Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Biomagnification of cyanobacterial neurotoxins and neurodegenerative disease among the Chamorro people of Guam

We here report biomagnification (the increasing accumulation of bioactive, often deleterious molecules through higher trophic levels of a food chain) of the neurotoxic nonprotein amino acid β-methylamino-l-alanine (BMAA) in the Guam ecosystem. Free-living cyanobacteria produce 0.3 μg/g BMAA, but produce 2-37 μg/g as symbionts in the coralloid roots of cycad trees. BMAA is concentrated in the developing reproductive tissues of the cycad Cycas micronesica, averaging 9 μg/g in the fleshy seed sarcotesta and a mean of 1,161 μg/g BMAA in the outermost seed layer. Flying foxes (Pteropus mariannus), which forage on the seeds, accumulate a mean of 3,556 μg/g BMAA. Flying foxes are a prized food item of the indigenous Chamorro people who boil them in coconut cream and eat them whole. Chamorros who die of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/parkinsonism-dementia complex (AL-SPDC), a neurodegenerative disease with symptoms similar to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease, have an average of 6.6 μg/g BMAA in their brain tissues. The biomagnification of BMAA through the Guam ecosystem fits a classic triangle of increasing concentrations of toxic compounds up the food chain. This may explain why the incidence of ALS-PDC among the Chamorro was 50-100 times the incidence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis elsewhere. Biomagnification of cyanobacterial BMAA may not be unique to Guam; our discovery of BMAA in the brain tissue from Alzheimer's patients from Canada suggests alternative ecological pathways for the bioaccumulation of BMAA in aquatic or terrestrial ecosystems.
Evaluation of transferrin-binding protein 2 within the transferrin-binding protein complex as a potential antigen for future meningococcal vaccines

Because the meningococcal transferrin receptor was shown to elicit bactericidal and protective antibodies in laboratory animals, we undertook a study of the protective role of each of the polypeptides within the Tbp1-Tbp2 complex. We developed a procedure to purify from Neisseria meningitidis B16B6 the two proteins in milligram amounts and raised specific antisera in rabbits and mice. Only antisera specific for Tbp2 displayed bactericidal activity against the parent strain. Mice immunized with purified Tbp2 survived a lethal challenge to a similar degree as animals immunized with the Tbp1-Tbp2 complex, demonstrating that Tbp2 played an important role in the protective activity observed with the complex. Both Tbp1- and Tbp2-specific antisera inhibited transferrin binding to the purified receptor in a solid-phase binding assay, suggesting that the antibodies were able to interact with the Tbp1 molecule only when it was removed from its membrane environment. Finally, Tbp2-specific immunoglobulins were able to lower the growth rate of the meningococci when human transferrin was their sole iron source. Therefore, in all four different systems tested, Tbp2 or antibodies specific for Tbp2 displayed biological characteristics close to those of the Tbp1-Tbp2 complex. This suggests that Tbp2 plays an important role in the protective activity of the complex, eliciting antibodies that are not only bactericidal but also inhibitory for meningococcal growth.
Dendritic-cell infection by human cytomegalovirus is restricted to strains carrying functional UL131-128 genes and mediates efficient viral antigen presentation to CD8+ T cells.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) genetic determinants of endothelial-cell tropism and virus transfer to leukocytes (both polymorphonuclear and monocyte) have been recently identified in the UL131-128 genes. Here it is documented that the same genetic determinants of HCMV are responsible for monocyte-derived dendritic-cell (DC) tropism, i.e. all endotheliotropic and leukotropic strains of HCMV are also DC-tropic (or dendrotropic). In fact, all recent clinical HCMV isolates and deletion mutants sparing the UL131-128 locus as well as the endotheliotropic revertants AD169 and Towne were able to productively infect DC following co-culture with infected endothelial cells. On the contrary, the same clinical isolates extensively propagated in human fibroblasts, the UL131-128 deletion mutants and the reference laboratory strains were not. Peak extracellular virus titres in DC were reached 4-7 days post-infection (p.i.). Viral proteins pp65 and p72 were detected 1-3 h p.i. , involving the great majority of DC 24 h p.i. , while gB was abundantly detected 96 h p.i. , when a cytopathic effect first appeared. Infection of DC with cell-free virus released into the medium could only be achieved with HCMV strains extensively adapted to growth in endothelial cells, reaching the peak titres 10 days p.i. DC infected for 24 h with cell-free virus and incubated for 16 h with autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells were found to act as a potent stimulator of both HCMV-specific CD4+- and CD8+-mediated immune responses, as determined by cytokine flow cytometry. DC incubated with inactivated crude whole viral antigen preparations were only capable of eliciting a significant CD4+-mediated immune response.
Phorbol ester induces c-sis gene transcription in stem cell line K-562

The phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) induced megakaryoblastic differentiation and c-sis expression in the human hematopoietic stem cell line K-562. This induction occurred at the transcriptional level, as determined by a nuclear runoff transcriptional assay, and was not a generalized effect of TPA, since the treatment of other hematopoietic cell lines and normal peripheral blood lymphocytes with TPA did not result in the appearance of c-sis mRNA.
Perceptions of students and instructors toward the role of CommEasy in tackling communication and interaction barriers in distance-learning classrooms

The educational field has been greatly affected by the current revolution in ICT, especially the advancements made in the use of handheld devices such as smartphones with touch screen capabilities, which have become extremely popular among university students worldwide. Universities and educators have realised that using such devices in education can help to bridge the gap between the way students live and the way they learn as well as enrich the learning experience and tackle the problems students face. This trend has led to developing numerous educational mobile systems to support the teaching-learning process and to tackle the problems that students and instructors face. Hesitation, shyness and crowded classrooms are barriers that can discourage students from participating. This paper presents the perceptions of instructors and students of the interactive communication system CommEasy. This system was developed mainly to tackle a number of communication barriers that female students face in distance-learning classrooms and provide them with a convenient way to pose questions to instructors using their own handheld devices. Results of the evaluation show that students and instructors have a very positive attitude toward the role of CommEasy in supporting communication and participation and removing the barriers they face.
Acceptance and use of computer-mediated communication by information students

Current trends in information technology developments mean that computer-mediated communication (CMC) systems can be expected to become progressively more versatile, widespread and significant both for work and for education. All students and staff of the Department of Communication and Information Studies at Queen Margaret College, Edinburgh, have used CMC systemati cally for more than five years. This has made it possible to carry out detailed longitudinal studies of the impact of CMC on academic users, and of the value they derive from it. Results are presented here of a survey of student use, including levels and patterns of messaging as well as perceptions of, and attitudes towards, CMC activities. Despite rapid changes in technological capabilities, there appears to be some stability of reactions to CMC, with students particularly valuing administrative and course- orientated uses.
Detection and analysis of protein–protein interactions in organellar and prokaryotic proteomes by native gel electrophoresis: (Membrane) protein complexes and supercomplexes

It is an essential and challenging task to unravel protein–protein interactions in their actual in vivo context. Native gel systems provide a separation platform allowing the analysis of protein complexes on a rather proteome‐wide scale in a single experiment. This review focus on blue‐native (BN)‐PAGE as the most versatile and successful gel‐based approach to separate soluble and membrane protein complexes of intricate protein mixtures derived from all biological sources. BN‐PAGE is a charge‐shift method with a running pH of 7.5 relying on the gentle binding of anionic CBB dye to all membrane and many soluble protein complexes, leading to separation of protein species essentially according to their size and superior resolution than other fractionation techniques can offer. The closely related colorless‐native (CN)‐PAGE, whose applicability is restricted to protein species with intrinsic negative net charge, proved to provide an especially mild separation capable of preserving weak protein–protein interactions better than BN‐PAGE. The essential conditions determining the success of detecting protein–protein interactions are the sample preparations, e.g. the efficiency/mildness of the detergent solubilization of membrane protein complexes. A broad overview about the achievements of BN‐ and CN‐PAGE studies to elucidate protein–protein interactions in organelles and prokaryotes is presented, e.g. the mitochondrial protein import machinery and oxidative phosphorylation supercomplexes. In many cases, solubilization with digitonin was demonstrated to facilitate an efficient and particularly gentle extraction of membrane protein complexes prone to dissociation by treatment with other detergents. In general, analyses of protein interactomes should be carried out by both BN‐ and CN‐PAGE.
Addition of Tempol in semen cryopreservation medium improves the post-thaw sperm function

Abstract Despite extensive research carried out for optimization and commercialization of sperm cryopreservation media, percentage of motility and viability remain low following cryopreservation. These adverse effects have been partially ascribed to reactive oxygen species (ROS) production during cryopreservation. Therefore, we proposed that addition of a cell permeable antioxidant like Tempol, with superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimetic action, may overcome these effects in an optimized commercially available cryo-protective medium. Therefore, semen samples were cryopreserved in the presence or absence of Tempol. A concentration of 5 μM Tempol was defined as optimal since it significantly improved motility and viability post thawing and reduced DNA fragmented sperm. In addition, percentage of ROS positive sperm was reduced. These effects of Tempol can be attributed to cell permeability characteristic and ability to reduce superoxide production both at intra- and extra-cellular levels. Tempol may hold the potential for clinical applications.
Ultra-wideband double vertical knife-edge model for obstruction of a ray by a person

We present a novel simple analytical model for the shadowing caused by a person that moves through an ultra-wideband ray. The model uses two vertical knife-edges plus phase and amplitude correction terms to determine the loss caused by the person at different perpendicular distances to the ray. In conjunction with the personpsilas trajectory the time-dependent shadowing loss can be determined, thus proving a building block for time-variant ultra-wideband channel models. The model is derived from channel measurements in the range from 4 to 10 GHz. On comparison with the measured data, we find that the proposed model provides good results in particular for low elevation angles between transmitter and receiver.
Effect of Terminalia arjuna extract on adriamycin‐induced DNA damage

The effect of a bark extract of Terminalia arjuna (TAE) was studied on the alteration of adriamycin (ADR)‐induced micronuclei formation in cultured human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Exposure of lymphocytes to ADR resulted in a dose‐dependent increase in the micronuclei formation indicating DNA damage. Pretreatment of lymphocytes with TAE before ADR treatment resulted in a significant decline in micronuclei formation. Increasing doses of ADR caused a dose‐dependent increase in the frequency of lymphocytes bearing one, two and multiple micronuclei. Prior exposure of lymphocytes to 15 µg/mL of TAE significantly reduced the frequency of lymphocytes bearing one, two and multiple micronuclei when compared with ADR‐treated control. TAE‐inhibited the induction of •OH (hydroxyl), O2•− (superoxide), DPPH (1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl), ABTS•+ (2,2‐azino‐bis‐3‐ethyl benzothiazoline‐6‐sulphonic acid) radicals in a dose‐dependent manner. These results demonstrate that TAE protects DNA against ADR‐induced damage. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
TREC12 HARD Track at ISCAS

Statistical model in retrieval has been shown to perform well empirically. Extended Boolean model has been widely used in business system for its easiness to be complemented and not bad results. In this paper, a statistical model and modified Boolean model and natural language processing techniques, shallow query understanding techniques are used and results show that even with very limited training corpus, an appropriate statistical model can greatly improve the performance.
DNA probes specific for Aeromonas hydrophila (HG1)

Aeromonas hydrophila (HG1)‐specific RAPD‐PCR fragments were investigated for their potential as DNA probes. From 20 RAPD‐PCR fragment bands, it was found that two were specific to all isolates of Aeromonas hydrophila (HG1) tested. Cloning and nucleotide sequence determination of one of these bands showed that co‐migration of similar sized amplicons had occurred and that this band (designated ‘7e’) contained at least four fragments of different sequences. Three of these individual amplicons had a sequence specific to Aer. hydrophila (HG1) isolates. The sequence of one of these amplicons (‘7e5’) was used to design primers for a specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The specificity of the PCR was achieved using a modified hot‐start procedure. The identity of the PCR amplicons was confirmed by high stringency hybridization with a digoxygenin‐labelled 7e5 probe.
War-induced prolonged stress and metabolic control in Type 2 diabetic patients

Synopsis Sound evidence that psychological stress may significantly worsen metabolic control in diabetic patients is lacking. The stressful effects of war on glycaemia control have not been assessed as yet. A randomly selected sample of displaced Type 2 diabetic persons (N = 44) was compared to a matched group of diabetic persons who had not been forced to leave their homes. The self-reported stress, depression level, fasting and post-prandial blood glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin and serum lipids were compared. The two groups were found to be significantly different in scores for self-reported stress and depression levels (P < 0·001). The proportion of subjects belonging to the category of clinically significant depression was larger in the group of displaced persons (P < 0·001), as well as the proportion of extreme scores for self-reported stress (P < 0·001). No significant differences between the groups were found for variables measuring metabolic control (P > 0·05), except for the serum triglycerides which were found to be significantly higher in the group of displaced persons (P < 0·01). This is assumed to be the result of differences in nutrition. The results do not demonstrate an association between prolonged stress and glycaemic control in Type 2 diabetic patients. The variability of data measuring stress and depression level in two extreme groups with respect to HbA1c values suggests that individual factors which determine the response to stressors need to be explored.
Re-examination of resistance of Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites and bradyzoites to pepsin and trypsin digestion

The effect of digestion in trypsin and acid pepsin on Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites and bradyzoites was re-evaluated because of recent use of this method to distinguish tachyzoites from bradyzoites. Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites survived better in 0·5% trypsin solution for 1 h than in 1·0% solution, and occasionally survived for 2 h in acid pepsin solution. Extracellular tachyzoites ([ges ]1000) were also infectious orally to mice and cats. Bradyzoites survived equally in trypsin and acid pepsin solutions but the digestion of brain tissue in 0·5% trypsin solution was better than in acid pepsin solution. The resistance to digestion in acid pepsin solution is not a reliable method to distinguish tachyzoites from bradyzoites.
Argininosuccinate synthetase 1 depletion produces a metabolic state conducive to herpes simplex virus 1 infection

Significance Virus infection can trigger profound alterations in host cell metabolism, but the role of individual enzymes in this process is relatively unstudied. Here, we show that argininosuccinate synthetase 1 (AS1) antagonizes the production of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) in cultured fibroblasts. Infection reduces the level of AS1 protein, and further reduction induced by siRNA treatment enhances the production of HSV-1. AS1 deficiency mimics many of the metabolic changes induced by HSV-1 infection, demonstrating that a decrease in the activity of a single cellular enzyme is responsible for much of the metabolic reprogramming induced by HSV-1. These results underscore the dependence of HSV-1 replication on altered host cell metabolism. Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) infection triggers specific metabolic changes in its host cell. To explore the interactions between cellular metabolism and HSV-1 infection, we performed an siRNA screen of cellular metabolic genes, measuring their effect on viral replication. The screen identified multiple enzymes predicted to influence HSV-1 replication, including argininosuccinate synthetase 1 (AS1), which consumes aspartate as part of de novo arginine synthesis. Knockdown of AS1 robustly enhanced viral genome replication and the production of infectious virus. Using high-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, we found that the metabolic phenotype induced by knockdown of AS1 in human fibroblasts mimicked multiple aspects of the metabolic program observed during HSV-1 infection, including an increase in multiple nucleotides and their precursors. Together with the observation that AS1 protein and mRNA levels decrease during wild-type infection, this work suggests that reduced AS1 activity is partially responsible for the metabolic program induced by infection.
Glycoprotein contributions to mammary gland and mammary tumor structure and function: Roles of adherens junctions, ErbBs and membrane MUCs

Mammary function is dependent on its three‐dimensional organization, which is established and maintained by cell adhesive junctions linked through the membrane to the cell cytoskeleton. These junctions serve not only as structural elements, but also function as initiators and integrators of cell signals. In this review we discuss three types of glycoproteins whose interactions impinge on the function of mammary cell–cell junctions, cadherins, ErbB receptor tyrosine kinases and membrane mucins, as a microcosm of events regulating mammary cell behaviors. Actions of these components are integrated by the critical signaling element β‐catenin. When functioning properly, these glycoproteins, β‐catenin and associated signaling pathways mesh into a highly structured program for development and function of the gland. However, disruption or dysfunction of these glycoproteins or the signaling elements can lead to disorganization of the epithelia and ultimately to neoplasia. J. Cell. Biochem. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome: risk factors, pathophysiology, and treatment

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is associated with the administration of antipsychotic agents and other drugs such as l-dopa, antidepressants, and antihistaminic agents. Unexpected changes in mental status, new-onset catatonia, episodic tachycardia, tachypnea, hypertension, dysarthria, dysphagia, diaphoresis, sialorrhea, incontinence, low-grade temperature elevations, and rigidity should arouse suspicion. Several lines of evidence provide support for the involvement of dopamine. Most of the drugs implicated in NMS are D2 dopamine receptor antagonists. Central noradrenergic activity is also possibly related to the disorder, as sympathetic hyperactivity is associated with the active phase of NMS. Currently, the definitive role of GABA deficiency in NMS is yet to be established. Differential diagnosis should include malignant hyperthermia, lethal catatonia, lithium toxicity, serotonin syndrome, and heat stroke. A high degree of suspicion and the discontinuation of antipsychotic agents even if the diagnosis is not established are essential for the safety of the patient. Treatment of NMS should be individualized and be based empirically on the character, duration, and severity of the clinical signs and symptoms noted. The initial step in the treatment of NMS is the removal of the offending agent. Full-blown NMS is a serious condition and requires immediate supportive, nutritive, and electrolyte therapies. The administration of drugs that can improve NMS, such as IV dantrolene and/or oral bromocriptine, may also be taken into consideration, based on the severity and nature of the NMS.
Medical vs invasive therapy in AVM-related epilepsy

Objective: To compare invasive arteriovenous malformation (AVM) therapy to conservative management using only antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) for achieving seizure freedom in patients with AVM-related epilepsy. Methods: We searched Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Central up to June 2015 using epilepsy and AVM Medical Subject Headings and keywords. We included original research involving controlled observational cohort studies or randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing seizure outcomes between invasive AVM treatments vs AED management alone, and uncontrolled case series of invasive AVM therapy for seizures that contained ≥20 patients. The estimates of seizure freedom were pooled using meta-analysis for the controlled trials, while the estimates for the case series were evaluated using descriptive statistics. Results: Of 2,166 identified abstracts, 98 were reviewed in full text, of which 31 were included in the final dataset. We identified 2 controlled observational studies (n = 106 patients) and 29 uncontrolled case series. We identified 1 RCT but it did not report seizure outcomes. The pooled risk ratio for seizure freedom in controlled studies (0.99; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.69, 1.43) did not indicate superiority to either approach. Seizure freedom in case series varied from 19% (95% CI 11, 30%) to 95% (95% CI 76, 99%) at last follow-up. Conclusions: There is insufficient evidence available to determine if invasive AVM management is superior to AED only for controlling seizures. An RCT of interventional vs medical management using standardized epilepsy-specific presurgical protocols is warranted.