Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Astroglial potassium clearance contributes to short‐term plasticity of synaptically evoked currents at the tripartite synapse

• Astrocytes, active players in neurotransmission, display complex membrane ionic responses upon neuronal activity. • However, the nature, plasticity and role of the activity‐dependent astroglial currents on synaptic plasticity remain unclear in the hippocampus. • We here demonstrate, using simultaneous electrophysiological recordings of hippocampal neurons and astrocytes, that the complex astroglial current induced synaptically is dominated (80%) by potassium entry through Kir4.1 channels and also includes, in addition to the glutamate transporter current, a small residual current, partially mediated by GABA transporters and Kir4.1‐independent potassium channels. • These synaptically evoked astroglial currents exhibit differential short‐term plasticity patterns, and astroglial potassium uptake mediated by Kir4.1 channels down‐regulates hippocampal short‐term plasticity. • This study establishes astrocytes as integrators of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic activity, which may, through dynamic potassium handling, define the signal‐to‐noise ratio essential for specific strengthening of synaptic contacts and synchronization of neuronal ensembles, a prerequisite for learning and memory.
Anti-DFS70 antibodies in 597 healthy hospital workers.

OBJECTIVE Autoantibodies against DFS70 (dense fine speckles 70) antigen (also known as lens epithelium-derived growth factor) have been recently identified among the antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) in patients with atopic disorders. We undertook this study to examine the frequency of anti-DFS70 antibodies in a large number of healthy people. METHODS Sera of 597 healthy individuals working in a hospital (142 men, 455 women) were analyzed for ANAs and for anti-DFS70 antibodies by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) with HEp-2 cells as a substrate and by immunoblotting using DFS70 recombinant protein and whole HeLa cell extract. RESULTS ANAs were present in 20% of all individuals by IIF. Nine percent of subjects were ANA positive at a serum dilution of 1:40, 4.0% at 1:80, 5.5% at 1:160, 1.0% at 1:320, and 0.3% at 1:640. There were 64 anti-DFS70 antibody-positive individuals. Surprisingly, this was 11% of the whole population and 54% of the ANA-positive population. The percentage of female anti-DFS70 antibody-positive subjects (86%; 55 of 64 subjects) was higher than the percentage of female anti-DFS70 antibody-negative subjects (75%; 398 of 533 subjects) (P < 0.05). The prevalence of anti-DFS70 antibody-positive sera decreased with increasing age (P = 0.0017). CONCLUSION Considering that anti-DFS70 antibody positivity is rare in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases, introducing the anti-DFS70 antibody examination as a screening test for ANA-positive persons could be used to rule out systemic autoimmune diseases, resulting in considerable cost-saving potential. In addition, this test defines a subpopulation of healthy people in whom long-term followup might reveal health-related implications of this finding, since anti-DFS70 antibodies have been shown to be associated with some illnesses.
Comparative structural analysis of glycoprotein gD of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2

We studied the synthesis and processing of the type-common glycoprotein gD in herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) and compared it structurally to glycoprotein gD of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). We demonstrated that in HSV-2, gD undergoes posttranslational processing from a lower-molecular-weight precursor (pgD51) to a higher-molecular-weight product (gD56). Tryptic peptide analysis by cation-exchange chromatography indicated that this processing step altered neither the methionine nor the arginine tryptic peptide profile of gD of HSV-2. Comparative tryptic peptide analysis of gD of HSV-1 and HSV-2 showed that the methionine and arginine tryptic peptide profiles of these two proteins were very similar, but not identical. Some of the resolved peptides coeluted from the cation-exchange column, suggesting that some amino acid sequences of the two proteins might be very similar. However, each protein also appeared to possess several type-specific tryptic peptides. The structural similarity of these two glycoproteins correlates well with their antigenic cross-reactivity since monoprecipitin antibody to gD of HSV-1 also immunoprecipitates gD of HSV-2 and neutralizes the infectivity of both viruses to approximately the same extent.
Discovering and using entity mappings in federated databases

In the context of a federated database containing similar information in local component databases, we consider the problem of discovering the different local representations which database designers might use to map the same entity. An extension of the normal SQL system catalog to hold additional domain metadata is discussed. This enables common local mappings to be discovered and allows SQL retrieval queries expressed in terms of the logical federated schema to be transformed to match the appropriate local database schema. The result is a practical means of coping with differing mappings in federated databases without having to resort to special higher order languages or a layer of information mediation middleware. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Self-esteem and Risk Behaviors of Dominican Adolescents

During the transition from childhood to adulthood, adolescents establish patterns of behavior and make lifestyle choices that affect both their current and future health. Adolescence is a time of rapid developmental change and engagement in risk-taking behaviors. Research has supported the notion that adolescent risk behaviors are functional, purposive, instrumental, and goal directed (Le Breton, 2004). The major causes of morbidity and mortality for adolescents are not diseases but preventable behaviors. For example, the major causes of death in individuals between the ages of 1019 are accidents (especially traffic accidents), suicide, and violence (World Health Organization [WHO], 2008); and adolescent health problems (morbidity and mortality) are related to sexual and reproductive health behaviors and use of alcohol, tobacco, and other illegal substances (WHO, 2008). Risk behaviors also have psychological and social outcomes, in that they may interfere with the accomplishment of normal developmental tasks and fulfillment of expected social roles (Jessor, 1991). Because of this, there is increasing interest among health
Wigner-Ville spectral analysis of nonstationary processes

The Wigner-Ville spectrum has been recently introduced as the unique generalized spectrum for time-varying spectral analysis. Its properties are revised with emphasis on its central role in the analysis of second-order properties of nonstationary random signals. We propose here a general class of spectral estimators of the Wigner-Ville spectrum: this class is based on arbitrarily weighted covariance estimators and its formal description corresponds to the general class of conjoint time-frequency representations of deterministic signals with finite energy. Classical estimators like short-time periodograms and the recently introduced pseudo-Wigner estimators are shown to be special cases of the general class. The generalized framework allows the calculation of the moments of general spectral estimators and comparing the results emphasizes the versatility of the new pseudo-Wigner estimators. The effective numerical implementation, by an N-point FFT, of pseudo-Wigner estimators of 2N points is indicated and various examples are given.
An Exercise Intervention During Chemotherapy for Women With Recurrent Ovarian Cancer: A Feasibility Study

Objective The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of a combined supervised and home-based exercise intervention during chemotherapy for women with recurrent ovarian cancer. Secondary aims were to determine the impact of physical activity on physical and psychological outcomes and on chemotherapy completion rates. Methods Women with recurrent ovarian cancer were recruited from 3 oncology outpatient clinics in Sydney and Canberra, Australia. All participants received an individualized exercise program that consisted of 90 minutes or more of low to moderate aerobic, resistance, core stability, and balance exercise per week, for 12 weeks. Feasibility was determined by recruitment rate, retention rate, intervention adherence, and adverse events. Aerobic capacity, muscular strength, fatigue, sleep quality, quality of life, depression, and chemotherapy completion rates were assessed at weeks 0, 12, and 24. Results Thirty participants were recruited (recruitment rate, 63%), with a retention rate of 70%. Participants averaged 196 ± 138 min · wk of low to moderate physical activity throughout the intervention, with adherence to the program at 81%. There were no adverse events resulting from the exercise intervention. Participants who completed the study displayed significant improvements in quality of life (P = 0.017), fatigue (P = 0.004), mental health (P = 0.007), muscular strength (P = 0.001), and balance (P = 0.003) after the intervention. Participants completing the intervention had a higher relative dose intensity than noncompleters (P = 0.03). Conclusions A program consisting of low to moderate exercise of 90 min · wk was achieved by two-thirds of women with recurrent ovarian cancer in this study, with no adverse events reported. Randomized control studies are required to confirm the benefits of exercise reported in this study.
A novel locality sensitive k-means clustering algorithm based on subtractive clustering

A locality sensitive k-means clustering approach has been presented recently. This approach can increase clustering accuracies. However, it is affected by the initial centers and often attain the unstable clustering results. In this paper, a novel locality sensitive k-means clustering algorithm based on subtractive clustering is proposed. The initial centers are produced by subtractive clustering rather than the random way. Some experiments are done on several datasets to investigate the effectiveness of this new method. Experimental results show that our proposed method can improve the clustering performance compared to the traditional k-means, the subtractive clustering and the previous locality sensitive k-means.
Ellagic acid plays a protective role against UV-B-induced oxidative stress by up-regulating antioxidant components in human dermal fibroblasts

Ellagic acid (EA), an antioxidant polyphenolic constituent of plant origin, has been reported to possess diverse pharmacological properties, including anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and immunomodulatory activities. This work aimed to clarify the skin anti-photoaging properties of EA in human dermal fibroblasts. The skin anti-photoaging activity was evaluated by analyzing the reactive oxygen species (ROS), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), total glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity levels as well as cell viability in dermal fibroblasts under UV-B irradiation. When fibroblasts were exposed to EA prior to UV-B irradiation, EA suppressed UV-B-induced ROS and proMMP-2 elevation. However, EA restored total GSH and SOD activity levels diminished in fibroblasts under UV-B irradiation. EA had an up-regulating activity on the UV-B-reduced Nrf2 levels in fibroblasts. EA, at the concentrations used, was unable to interfere with cell viabilities in both non-irradiated and irradiated fibroblasts. In human dermal fibroblasts, EA plays a defensive role against UV-B-induced oxidative stress possibly through an Nrf2-dependent pathway, indicating that this compound has potential skin antiphotoaging properties.
Toxic effects of colloidal nanosilver in zebrafish embryos

A variety of consumer products containing silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) are currently marketed. However, their safety for humans and for the environment has not yet been established and no standard method to assess their toxicity is currently available. The objective of this work was to develop an effective method to test Ag NP toxicity and to evaluate the effects of ion release and Ag NP size on a vertebrate model. To this aim, the zebrafish animal model was exposed to a solution of commercial nanosilver. While the exposure of embryos still surrounded by the chorion did not allow a definite estimation of the toxic effects exerted by the compound, the exposure for 48 h of 3‐day‐old zebrafish hatched embryos afforded a reliable evaluation of the effects of Ag NPs. The effects of the exposure were detected especially at molecular level; in fact, some selected genes expressed differentially after the exposure. The Ag NP toxic performance was due to the combined effect of Ag+ ion release and Ag NP size. However, the effect of NP size was particularly detectable at the lowest concentration of nanosilver tested (0.01 mg l–1) and depended on the solubilization media. The results obtained indicate that in vivo toxicity studies of nanosilver should be performed with ad hoc methods (in this case using hatched embryos) that might be different depending on the type of nanosilver. Moreover, the addition of this compound to commercial products should take into consideration the Ag NP solubilization media. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Multiple organ carcinogenicity of inhaled chloroprene (2-chloro-1,3-butadiene) in F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice and comparison of dose-response with 1,3-butadiene in mice.

Chloroprene (2-chloro-1,3-butadiene) is a high production chemical used almost exclusively in the production of polychloroprene (neoprene) elastomer. Because of its structural similarity to 1,3-butadiene, a trans-species carcinogen, inhalation studies were performed with chloroprene to evaluate its carcinogenic potential in rats and mice. Groups of 50 male and female F344/N rats and 50 male and female B6C3F1 mice were exposed to 0, 12.8, 32 or 80 p.p.m. chloroprene (6 h/day, 5 days/week) for 2 years. Under these conditions, chloroprene was carcinogenic to the oral cavity, thyroid gland, lung, kidney and mammary gland of rats, and to the lung, circulatory system (hemangiomas and hemangiosarcomas), Harderian gland, kidney, forestomach, liver, mammary gland, skin, mesentery and Zymbal's gland of mice. Survival adjusted tumor rates in mice were fit to a Weibull model for estimation of the shape of the dose-response curves, estimation of ED10 values (the estimated exposure concentration associated with an increased cancer risk of 10%) and comparison of these parameters with those for 1,3-butadiene. Butadiene has been identified as a potent carcinogen in mice and has been associated with increased risk of lymphatic and hematopoietic cancer in exposed workers. Shape parameter values for most of the neoplastic effects of chloroprene and 1,3-butadiene were consistent with linear or supralinear responses in the area near the lowest tested exposures. The most potent carcinogenic effect of 1,3-butadiene was the induction of lung neoplasms in female mice, which had an ED10 value of 0.3 p.p.m. Since the ED10 value for that same response in chloroprene exposed mice was also 0.3 p.p.m. , we conclude that the carcinogenic potency of chloroprene in mice is similar to that of 1,3-butadiene. Cancer potency of chloroprene is greater in the mouse lung than in the rat lung, but greater in the rat kidney than in the mouse kidney and nearly equivalent in the mammary gland of each species.
Family relationship quality and early alcohol use: evidence for gender-specific risk processes.

OBJECTIVE Family characteristics (relationship quality, parental behaviors, and attitudes relating to alcohol use) are known to influence alcohol use in the mid-teen years, and there is evidence that family characteristics have different influences on mid-teen girls versus boys. This study examined child gender differences in the association of family relationship quality, parental disapproval of children's alcohol use, and parental alcohol use with early adolescent alcohol use. METHOD Grade 6 and 8 students (modal age 11 and 13, respectively; N = 6,837; 52.6% female) were recruited from 231 schools across three Australian states. Hypotheses were tested using two-level ordinal logistic regression (individuals nested within schools). The main dependent measure was lifetime frequency of early adolescent alcohol consumption. Independent variables included mother's/father's alcohol use, closeness, conflict, and disapproval of adolescent alcohol use. Control variables included sensation seeking, peer alcohol use, and socioeconomic disadvantage. RESULTS The key findings were that for the young age group (Grade 6), emotional closeness to the parent of the opposite sex was protective. Family conflict was associated with females' drinking in both age groups but not males' drinking. CONCLUSIONS There was evidence of gender differences in the epidemiology of family relationship quality and early alcohol use. Social developmental models may need revision to account for these child gender differences. Gender-specific family dynamics may be an important consideration for family-oriented prevention strategy.
Recovery of ISI channels using multiresolution wavelet equalization

Equalization of ISI is usually performed in the time domain. In fact it is difficult to operate in the frequency domain, since with the usual spectral techniques based on the Fourier transform, correspondence between temporal and frequency components is lost in the transformation. In this paper we present an application of the wavelet transform that exploits the joint time-frequency representation of this transform to equalize channels affected by ISI. It is shown that using the description of wavelets as filters, and exploiting the multispectral decomposition of the received signal, ISI can be dramatically reduced.
Residual voltage test method of controllable metal oxide surge arrester

The controllable metal oxide surge arrester is a kind of new electrical equipments which can deeply reduce switching overvoltage in UHV/EHV transmission system. Because of its unique structure, the conventional residual voltage test method could not be used to validate the protection effort of the controllable metal oxide surge arrester. It is necessary to find out an appropriate residual voltage test method for the controllable metal oxide surge arrester. Considering the controllable metal oxide surge arrester characteristics, the lack of conventional residual voltage test method was discussed and the residual voltage test requirements of controllable arrester were given. Based on theoretical analysis, a parallel modulated wave capacitor was used in the existing residual voltage test circuit to improve the voltage waveform. A measurable residual voltage test method for the controllable arrester was given. Through the simulation and test, the feasibility of the approach advocated in this paper was verified.
Acute traumatic spinal cord injury, 1993-2000A population-based assessment of methylprednisolone administration and hospitalization.

BACKGROUND Administration of methylprednisolone sodium succinate (MPSS) after acute traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) is controversial. This study compared differences in acute care charge, hospital stay, and related variables as a function of MPSS receipt. METHODS Determinants of MPSS administration were examined after acute TSCI for South Carolina patients during the period 1993 to 2000 in a multivariate logistic regression model. RESULTS Administration of MPSS was documented for 48.7% of 1,227 randomly selected patients with TSCI. Patients admitted via trauma centers and emergency departments were more likely to receive MPSS (trama center level 1 odds ratio [OR], 4.06; 95% CI confidence interval [CI], 2.11-7.83; emergency department OR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.20-2.23). Hospital charge and length of stay were significantly higher for MPSS recipients. CONCLUSIONS The study findings indicate MPSS use is associated with higher acute care charges and longer hospital stays. These findings suggest the need for outcome studies to assess the long-term benefits of MPSS administration.
Looping circuit: a novel mechanism for prolonged spontaneous [Ca2+]i increases in developing embryonic mouse brainstem

Calcium concentration is kept at extremely low levels inside brain cells; each episode of calcium entry is cleared within seconds. Changes in calcium entry are mediated by spontaneous activity in embryonic mouse brainstem from embryonic day 11.5 to 13.5. Transiently, at embryonic day 12.5, spontaneous events occur frequently such that calcium concentration stays above baseline levels for minutes. This unusual phenomenon, which we termed ‘bash bursts’, is caused by an event that propagates by looping along a defined path; the path gets modified a day later, ending it. The results help us to understand how prolonged increases in calcium concentration can occur in development and how the increases may influence the development of serotonin and dopamine circuits that are related to neurological diseases later in life, such as depression and Parkinson's disease.
Utah State University From the SelectedWorks of Johan du Toit 1999 Functional significance of ungulate diversity in African savannas and the ecological implications of the spread of pastoralism

The African savanna biome supports a higher diversity of ungulate species than is found in any other biome or continent. This exceptional faunal diversity and herbivore biomass density is directly linked to the high spatial heterogeneity of African savanna ecosystems. The dependence of herbivore dietary tolerance on body size translates into important size-related differences between savanna ungulate species in terms of habitat specificity, geographical range, and the share of community resources exploited. Intact savanna ungulate communities, with species distributed across body size classes and feeding guilds (grazer/browser), have strong regulatory influences on savanna ecosystem structure and function. Replacement with livestock systems of low diversity and high biomass density within a narrow body size range has occurred through the removal of competitors, pathogens, and predators, and the widespread provisioning of water. Overgrazing by livestock, coupled with episodic droughts, has caused widespread rangeland degradation and loss of floristic and faunal diversity which, by current models, is unlikely to recover to ‘climax’ conditions even with destocking. In selected regions where potential still exists, African savanna biodiversity and human economic development will both be best served by the integration of sustainable wildlife utilization into multispecies animal production systems.
CRISPR families of the crenarchaeal genus Sulfolobus: bidirectional transcription and dynamic properties

Clusters of regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) of Sulfolobus fall into three main families based on their repeats, leader regions, associated cas genes and putative recognition sequences on viruses and plasmids. Spacer sequence matches to different viruses and plasmids of the Sulfolobales revealed some bias particularly for family III CRISPRs. Transcription occurs on both strands of the five repeat‐clusters of Sulfolobus acidocaldarius and a repeat‐cluster of the conjugative plasmid pKEF9. Leader strand transcripts cover whole repeat‐clusters and are processed mainly from the 3′‐end, within repeats, yielding heterogeneous 40–45 nt spacer RNAs. Processing of the pKEF9 leader transcript occurred partially in spacers, and was incomplete, probably reflecting defective repeat recognition by host enzymes. A similar level of transcripts was generated from complementary strands of each chromosomal repeat‐cluster and they were processed to yield discrete ∼55 nt spacer RNAs. Analysis of the partially identical repeat‐clusters of Sulfolobus solfataricus strains P1 and P2 revealed that spacer‐repeat units are added upstream only when a leader and certain cas genes are linked. Downstream ends of the repeat‐clusters are conserved such that deletions and recombination events occur internally.