Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase enzyme activities in larynx carcinoma

Conclusions. It can be concluded that these changes are related to damage at the DNA level or to the inhibitory effects of tumor promoters. Increases in GSH-Px activities may be related to the independence of this enzyme from the suppressive effects of tumor promoters. This study and others in the literature show that it is not possible to generalize the activities of SOD and GSH-Px in cancer. Objective. There has been growing interest in the role of free radicals as a cause of cancer. It has been suggested that an increase in activated forms of oxygen in cells due to overproduction and/or the inability to destroy them may lead to severe damage of cell structures. As a result of these changes, some chromosomal aberrations and carcinogenesis may develop. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) are two important antioxidant enzymes involved in enzymatic antioxidant defense mechanisms. To our knowledge there have been no previous studies in the literature investigating the activities of SOD and GSH-Px in laryngeal cancer. Material and methods. The study subjects comprised 10 male patients (age range 43–76 years) with laryngeal carcinoma and 10 healthy controls (4 males, 6 females; age range 40–69 years) with intraoral hyperplastic fibrous tissue. Homogenate SOD and GSH-Px activities were measured using commercially available kits. Results. GSH-Px levels were significantly increased in the cancerous tissues compared with cancer-free adjacent tissues and fibrous hyperplasia tissues (p<0.05), whereas there was no significant difference between SOD activities (p>0.05). There was also no significant difference between GSH-Px activity in cancer-free adjacent tissues and fibrous hyperplasia tissues (p>0.05).
Reduction of Cell Surface Glycosylphosphatidylinositol Conjugates in Entamoeba histolytica by Antisense Blocking of E. histolytica GlcNAc-Phosphatidylinositol Deacetylase Expression: Effect on Cell Proliferation, Endocytosis, and Adhesion to Target Cells

ABSTRACT Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored molecules such as cell surface Gal/GalNAc lectin and proteophosphoglycans of the protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica are thought to be involved in pathogenesis. Here, we report the identification of genes that may be involved in the GPI biosynthetic pathway of E. histolytica by use of bioinformatic tools applied to the recently published genome sequence. Of the genes identified, one of the early genes, GlcNAc-phosphatidylinositol deacetylase (PIG-L), was partially characterized. Cell lines deficient in E. histolytica PIG-L (EhPL-AS) or overproducing it (EhPL-S) were generated by expressing the gene in the antisense or sense orientation, respectively, in a tetracycline-inducible system. The overexpressing cells showed higher EhPIG-L activity and increased production of GlcN-PI. Conversely, cells expressing the antisense RNA displayed reduced GlcN-PI production. The total number of GPI-containing molecules was also reduced in these cells, as demonstrated by Alexa 488 fluorescently labeled proaerolysin labeling. The distribution of GPI-linked PPG and Gal/GalNAc lectin was altered in the tetracycline-induced EhPL-AS cell lines. Further, the antisense-blocked cells showed 36% suppression of cell growth, 50 to 60% inhibition of fluid phase endocytosis, and about 50% inhibition of adhesion to target cells. Therefore, our data suggest the importance of GPI anchors in regulating some of the events in amoebic pathogenesis. They also demonstrated the use of antisense RNA-mediated inhibition of GPI biosynthetic enzymes as an approach to decrease the amount of GPI conjugates in E. histolytica.
Multi-spectral and SAR images fusion via Mallat and À trous wavelet transform

The information which is contained in the multi-spectral and SAR images have different characteristic. Multi-spectral images contain a great deal of spectral information, whereas SAR images contain rich texture information, such as buildings and road network. SAR and TM images fusion based on the wavelet transform ensure the fusion image showing more spatial detail, not only conserving the spectral information of the multi-spectral images and reducing the distortions as well, but also highlighting the texture information of the SAR image. In this paper, the wavelet transform-based image fusion methods by using SAR and TM multi-spectral images are implemented by Mallat and à trous algorithms separately. Before the image fusion, both of the SAR and TM images have to be geographic coordinate registered in order to they having the same pixel size. In wavelet decomposition, the decomposition level is determined by statistical of entropy value. According to SAR and TM image fusion based on wavelet transform, it can be seen that the fusion image is greatly improved and both of spectral and textural information are enhanced. The value of entropy, variance, average gradient and correlation coefficients of the fusion image are analyzed for two different algorithms evaluation. By analyzing the results, It can be concluded that the image fusion by à trous wavelet transform has a good effect in experiment.
Influence of Elevated Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide on Transcriptional Responses of Bradyrhizobium japonicum in the Soybean Rhizoplane

Elevated atmospheric CO2 can influence the structure and function of rhizoplane and rhizosphere microorganisms by altering root growth and the quality and quantity of compounds released into the rhizoplane and rhizosphere via root exudation. In these studies we investigated the transcriptional responses of Bradyrhizobium japonicum cells growing in the rhizoplane of soybean plants exposed to elevated atmospheric CO2. The results of microarray analyses indicated that elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration indirectly influenced the expression of a large number of genes in Bradyrhizobium attached to soybean roots. In addition, relative to plants and bacteria grown under ambient CO2 growth conditions, genes involved in C1 metabolism, denitrification and FixK2-associated genes, including those involved in nitrogen fixation, microaerobic respiration, respiratory nitrite reductase, and heme biosynthesis, were significantly up-regulated under conditions of elevated CO2 in the rhizosphere. The expression profile of genes involved in lipochitooligosaccharide Nod factor biosynthesis and negative transcriptional regulators of nodulation genes, nolA and nodD2, were also influenced by plant growth under conditions of elevated CO2. Taken together, the results of these studies indicate that the growth of soybeans under conditions of elevated atmospheric CO2 influences gene expressions in B. japonicum in the soybean rhizoplane, resulting in changes to carbon/nitrogen metabolism, respiration, and nodulation efficiency.
12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate induction of the human collagenase gene is mediated by an inducible enhancer element located in the 5'-flanking region

Genomic clones coding for human fibroblast collagenase were isolated. By constructing and transfecting mutants with 5' and 3' deletion mutations of the 5' control region of the gene into human or murine cells, we delimited a 32-base-pair sequence at positions -73 to -42 which is required for the induction of transcription by the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate. The DNA element behaves as a 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate-inducible enhancer: it mediates the stimulation of transcription to the heterologous herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase promoter and acts in a position- and orientation-independent manner. Differences in enhancer efficiency in different cell lines are interpreted to indicate differences in the activity of a trans-acting factor.
Single-Center Trials Show Larger Treatment Effects Than Multicenter Trials: Evidence From a Meta-epidemiologic Study

BACKGROUND A recent study suggested that results of single-center trials are frequently contradicted when similar trials are performed in multicenter settings. PURPOSE To perform a meta-epidemiologic study to evaluate whether estimates of treatment effect differ between single-center and multicenter randomized, controlled trials (RCTs). DATA SOURCES MEDLINE was searched via PubMed for meta-analyses of RCTs with binary outcomes that were published between August 2008 and January 2009 and in the first 6 months of 2010 in the 10 leading journals of each medical specialty. One issue of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was also searched. STUDY SELECTION All individual RCTs included in the meta-analyses were selected. DATA EXTRACTION Data were extracted and their quality was assessed by use of the risk of bias tool of the Cochrane Collaboration. DATA SYNTHESIS The primary outcome was the ratio of odds ratios (ROR), used to quantify the difference in estimated intervention effect between single-center and multicenter RCTs. An ROR less than 1 would indicate larger estimates of the intervention effect in single-center trials. Sensitivity analyses were performed with adjustment for sample size, risk of bias within RCTs, and variance of the log odds ratio to take publication bias into account. Forty-eight meta-analyses were selected, including 421 RCTs (223 were single-center and 198 were multicenter). Single-center RCTs showed a larger intervention effect than did multicenter RCTs (combined ROR, 0.73 [95% CI, 0.64 to 0.83]), with low heterogeneity across individual meta-analyses (I(2) = 12.0%; P = 0.24). Adjustment for sample size yielded consistent results (ROR, 0.85 [CI, 0.74 to 0.97]), as did adjustment for risk of bias within RCTs, such as allocation concealment (ROR, 0.76 [CI, 0.67 to 0.86]), and variance of log odds ratio (ROR, 0.83 [CI, 0.72 to 0.96]). LIMITATION Despite sensitivity analyses, meta-confounding cannot be fully excluded. CONCLUSION Single-center RCTs showed larger treatment effects than did multicenter RCTs, a finding that was consistent in all sensitivity analyses. These results suggest that this item should be considered when the results of RCTs and meta-analyses are interpreted. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE Academic grant Recherche sur la Recherche from the Délégation Interrégionale à la Recherche Clinique (DIRC), Ile de France, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (APHP).
Defects in tRNA Anticodon Loop 2′‐O‐Methylation Are Implicated in Nonsyndromic X‐Linked Intellectual Disability due to Mutations in FTSJ1

tRNA modifications are crucial for efficient and accurate protein synthesis, and modification defects are frequently associated with disease. Yeast trm7Δ mutants grow poorly due to lack of 2′‐O‐methylated C32 (Cm32) and Gm34 on tRNAPhe, catalyzed by Trm7‐Trm732 and Trm7‐Trm734, respectively, which in turn results in loss of wybutosine at G37. Mutations in human FTSJ1, the likely TRM7 homolog, cause nonsyndromic X‐linked intellectual disability (NSXLID), but the role of FTSJ1 in tRNA modification is unknown. Here, we report that tRNAPhe from two genetically independent cell lines of NSXLID patients with loss‐of‐function FTSJ1 mutations nearly completely lacks Cm32 and Gm34, and has reduced peroxywybutosine (o2yW37). Additionally, tRNAPhe from an NSXLID patient with a novel FTSJ1‐p.A26P missense allele specifically lacks Gm34, but has normal levels of Cm32 and o2yW37. tRNAPhe from the corresponding Saccharomyces cerevisiae trm7‐A26P mutant also specifically lacks Gm34, and the reduced Gm34 is not due to weaker Trm734 binding. These results directly link defective 2’‐O‐methylation of the tRNA anticodon loop to FTSJ1 mutations, suggest that the modification defects cause NSXLID, and may implicate Gm34 of tRNAPhe as the critical modification. These results also underscore the widespread conservation of the circuitry for Trm7‐dependent anticodon loop modification of eukaryotic tRNAPhe.
Comparative analysis of death by suicide in Brazil and in the United States: descriptive, cross-sectional time series study

ABSTRACT CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: The World Health Organization recognizes suicide as a public health priority. Increased knowledge of suicide risk factors is needed in order to be able to adopt effective prevention strategies. The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the association between the Gini coefficient (which is used to measure inequality) and suicide death rates over a 14-year period (2000-2013) in Brazil and in the United States (US). The hypothesis put forward was that reduction of income inequality is accompanied by reduction of suicide rates. DESIGN AND SETTING: Descriptive cross-sectional time-series study in Brazil and in the US. METHODS: Population, death and suicide death data were extracted from the DATASUS database in Brazil and from the National Center for Health Statistics in the US. Gini coefficient data were obtained from the World Development Indicators. Time series analysis was performed on Brazilian and American official data regarding the number of deaths caused by suicide between 2000 and 2013 and the Gini coefficients of the two countries. The suicide trends were examined and compared. RESULTS: Brazil and the US present converging Gini coefficients, mainly due to reduction of inequality in Brazil over the last decade. However, suicide rates are not converging as hypothesized, but are in fact rising in both countries. CONCLUSION: The hypothesis that reduction of income inequality is accompanied by reduction of suicide rates was not verified.
Instantaneous frequency and detection of dynamics in speech

We show that instantaneous frequency (IF) can be used for automatic detection of speech dynamics. A very simple procedure for IF estimation is developed which spends much less computer resources in comparison with standard IF calculation methods. The input file is divided into frames, and IFs are calculated at points related to local maximums in frame. All inferences about presence of speech dynamics in the file are done on the base of distributions of IFs inside of the frames. Efficiency of considered technique is demonstrated by the problem of source separation.
Characterization of Paraquat Transport in Protoplasts from Maize (Zea mays L.) Suspension Cells

Protoplasts isolated from maize (Zea mays L.) suspension cells were used to study transport of paraquat. [14C]Paraquat uptake was measured in 400-[mu]L centrifuge tubes using silicon oil centrifugation techniques. Approximately 50% of accumulation from a 100 [mu]M paraquat solution occurred in the first 10 s, and net accumulation reached a maximum after about 10 min. Membrane binding accounted for about 30% of apparent accumulation. Concentration-dependent uptake kinetics were characterized by a non-saturating curve, which was resolved into a linear and a saturable component. The Km of the saturable component was 132 [mu]M, and the Vmax was 0.512 nmol [mu]L of protoplasts-1 min-1. In the absence of sucrose, the Vmax of the saturable component was reduced by 52%, suggesting that paraquat uptake across the plasmalemma is energy dependent. Measurement of concentration-dependent binding of paraquat to burst protoplasts showed a linear response. This suggests that the linear component from intact protoplast concentration kinetics represented paraquat binding to the plasmalemma surface. Calcium inhibited the saturable component, and this inhibition was shown by Lineweaver-Burk analysis to be noncompetitive. Putrescine, a divalent cationic polyamine with a charge distribution similar to that of paraquat, competitively inhibited paraquat uptake. These results show that paraquat transport characteristics at the plasmalemma of maize protoplasts are similar to those reported earlier for paraquat transport in roots of intact maize seedlings.
In vivo and in vitro hepatic 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy and electron microscopy of the cirrhotic liver.

In vivo 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) provides direct biochemical information on hepatic metabolic processes. To assess in vivo changes in hepatic 31P MRS in liver transplant candidates, we studied 31 patients with cirrhosis of varying aetiology; 14 with compensated cirrhosis (Pugh's score < or = 7) and 17 with decompensated cirrhosis (Pugh's score > or = 8). Underlying cellular abnormalities were characterised using in vitro 31P MRS and electron microscopy. In vitro spectra were obtained from liver extracts, freeze-clamped at recipient hepatectomy, from all subjects. Electron microscopy of liver tissue was also performed in 17 cases. Relative to nucleotide triphosphates, elevations in phosphomonoesters and reductions in phosphodiesters were observed in vivo with worsening liver function. In vitro spectra showed elevated phosphoethanolamine and phosphocholine, and reduced glycerophosphorylethanolamine and glycerophosphorylcholine, mirroring the in vivo changes, but no distinction was noted between compensated and decompensated cirrhosis. With electron microscopy, functional decompensation was associated with reduced endoplasmic reticulum in parenchymal liver disease, but elevated levels in biliary cirrhosis. We conclude that in vivo spectral abnormalities in cirrhosis are consistent with alterations in phospholipid metabolism and quantity of endoplasmic reticulum. However, in individual patients the biopsy results do not always mirror in vivo findings.
An Improved Construction Method of QC-LDPC Codes Based on the PEG Algorithm

Due to quasi-cyclic structure of parity-check matrices, Quasi-Cyclic Low-Density Parity-Check (QC-LDPC) codes reduce hardware requirements, and thus they have a higher practical value than random LDPC codes. This paper proposes an improved construction method of QC-LDPC based on PEG Algorithm, and the girth of the QC-LDPC codes has an increase of 2. Firstly, a base matrix is generated by the PEG algorithm, and then the base matrix is expanded using the unit circle permutation matrix, at the same time, the short loop of the base matrix is eliminated. This approach has the advantages of the PEG algorithm and the QC-LDPC codes, and simulation results show that bit error rate (BER) performance of the QC-LDPC codes presented in this paper is the same as or exceeds the one of randomly constructed LDPC codes.
Low rates of depressed mood and depression diagnoses in a clinic review of children and adolescents with autistic disorder.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of depression diagnoses and related clinical data in an outpatient sample of youth with autistic disorder. METHODS Records of 123 psychiatrically referred children and adolescents with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed., Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) diagnosis of autistic disorder were examined. Mood disorder diagnoses and chief complaints along with family mood disorder history were the primary variables analyzed. RESULTS Four subjects (3%) presented with depressed mood. Irritability complaints were frequent (n=78, 63%). Six subjects (5%) received a mood disorder diagnosis; all with mood disorder, not otherwise specified. No subjects received a depressive disorder diagnosis. Family history of mood disorders was common. CONCLUSIONS Findings raise questions about the appropriate characterization and potential misdiagnoses of depression in youth with autistic disorder.
Temperature Stress Causes Host Cell Detachment in Symbiotic Cnidarians: Implications for Coral Bleaching.

During the past decade, acute and chronic bleaching of tropical reef corals has occurred with increasing frequency and scale. Bleaching, i.e., the loss of pigment and the decrease in population density of symbiotic dinoflagellates (zooxanthellae), is often correlated with an increase or decrease in sea surface temperature. Because little is known of the cellular events concomitant with thermal bleaching, we have investigated the mechanism of release of zooxanthellae by the tropical sea anemone Aiptasia pulchella and the reef coral Pocillopora damicornis in response to cold and heat stress. Both species released intact host endoderm cells containing zooxanthellae. The majority of the released host cells were viable, but they soon disintegrated in the seawater leaving behind isolated zooxanthellae. The detachment and release of intact host cells suggests that thermal stress causes host cell adhesion dysfunction in these cnidarians. Knowledge of the cellular entity released by the host during bleaching provides insight into both the underlying release mechanism and the way in which natural environmental stresses evoke a bleaching response.
Potent Inhibition of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Replication by Template Analog Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors Derived by SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment)

ABSTRACT RNA aptamers derived by SELEX (systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment) and specific for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase (RT) bind at the template-primer cleft with high affinity and inhibit its activity. In order to determine the potential of such template analog RT inhibitors (TRTIs) to inhibit HIV-1 replication, 10 aptamers were expressed with flanking, self-cleaving ribozymes to generate aptamer RNA transcripts with minimal flanking sequences. From these, six aptamers (70.8,13, 70.15, 80.55,65, 70.28, 70.28t34, and 1.1) were selected based on binding constants (K d ) and the degree of inhibition of RT in vitro (50% inhibitory concentration [IC50]). These six aptamers were each stably expressed in 293T cells followed by transfection of a molecular clone of HIVR3B. Analysis of the virion particles revealed that the aptamers were encapsidated into the virions released and that the packaging of the viral genomic RNA or the cognate primer, tRNA3Lys, was apparently unaffected. Infectivity of virions produced from 293T cell lines expressing the aptamers, as measured by infecting LuSIV reporter cells, was reduced by 90 to 99.5% compared to virions released from cells not expressing any aptamers. PCR analysis of newly made viral DNA upon infection with virions containing any of the three aptamers with the strongest binding affinities (70.8,13, 70.15, and 80.55,65) showed that all three were able to form the minus-strand strong-stop DNA. However, virions with the aptamers 70.8 and 70.15 were defective for first-strand transfer, suggesting an early block in viral reverse transcription. Jurkat T cells expressing each of the three aptamers, when infected with HIVR3B, completely blocked the spread of HIV in culture. We found that the replication of nucleoside analog RT inhibitor-, nonnucleoside analog RT inhibitor-, and protease inhibitor-resistant viruses was strongly suppressed by the three aptamers. In addition, some of the HIV subtypes were severely inhibited (subtypes A, B, D, E, and F), while others were either moderately inhibited (subtypes C and O) or were naturally resistant to inhibition (chimeric A/D subtype). As virion-encapsidated TRTIs can predispose virions for inhibition immediately upon entry, they should prove to be efficacious agents in gene therapy approaches for AIDS.
Matrix metalloproteinase-3 serum levels are correlated with disease activity and predict clinical response in rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE To demonstrate that serum matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) is a variable associated with disease activity and with the response to treatment in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS Serum MMP-3 levels were measured and compared to biological and clinical disease activity variables in 20 patients with active RA assessed serially during a one year prospective open label trial with methotrexate or tenidap. RESULTS MMP-3 levels were significantly correlated with C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin 6 serum levels as well as with the disease activity score (DAS), not only at start in untreated patients but also during the 12 month followup period in both treated groups. Early changes (after 0.5, 1, 2, or 3 months) in MMP-3 levels were significantly associated with change in DAS observed 4 to 6 months later. CONCLUSION In addition to CRP, a systemic marker of inflammation, serum MMP-3 may serve as a consistent synovial derived marker of RA disease activity, early changes of which predict disease outcome.