Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Motivational and cognitive factors linked to community integration in homeless veterans: study 1 – individuals with psychotic disorders

Abstract Background Little is known about the determinants of community integration (i.e. recovery) for individuals with a history of homelessness, yet such information is essential to develop targeted interventions. Methods We recruited homeless Veterans with a history of psychotic disorders and evaluated four domains of correlates of community integration: perception, non-social cognition, social cognition, and motivation. Baseline assessments occurred after participants were engaged in supported housing services but before they received housing, and again after 12 months. Ninety-five homeless Veterans with a history of psychosis were assessed at baseline and 53 returned after 12 months. We examined both cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships with 12-month community integration. Results The strongest longitudinal association was between a baseline motivational measure and social integration at 12 months. We also observed cross-sectional associations at baseline between motivational measures and community integration, including social, work, and independent living. Cross-lagged panel analyses did not suggest causal associations for the motivational measures. Correlations with perception and non-social cognition were weak. One social cognition measure showed a significant longitudinal correlation with independent living at 12 months that was significant for cross-lagged analysis, consistent with a causal relationship and potential treatment target. Conclusions The relatively selective associations for motivational measures differ from what is typically seen in psychosis, in which all domains are associated with community integration. These findings are presented along with a partner paper (Study 2) to compare findings from this study to an independent sample without a history of psychotic disorders to evaluate the consistency in findings regarding community integration across projects.
Regulation of the neuroendocrine axis in male rats by soy-based diets is independent of age and due specifically to isoflavone action†

Abstract Soy-based foods are consumed for their health beneficial effects, implying that the population is exposed to soy isoflavones in the diet. Herein, male rats at 21, 35, and 75 days of age were maintained either on a casein control diet, soybean meal (SBM), or control diet supplemented with daidzin and genistin (G + D) for 14 days. Feeding of SBM and G + D diets decreased testicular testosterone (T) secretion regardless of age. Altered androgen secretion was due to decreased (P < 0.05) Star and Hsd17β protein in the testes and was associated with increased (P < 0.05) Lhβ and Fshβ subunit protein expression in pituitary glands. Second, male rats were fed either a casein control diet, control diet + daidzin, control diet + genistin, or control diet + genistin + daidzin (G + D). Compared to control, feeding of all isoflavone-containing diets decreased (P < 0.05) testicular T concentrations, and more so in the G + D diet group. Interestingly, Esr1 and androgen receptor protein and pituitary Fshβ with Lhβ subunit protein were increased (P < 0.05) by feeding of genistin and G + D diets, but not the daidzin diet. However, daidzein and genistein both caused a concentration dependent inhibition (P < 0.05) of T secretion by Leydig cells in vitro with IC50 of 184 ηM and 36 ηM, respectively. Results demonstrated that altered testicular steroidogenic capacity and pituitary FSHβ and LHβ subunit expression due to soy-based diets result from specific actions by genistein and daidzein. Experiments to assess effects of isoflavone regulation of intratesticular androgen concentrations on male fertility are warranted. Graphical Abstract
Sialic Acid Metabolic Engineering of Breast Cancer Cells Interferes with Adhesion and Migration

Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer diagnosed in women and the second most common cancer-causing death worldwide. The major problem around the management of breast cancer is its high heterogeneity and the development of therapeutic resistance. Therefore, understanding the fundamental breast cancer biology is crucial for better diagnosis and therapy. Protein sialylation is a key posttranslational modification of glycoproteins, which is also involved in tumor progression and metastasis. Increased expression of sialic acids (Sia) can interfere in receptor–ligand interactions and might protect tumor cells from the immune system. Furthermore, Sia content on the cell membrane plays a role in cancer resistance towards chemo- and radiation therapy. In this study, we glycoengineered MCF-7 breast cancer cells using a series of non-natural Sia precursors, which are prolonged in their acyl side chain. We observed a significant reduction in the natural Sia (N-Acetylneuraminic acid) expression after cultivation of MCF-7 cells with these Sia precursors. In addition, the expression of polySia, a unique glycosylation of the neural cell adhesion molecule NCAM, which interferes with cell adhesion, was decreased. We conclude that sialic acid engineering i) opens up novel opportunities to study the biological role of Sia in breast cancer and ii) provides a toolbox to examine the sialic acid-dependent complex cellular alterations in breast cancer cell biology.
Classification and annotated checklist of the Australian genera of Tenebrionidae (Coleoptera)

An annotated checklist of Australian tenebrionid genera is given, with notes on new tribal and subfamily placements based on recent studies. The tribes Heterocheirini and Scaphidemini are used in a new sense, and the new tribes Chaerodini and Ectychini are proposed. The tribes Dysantini and Rhipidandrini have been reduced to subtribes. The following generic synonymy is proposed: Ulomoides Blackburn (= Palembus Casey). Alphitobius hilli Carter is transferred to Platydema Laporte & Brulle, and Meneristes dentipes Carter, M. lobatus Carter and M. quadratus Carter are transferred to Zophophilus Fairmaire. New generic records for Australia include: Leiochrinus Westwood, Myrmechixenus Latreille, Phaleria Latreille, Salax Guerin-Mtneville, and Tyrtaeus Champion. The genera Cymbeba Pascoe, Luprops Hope, and Thesilea Haag-Rutenberg, previously recorded from Australia, do not occur there. The genus Melytra Pascoe is transferred from Tenebrionidae to Zopheridae, and Eucistela Carter is transferred from Tenebrionidae (Alleculidae) to Pythidae.
Association between SNPs within Prolactin Gene and Milk Performance Traits in Holstein Dairy Cattle

Prolactin plays an important role in mammary gland development, milk section initiation and maintenance of lactation, so the bovine prolactin gene is considered as a potential quantitative trait locus affecting milk performance traits in dairy cattle. In this study, to determine the association between prolactin and milk performance traits, the genetic polymorphisms of a part of the prolactin gene were detected in a population of 649 cows of Chinese Holstein Dairy Cattle. Three SNPs in the promoter and one SNP in the intronl of prolactin were identified, which was A/C (-767), G/T (-485), C/A (-247), and C/T (427), respectively. Statistical results indicated that one of SNP within promote, CHBP2, was significantly associated with milk yield (p<0.01), fat yield (p<0.05), protein yield (p<0.01), and protein percentage (p<0.05). The cows with genotype BB of CHBP2 had significantly higher milk yield (p<0.01), fat yield (p<0.05), and protein yield (p<0.01) than those of cows with genotype AA, while cows with genotype AA showed the highest protein percentage (p<0.05). In addition, based on the nine major haplotypes constructed from the four SNPs, the association analysis between diplotypes and milk performance trait was carried out. Results showed that the least square mean for fat yield of diplotype H2H8 was significantly higher than those of other eleven diplotypes (p<0.05). Our findings implied that CHBP2 and H2H8 of prolactin would be useful genetic markers in selection program on milk performance traits in Holstein Dairy Cattle.
Identification of genomic regions associated with shoot fly resistance in maize and their syntenic relationships in the sorghum genome

Shoot fly (Atherigona naqvii) is one of the major insects affecting spring maize in North India and can cause yield loss up to 60 per cent. The genetics of insect resistance is complex as influenced by genotypic background, insect population and climatic conditions. Therefore, quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping is a highly effective approach for studying genetically complex forms of insect resistance. The objective of the present study was to dissect the genetic basis of resistance and identification of genomic regions associated with shoot fly resistance. A total of 107 F2 population derived from the cross CM143 (resistant) x CM144 (susceptible) was genotyped with 120 SSR markers. Phenotypic data were recorded on replicated F2:3 progenies for various component traits imparting resistance to shoot fly at different time intervals. Resistance to shoot fly was observed to be under polygenic control as evidenced by the identification of 19 putative QTLs governed by overdominance to partial dominance and additive gene actions. The major QTLs conditioning shoot fly resistance viz., qDH9.1 (deadheart) and qEC9.1 (oviposition) explaining 15.03 and 18.89 per cent phenotypic variance, respectively were colocalized on chromosome 9. These QTLs are syntenic to regions of chromosome 10 of sorghum which were also accounted for deadheart and oviposition suggesting that the same gene block may be responsible for shoot fly resistance. The candidate genes such as cysteine protease, subtilisin-chymotrypsin inhibitor, cytochrome P450 involved in synthesis of alleochemicals, receptor kinases, glossy15 and ubiquitin-proteasome degradation pathway were identified within the predicted QTL regions. This is the first reported mapping of QTLs conferring resistance to shoot fly in maize, and the markers identified here will be a valuable resource for developing elite maize cultivars with resistance to shoot fly.
Relationship between PI3K/mTOR/RhoA pathway-regulated cytoskeletal rearrangements and phagocytic capacity of macrophages

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between PI3K/mTOR/RhoA signaling regulated cytoskeletal rearrangements and phagocytic capacity of macrophages. RAW264.7 macrophages were divided into four groups; blank control, negative control, PI3K-RNAi, and mTOR-RNAi. The cytoskeletal changes in the macrophages were observed. Furthermore, the phagocytic capacity of macrophages against Escherichia coli is reported as mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) and percent phagocytosis. Transfection yielded 82.1 and 81.5% gene-silencing efficiencies against PI3K and mTOR, respectively. The PI3K-RNAi group had lower mRNA and protein expression levels of PI3K, mTOR, and RhoA than the blank and negative control groups (Р<0.01). The mTOR-RNAi group had lower mRNA and protein levels of mTOR and RhoA than the blank and the negative control groups (Р<0.01). Macrophages in the PI3K-RNAi group exhibited stiff and inflexible morphology with short, disorganized filopodia and reduced number of stress fibers. Macrophages in the mTOR-RNAi group displayed pronounced cellular deformations with long, dense filopodia and an increased number of stress fibers. The PI3K-RNAi group exhibited lower MFI and percent phagocytosis than blank and negative control groups, whereas the mTOR-RNAi group displayed higher MFI and percent phagocytosis than the blank and negative controls (Р<0.01). Before and after transfection, the mRNA and protein levels of PI3K were both positively correlated with mTOR and RhoA (Р<0.05), but the mRNA and protein levels of mTOR were negatively correlated with those of RhoA (Р<0.05). Changes in the phagocytic capacity of macrophages were associated with cytoskeletal rearrangements and were regulated by the PI3K/mTOR/RhoA signaling pathway.
Effects of prenatal exposure to the 1983–1985 Ethiopian great famine on the metabolic syndrome in adults: a historical cohort study

Abstract The Ethiopian great famine was one of the severe forms of global famines ever documented in Africa as well as in the recent history of the world. Earlier famine studies, as natural experiments, had tested the association between prenatal famine exposure and the metabolic syndrome and reported heterogeneous findings. Hence, this study aimed at evaluating the effects of prenatal exposure to the 1983–1985 Ethiopian great famine on the metabolic syndrome in adults. Self-reported birth date and age of the study subjects were used to classify the status of famine exposure. The International Diabetes Federation criterion was used to assess the metabolic syndrome. Multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to examine relationship between prenatal famine exposure and the metabolic syndrome. The findings showed that, adjusted for covariates, adults who had prenatal exposure to famine were 2·94 times more likely to develop the metabolic syndrome compared with non-exposed groups (adjusted OR (AOR) 2·94, 95 % CI 1·66, 5·27). More specifically, famine exposure during prenatal life was associated with increased waist circumference (AOR 2·27 cm, 95 % CI 0·28, 4·26), diastolic blood pressure (AOR 2·47 mmHg, 95 % CI 0·84, 4·11), TAG (AOR 0·20 mmol/l, 95 % CI 0·10, 0·28) and fasting blood glucose (AOR 0·24 mmol/l, 95 % CI 0·04, 0·43) compared with the control groups. Higher proportion of the metabolic syndrome, risky anthropometric and dyslipidaemic parameters were observed among exposed groups. This finding adds further evidence on fetal origin of adult diseases hypothesis. The finding may imply that one potential means of preventing adulthood metabolic syndrome is to optimise maternal nutrition during pregnancy.
Nutrients in the Prevention of Osteoporosis in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

The chronic character of inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, results in various complications. One of them is osteoporosis, manifested by low bone mineral density, which leads to an increased risk of fractures. The aetiology of low bone mineral density is multifactorial and includes both diet and nutritional status. Calcium and vitamin D are the most often discussed nutrients with regard to bone mineral density. Moreover, vitamins A, K, C, B12; folic acid; calcium; phosphorus; magnesium; sodium; zinc; copper; and selenium are also involved in the formation of bone mass. Patients suffering from inflammatory bowel diseases frequently consume inadequate amounts of the aforementioned minerals and vitamins or their absorption is disturbed, resulting innutritional deficiency and an increased risk of osteoporosis. Thus, nutritional guidelines for inflammatory bowel disease patients should comprise information concerning the prevention of osteoporosis.
Responsiveness to Influenza Vaccination Correlates with NKG2C-Expression on NK Cells

Influenza vaccination often results in a large percentage of low responders, especially in high-risk groups. As a first line of defense, natural killer (NK) cells play a crucial role in the fight against infections. However, their implication with regard to vaccine responsiveness is insufficiently assessed. Therefore, this study aimed at the validation of essential NK cell features potentially associated with differential vaccine responsiveness with a special focus on NKG2C- and/or CD57-expressing NK cells considered to harbor memory-like functions. To this end, 16 healthy volunteers were vaccinated with an adjuvanted pandemic influenza vaccine. Vaccine responders and low responders were classified according to their hemagglutination inhibition antibody titers. A majority of responders displayed enhanced frequencies of NKG2C-expressing NK cells 7- or 14-days post-vaccination as compared to low responders, whereas the expression of CD57 was not differentially modulated. The NK cell cytotoxic potential was found to be confined to CD56dimCD16+ NKG2C-expressing NK cells in the responders but not in the low responders, which was further confirmed by stochastic neighbor embedding analysis. The presented study is the first of its kind that ascribes CD56dimCD16+ NKG2C-expressing NK cells a crucial role in biasing adaptive immune responses upon influenza vaccination and suggests NKG2C as a potential biomarker in predicting pandemic influenza vaccine responsiveness.
Radiation Grafting of a Polymeric Prodrug onto Silicone Rubber for Potential Medical/Surgical Procedures

Silicone rubber (SR) is a material used for medical procedures, with a common example of its application being in implants for cosmetic or plastic surgeries. It is also an essential component for the development of medical devices. SR was functionalized with the polymeric prodrug of poly(2-methacryloyloxy-benzoic acid) (poly(2MBA)) to render the analgesic anti-inflammatory drug salicylic acid by hydrolysis. The system was designed by functionalizing SR films (0.5 cm × 1 cm) with a direct grafting method, using gamma irradiation (60Co source) to induce the polymerization process. The absorbed dose (from 20 to 100 kGy) and the monomer concentration (between 0.4 and 1.5 M) were critical in controlling the surface and the bulk modifications of SR. Grafting poly(2MBA) onto SR (SR-g-2MBA) were characterized by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry, fluorescence microscopy, the contact angle, and the swelling. SR-g-2MBA demonstrated the drug’s sustained and pH-dependent release in simulated physiological mediums (pH = 5.5 and 7.4). The drug’s release was quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography and confirmed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Finally, cytocompatibility was demonstrated in murine fibroblast and human cervical cancer cell lines. The developed systems provide new polymeric drug release systems for medical silicone applications.
Alguns aspectos da ecologia dos mosquitos (Diptera: Culicidae) de uma área de planície (granjas Calábria) em Jacarepaguá, Rio de Janeiro: IV. Preferências alimentares quanto ao hospedeiro e freqüência domiciliar

Results are presented on mosquito catches performed between january 1982 and March 1983, in Granjas Calabria, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in order to evaluate their host preferences. We used six baits, man, horse, cow, sheep, cock and toad. Horse attracted the greatest number of mosquitoes, followed by cow, man, cock and sheep, no mosquito fed on toad. man was the bait which attracted the largest number of species. Most local species were definetely zoophilic - An. albitarsis, An. aquasalis, Ae. scapularis, Ae. taeniorhynchus, Cq. venezuelensis, Ma. titillans, Ps. ciliata, ph. davisi and Ph. deanei preferred mainly horse and cow, while the species of Culex of subgenus Culex preferred avian blood, and those of subgenus Microculex showed a marked preference to fed on a toad, in our laboratory experiments. Ma. titillans was the most abundant mosquito on all baits, being hightly ecletic. Catches were carried out monthlt, indoors and outdoors, from August 1981 to july 1982 in order to study the house frequency. The local species rarely invaded the house. Ma. titillans, Ae. scapularis, Ae. taeniorhynchus and Cx. saltanenesis were occasionally found inside human dwellings but were much more frequently caught outdoors. An. aquasalis and Cx. quinquefasciatus showed to be the most domestic.
Taxonomic Confusion of Pseudomonas cissicola Originated from Mislabeling by International Type Culture Collections

The type strain (strain ICMP 4289) and two reference strains (strains ICMP 4290 and ICMP 4291) of Pseudomonas cissicola (Takimoto 1939) Burkholder 1948 were obviously mislabeled at the Plant Disease Division Culture Collection (presently the International Collection of Microorganisms from Plants) in New Zealand when they were deposited in 1975 or subsequently when they were coded for the catalog of the collection. The strains were also mislabeled at the National Collection of Plant Pathogenic Bacteria in England when strain NCPPB 2982T (T = type strain) was transferred from the Plant Disease Division Culture Collection. Recently, these errors have caused considerable confusion in the taxonomic placement of this bacterium, not only in workers who received cultures from the culture collections but also in workers who are directly responsible for the culture collections. The type strain of the bacterium should be strain PC1 in the culture collection of plant-pathogenic bacteria at the Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Shizuoka University, strain ATCC 33616 in the American Type Culture Collection, or strain CCM 2888 in the Czechoslovak Collection of Microorganisms.
Plasticity of age at maturity between two neighbouring populations of the common frog (Rana temporaria L.)

Maturation and growth were studied in two neighbouring lowland populations of Rana temporaria exhibiting a great difference in body size. This study took place in the southeast of France from 1986 to 1989. In this region, a local harvesting technique ensuring the release of tadpoles after intensive rearing results in regular genetic mixing between populations. Hence, only environmental influence on the growth rate could explain a difference in body size at maturation. The skeletochronological method was used to determine age. Most of the frogs in the two populations lived no longer than 3 years. The difference in body size between populations was reflected by a difference in age at maturity, which varied from 3 years at site 1 (where the frogs were larger) to 2 years at site 2. Newly metamorphosed froglets were larger at site 1 than at site 2. Back-calculated sizes of 1-year-old individuals did not differ between sites. Size was always greater for age-classes 2, 3, and 4 at site 1. We conclude that, relat.
Diagnostic morphological characteristics of laboratory-reared Cancer oregonensis (Brachyura: Cancridae) with recommendations for identifying cancrid zoeae in the Salish Sea

Abstract Cancrid larvae are among the most abundant decapods in the meroplankton in the Northeast Pacific; however, their study remains problematic because of difficulty discriminating among larvae of sympatric congeners. We addressed this issue by providing morphological characteristics from laboratory-reared Cancer oregonensis zoeae that can be used to distinguish this species from published descriptions of zoeae of other species of Cancer found in the Salish Sea (C. magister, C. productus, C. gracilis, C. antennarius). The angle of lateral exospines projecting from the furca of the telson and the length of the exospines relative to the length of the furcal branches of C. oregonensis are smaller in comparison to all stages of C. magister and C. productus. The setal formula on the inner margin of the telson furca and the number of setae on the exopod of the second maxilliped also vary between certain stages of C. oregonensis, C. magister and C. productus. The carapace length of C. oregonensis becomes noticeably longer than that of C. antennarius and C. gracilis as zoeal stages progress. The ratio of the length of the posterolateral spines projecting from the third and fourth abdominal somite to the length of the subsequent abdominal somite is greater in C. oregonensis than in C. antennarius and C. gracilis, and may be especially useful for identification when size differences are less apparent at early stages. We also observed stage duration and mortality of zoeae reared at ~13°C, which were consistent with previous estimates reported for laboratory-reared cancrid larvae.