Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Estudio exploratorio de las propiedades psicométricas de la Escala de Personalidad Creadora (EPC) en su versión Heteroevaluación

The purpose of this study was to explore Garaigordobil’s (2004) Escala de Personalidad Creadora [Creative Personality Scale] hetero-evaluation version in our environment. The sample was made up of 160 parents, with children ages 9-12, pre-selected in the province of Entre Rios (Argentina). We analyzed the items’ discriminative power and internal consistency through Cronbach’s alpha. The Kaiser-Meyerand Olkin (KMO) values, as well as Bartlett’s Sphericity Test allowed us to factorize the scale. The structure of the instrument was studied through principal components Factor Analysis with oblique rotation. The scale had satisfactory internal consistency and all the items had discriminative validity. On the other hand, when comparing the factorial structure of the self-evaluation version presented by the author, in the hetero-evaluation version from this study, we found that there were five factors. However, the factors were not the same as the original ones mentioned by the author; instead they were redistributed in new categories.
The Grief of Persephone

Some time ago I sought to give an account of a famous fragment of Pindar which till then had lacked any commentary that satisfied me. My results have been criticized in the most friendly and courteous manner by Professor Ivan Linforth in the course of a work which no one interested in Orphic literature can afford to neglect. It seems worth while to ask how much of my conclusion is still valid if it be taken for granted that his results will in their turn stand the careful examination deserved by all good research into complicated problems.
Metabolism of lactate isomers by rumen mucosa.

Abstract Sheets of rumen epithelium from several ruminant species were incubated with L-lactate or D-lactate as the only added substrate offered over a wide concentration range. With increasing concentrations of L-lactate, increasing amounts of carbon dioxide were produced, usually more acetoacetate was synthesized, and more oxygen was taken up by the tissue. With increasing concentrations of D-lactate as a substrate, carbon dioxide production was increased, but formation of ketone bodies and oxygen uptake showed no direct relationship with the substrate level. The rate of carbon dioxide formation from D-lactate was generally lower than that from the L-isomer.
Biotransformation Strategy To Reduce Allergens in Propolis

ABSTRACT Propolis (bee glue) is a resinous, sticky, dark-colored material produced by honeybees. Propolis today, due to its medicinal properties, is increasingly popular and is extensively used in food, beverages, and cosmetic products. Besides its numerous positive properties, propolis may also have adverse effects, such as, principally, allergic eczematous contact dermatitis in apiarists and in consumers with an allergic predisposition. In this study, we found appropriate conditions for removing caffeate esters, which are the main allergenic components, from raw propolis. The proposed method consists of the resuspension of propolis in a food grade solvent, followed by a biotransformation based on the cinnamoyl esterase activity of Lactobacillus helveticus. We showed that the reduction of caffeate esters by L. helveticus did not affect the content of flavonoids, which are the main bioactive molecules of propolis. Furthermore, we verified that the biotransformation of propolis did not cause a loss of antimicrobial activity. Finally, we demonstrated that the ability of L. helveticus to hydrolyze caffeate esters in propolis is strain specific. In conclusion, the proposed strategy is simple, employs food grade materials, and is effective in selectively removing allergenic molecules without affecting the bioactive fraction of propolis. This is the first study demonstrating that the allergenic caffeate esters of propolis can be eliminated by means of a bacterial biotransformation procedure.
Long-Lasting Persistence of Zika Virus in Semen.

TO THE EDITOR—We recently reported a case of male-to-female sexual transmission of Zika virus (ZIKV) [1]. The index case returned from Brazil where he experienced fever, asthenia, myalgia, chills, and a cutaneous rash from 7 February 2016 to his arrival in France on 10 February 2016. ZIKV RNAwas evidenced by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in urine samples obtained 16 and 24 days after the onset of symptoms with a viral count of 4 × 10 and 2.1 × 10 copies/mL, respectively. Semen samples obtained on day 18 and on day 24 tested positive for ZIKV RNA by RT-PCR with a high viral load of 2.9 × 10 and 3.5 × 10 copies/mL, respectively. ZIKV was isolated by means of culture from these 2 semen samples. We report the further follow-up of ZIKV RNA in urine and semen in this patient. Urine and semen samples obtained on 27 April 2016 (day 80) tested positive with a viral count of 2.4 × 10 and 1.2 × 10 copies/mL, respectively. ZIKV could not be isolated by means of culture from this semen sample. Urine and semen samples collected on 10 May 2016 (day 93) tested negative. The presence of ZIKV RNA has been reported in semen up to 62 days after the onset of illness, but infectious virus was not cultured [2]. A delayed sexual transmission, probably between 32 and 41 days after the onset of ZIKV symptoms, has also been described [3]. Our report shows that ZIKV excretion in semen can last at least 80 days after onset of symptoms, known to occur 2– 12 days after exposure. This is currently the maximum documented time of ZIKV detection in semen. The current World Health Organization [4] and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [5] guidelines for prevention of sexual transmission from men to women of childbearing age recommend that, to avoid the risk of fetal damage in case of procreation, individuals consider using condoms or abstaining from sex for at least 8 weeks after return from area where active ZIKV is occurring. This recommendation is extended to 6 months for men who had confirmed ZIKV infection or clinical illness consistent with ZIKV disease. The 6-month interval was chosen as it allowed 3 times the longest documented period that ZIKV RNA has been detected in semen after symptom onset (ie, 62 days) [4, 5]. This probably needs to be further justified. However, applying the same methodology, an interval of at least 8 months should be now considered for condom use or abstinence. Case series and/or clinical cohorts are needed to better define the duration period for prevention of ZIKV sexual transmission.
Probing for pH-Regulated Proteins in Sinorhizobium medicae Using Proteomic Analysis

To elucidate the mechanisms of pH response in an acid-tolerant Sinorhizobium medicae strain we have identified acid-activated gene transcription and now complement this approach by using a proteomic analysis to identify the changes that occur following exposure to acidity. Protein profiles of persistently or transiently acid-stressed S. medicae cells were compared to those grown in pH neutral, buffered media. Fifty pH-regulated proteins were identified; N-terminal sequences for 15 of these were obtained using the Edman degradation. Transient acid exposure downregulated GlnA and GlnK and upregulated a hypothetical protein. Continuing acid exposure downregulated ClpP, an ABC transporter, a hypothetical protein, a lipoprotein, the Trp-like repressor WrbA1 and upregulated DegP, fructose bisphosphate aldolase, GroES, malate dehydrogenase and two hypothetical proteins. These findings implicate proteolytic, chaperone and transport processes as key components of pH response in S. medicae.
Disease activity in ankylosing spondylitis: the global therapeutic target

Spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a multifaceted disease with frequent predominant axial involvement.1 Typical sacroiliac radiographic changes allow to classify the patients as ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Imaging is able to classify patients as AS or non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and illustrate and recognise the several steps from inflammation to structural damage, particularly in sacroiliac joints and spine. For decades, these radiographic findings have been the cornerstone for the classification and diagnosis of the disease.1 Contrary to other chronic rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, radiographic progression over time is only of limited interest as an outcome measure of the disease in the follow-up of patients with AS in current practice. In fact, radiographic progression is slow and does not even occur in all patients, has a low sensitivity to change over time and is associated with unidirectional evolution without regression. The tool used in current research to quantify the structural damage of the spine in AS is the modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spinal Score (mSASSS), which gives higher scores for ossification and bridging of the vertebrae (which may represent a repair mechanism) than for erosive (‘inflammatory’) changes. Advanced structural changes are associated with functional and spinal mobility impairment.2 During the last decade, the use of anti-TNF agents has represented a major breakthrough in the treatment of patients with AS …
KNOX2 Genes Regulate the Haploid-to-Diploid Morphological Transition in Land Plants

A Mossy Veil Land plants have two distinct generations: a haploid gametophyte responsible for producing the gametes, and a diploid sporophyte, that in most land plants is the dominant form observed. However, in mosses, a basal land plant, the primary biomass is composed of the haploid gametophyte. Sakakibara et al. (p. 1067; see the Perspective by Friedman) analyzed loss-of-function mutants of KNOX2 (class 2 KNOTTED1-LIKE HOMEOBOX) genes in the moss Physcomitrella patens. Mutant plants exhibit apospory, where fertilization apparently occurs, but the normal sporophyte phase is bypassed and instead a diploid structure resembling a haploid gametophyte is produced. The results suggest that KNOX2 regulates the alternation of generations by suppressing the haploid body plan in the diploid phase. A transcription factor enables land plants to alternate between haploid and diploid status in successive generations. [Also see Perspective by Friedman] Unlike animals, land plants undergo an alternation of generations, producing multicellular bodies in both haploid (1n: gametophyte) and diploid (2n: sporophyte) generations. Plant body plans in each generation are regulated by distinct developmental programs initiated at either meiosis or fertilization, respectively. In mosses, the haploid gametophyte generation is dominant, whereas in vascular plants—including ferns, gymnosperms, and angiosperms—the diploid sporophyte generation is dominant. Deletion of the class 2 KNOTTED1-LIKE HOMEOBOX (KNOX2) transcription factors in the moss Physcomitrella patens results in the development of gametophyte bodies from diploid embryos without meiosis. Thus, KNOX2 acts to prevent the haploid-specific body plan from developing in the diploid plant body, indicating a critical role for the evolution of KNOX2 in establishing an alternation of generations in land plants.
Development and validation of a semiautomatic image analysis system for measuring skin desquamation with D‐Squames®

Background D‐Squames®, have gained wide acceptance for assessing skin desquamation. The amount of corneocytes adhering to D‐Squames® can be assessed visually by trained observers or by computerized image analysis. Different image analysis algorythms for the evaluation of D‐Squames® have been published but have not been compared with each other. It was our aim to develop an image analysis system that does not require an expensive image analysis programming tool but should be optimized for routine tasks of analysing large numbers of samples. A second objective of this study was to compare two published image analysis algorythms and visual grading.
The morphology of the filaroid nematode Setaria tundra, the cause of peritonitis in reindeer Rangifer tarandus

Abstract In Finland during 2003–2005, large numbers of nematodes, tentatively identified as Setaria sp. , were observed in the peritoneal cavity of reindeer Rangifer tarandus during a peritonitis outbreak associated with poor body condition. The morphology of worms recovered from slaughtered reindeer is described based on light and scanning electron microscopy. Worms were confirmed as belonging to the superfamily Filarioidea by the presence of microfilariae-producing females and the size and the shape of the male spicules. Further classification to the genus Setaria was based on the location of worms in the peritoneal cavity and the morphology of spicules and the peribuccal crown. The present measurements correlate with those in the description of Setaria tundra by Rajewsky (1929) and only minor differences were present compared with descriptions of key parts of identification of S. yehi from the American white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus and mule deer O. hemionus. Current morphological findings support our earlier studies employing a polymerase chain reaction and confirm the occurrence S. tundra in reindeer in Finland.
Adéquation entre la production d'effluents d'élevage et leur utilisation potentielle pour fertiliser les cultures et les étangs aquacoles dans un district du nord Vietnam : study carried out on Vu Thu district, Thai Binh province, Red River delta

Cette etude vise a quantifier l'adequation entre la production d'effluents d'elevage et les potentialites d'utilisation des ces effluents dans les 31 communes d'un district de la province de Thai Binh. Nous developpons une approche basee sur des recommandations locales en fertilisation organique, et une seconde integrant les principes de la fertilisation raisonnee. Deux scenarios futurs sont envisages. Une methode de calcul de soldes est construite; elle represente un veritable outil utilisable pour les autres districts de la province de Thai Binh. Plusieurs contraintes qui peuvent nuire au developpement des filieres animales - de la filiere porc en particulier - sont decrites. Les communes les plus «a risque» sont identifiees. Nous montrons la necessite d'une concertation autour du theme de la gestion des effluents d'elevage dans les annees a venir. Plusieurs perspectives s'offrent a ce travail, en particulier (1) la necessaire validation des parametres utilises et (2) la mise en place d'experimentations concernant la fertilisation raisonnee des cultures. (Resume d'auteur)
Rapid Depletion of Budding Yeast Proteins via the Fusion of an Auxin‐Inducible Degron (AID)

The auxin‐inducible degron (AID) system allows the rapid and reversible proteolysis of proteins of interest, and enables the generation of conditional mutants of budding yeast. The construction of budding yeast AID mutants is simple, and the effect of depletion of essential proteins on proliferation can be confirmed by analyzing their phenotype. In this protocol, we describe a procedure to generate AID mutants of budding yeast via a simple transformation using PCR‐amplified DNA. We also describe methods to confirm the depletion of proteins of interest that are required for proliferation by serial‐dilution and liquid‐culture assays. Curr. Protoc. Cell Biol. 64:20.9. 1‐20.9. 16. © 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Correlation of near infrared spectroscopy measurements with the surface roughness of wood

The surface roughness of Chinese fir and Eucalyptus wood samples were measured using the stylus profile method in order to investigate the correlation between near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and surface roughness. The results showed that the NIR spectra absorption showed differences among samples from different surface roughnesses, and the absorption decreased with the increase of the surface roughness. A strong relationship was found between the surface roughness parameters, i.e., the arithmetical mean deviation of the profile (Ra), the ten-point height of irregularities (Rz), and the maximum height of profile (Ry). Based on the NIR spectra of the Chinese fir wood samples and the mixed wood samples of the two wood species, and the correlation coefficients of these two types of wood samples in a calibration set were 0.77 to 0.83 and 0.67 to 0.74, respectively. A relatively poor correlation was found in the model based on the Eucalyptus samples; however, it was still significant. These results suggested that there was relative information about the surface roughness from the NIR spectra, which further illustrated that the surface roughness may influence the effect of models for wood properties built by NIR data.
Role of glucose in spatial distribution of auxin regulated genes

Plants have the ability to adjust its physiology and metabolism to the changes of nutrient availability in the environment. Since a number of common responses are regulated by sugar and auxin, the obvious question arises is whether sugar and auxin act interdependently to bring about changes in plant morphology. In the February issue of the PloS ONE,1 we presented detailed investigation of glucose and auxin signaling interaction in controlling root growth and development in Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings. Further analysis of tissue specific regulation of glucose auxin signaling interaction may provide some insight as to how these two signaling molecules interact to control the morphogenic changes during seedling development.
Localization of Caspr2 in Myelinated Nerves Depends on Axon–Glia Interactions and the Generation of Barriers along the Axon

Cell recognition proteins of the contactin-associated protein (Caspr) family demarcate distinct domains along myelinated axons. Caspr is present at the paranodal junction formed between the axon and myelinating glial cells, whereas Caspr2 is localized and associates with K+ channels at the adjacent juxtaparanodal region. Here we investigated the distribution of Caspr2 during development of peripheral nerves of normal and galactolipids-deficient [ceramide galactosyl transferase (CGT)−/−] mice. This mutant exhibits paranodal abnormalities, lacking all putative adhesion components of this junction, including Caspr, contactin, and neurofascin 155. In sciatic nerves of this mutant, Caspr2 was not found at the juxtaparanodal region but was concentrated instead at the paranodes with Kv1.2. Similar distribution of Caspr2 was found in the PNS of contactin knock-out mice, which also lack Caspr in their paranodes. During development of wild-type peripheral nerves, Caspr2 and Kv1.2 were initially detected at the paranodes before relocating to the adjacent juxtaparanodal region. This transition was not observed in CGT mice, where Caspr2 and Kv1.2 remained paranodal. Double labeling for Caspr and Caspr2 demonstrated that these two related proteins occupied mutually excluding domains along the axon and revealed the presence of both paranodal and internodal barrier-like structures that are delineated by Caspr. Finally, we found that the disruption of axon–glia contact in CGT−/− nerves also affects the localization of the cytoskeleton-associated protein 4.1B along the axon. Altogether, our results reveal a sequential appearance of members of the Caspr family at different domains along myelinated axons and suggest that the localization of Caspr2 may be controlled by the generation of Caspr-containing barriers along the axon.
Mixed bacterial toxins in the treatment of tumors. II. Gross and microscopic changes produced in sarcoma 37 and in mouse tissues.

Summary 1.Mixed bacterial toxins of Serratia marcescens and Streptococcus pyogenes produced necrosis in Sarcoma 37 when given intraperitoneally to Swiss mice bearing the tumor subcutaneously. 2.The toxins acting on Sarcoma 37 produced changes which included edema of cells, pyknosis of nuclei, shrinkage of cells, and cellular disintegration, with resulting hemorrhage and eventual sloughing of the tumor followed by healing and scar formation. 3.The mixed bacterial toxins also caused a general reaction which was much more severe in tumor-bearing mice. The morphologic evidence of this general reaction was relatively nonspecific and consisted of pulmonary and splenic trapping of leukocytes, together with a great increase in the numbers of disintegrating cells in the lymphoid tissues. 4.Consideration is given to possible mechanisms involved in the tumor-necrotizing action of bacterial products, and some speculations are made.
Posttraumatic Malalignment of the Humeral Shaft: Challenging the Existing Paradigm

Objective: To investigate the impact of posttraumatic humeral shaft malalignment on the ability to position the hand in space. Methods: Two unique models were created: a cadaveric model and a computerized 3-dimensional (3D) model. In the cadaveric model, a midshaft transverse osteotomy of the humerus was created to simulate fracture. The osteotomy was fixed in varying degrees of coronal and sagittal malalignment. The hand's ability to reach 6 different bony landmarks was assessed as a surrogate measure of function. Subsequently, a healthy male volunteer underwent full-body magnetic resonance imaging with subsequent 3D skeletal recreation. A “virtual” midshaft transverse osteotomy was created. The osteotomy was angulated in various degrees of coronal and sagittal malalignment, and the hand's ability to reach the same 6 bony landmarks was measured. Results: In the cadaveric model, varus angulation was better tolerated than valgus and sagittal deformity. Varus deformity less than 25 degree did not have a negative influence. Valgus angulation of 20 degree resulted in a more severe deficit. Estimated function of the upper extremity was most sensitive to sagittal deformity. These trends were confirmed in the 3D model. Conclusions: The direction and magnitude of posttraumatic humeral shaft malalignment independently affect the ability to position the hand in space, a surrogate measure of function. Upper extremity function may be more sensitive to posttraumatic humeral shaft malalignment than previously reported. Clinical studies investigating the impact of humeral shaft malalignment on the functional use of the upper extremity are warranted to clinically confirm these findings. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Gellan lyases--novel polysaccharide lyases.

A number of bacterial strains capable of degrading the bacterial exopolysaccharide gellan have been isolated by standard enrichment procedures. They include several pink-pigmented Gram-negative rod-shaped bacteria. A red-pigmented Gram-positive bacillus earlier found to degrade the exopolysaccharide xanthan from Xanthomonas campestris also showed slight gellanase activity. All the Gram-negative bacteria are non-fermentative, motile and amylase-producing. The gellan degradation in each case is due to eliminase-type enzymes (lyases) which appear to be extracellular enzymes cleaving the sequence. beta-D-glucosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D-glucuronosyl. in the tetrasaccharide repeat unit of the substrate polysaccharides. Although in some isolates these enzymes appear to be exo-acting, it appears from the loss in viscosity of the alternative substrate deacetylated rhamsan that they are predominantly endoenzymes. The enzyme activity is inducible: it is almost absent from glucose-grown cells. Associated with the 'gellanase' activity, all the Gram-negative bacterial isolates possess intracellular alpha-L-rhamnosidase and beta-D-glucosidase activities apparently located in the periplasm. The enzymes are highly specific and fail to cause significant degradation of most of the other bacterial exopolysaccharides which have been shown to be structurally related to gellan. As well as acting on gellan, they exert similar degradative activity against the chemically deacylated form of polysaccharide S194 (rhamsan gum), which is effectively a gentiobiosylated form of gellan. The enzymes only have relatively slight activity against the natural, acylated gellan-like polysaccharides from the bacteria now designated as strains of Sphingomonas paucimobilis.