Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Negative symptoms in patients with major depressive disorder: a preliminary report.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to examine negative symptoms (NSs) in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and their relation to depressive symptoms (DSs) and other psychiatric symptoms. BACKGROUND Features similar to NSs were previously described in patients with depression. METHOD The Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD), Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS), Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS), and Mini-Mental State Examination were administered to 23 patients with MDD and 10 normal control subjects. RESULTS As expected, the mean scores of the HRSD, SANS, and negative symptom subscale of the PANSS of the patients with MDD were significantly higher than those of control subjects, validating the clinical significance of NSs as well as DSs in MDD patients. Within the MDD group, although measures of NSs were intercorrelated, there were no other correlations between the measures. Thus, measures of NSs and DSs were not intercorrelated. When the HRSD was divided in two subscales, HRSD negative symptom subscale scores but not HRSD depressive symptom subscale scores were correlated with PANSS negative symptom subscale and SANS total scores as well as with scores on the affective flattening subscale. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest a high level of NSs in patients with MDD, which are distinct from positive symptoms of depression and may constitute a distinct dimension. Negative symptoms and DSs in MDD may represent separate constructs. Further, the HRSD might have possible subscales in MDD as it does in schizophrenia.
cAMP‐induced phenotypic reversion of adhesion, aggregation, and endocytosis in adhesion‐defective CHO cell variants

ADvF11 cells are a CHO adhesion variant which, unlike wild type (WT) cells, are not able to adhere to fibronectin (Fn) coated substrata or to be aggregated by Fn‐beads. However, ADvF11 cells bind Fn‐beads to the same extent as WT cells, thus suggesting that the defect(s) associated with ADvF11 cells are distal to the initial receptor‐ligand binding event (Cheung and Juliano, Exp. Cell Res. 152:127, 1984). In this communication we report that cAMP analogs such as dibutyryl‐cAMP (dbcAMP) and 8‐bromo‐cAMP are able to correct defect(s) associated with ADvF11 cells enabling them to adhere to Fn‐coated dishes and to aggregate in the presence of Fn‐beads. However, only approximately 40% of ADvF11 cells were found to be responsive to dbcAMP suggesting heterogeneity in the cell population with respect to dbcAMP sensitivity. Further analysis of this partial response led us to isolate a subclone of ADvF11 cells, F11CA11, which is highly responsive to dbcAMP treatment. Induction of Fn‐mediated cell adhesion and aggregation in F11CA11 by dbcAMP is both time and dose dependent. Optimal responses were obtained after overnight incubation in alpha‐MEM containing, 1% fetal calf serum, 4% bovine serum albumin, 0.5 mM dbcAMP and 0.2 mM methyl‐isobutyl‐xanthine (MIX), a phosphodiesterase inhibitor. Under these conditions, 70–80% of F11CA11 cells were found to be adherent, compared to 5–7% of untreated F11CA11 cells and 95–100% of WT cells. Aggregation of dbcAMP‐MIX treated F11CA11 cells induced by Fn‐beads also approached that of WT cells. In addition, treatment with dbcAMP‐MIX markedly increased the ability of F11CA11 cells to internalize Fn‐beads. The maintenance of the adherent phenotype required the constant presence of dbcAMP‐MIX. Removal of dbcAMP‐MIX from the incubation medium resulted in return to the original nonadhesive phenotype. Thus, elevation of cAMP levels can dramatically modify the behavior of F11CA11 cells with respect to fibronectin mediated adhesion, aggregation and endocytosis, in effect causing a phenotypic reversion of all three parameters to wild type status. This suggests that the mechanisms for adhesion, aggregation and endocytosis may each involve regulation by cyclic AMP‐protein kinase systems.
Precise distance measurement with IEEE 802.15.4 (ZigBee) devices

In modern wireless communications products it is required to incorporate more and more different functions to comply with current market trends. A very attractive function with steadily growing market penetration is local positioning. To add this feature to low-cost mass-market devices without additional power consumption, it is desirable to use commercial communication chips and standards for localization of the wireless units. In this paper we present a concept to measure the distance between two IEEE 802.15. 4 (ZigBee) compliant devices. The presented prototype hardware consists of a low- cost 2.45 GHz ZigBee chipset. For localization we use standard communication packets as transmit signals. Thus simultaneous data transmission and transponder localization is feasible. To achieve high positioning accuracy even in multipath environments, a coherent synthesis of measurements in multiple channels and a special signal phase evaluation concept is applied. With this technique the full available ISM bandwidth of 80 MHz is utilized. In first measurements with two different frequency references-a low-cost oscillator and a temperatur-compensated crystal oscillator-a positioning bias error of below 16 cm and 9 cm was obtained. The standard deviation was less than 3 cm and 1 cm, respectively. It is demonstrated that compared to signal correlation in time, the phase processing technique yields an accuracy improvement of roughly an order of magnitude.
Distinct Expression Patterns of Different Subunit Isoforms of the V-ATPase in the Rat Epididymis1

Abstract In the epididymis and vas deferens, the vacuolar H+ATPase (V-ATPase), located in the apical pole of narrow and clear cells, is required to establish an acidic luminal pH. Low pH is important for the maturation of sperm and their storage in a quiescent state. The V-ATPase also participates in the acidification of intracellular organelles. The V-ATPase contains many subunits, and several of these subunits have multiple isoforms. So far, only subunits ATP6V1B1, ATP6V1B2, and ATP6V1E2, previously identified as B1, B2, and E subunits, have been described in the rat epididymis. Here, we report the localization of V-ATPase subunit isoforms ATP6V1A, ATP6V1C1, ATP6V1C2, ATP6V1G1, ATP6V1G3, ATP6V0A1, ATP6V0A2, ATP6V0A4, ATP6V0D1, and ATP6V0D2, previously labeled A, C1, C2, G1, G3, a1, a2, a4, d1, and d2, in epithelial cells of the rat epididymis and vas deferens. Narrow and clear cells showed a strong apical staining for all subunits, except the ATP6V0A2 isoform. Subunits ATP6V0A2 and ATP6V1A were detected in intracellular structures closely associated but not identical to the TGN of principal cells and narrow/clear cells, and subunit ATP6V0D1 was strongly expressed in the apical membrane of principal cells in the apparent absence of other V-ATPase subunits. In conclusion, more than one isoform of subunits ATP6V1C, ATP6V1G, ATP6V0A, and ATP6V0D of the V-ATPase are present in the epididymal and vas deferens epithelium. Our results confirm that narrow and clear cells are well fit for active proton secretion. In addition, the diverse functions of the V-ATPase may be established through the utilization of specific subunit isoforms. In principal cells, the ATP6V0D1 isoform may have a physiological function that is distinct from its role in proton transport via the V-ATPase complex.
Managing Social Media Activists as a Crisis Management Strategy

Social media has fundamentally shaped and influenced the organization's communication landscape in social movements. Social media activists where the issues they carry with collective identities in social media, bring opposing interests to corporate, and bring corporates in crisis management conditions. It is important for corporate to be able to manage relationships with social media activists so that issues and protests brought by social media activists can be muffled or even assist the corporation in shaping positive public opinion. This article is a conceptual article undertaken through literature studies by finding reference theories that relevant to the case or problems found. Social media activism becomes very powerful because as the nature of social media is able to reach a very wide geographical in becoming viral in a short time. Gonzales-Herrero & Smith explains how the internet can trigger and facilitate crises, with significant implications for crisis management. In order to adapt to the online environment, organizations must also adapt their own problem management strategies
In vitro culture may be the major contributing factor for transgenic versus nontransgenic proteomic plant differences

Identification of differences between genetically modified plants and their original counterparts plays a central role in risk assessment strategy. Our main goal was to better understand the relevance of transgene presence, genetic, and epigenetic changes induced by transgene insertion, and in vitro culture in putative unintended differences between a transgenic and its comparator. Thus, we have used multiplex fluorescence 2DE coupled with MS to characterize the proteome of three different rice lines (Oryza sativa L. ssp. japonica cv. Nipponbare): a control conventional line (C), an Agrobacterium‐transformed transgenic line (Ta) and a negative segregant (NSb). We observed that Ta and NSb appeared identical (with only one spot differentially abundant—fold difference ≥ 1.5), contrasting with the control (49 spots with fold difference ≥1.5, in both Ta and NSb vs. control). Given that in vitro culture was the only event in common between Ta and NSb, we hypothesize that in vitro culture stress was the most relevant condition contributing for the observed proteomic differences. MS protein identification support our hypothesis, indicating that Ta and NSb lines adjusted their metabolic pathways and altered the abundance of several stress related proteins in order to cope with in vitro culture.
[Mortality risk associated with the use of oral contraceptives].

In assessing the risk of oral contraceptives the synergistic effects of other risk factors such as smoking, obesity, and hypertension must be considered. Pill users who are nonsmokers are at a much lower risk of heart disease mortality than those who use pills and smoke cigarettes. Most of the data on mortality associated with the use of oral contraceptives come from case-control studies or longitudinal prospective studies carried out in the United Kingdom or the U.S. Cigarette smoking by women is more common there than in most developing countries. To evaluate the risk-benefit ratio involved in the use of oral contraceptives, policymakers msut determine the risk that applies under the conditions of use in their countries. Health benefits must be assessed in a similar manner. In countries where maternal mortality is high, health benefits of controlling fertility will be greater than in countries where deaths from pregnancy and childbirth are relatively rare.
Speech sample effects on pressure and flow measures in children with normal or abnormal velopharyngeal function.

OBJECTIVE This study examined the effect of certain test phoneme contexts on oral pressure and nasal flow values in young children with normal velopharyngeal (VP) function. Comparison was made with responses from children with abnormal function. SPEAKERS: Ten children judged to have normal VP function (mean age = 5.2 years) and five children with VP incompetence (mean age = 7.8 years) were evaluated. Both groups were able to produce the speech sample with standard articulatory postures. Subjects were from the local community and a university cleft palate clinic. DESIGN Simultaneous oral pressure and nasal flow recordings were obtained from the speakers as they produced /p/ in speech stimuli that varied in terms of test phoneme position in the syllable (releasing and arresting), adjacent vowel height (high, middle, and low), or adjacent consonant characteristics (voicing, placement, and manner). Within-subject differences in pressure and flow were examined to evaluate specific stimulus contrasts in each speaker group. SETTING Data were collected in the Speech Physiology Laboratory in the Hearing and Speech Department at the University of Kansas Medical Center. RESULTS There were few speech sample effects on oral pressure for children with VP competence. Nasal flow for this group occurred infrequently but was present at least once in 80% of the subjects. The speakers with VP incompetence demonstrated predictable phoneme context effects (higher flow and lower pressure for a nasal context; higher flow for a high vowel context). CONCLUSION The finding of no significant stimulus effects for the normal speakers suggests the need for little concern when choosing stimuli for normative study of oral pressure. However, certain stimulus contexts should be considered for data collection if results are to be applied to children with abnormal velopharyngeal function.
The Human Proteome Project: Current State and Future Direction

After the successful completion of the Human Genome Project, the Human Proteome Organization has recently officially launched a global Human Proteome Project (HPP), which is designed to map the entire human protein set. Given the lack of protein-level evidence for about 30% of the estimated 20,300 protein-coding genes, a systematic global effort will be necessary to achieve this goal with respect to protein abundance, distribution, subcellular localization, interaction with other biomolecules, and functions at specific time points. As a general experimental strategy, HPP research groups will use the three working pillars for HPP: mass spectrometry, antibody capture, and bioinformatics tools and knowledge bases. The HPP participants will take advantage of the output and cross-analyses from the ongoing Human Proteome Organization initiatives and a chromosome-centric protein mapping strategy, termed C-HPP, with which many national teams are currently engaged. In addition, numerous biologically driven and disease-oriented projects will be stimulated and facilitated by the HPP. Timely planning with proper governance of HPP will deliver a protein parts list, reagents, and tools for protein studies and analyses, and a stronger basis for personalized medicine. The Human Proteome Organization urges each national research funding agency and the scientific community at large to identify their preferred pathways to participate in aspects of this highly promising project in a HPP consortium of funders and investigators.
Advances in the development of AMPK-activating compounds

Background: AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an energy sensing enzyme that controls glucose and lipid metabolism. Objective: This review summarizes the present data on AMPK as a pharmacologic target for the treatment of metabolic disorders. Methods: The mechanisms governing AMPK activity and how this enzyme controls different metabolic pathways are reviewed briefly, and details about the effect that AMPK activators have on glucose metabolism are provided. Conclusion: Evidence obtained using the AMPK-activating compound 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-β-d-ribofuranoside (AICAR) suggests that AMPK promotes glucose transport into skeletal muscles and that this enzyme inhibits hepatic glucose production. AICAR also induces fatty acid oxidation in muscle and inhibits cholesterol synthesis in the liver. The metabolic effects of AICAR on glucose and lipid metabolism indicate that AMPK may be a good pharmacologic target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and hypercholesterolemia. Novel AMPK-specific compounds are allowing researchers to examine whether this enzyme is a useful pharmacologic target for the treatment of human disease and whether chronic activation of AMPK will be safe.
An Inventory Model for Ramp-Type Demand with Two-Level Trade Credit Financing Linked to Order Quantity

In the traditional economic order quantity (EOQ) model, it is assumed that the demand rate is constant. Thereafter, many researchers developed inventory model with time-varying demand to reflect sales in different phases of product life cycle in the market. However, in practice, especially for fashionable and high-tech product, the demand rate during the growth stages of its life cycle increases significantly with linear or exponential in the growth stage and then gradually stabilizes, and remains near constant in the maturity stage. It can be taken a ramp-type demand rate into account. Furthermore, in today’s supply chain, a supplier usually offers a permissible delay in payment to retailers to encourage them to buy more products, and a retailer in turn provides a downstream trade-credit period to its customers. Therefore, this paper focus on 1) ramp-type demand rate and 2) the upstream and downstream trade credit financing linked to order quantity for retailer is considered. The objective is to find the optimal replenishment cycle and order quantity to keep the total relevant cost per unit time as minimum as possible. The study shows that in each case discussed, the optimal solution not only exists but also is unique. Numerical examples are provided to illustrate the proposed model. Finally, some relevant managerial insights based on the results are characterized.
A Novel Insertion Sequence Derepresses Efflux Pump Expression and Preadapts Pseudomonas putida S12 for Extreme Solvent Stress

ABSTRACT A multidrug efflux pump, SrpABC, plays a key role in Pseudomonas putida S12 tolerance to toxic organic solvents. SrpRS are putative regulators of the SrpABC efflux pump encoded upstream of the srpABC structural genes, and previous studies suggest that SrpS is a repressor of SrpABC expression. An S12 isolate able to withstand extreme solvent stress carries a novel insertion sequence, ISPpu21, interrupting srpS. This insertion preadapts S12 to extreme solvent conditions through constitutive SrpABC expression.
The information content of a character under a Markov model of evolution.

The rate of evolutionary change associated with a character determines its utility for the reconstruction of phylogenetic history. For a given age of lineage splits, we examine the information content of a character to assess the magnitude and range of an optimal rate of substitution. On the one hand an optimal transition rate must provide sufficiently many character changes to distinguish subclades, whereas on the other hand changes must be sufficiently rare that reversals on a single branch (and hence homoplasy) are uncommon. In this study, we evolve binary characters over three tree topologies with fixed branch lengths, while varying transition rate as a parameter. We use the character state distribution obtained to measure the "information content" of a character given a transition rate. This is done with respect to several criteria-the probability of obtaining the correct tree using parsimony, the probability of infering the correct ancestral state, and Shannon-Weaver and Fisher information measures on the configuration of probability distributions. All of the information measures suggest the intuitive result of the existence of optimal rates for phylogeny reconstruction. This nonzero optimum is less pronounced if one conditions on there having been a change, in which case the parsimony-based results of minimum change being the most informative tends to hold.
Synergistic attenuation of ovariectomy-induced bone loss by combined use of fish oil and 17β-oestradiol

Abstract Oestrogen and n-3 PUFA, especially EPA and DHA, have been reported to have beneficial effects on bone loss. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the synergistic bone-protective mechanism of combined treatments of EPA+DHA supplementation and oestrogen injection in ovariectomised rats. Rats were fed a modified American Institute of Nutrition-93G diet with 0 %, 1 % or 2 % n-3 PUFA (EPA+DHA) relative to the total energy intake for 12 weeks. Rats were surgically ovariectomised at week 8, and after a 1-week recovery period rats were injected with either 17β-oestradiol-3-benzoate (E2) or maize oil for the last 3 weeks. Combined use of n-3 PUFA and E2 synergistically increased femoral cortical bone volume, bone mineral content and the bone expression of runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), but decreased the bone expression of IL-1β. Both n-3 PUFA and E2 decreased the bone expressions of IL-7, TNF-α and PPAR-γ, and increased the bone expression of oestrogen receptor-α. n-3 PUFA in the presence of E2 and E2 alone significantly decreased the bone expressions of IL-1β and IL-6 and increased the bone expression of RUNX2. E2 significantly decreased the serum levels of bone turnover markers and the bone expression of receptor activator of NF-κB ligand, but decreased the bone expression of osteoprotegerin. The combined use of n-3 PUFA and E2 exerted synergistic bone-protective efficacy through up-regulation of RUNX2, an essential transcription factor for bone formation, as well as the suppression of bone-resorbing cytokine IL-1β.
Central Nervous System Serotonin and Clustering of Hostility, Psychosocial, Metabolic, and Cardiovascular Endophenotypes in Men

Objective: To use measures of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5HIAA) and genotype of a functional polymorphism of the monoamine oxidase A gene promoter (MAOA-uVNTR) to study the role of central nervous system (CNS) serotonin in clustering of hostility, other psychosocial, metabolic and cardiovascular endophenotypes. Methods: In 86 healthy male volunteers, we evaluated CSF levels of the primary serotonin metabolite 5HIAA and MAOA-uVNTR genotype for association with a panel of 29 variables assessing hostility, other psychosocial, metabolic, and cardiovascular endophenotypes. Results: The correlations of 5HIAA with these endophenotypes in men with more active MAOA-uVNTR alleles were significantly different from those of men with less active alleles for 15 of the 29 endophenotypes. MAOA-uVNTR genotype and CSF 5HIAA interacted to explain 20% and 22% of the variance, respectively, in scores on one factor wherein high scores reflected a less healthy psychosocial profile and a second factor wherein high score reflected increased insulin resistance, body mass index, blood pressure and hostility. In men with less active alleles, higher 5HIAA was associated with more favorable profiles of hostility, other psychosocial, metabolic and cardiovascular endophenotypes; in men with more active alleles, higher 5HIAA was associated with less favorable profiles. Conclusions: These findings indicate that, in men, indices of CNS serotonin function influence the expression and clustering of hostility, other psychosocial, metabolic and cardiovascular endophenotypes that have been shown to increase risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The findings are consistent with the hypothesis that increased CNS serotonin is associated with a more favorable psychosocial/metabolic/cardiovascular profile, whereas decreased CNS serotonin function is associated with a less favorable profile. MAOA = monoamine oxidase A; CSF = cerebrospinal fluid; 5HIAA = 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid; CNS = central nervous system; CHD = coronary heart disease.