Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Copulatory parameters and reproductive success of wild leopards in South Africa

Abstract Leopards (Panthera pardus) are a poorly understood, solitary felid, and additional study could provide novel insights into both evolution and conservation management. We studied the reproductive biology of 7 adult female and 2 adult male leopards on Karongwe, South Africa, from 1999 to 2005. We intensively researched copulatory biology from 2001 to 2003, during which we observed 19 consortships and 4,855 copulations (1,809 copulations visually) during 2,449 h of following consort pairs. Leopards copulated on average 4 times per hour, with an average of 256 copulations per consortship. Conception rate was low, resulting, on average, after 2.3 consortships (SE = 0.4 consortships). All reproductive parameters except gestation length were shorter than those in published literature, which we suspect reflected a facultative response to superabundant resources. Although females produced the expected 1.6 cubs per year, lifetime reproductive rates on Karongwe Reserve were approximately half that reported elsewhere due to lower female survival resulting from intraspecific factors. These results offer encouragement for founding new populations of endangered felids in areas of high prey availability and resource abundance, provided factors affecting population regulation can be managed.
Contrast-enhanced mammography in the evaluation of breast calcifications: preliminary experience

Aim: To evaluate the presence of contrast enhancement at the site of calcifications on contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) and histopathologic results at vacuum-assisted biopsy (VAB), and to examine the association with lesion size and immunohistochemical characteristics, in order to assess disease aggressiveness in malignant lesions. Methods: A total of 34 patients with 36 clusters of suspicious calcifications (BI-RADS 4) were investigated with CEM before the scheduled VAB. We evaluated the presence or absence of enhancement, histologic diagnosis, and, in case of malignant lesions, their size and the expression of Ki-67. Results: In our case series, 15/36 (41.7%) lesions were malignant. In 7 cases, contrast enhancement was found at the site of calcifications. Data about size of lesions and immunohistochemical characterization were not available for all malignant cases. In 5 cases with CEM enhancement, all lesions were >5 mm and overexpressing Ki-67 (>20%); in 6 cases with no contrast enhancement, the lesions were <5 mm and with low Ki-67 values (<20%). Conclusion: Our preliminary study provides indications on the ability of CEM to recognize neoplasms larger than 5 mm, with high proliferative index (Ki-67 >20%), and frequently human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–positive. Our preliminary results suggest that CEM could detect aggressive malignancies. This could be the starting point for planning further studies with larger numbers of cases, in an attempt to reduce overdiagnosis and consequent overtreatment.
Same-Sex Couples and the Police: A 10-Year Study of Arrest and Dual Arrest Rates in Responding to Incidents of Intimate Partner Violence

Despite concern, little research has been conducted on whether victims in same-sex relationships receive disparate treatment from law enforcement. Utilizing 2000 through 2009 National Incident-Based Reporting System data, the authors examine the police response to incidents involving same-sex and heterosexual couples in 2,625,753 cases across 5,481 jurisdictions in 36 states and Washington, D.C. Results show that incidents with same-sex couples are less likely to result in arrest, but far more likely to result in dual arrests, in most incident configurations. Racial effects were also observed. The policy implications of these findings are discussed with the need for broad-based training highlighted.
The Effects of Temperature and Predators on the Abundance of the Soft‐Shell Clam, Mya Arenaria, in New England

Abstract Explanation of the recent decrease in production of the soft-shell clam in New England is the objective of the Fish and Wildlife Service Clam Investigations. Experimental clam farms failed unless protected from green crabs, Carcinides maenas. Laboratory experiments proved that Carcinides is a serious predator. Clam abundance decreased 50 percent in 4 years in study areas even though fishing intensity was very low and reproduction was adequate. Population decrease occurred principally in places where green crabs had become abundant, and in size groups which are attacked by crabs. Clam population on commercial flats decreased from 1949 to 1954 and recent year classes are scarce or absent. Green crabs became abundant during this period. Scientific records and interviews of fishermen indicate a northeastward extension of the range of the green crab since 1940 and great increase in abundance in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine. This extension was accompanied by decrease in clam production. An i.
A Comparison of Direct and Environmental Domain Approaches to Planning Reservation of Forest Higher Plant Communities and Species in Tasmania

The planning of representative systems of nature conservation reserves can be based on a wide variety of criteria. The ready availability of data on the physical attributes of the environment, and the patchiness of biological data, have made reservation planning based on environmental classifications an attractive option for decision makers. We developed an environmental classification based on ecologically relevant variables and used it to plan a forest reserve system for Tasmania. We then used biological distributional data and the same targets and procedures to choose a forest reserve system. The analyses based on the environmental classification selected the same areas as equivalent analyses based on biological distributional data to a greater degree than could be expected by chance. Many rare species and communities missed selection by environmental classificatory units (environmental domains), however, and the proportions of ranges of selected taxa varied widely. Conversely, environmental domains were missed by a reservation strategy based only on biological data. These domains might reflect some gaps in the biological data. A reservation planning approach based on both biological data and domains may produce better results than either used in isolation. La planificacion de sistemas representativos de reservas de conservacion de la naturaleza puede basarse en una amplia variedad de criterios. La disponibilidad concreta de datos sobre atributos fisicos del medio ambiente y la fragmentacion de datos biologicos, han hecho de la planificacion de las reservas basadas en clasificaciones ambientales una opocion atractiva para los tomadores de decisiones. Nosotros desarrollamos una clasificacion ambiental basada en variables ecologicas relevantes y la utilizamos para planificar un sitema de reserva para Tasmania. Luego utilizamos datos de distribuciones biologicas y los mismos objetivos y procedimientos para elegir un sistema de reserva forestal. Los analisis basados en la clasificacion ambiental seleccionaron las mismas areas que los analisis equivalentes basados en datos de distribuciones biologicas en un grado mayor que seria esperado por azar. Sin embargo, muchas especies raras y comunidades fueron omitidas en la seleccion basada en la clasificacion de unidades ambientales (dominios ambientales) y la proporcion de los rangos de los taxones seleccionados vario ampliamente. En forma opuesta, los dominios ambientales fueron omitidos por la estrategia de reservaciones basada solamente en datos biologicos. Estos dominios reflejarian algunos discontinuidades en los datos biologicos. Una propuesta de planificacion basada en datos biologicos y dominios puede producir mejores resultados que cualquiera de estos criterios utilizado independientemente.
Antegrade Intentional Laceration of the Anterior Mitral Leaflet to Prevent Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Obstruction

Background: Intentional laceration of the anterior mitral leaflet (LAMPOON) is an effective adjunct to transcatheter mitral valve replacement that prevents left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction. To date, LAMPOON has been performed in over 150 patients using a retrograde approach that can be technically challenging. A modified antegrade transseptal technique may simplify the procedure. Methods: Antegrade LAMPOON was developed and tested in nonsurvival pig experiments. Thereafter, antegrade LAMPOON was performed in patients at prohibitive risk of LVOT obstruction. Clinical, procedural, and angiographic details were abstracted from medical records of their index procedure, and were compared with findings in comparable patients at risk of fixed-LVOT obstruction in the LAMPOON investigational device exemption trial. Results: Eight patients at risk of fixed LVOT obstruction underwent antegrade LAMPOON. Leaflet traversal and laceration were technically successful in all. There were no cases of clinically significant LVOT obstruction (mean LVOT gradient at discharge: 5.4±1.4 mm Hg). One patient suffered a ventricular wire perforation, unrelated to the antegrade LAMPOON technique, and did not survive to discharge. At the time of discharge, no patients had an increase of >10 mm Hg in LVOT gradient compared with baseline. Procedure times (from traversal to transcatheter mitral valve replacement) were shorter, compared with the retrograde technique in the LAMPOON investigational device exemption trial (39±09 versus 65±35 minutes). All patients survived (8/8, 100%) the procedure, and 7/8 (88%) survived to 30 days, similar to subjects in the LAMPOON investigational device exemption trial. Conclusions: Antegrade LAMPOON is an effective, reproducible, and simplified strategy to lacerate the anterior leaflet before transcatheter mitral valve replacement. The authors recommend the technique as the new standard for LAMPOON.
Fibroblast Activation Protein–Targeted PET/CT with 68Ga-FAPI for Imaging IgG4-Related Disease: Comparison to 18F-FDG PET/CT

IgG4-related disease (RD) is characterized by lymphoplasmacytic infiltration enriched in IgG4-positive plasma cells and variable degrees of fibrosis with a characteristic storiform pattern. Since fibrosis is an important feature of IgG4-RD, we performed a prospective cohort study to evaluate the performance of 68Ga-fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPI), a recently introduced PET agent targeting fibroblast activation protein, in IgG4-RD. Methods: Twenty-six patients with IgG4-RD were recruited. All patients underwent both 68Ga-FAPI and 18F-FDG PET/CT. The positive rates of the PET/CT scans in the involved organs and the uptake values were compared. Results: In a total of 136 involved organs in the 26 patients, 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT additionally detected 18 (13.2%) involved organs in 13 (50.0%) patients, compared with 18F-FDG PET/CT. 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT had a higher positive rate than 18F-FDG PET/CT in detecting involvement in the pancreas, bile duct/liver, and lacrimal gland. 68Ga-FAPI also demonstrated significantly higher uptake than 18F-FDG in the matched disease in the pancreas, bile duct/liver, and salivary gland (P < 0.01). However, lymph node involvement with flip-flop uptake of 18F-FDG did not accumulate 68Ga-FAPI. Conclusion: 68Ga-FAPI might be a promising imaging agent for the assessment of IgG4-RD.
The α-Subunit of the Colonic H+,K+-ATPase Assembles with β1-Na+,K+-ATPase in Kidney and Distal Colon*

Previous experiments from our laboratory (Codina, J., Kone, B. C., Delmas-Mata, J. T., and DuBose, T. D., Jr. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 29759–29763) demonstrated that the α-subunit of the colonic H+,K+-ATPase (HKα2) requires coexpression with a β-subunit to support H+/K+ transport in a heterologous expression system (Xenopus laevis oocytes). In these studies, HKα2 formed stable and functional α·β complexes when coexpressed with either the rat β1-subunit of the Na+,K+-ATPase or the β-subunit of the gastric H+,K+-ATPase, suggesting that different β-subunits may interact with HKα2. The present studies tested this hypothesis by development and application of a specific antibody against HKα2 peptide. Subsequently, immunoprecipitation experiments were performed to determine if HKα2 co-precipitates with the same β-subunit in organs known to express HKα2 protein. The data demonstrate that HKα2 assembles with β1-Na+,K+-ATPase in the renal medulla and in distal colon.
Specificities from stressors to psychological and biological adjustment outcomes in adolescence: an exploration of the moderating role of emotion regulation.

OBJECTIVE This study explored the role of emotion regulation (ER) as a moderator in the stressor - adjustment outcome relationship, while identifying the relevant stressors. METHODS In 214 adolescents (10-18y; 51.4% boys), stressors (parent- and peer relations, negative events), psychological outcomes (adolescent perceived stress, psychopathology symptoms, negative affect) and biological measures related to the stress response (hair cortisol (HC), heart rate variability (HRV)) as well as ER strategies: maladaptive (MalER), adaptive (AdER), and their ratio (Mal/AdER), were measured and analysed via linear regression, adjusted for age, sex and socioeconomic status. RESULTS Parental rejection and bullying turned out as the strongest stressors towards psychological outcomes (β in the range of: |.217-.352|, p<.05). Additionally, parental rejection was associated with HC (β=.242, p=.035), while none of the stressors with HRV. MalER was linked to all, and AdER to most psychological outcomes (range of β: |.21-.49|, p<0.05). MalER, but not AdER, was associated with HC (β=.25, p=.009), whereas none of the ER strategy types were associated with HRV. Moreover, several associations between stressors and psychological outcomes were moderated by MalER and Mal/AdER, while AdER's role as a moderator was not confirmed. CONCLUSIONS The study confirmed that adolescents' stressors are associated with both psychological and physiological outcomes and moderated by MalER or Mal/AdER. The lack of moderation by AdER directs towards the maladaptive shift theory. Investigations through a longitudinal, rather than a cross-sectional design, could further elucidate the current observations. Moreover, training in how to use ER effectively has a potential of increasing adolescents' stress resilience.
Testisin/Prss21 deficiency causes increased vascular permeability and a hemorrhagic phenotype during luteal angiogenesis

Testisin (encoded by PRSS21) is a membrane anchored serine protease, which is tethered to the cell surface via a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchor. While testisin is found in abundance in spermatozoa, it is also expressed in microvascular endothelial cells where its function is unknown. Here we identify testisin as a novel regulator of physiological hormone-induced angiogenesis and microvascular endothelial permeability. Using a murine model of rapid physiological angiogenesis during corpus luteal development in the ovary, we found that mice genetically deficient in testisin (Prss21-/-) show a substantially increased incidence of hemorrhages which are significantly more severe than in littermate control Prss21+/+ mice. This phenotype was associated with increased vascular leakiness, demonstrated by a greater accumulation of extravasated Evans blue dye in Prss21-/- ovaries. Live cell imaging of in vitro cultured microvascular endothelial cells depleted of testisin by siRNA knockdown revealed that loss of testisin markedly impaired reorganization and tubule-like formation on Matrigel basement membranes. Moreover testisin siRNA knockdown increased the paracellular permeability to FITC-albumin across endothelial cell monolayers, which was associated with decreased expression of the adherens junction protein VE-cadherin and increased levels of phospho(Tyr658)-VE-cadherin, without affecting the levels of the tight junction proteins occludin and claudin-5, or ZO-1. Decreased expression of VE-cadherin in the neovasculature of Prss21-/- ovaries was also observed without marked differences in endothelial cell content, vascular claudin-5 expression or pericyte recruitment. Together, these data identify testisin as a novel regulator of VE-cadherin adhesions during angiogenesis and indicate a potential new target for regulating neovascular integrity and associated pathologies.
Inter-relationships between pain-related Temporomandibular Disorders, somatic, and psychological symptoms in Asian youths.

OBJECTIVE This cross-sectional, observational study assessed the inter-relationships between painful TMDs, somatic, and psychological symptoms in Asian youths. METHODS Study subjects were recruited from a local Polytechnic. Pain-related TMDs was established with the TMD pain screener (TPS), while somatic and psychological symptoms was assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15) and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21). Demographic information, TPS, PHQ-15, and DASS-21 responses were gathered with the CDRSS system and analysed using the binomial-exact test, Mann-Whitney U-test, Spearman's rho correlation and logistic regression analysis (p<0.05). RESULTS Data from a total of 400 participants were collected and examined. The "no TMDs" (NT) group comprised of 366 subjects (180 males; 186 females) with a mean age of 18.72±1.49 years, whilst the "with TMDs" (WT) group consisted of 34 subjects (11 males; 23 females) aged 19.26±1.89 years. Significant differences in median PHQ-15 and DASS-21 scores were observed between the NT and WT groups (p≤0.007). The WT group was observed to have moderate somatic symptoms, moderate depression, moderate-to-severe anxiety, and mild stress. For subjects with pain-related TMDs, correlation between somatic and psychological symptoms were moderate to strong (rs =0.55-0.69). Stepwise logistic regression indicated that somatization and anxiety were possible risk factors for painful TMDs with odds ratios of 1.08 and 1.07 respectively. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of pain-related TMDs was 8.5%. Subjects with painful TMDs had significantly higher levels of somatic and psychological distress. In addition, somatic symptoms were strongly correlated to anxiety and stress but less so with depression.
Survival of root-nodule bacteria in dry soils exposed to high temperatures

An investigation has been made of the survival of root-nodule bacteria in autoclaved soils which, after inoculation, were dried at 30°C and subsequently exposed to higher temperatures. Rhizobium trifolii died in grey and yellow sands heated to 70° but survived in red sands and soils of heavier texture. Amendment of a grey sandy soil with 5% (w/w) of montmorillonite, illite, fly ash, or haematite protected R. trifolii from the lethal effects of exposing the dry soil to high temperatures. Kaolinite and goethite did not protect the clover root-nodule bacteria. After three successive exposures at 50° for 5 hr R. trifolii disappeared in a grey sandy soil, but still survived after four exposures in the presence of montmorillonite. The greater survival in heavy-textured soils and red sands can be attributed to the presence of appreciable amounts of illite or haematite or both in these soils, the grey and yellow sands containing only kaolinite and possibly goethite, neither being protective. Another fast-growing species of the root-nodule bacteria, R. meliloti, also failed to survive heating to 70° in a grey sandy soil. On the other hand, the slow-growing R. lupini and R. japonicum were comparatively resistant to the effects of high temperature and desiccation in the same grey sand, a fact which may explain the survival of R. lupini in certain field soils where R. trifolii fails to survive.
Effect of essential oils on pathogenic and biofilm-forming Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains

Abstract In this study, the effect of three essential oils (EOs) – clove oil (CO), thyme oil (TO), and garlic oil (GO), which are generally recognized as safe – on the planktonic growth, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), motility, biofilm formation, and quorum sensing (QS) of Vibrio parahaemolyticus was investigated. All three EOs showed bacteriostatic activity, with MICs in the range 0.02%–0.09% (v/v). CO and TO completely controlled planktonic growth at 0.28% and 0.08% (v/v), which is four times their MIC (4 × MIC), after 10 min, whereas GO completely controlled growth at 0.36% (v/v) (4 × MIC) after treatment for 20 min. V. parahaemolyticus motility was significantly reduced by all three EOs at 4 × MIC (0.28% for CO, 0.08% for TO, and 0.36% for GO), whereas QS was controlled and biofilm formation reduced by all three EOs at 8 × MIC (0.56% for CO, 0.16% for TO, and 0.72% for GO) after 30 min of treatment. These results suggest that CO, TO, and GO have a significant inhibitory effect on V. parahaemolyticus cells in biofilm sand thus represent a promising strategy for improving food safety. These results provide the evidence required to encourage further research into the practical use of the proposed EOs in food preparation processes.
GPCR-dependent biasing of GIRK channel signaling dynamics by RGS6 in mouse sinoatrial nodal cells

Significance Mechanisms promoting the compartmentalization of G-protein signaling are poorly understood in native cells. This study examined muscarinic (M2R) and adenosine (A1R) receptor signaling to a common effector—the G protein-gated inwardly rectifying K+ (GIRK) channel—in mouse sino-atrial nodal (SAN) cells. Regulator of G protein Signaling 6 (RGS6) exerts a GPCR-dependent influence on the efficacy, kinetics, and sensitivity of GIRK-dependent signaling in SAN cells, suppressing M2R-GIRK signaling kinetics and sensitivity and A1R-GIRK signaling amplitude. The distinctions can be explained by the differential utilization of G protein isoforms by M2R and A1R and a Gαo substrate preference of RGS6. Thus, GPCR-G protein signaling and RGS-G protein substrate biases shape GIRK-dependent signaling dynamics in the mouse heart. How G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) evoke specific biological outcomes while utilizing a limited array of G proteins and effectors is poorly understood, particularly in native cell systems. Here, we examined signaling evoked by muscarinic (M2R) and adenosine (A1R) receptor activation in the mouse sinoatrial node (SAN), the cardiac pacemaker. M2R and A1R activate a shared pool of cardiac G protein-gated inwardly rectifying K+ (GIRK) channels in SAN cells from adult mice, but A1R-GIRK responses are smaller and slower than M2R-GIRK responses. Recordings from mice lacking Regulator of G protein Signaling 6 (RGS6) revealed that RGS6 exerts a GPCR-dependent influence on GIRK-dependent signaling in SAN cells, suppressing M2R-GIRK coupling efficiency and kinetics and A1R-GIRK signaling amplitude. Fast kinetic bioluminescence resonance energy transfer assays in transfected HEK cells showed that RGS6 prefers Gαo over Gαi as a substrate for its catalytic activity and that M2R signals preferentially via Gαo, while A1R does not discriminate between inhibitory G protein isoforms. The impact of atrial/SAN-selective ablation of Gαo or Gαi2 was consistent with these findings. Gαi2 ablation had minimal impact on M2R-GIRK and A1R-GIRK signaling in SAN cells. In contrast, Gαo ablation decreased the amplitude and slowed the kinetics of M2R-GIRK responses, while enhancing the sensitivity and prolonging the deactivation rate of A1R-GIRK signaling. Collectively, our data show that differences in GPCR-G protein coupling preferences, and the Gαo substrate preference of RGS6, shape A1R- and M2R-GIRK signaling dynamics in mouse SAN cells.