Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) extract enhances boar sperm velocity up to 96 hours of semen storage

Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) is a native shrub from South African fynbos and has become very popular in the last decades for its antioxidant and medicinal attributes. Several studies have shown its beneficial properties in numerous cell lines, but to date, the in vitro effects of rooibos extract on sperm cells are still unknown. In this study, boar semen was supplemented with four concentrations both of fermented and unfermented rooibos extracts during 96 h of liquid storage at 17°C. The effects of rooibos extracts on sperm velocity, membrane integrity, and acrosomal status were evaluated at 2 h, 48 h, and 96 h of semen storage. Overall our results indicate that rooibos extract enhances sperm velocity, protects the acrosome structure, and tends to preserve the membrane integrity during semen storage. Although the unfermented rooibos showed higher total polyphenol content and total antioxidant capacity than the fermented one, the latter had better effects on sperm velocity leading to, for instance, an increase of 30% in the rectilinear velocity (VSL) at 48 h compared to the control group. Taking into account the different storage times, we established a suitable range of extracts concentrations to be used in boar semen. The rooibos extract ought to be considered as a powerful and natural source of antioxidants for the preservation of boar semen.
Unbiased Identification of T-Cell Receptors Targeting Immunodominant Peptide–MHC Complexes for T-Cell Receptor Immunotherapy

T-cell receptor (TCR) immunotherapy uses T cells engineered with new TCRs to enable detection and killing of cancer cells. Efficacy of TCR immunotherapy depends on targeting antigenic peptides that are efficiently presented by the best-suited major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules of cancer cells. However, efficient strategies are lacking to easily identify TCRs recognizing immunodominant peptide-MHC (pMHC) combinations utilizing any of the six possible MHC class I alleles of a cancer cell. We generated an MHC cell library and developed a platform approach to detect, isolate, and re-express TCRs specific for immunodominant pMHCs. The platform approach was applied to identify a human papillomavirus (HPV16) oncogene E5-specific TCR, recognizing a novel, naturally processed pMHC (HLA-B*15:01) and a cytomegalovirus-specific TCR targeting an immunodominant pMHC (HLA-B*07:02). The platform provides a useful tool to isolate in an unbiased manner TCRs specific for novel and immunodominant pMHC targets for use in TCR immunotherapy.
Social, cultural and environmental influences on child activity and eating in Australian migrant communities.

AIM This study set out to examine the socio-cultural, familial and environmental factors influencing health, eating habits and patterns of physical activity contributing to child and adolescent overweight and obesity. METHODS Semi-structured, community-based interviews were conducted with contrasting key informant three-generation families; and generation by generation focus groups of grandparents, parents and children from four cultural communities in the state of Victoria, Australia. Purposive sampling occurred from Turkish, Greek, Indian and Chinese communities that have migrated to Australia within the last three generations (n = 160, eight families, 47 children aged 5-15 years, 29 parents, 42 grandparents). RESULTS Evidence of two-way influences on eating and physical activity across three generations was evident, with children reporting the greatest cross-cultural diversity. A range of dietary restrictions was reported across all cultural groups. Efforts to foster healthy eating and lifestyle patterns within communities were evident. Parents, as a generation in particular, felt the need for more access to education and support regarding healthy limits for pre-puberty and puberty stages. CONCLUSION There is a dynamic influence of culture on many aspects of family lifestyle across three generations. To achieve successful intervention design, childhood obesity researchers need to collaborate with diverse groups and communities. Considering the role and influence of extended family, a multigenerational, whole-of-community approach beyond that of parent and child populations ought to be considered.
Monocot and dicot pre‐mRNAs are processed with different efficiencies in transgenic tobacco

A gene encoding the small subunit of ribulose 1,5‐bisphosphate carboxylase (rbcS) in wheat, a monocot plant, was transferred to tobacco, a dicot plant. The wheat gene is not expressed in transgenic tobacco under the control of its own promoter, but when transcription is driven by a viral promoter, several wheat transcripts accumulate. These include both spliced and unspliced transcripts, which are polyadenylated at multiple novel sites in the wheat 3′ flanking region. Another monocot intron, from the maize Adh‐1 gene, is also spliced inefficiently in tobacco. These findings contrast results demonstrating efficient processing of different rbcS transcripts from pea, a dicot, in transgenic tobacco. This pattern may reflect general differences in sequences required for RNA processing in monocot and dicot plants.
The Impact of Central and Peripheral Cyclooxygenase Enzyme Inhibition on Exercise-Induced Elevations in Core Body Temperature.

PURPOSE Exercise increases core body temperature (TC) due to metabolic heat production. However, the exercise-induced release of inflammatory cytokines including interleukin-6 (IL-6) may also contribute to the rise in TC by increasing the hypothalamic temperature set point. This study investigated whether the exercise-induced increase in TC is partly caused by an altered hypothalamic temperature set point. METHODS Fifteen healthy, active men age 36 ± 14 y were recruited. Subjects performed submaximal treadmill exercise in 3 randomized test conditions: (1) 400 mg ibuprofen and 1000 mg acetaminophen (IBU/APAP), (2) 1000 mg acetaminophen (APAP), and (3) a control condition (CTRL). Acetaminophen and ibuprofen were used to block the effect of IL-6 at a central and peripheral level, respectively. TC, skin temperature, and heart rate were measured continuously during the submaximal exercise tests. RESULTS Baseline values of TC, skin temperature, and heart rate did not differ across conditions. Serum IL-6 concentrations increased in all 3 conditions. A significantly lower peak TC was observed in IBU/APAP (38.8°C ± 0.4°C) vs CTRL (39.2°C ± 0.5°C, P = .02) but not in APAP (38.9°C ± 0.4°C) vs CTRL. Similarly, a lower ΔTC was observed in IBU/APAP (1.7°C ± 0.3°C) vs CTRL (2.0°C ± 0.5°C, P < .02) but not in APAP (1.7°C ± 0.5°C) vs CTRL. No differences were observed in skin temperature and heart-rate responses across conditions. CONCLUSIONS The combined administration of acetaminophen and ibuprofen resulted in an attenuated increase in TC during exercise compared with a CTRL. This observation suggests that a prostaglandin-E2-induced elevated hypothalamic temperature set point may contribute to the exercise-induced rise in TC.
FDA Drug Approval: Elotuzumab in Combination with Lenalidomide and Dexamethasone for the Treatment of Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma

On November 30, 2015, the FDA approved elotuzumab (Empliciti; Bristol-Myers Squibb) in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who received one to three prior therapies. FDA approval was based primarily on the results of a phase III, randomized, open-label, multicenter trial, CA204004, which evaluated elotuzumab in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone (E-Ld) compared with lenalidomide and dexamethasone (Ld) alone in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. Coprimary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall response rate (ORR). The key secondary endpoint was overall survival, but these data were not mature at the time of clinical database cutoff. The trial demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in PFS, with an estimated HR of 0.70 for E-Ld over Ld [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.57–0.85; P = 0.0004). Estimated median PFS was 19.4 months in the E-Ld arm and 14.9 months in the Ld arm. ORR was 75.8% in the E-Ld arm compared with 65.5% in the Ld arm. Serious adverse reactions were reported in 65% of patients in the E-Ld arm compared with 57% in the Ld arm. The FDA approved elotuzumab with the following warnings and precautions: infusion reactions, infections, second primary malignancies, hepatotoxicity, and interference with the determination of complete response. Clin Cancer Res; 23(22); 6759–63. ©2017 AACR.
An Examination of Two Positive Organizational Interventions: For Whom Do These Interventions Work?

Owing to the importance of employee psychological well-being for a variety of work- and non-work-related outcomes, practitioners and scholars have begun to broaden the scope of workplace well-being interventions by incorporating principles from positive psychology. Among such positive interventions, gratitude exercises have arguably emerged as the “gold standard” practice, with much research pointing to their effectiveness. However, existing workplace interventions lack a true (i.e., no intervention) control group, and effects have been observed for some—but not all—outcomes tested. Therefore, the purpose of this brief report was to conduct a concise but methodologically rigorous evaluation of the effectiveness of 2 positive psychology workplace interventions in improving employee affect, and to examine potential moderators of intervention effectiveness. Ninety-two employees in a large social services agency were assigned to (a) a gratitude intervention, (b) an intervention in which participants alternated between the gratitude activity and one involving increasing social connectedness, or (c) a wait list control condition, for 1 month. Neither intervention produced a main effect on any of the 3 affective outcomes measured. However, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and job tenure were significant moderators of intervention effectiveness. We discuss the implications of these preliminary results in an effort to advance the literature on workplace positive psychology interventions.
Square-Root Unscented Kalman Filter for Vehicle Integrated Navigation

In view of that there exist some defects when the extended Kalman filter (EKF) is applied in nonlinear state estimations, the square-root unscented Kalman filter (SRUKF), as a new nonlinear filtering method, is introduced to instead of EKF for the state-estimation of the vehicle integrated GPS/DR navigation system. Compared with EKF, SRUKF not only improves the location precision and algorithmic stability greatly, but also avoids the calculating burden of Jacobin matrices. This data fusion algorithm based on SRUKF is easy to implement, and meets the requirements of low-cost and high precision. In order to test the validity of SRUKF, the two methods are used to estimate states of the vehicle integrated GPS/DR navigation systems. The results of simulation show that SRUKF is superior to EKF and is a more ideal nonlinear filtering method for the vehicle integrated GPS/DR navigation.
Global reconstruction of the human metabolic network based on genomic and bibliomic data

Metabolism is a vital cellular process, and its malfunction is a major contributor to human disease. Metabolic networks are complex and highly interconnected, and thus systems-level computational approaches are required to elucidate and understand metabolic genotype–phenotype relationships. We have manually reconstructed the global human metabolic network based on Build 35 of the genome annotation and a comprehensive evaluation of >50 years of legacy data (i.e., bibliomic data). Herein we describe the reconstruction process and demonstrate how the resulting genome-scale (or global) network can be used (i) for the discovery of missing information, (ii) for the formulation of an in silico model, and (iii) as a structured context for analyzing high-throughput biological data sets. Our comprehensive evaluation of the literature revealed many gaps in the current understanding of human metabolism that require future experimental investigation. Mathematical analysis of network structure elucidated the implications of intracellular compartmentalization and the potential use of correlated reaction sets for alternative drug target identification. Integrated analysis of high-throughput data sets within the context of the reconstruction enabled a global assessment of functional metabolic states. These results highlight some of the applications enabled by the reconstructed human metabolic network. The establishment of this network represents an important step toward genome-scale human systems biology.
Love, Lust, and Loss in the Early Age of AIDS: The Discourse in the Body Politic From 1981 to 1987

ABSTRACT This article explores the idea that the AIDS epidemic constituted a defining moment for the Canadian gay rights movement and illuminates the intricate power dynamics of the development of a community identity. Using grounded theory inductive and deductive content analysis, and interviews with activists from the Body Politic magazine, this article considers notions of health “from above” and “from below” by examining relations between the community and government and their confrontation with medicalization and the medical profession. I also examine how the magazine reported and negotiated issues related to the community’s self-policing and “self-managed oppression” through efforts to promote safer sex and risk reduction.
Persistence of high‐replicative capacity in cultured fibroblasts from nonagenarians

Earlier studies on human fibroblast cultures have demonstrated an inverse relationship between the total number of population doublings (PDs) and donor age. As more recent studies were unable to replicate these findings, we set out to analyze growth characteristics of fibroblast cultures from nonagenarians who represent the extreme of human lifespan. Therefore, we obtained skin biopsies from 68 participants of the Leiden 85‐plus Study, all aged 90 years. None of the 68 strains failed to proliferate and all were easily cultured under highly standardized conditions. Within a time window of 30 months, all strains displayed a high and reproducible replicative capacity that was maintained for at least 50 PDs. A decline in mitotic activity was observed between 26 and 81 PDs. Out of the 68 cell strains, 58 strains reached the post‐mitotic phase with an onset between 51 and 108 PDs. The growth pattern of each senescent strain was fitted by a piecewise linear model, which allowed calculation of the transition towards the phase of decreased growth speed, as well as by a nonlinear continuous model; goodness‐of‐fit was high and not different between the models (both > 0.99). Growth characteristics were not associated with morbidity or mortality of the donors. We conclude that fibroblasts from nonagenarians maintain a high‐replicative capacity despite a huge variability in the onset of senescence. These results cast further doubt on the association between in vitro growth characteristics of fibroblast cultures and the length of human lifespan.
Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectra in the Infrared Region from 750 to 2000 nm Using a Cooled InGaAs Diode Array Detector

Emissions from a laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) plasma were examined in the region from 750 nm to 2000 nm. A Nd:YAG laser at 532 nm and 75 mJ per pulse were used to initiate the plasma. The detector was an InGaAs 1024 element diode array cooled to −100 °C. An f/4 spectrometer with gratings blazed for this region was used as the dispersive element. Survey spectra of soils, uranium, and other selected samples were taken in air and in a flow cell purged with argon at a local pressure of 0.84 × 105 Pa. Strong infrared lines of neutral aluminum, carbon, potassium, silicon, sulfur, and uranium, as well as once ionized lines of calcium, were observed out to 1670 nm. For potassium, the detection limits of the infrared (IR) system were compared with those obtained from a standard intensified charge-coupled device (ICCD) spectrometer arrangement, using the 766–770 nm doublet. Detection limits with the IR system were twice as high as those obtained from the ICCD detector.
Self and Informant Report Across the Borderline Personality Disorder Spectrum

Individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) features may be unaware of or unwilling to report their own personality or maladaptive behaviors, which complicates the assessment of BPD. Informants who know the individuals with BPD features may be uniquely suited to aid in the personality assessment of these individuals. The present study analyzed the comparative ability of individuals (targets) and informants to report BPD features across the continuum of BPD severity. The sample consisted of 1387 targets, ages 55 to 65 (56% women), who were recruited for an epidemiological longitudinal study examining the effects of PDs on health and social functioning. Each target nominated an informant who provided information about the target’s personality. Results indicated relatively low levels of agreement between perspectives and that informants reported BPD symptoms with more precision and at lower levels of BPD severity than targets. The benefits of including an informant perspective when measuring the BPD continuum are discussed; these benefits may include gains in reliability and improvement in the prediction of outcomes.
Throughput Analysis of Wireless CSMA/CD for a Finite User Population

Random access MAC protocols for radio environments are prone to collisions without offering a way to successfully avoid or identify them and thus fail to achieve the performance required by a multitude of applications. However, in some cases it is possible to use collision detection in order to reduce the time spent on collisions and improve the system efficiency. In this paper we provide an analytical framework for WCSMA/CD with a finite user population. The expected channel throughput is then derived for different design parameters and compared against p-persistent CSMA/CA.
Flow meter system error treatment based on iterative learning control

For the difficult problem of calculating efflux coefficient of orifice flow meter, a new method based on iterative learning control (ILC) is proposed, and its calculation structure and algorithm procedure are given. Simulation results for parameter setting of desalted water flow meter show the feasibility and effectiveness of using ILC in iterated parameter setting. It provides an effective solution for iterated parameter setting and avoids (reduces) system error caused by unreasonable parameter setting.
Characterization of the MRP4- and MRP5-mediated Transport of Cyclic Nucleotides from Intact Cells*

Cyclic nucleotides are known to be effluxed from cultured cells or isolated tissues. Two recently described members of the multidrug resistance protein family, MRP4 and MRP5, might be involved in this process, because they transport the 3′,5′-cyclic nucleotides, cAMP and cGMP, into inside-out membrane vesicles. We have investigated cGMP and cAMP efflux from intact HEK293 cells overexpressing MRP4 or MRP5. The intracellular production of cGMP and cAMP was stimulated with the nitric oxide releasing compound sodium nitroprusside and the adenylate cyclase stimulator forskolin, respectively. MRP4- and MRP5-overexpressing cells effluxed more cGMP and cAMP than parental cells in an ATP-dependent manner. In contrast to a previous report we found no glutathione requirement for cyclic nucleotide transport. Transport increased proportionally with intracellular cyclic nucleotide concentrations over a calculated range of 20–600 μm, indicating low affinity transport. In addition to several classic inhibitors of organic anion transport, prostaglandins A1 and E1, the steroid progesterone and the anti-cancer drug estramustine all inhibited cyclic nucleotide efflux. The efflux mediated by MRP4 and MRP5 did not lead to a proportional decrease in the intracellular cGMP or cAMP levels but reduced cGMP by maximally 2-fold over the first hour. This was also the case when phosphodiesterase-mediated cyclic nucleotide hydrolysis was inhibited by 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, conditions in which efflux was maximal. These data indicate that MRP4 and MRP5 are low affinity cyclic nucleotide transporters that may at best function as overflow pumps, decreasing steep increases in cGMP levels under conditions where cGMP synthesis is strongly induced and phosphodiesterase activity is limiting.
Some Basic Points Concerning Meta-Analysis

Multiple studies have been performed on a variety of substances, often producing contradictory results. Meta-analysis has provided a means of evaluating these disparate results, combining them into a summary statistic. Using continuous data for baseline and one sample point, several studies were evaluated to achieve a single result, demonstrating the meta-analysis evaluation process. ABBREVIATIONS: ANOVA-analysis of variance, H0-null hypothesis, HA-alternative hypothesis, FDA-Food and Drug Administration.
A PMU for the Measurement of Synchronized Harmonic Phasors in Three-Phase Distribution Networks

Owing to the extension of electric distribution networks, monitoring and control issues rely on large-scale distributed measurement systems, which are able to carry out simultaneous measurements of electrical quantities in several points of the monitored systems. In this paper, the implementation of digital procedures that are suitable for the evaluation of the synchronized harmonic phasors in a flexible phasor measurement unit (PMU) based on PXI modular hardware is presented. The results of the experimental tests are shown to characterize the measurement system to evaluate the behavior of the designed instrument under real operating conditions on three-phase electric distribution networks.
Enhancing the Quality of Information in Inter-organizational Environmental Reporting Information Systems

Environmental reporting has become standard within big and medium-sized international companies. However, organizations face many knowledge management challenges in environmental reporting, such as data availability, comparability, flexibility, and high costs. Some of these challenges can be mitigated by inter-organizational environmental reporting information systems (IO-ERIS). Nevertheless, the information quality remains a challenge. This research aims at identifying the state of the art in environmental reporting, extracting the requirements for information quality in environmental reporting, and proposes an approach of how the quality of environmental information in IO-ERIS can be enhanced following the design science research cycle.
Viral hemorrhagic septicemia of rainbow trout: selection of a thermoresistant virus variant and comparison of polypeptide synthesis with the wild-type virus strain

Serial passage of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus at gradually increasing temperature selected for a variant virus that replicates at 25 degrees C and has a low pathogenicity for rainbow trout. Viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus-specific polypeptide synthesis was examined in epithelioma papulosum cyprini cells infected with either a wild-type strain or a thermoresistant variant. The wild-type N and M1 proteins were synthesized throughout the course of infection, whereas L, G, and M2 were more actively translated later in the replication cycle. The wild-type strain was more cytotoxic at 25 than at 14 degrees C despite the fact that no translation could be evidenced when the temperature was raised. When epithelioma papulosum cyprini cells were infected with the variant virus, the kinetic study was obstructed since protein synthesis was difficult to observe by the pulse method at a low multiplicity of infection and aborted when the multiplicity of infection was raised. The variant was less cytotoxic at 25 degrees C than wild-type virus.