1 mmol/l) toxicity and effect of different calcium concentrations (0.1, 1.0, and 10.0 mmol/l) on the growth of organs (root, mesocotyl and coleoptile) of 4-day-old maize seedlings in hydroponic cultures. The influence of both metals on distribution of cadmium, calcium, potassium and so dium in the organs of maize seedlings was also studied. Calcium at a concentration of 1.0 mmol/l increased the growth of all organs in comparison with the growth in 0.1 and 10.0 mmol/l CaCl 2 . Cadmium inhibited maize organ growth in the presence of 0.1 and 1.0 mmol/l CaCl 2 , whereas cadmium toxicity was not ob served at 10.0 mmol/l CaCl 2 . It was found that the content of both metals in maize seedling organs rose with increasing concentrations of Ca or Cd in the hydroponic solutions. Cadmium administration together with 10.0 mmol/l CaCl 2 led to an increase in calcium concentrations in roots and coleoptiles. The highest calcium concentration (10.0 mmol/l) caused a decrease in the cadmium concentration in roots. the addition of cadmium with 0.1 or 1.0 mmol/l CaCl 2 diminished potassium accumulation in the roots. By contrast, potassium content in the roots was not altered by cadmium when calcium was applied at a concentration of 10.0 mmol/l CaCl 2 . Sodium content in maize seedlings was not affected in the presence of both cadmium and calcium at a concentration of 0.1 or 1.0 mmol/l, whereas cadmium with 10.0 mmol/l CaCl 2 decreased sodium accumulation in the roots. Thus, we conclude that the positive effect of highest concentration of calcium on the growth in the presence of Cd relay on the maintenance of high concentration of potassium in the roots.
Endothermicity or exothermicity of water/alcohol mixtures

Excess enthalpies of mixtures of water with methanol, ethanol, land 2-propanol, l-, 2and tert-butanol were determined by dilution calorimetry in the accessible range of mole fractions at 25°C. Ab initio RHF calcnlations were performed on the alcohols, their dimers and complexes with water. A full optimisation at the 6-31G level was used to obtain the properties of interest of these systems. The calculated H-bond energies are similar for all the studied alcohols. Nevertheless, a systematic stabilisation of the mixed dimers is found, especially for the secondary and tertiary alcohols. The formation of mixed H-bond chains is exothermic and does not follow the rules of the geometric mean. To a first approximation, the experimental excess enthalpies AH’ for all the systems follow the equation AH= = C&X, + C,,,X,X, + C,,2XwXj The calorimetric results may be explained by the presence in water of two kinds of H-bonds differing by about 8.3 kJ mol-’ in energy. Upon dilution in water, the alcohol is inserted in a weak chain and renders the adjacent water-bond strong. As a consequence, the dilution of an alcohol in water is always exothermic. The dilution of water in an alcohol causes stabilisation of the H-bonds but has a negative effect on the non-specific cohesion. The effect of the non-specific forces increases in the homologous series, making the dissolution of water in the alcohols endothermic starting from propanol. The stabilisation of H-bonds formed by water at high dilution in the alcohols increases according to the sequence: primary < secondary < tertiary.
Imiglucerase (Cerezyme®) improves quality of life in patients with skeletal manifestations of Gaucher disease

Health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) can be diminished in patients with type 1 Gaucher disease (GD) owing to the debilitating clinical manifestations of this chronic disease. This study investigates the impact of imiglucerase treatment on HRQOL of patients with type 1 GD and bone involvement. Thirty‐two previously untreated type 1 GD patients with skeletal manifestations including bone pain, medullary infarctions, avascular necrosis, and lytic lesions received biweekly imiglucerase (at 60 U/kg). The Short Form‐36 Health Survey (SF‐36) was administered at regular intervals to assess HRQOL. Mean baseline SF‐36 physical component summary (PCS) scores were diminished relative to US general population norms. Low PCS scores were more common in patients with medullary infarction, lytic lesions, and higher bone pain severity scores. Statistically significant improvements were observed for all eight SF‐36 subscales after 2 years of treatment. Mean PCS and mental component summary (MCS) scores increased to within the normal range after 2 years of treatment and were maintained through year 4. Large HRQOL gains were observed even in patients with the most advanced disease and lowest baseline PCS scores. Imiglucerase treatment has a significant positive impact on HRQOL of type 1 GD patients with skeletal disease, including those with bone infarctions, lytic lesions, and avascular necrosis.
Amphiregulin: an early trigger of liver regeneration in mice.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Liver regeneration is a unique response directed to restore liver mass after resection or injury. The survival and proliferative signals triggered during this process are conveyed by a complex network of cytokines and growth factors acting in an orderly manner. Activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor is thought to play an important role in liver regeneration. Amphiregulin is a member of the epidermal growth factor family whose expression is not detectable in healthy liver. We have investigated the expression of amphiregulin in liver injury and its role during liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy. METHODS Amphiregulin gene expression was examined in healthy and cirrhotic human and rat liver, in rodent liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy, and in primary hepatocytes. The proliferative effects and intracellular signaling of amphiregulin were studied in isolated hepatocytes. The in vivo role of amphiregulin in liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy was analyzed in amphiregulin-null mice. RESULTS Amphiregulin gene expression is detected in chronically injured human and rat liver and is rapidly induced after partial hepatectomy in rodents. Amphiregulin expression is induced in isolated hepatocytes by interleukin 1beta and prostaglandin E(2), but not by hepatocyte growth factor, interleukin 6, or tumor necrosis factor alpha. We show that amphiregulin behaves as a primary mitogen for isolated hepatocytes, acting through the epidermal growth factor receptor. Finally, amphiregulin-null mice display impaired proliferative responses after partial liver resection. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that amphiregulin is an early-response growth factor that may contribute to the initial phases of liver regeneration.
Review of the surface chemical heterogeneity of bacteriogenic iron oxides: Proton and cadmium sorption

This review focuses on the detailed characterization of proton and metal reactivity on the surface of bacteriogenic iron oxides (BIOS). This substance is composed of a highly porous matrix of ferrihydrite intermixed with intact and fragmented Gallionella ferruguinea cells. Studies concerning proton and metal cation binding to the BIOS were designed to assess their surface chemical heterogeneity through the further development of two innovative chemical equilibrium models. A multisite Langmuir isotherm model coupled to a linear programming regression method (LPM) was used to assess cadmium (Cd) sorption on bacteriogenic iron oxides. The BIOS proton binding affinity was assessed using a fully optimized continuous pKa spectral model (FOCUS). LPM analysis of the results from BIOS potentiometric experiments suggested the presence of two Cd binding sites on the whole BIOS, and three on the organic (bacteria) fraction surface. LPM results were able to show the non-additive nature of the BIOS mixture. The proton speciation characteristics of the BIOS surface, and that of the organic (bacteria) fraction were probed using FOCUS. This analysis revealed a striking similarity between the surface reactivity of the BIOS mixture and that of pure iron oxyhydroxide phases such as goethite and lepidocrocite. This, in turn, was a clear indication of the extensive masking of underlying surface bacterial (organic) functional groups by ferrihydrite precipitate. FOCUS results emphasized the non-additive nature of the BIOS compos- ite. This was further corroborated by the results for Cd 2 sorption experiments obtained from LPM analysis.
THE MAIN INFILTRATING CELL IN XENOGRAFT REJECTION IS A CD4+ MACROPHAGE AND NOT A T LYMPHOCYTE

Porcine fetal islet-like cell clusters (ICC) or isolated rat islets were implanted under the kidney capsule of normoglycemic rats. The animals were sacrificed 1, 3, 6, 12, or 24 days after transplantation, and a detailed morphological and phenotypic characterization of the different cellular subtypes infiltrating the xenograft was performed and compared with the rejection of allogeneic islets. In xenograft rejection a progressive infiltration of large, polygonal, macrophage-like cells, which with time became the dominating cellular subtype, occurred. These cells expressed the CD4 antigen and the macrophage-specific ED1 antigen. From day 6 and onward, a majority of the macrophage-like cells also expressed the CD8 antigen and the macrophage-specific differentiation antigen ED2. T lymphocytes, defined by their TCR alpha/beta or CD2 expression, were found in low numbers and mainly in the periphery of the graft. At the later stages of xenorejection a substantial number of eosinophilic granulocytes were also found. The allograft rejection, on the contrary, was characterized by a progressive infiltration of T lymphocytes, which with time became the dominating cellular subtype. No clear immunoglobulin or complement deposition was seen in the transplants before day 12, when IgG deposition was found in central necrotic areas of the xenograft. Previous experiments in rodents have underlined the crucial importance of CD4 positive cells in the xenograft rejection process. However, in none of these studies it was conclusively demonstrated that the CD4-expressing cells were T lymphocytes. The presence of CD4-expressing macrophages heavily infiltrating the porcine xenograft seen in our study may thus be in agreement with previous studies in which the anti-CD4 reactive cells were erroneously designated T lymphocytes. Interestingly, the findings in xenograft rejection in the present study have striking similarities with the defense mechanisms active against infections by large parasites such as helminths.
Conformers of nonionized proline. matrix-isolation infrared and post-hartree - fock ab initio study

Matrix-isolation IR spectroscopy and ab initio calculations performed at the DFT, MP2, MP4, and CCSD(T) levels of theory were employed to investigate the conformational topology of the nonionized amino acid proline and its deuterated derivative, N,O-dideuteroproline (proline-d2). In the calculations, equilibrium structures of 15 low-energy proline conformers were obtained using the DFT/B3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ and MP2/aug-cc-pVDZ methods. The harmonic frequencies and IR intensities of the conformers were calculated for the DFT geometries, and these data was used to account for the zero-point vibration energy correction and to assist the analysis of the experimental matrix-isolation IR spectra. Two proline conformers were found to be present in the Ar matrix. They are the lowest energy conformer with a N···HO H bond (conformer IIa) and the second conformer with a NH···OC H bond (conformer Ia). We found that the DFT/B3LYP and MP2 methods are not capable of predicting the relative energies of the proline conformers.
Effect of Transdermal Hormone Replacement Therapy on Carotid Artery Wall Thickness and Levels of Vascular Inflammatory Markers in Postmenopausal Women

Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and vascular inflammatory markers have been shown to be involved in atherosclerosis. This study was designed to investigate the effect of transdermal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on carotid IMT and vascular inflammatory markers in postmenopausal women and to explore the interrelationship between the change in carotid IMT and the changes in vascular inflammatory markers. Thirty-five postmenopausal women (mean age 57.0±7.7 years) received transdermal HRT (continuous 17β-estradiol patch [36 μg/day] plus cyclic oral medroxyprogesterone acetate [2.5 mg/day, for 12 days/month]) for 12 months, and 32 controls (mean age 58.0±7.5 years) did not. Carotid IMT, assessed by ultrasound, and circulating vascular inflammatory markers, i.e., C-reactive protein (CRP), intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1, E-selectin, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 were measured before and after 12 months of treatment. In the HRT group, carotid IMT decreased significantly (p<0.01), from 0.71±0.13 mm to 0.65±0.12 mm, and the ICAM-1, VCAM-1, E-selectin, and MCP-1 levels decreased significantly (p<0.01 for all), but the CRP and MMP-9 levels remained unchanged. Carotid IMT and vascular inflammatory markers were unchanged in the control group. In the HRT group, the change in carotid IMT was significantly correlated with the change in serum E-selectin (r=0.38, p<0.05), but not with the changes in other vascular inflammatory markers. These results suggest that transdermal HRT reduced carotid artery wall thickness, and that the reduction may have been induced by an antiatherosclerotic effect combined with the direct effect of estrogen and decreased levels of estrogen-induced E-selectin.
APOE2 eases cognitive decline during Aging: Clinical and preclinical evaluations

Apolipoprotein E (apoE), a major cholesterol carrier in the brain, is associated with a strong risk for Alzheimer disease. Compared to the risky APOE4 gene allele, the effects of the protective APOE2 gene allele are vastly understudied, and thus need to be further clarified.
Aromatase in the Brain: Not Just for Reproduction Anymore

Aromatase, the enzyme that synthesises oestrogens from androgen precursors, is expressed in the brain, where it has been classically associated with the regulation of neuroendocrine events and behaviours linked with reproduction. Recent findings, however, have revealed new unexpected roles for brain aromatase, indicating that the enzyme regulates synaptic activity, synaptic plasticity, neurogenesis and the response of neural tissue to injury, and may contribute to control nonreproductive behaviours, mood and cognition. Therefore, the function of brain aromatase is not restricted to the regulation of reproduction as previously thought.
Empirical Evidence on the Relation between Stock Option Compensation and Risk Taking

We examine whether executive stock options (ESO) encourage managers to make risky investments on behalf of shareholders. For a sample of oil and gas producers, we find, as predicted, that the variance of cash flows from exploration activity and the extent of price risk exposure hedged are positively associated with the sensitivity of CEO's options to equity risk. Thus, ESOs appear to motivate managers to take on exploration risk. Moreover, ESOs appear to induce CEOs to hedge oil price risk to avoid under-investment in exploration projects.
Regorafenib: lights and shadows of antiangiogenic therapies in gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer stands among the most common causes of cancer death worldwide (1). Median overall survival (OS) for patients with advanced disease is approximately 1 year and chemotherapy still represents the milestone of treatment in most patients (2). While first-line chemotherapy has a well-established role in gastric cancer management, during the past few years several trials clearly demonstrated a significant OS benefit for second-line therapy compared with best supportive care (BSC) alone (3); however, as the gain in survival is at best modest in absolute terms, a careful clinical selection is needed to identify patients who could benefit from salvage therapies (4). Moreover, no standard treatment exists after second-line failure. Thus, searching for new therapeutic opportunities in pretreated advanced gastric cancer patients is imperative for researchers and clinicians.
Quantized control for polynomial fuzzy discrete-time systems

This article investigates the H∞ control problem for polynomial fuzzy discrete-time systems. Signal quantization is considered in this article. To deal with this issue, a logarithmic quantizer is adopted to quantize the control signal. First, a novel method is first proposed to model polynomial fuzzy discrete-time systems and handle the quantized control problem of the systems. Second, based on Lyapunov-stability theory, sufficient conditions are obtained in terms of sum of squares to guarantee the asymptotical stability of the systems and satisfy a H∞ performance. Finally, a simulation example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed results. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity 21: 325-332, 2015
Immunologic response to different determinants of benzylpenicillin, amoxicillin, and ampicillin. Comparison between urticaria and anaphylactic shock

Background: Subjects with IgE‐mediated allergic reactions to penicillins can develop urticaria or anaphylactic shock. Urticaria is mainly associated with positivity to the major determinant of benzylpenicillin (BPO), and anaphylactic shock with minor determinants (MDM). The presence of IgG antibodies to BPO is thought to be mainly associated with urticaria, possibly protecting from anaphylactic shock. We aimed to study the skin test response to BPO and MDM, amoxicillin (AX), and ampicillin (AMP) in a group of subjects allergic to penicillins, and to evaluate the role of specific IgG.
UVB therapy increases 25(OH) vitamin D syntheses in postmenopausal women with psoriasis

Background: Vitamin D3 is produced in the epidermis by ultraviolet (UV) radiation (290–315 nm) of 7‐dehydrocholesterol. A similar range of 290–320 nm (broadband UVB) has been successfully used for years to treat psoriasis. The aim of this study was to investigate whether UVB therapy was able to influence vitamin D synthesis in psoriasis patients.
Graft repair of the peroneal nerve restores histochemical profile after long‐term reinnervation of the rat extensor digitorum longus muscle in contrast to end‐to‐end repair

Declining motor function is a prominent feature of ageing physiology. One reason for this is a reduction in plasticity that normally compensates for ongoing reorganization of motor units under physiological conditions. Previous work from our laboratory has shown that microsurgical repair of the transected peroneal nerve is followed by considerable changes in the histochemical profile of the reinnervated extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle and that these changes are dependent on both the time and the type of nerve repair. At 6 months postoperatively, a trend toward reversibility could be discerned. In the present work, we analysed the long‐term reorganization of histochemical motor unit distribution patterns 15 months after performing either end‐to‐end repair or grafting of the peroneal nerve in 3‐month‐old rats. In addition, the EDL muscles of an age‐matched control group (age 18 months) were analysed for age‐dependent changes. We observed a loss of histochemical organization of motor units leading to an additional fibre type (SDH‐INT) in the control group. Fifteen months after end‐to‐end repair, the histochemical profile showed a decrease in fibre type IIA and an increase in fibre type SDH‐INT (P < 0.05), indicating a profound histochemical disorganization of motor units. In contrast, nerve grafting largely restored the histochemical profile of reinnervated EDL muscles. Fibre type grouping was present after both types of nerve repair. These findings show that reorganization of the histochemical profile in reinnervated muscles is dependent on the time and type of nerve repair and is long lasting. In this study, grafting provided superior results compared with end‐to‐end repair. These long‐term results after peripheral nerve repair are influenced by age‐dependent changes. Accordingly, nerve repair reduces the normal functional plasticity of motor unit organization. This reduction is enhanced by increasing age.
The moderating effect of IT capability on the service innovation and supply chain performance

The purpose of this research is to examine the impact of application degrees of service innovation on supply chain performance while using different information technology capabilities. The model was empirically tested using a path analysis method of structural equation modeling to examine the hypothesized relationships. The results addressed service innovation tends to be associated with the increased supply chain performance for traditional companies. This research showed that managerial full support and involvement, cautious selection of the service innovation process and information integration makes the IT applications, service innovation process and readiness to collaborate closely creating business value and promoting operational performance in the supply chain. Finally, the result also found a strong moderator effect of information technology capability on the relationship between the application degree of service innovation and supply chain performance as the corporate operational, supplier and buyer performances.
Clinical metabolomics: the next stage of clinical biochemistry.

Centuries of scientific advances have paved the way for the relatively recent great strides in clinical biochemistry, a field which mainly relies upon biochemical analyses of various body fluids, prime amongst which are urine1, blood and cerebrospinal fluid2. Technological innovation, through the introduction of cutting edge instrumentation has enabled decades of substantial improvements in the field of standard analytical chemistry in the clinical setting. At its dawn, clinical biochemistry relied on rudimental approaches, such as in the case of Richard Bright’s (1789–1858) test for proteinuria in cases of suspected renal disease, in which a candle flame was used to heat urine in a tablespoon3. Only minor technological improvements could date back to the early twentieth century. As reported by Olukoga et al.4, the equipment of a clinical pathology laboratory within a 200-bedded American hospital in 1920 listed “a centrifuge, a urinometer, two monocular microscopes, two small substage microscope lights, a Bunsen burner, a Dubosq colorimeter, a basal metabolic rate machine, an electro-cardiograph, a microtome, a knife, a paraffin bath, a few antisera and an assortment of test tubes, beakers and pipettes”.