Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Involvement of Heat‐Shock Protein 70 and P53 Proteins in Attenuation of UVC‐lnduced Apoptosis by Thermal Stress in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

Abstract— Induction of apoptosis is a function of external stimuli and cellular gene expression. Many cells respond to DNA damage by the induction of apoptosis, which depends on a functional p53 protein and is signaled by elevation of p53 levels. In this study, we found that a prior exposure to mild stress (42A°C) can protect HepG2 (p53+/+) ceUs from a subsequent UVC‐induced apoptosis determined by DNA fragmentation and ratio of sub‐Gl peak, but no heat‐enhanced protection was found in Hep3B (p53‐/‐) cells. Although a similar inductive pattern of HSP70 protein and mRNA was detected in the two cell lines under thermal stress, the effect of thermal stress on UVC‐induced apoptosis in HepG2 and Hep3B cells was obviously different. Overexpression of HSP70 by transient trans‐fection of HSP70 expression vector in HepG2 cells significantly inhibited UVC‐induced cell death; however, this inhibitory effect did not occur in transfected‐Hep3B cells. Treatment of HepG2 cells with p53‐specific anti‐sense oligonucleotide could effectively block the antiapo‐ptotic effect of thermal stress on UVC‐induced apoptosis and increase of intracellular wild‐type p53 protein by transfecting wtp53 expression plasmid into Hep3B cells yielded more resistance to UVC irradiation after prior thermal stress exposure. The results reveal an involvement of p53 in the antiapoptotic effect of thermal stress on UVC irradiation. Finally, a p53 protein increase was detected in UVC‐treated HepG2 cells and could be coim‐munoprecipitated with HSP70 after a thermal stress treatment Prolonged p53 binding activity and enhanced expression of p53‐controlled genes such as Gl arrest and DNA damage 45 and wild‐type p53 activation factor 1/ Cdk‐interacting protein 1 by thermal stress are also observed in UVC‐irradiated HepG2 cells. Based on these results, we propose that the antiapoptotic effect of thermal stress is mediated by increasing HSP70 and modulating intracellular p53 function.
Azotobacter vinelandii Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Regulated by ς54: Role in Alcohol Catabolism and Encystment

ABSTRACT Encystment in Azotobacter vinelandii is induced byn-butanol or β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB). We identified a gene, encoding an aldehyde dehydrogenase, that was namedaldA. An aldA mutation impaired bacterial growth on n-butanol, ethanol, or hexanol as the sole carbon source. Expression of aldA increased in cells shifted from sucrose to n-butanol and was shown to be dependent on the alternative ς54 factor. A mutation in rpoNencoding the ς54 factor also impaired growth on alcohols. Encystment on n-butanol, but not on BHB, was impaired inaldA or rpoN mutants, indicating thatn-butanol is not an inducer of encystment by itself but must be catabolized in order to induce encystment.
DCC Analysis of Two Stock Returns Volatility with Two Factors of MSCI Global and Europe Market Indices: Study of Thailand and Malaysia Stock Markets

This paper uses the Thailand and the Malaysia's stock prices of material from January, 2004 to December, 2009, discussing the model construction and their association between Thailand and Malaysia's stock markets, and also uses Student's t distribution to analyze the proposed model. The empirical results show that the mutual effects of the Thailand and the Malaysia's stock markets may construct bivariate IGARCH (1, 1) model with a DCC. The empirical results also show that Thailand and Malaysia's stock market returns present the positive relation. Namely, these two stock market returns' volatility are synchronized influenced, and the average estimation value of the DCC coefficient of two stock market returns amounts to 0.326. Also, Thailand and Malaysia's stock markets do not have the asymmetrical effect in the research data period. The variation risk of the Thailand's and the Malaysia's stock markets does not receive the effect of the MSCI global index and MSCI Europe market index.
Painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy among Saudi Diabetic Patients is Common but Under-recognized: Multicenter Cross-sectional study at primary health care setting

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (PDPN) and its associated risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus attending primary health care (PHC) in Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A multicenter, cross-sectional study evaluated 242 type 2 diabetics who attended the National Guard PHC clinics in Riyadh. Trained physicians obtained the relevant data and medical history and assessed PDPN using the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument. RESULTS: About 35% of patients with type-2 diabetes in this study had painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy. High risk hemoglobin level and poor compliance with treatment were associated with increased odds of PDPN (Odds ratio [OR] =3.121, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.154”8.444, OR = 3.546, 95% CI 1.531”8.214, respectively). It is noted that only in one patient with PDPN, was their PDPN recognized by physicians. Furthermore, none of our study participants was taking medication to control the pain. CONCLUSIONS: One-third of Saudi Arabia's Type 2 diabetes patients have PDPN. PHC physicians treating diabetes should be more aware of the importance of screening for PDPN and the treatment plan.
Pulsed corona discharge in water for coli bacteria inactivation

The inactivation of <i>E. </i> <i>coli</i> and total coli bacteria during pulsed corona discharge in the river water was investigated. The bacterial suspension of volume 157 ml was polluted with <i>E. </i> <i>coli</i> and total coli with concentration of 230 cfu/100 cm<sup>3</sup> and 1500 cfu/100 cm<sup>3</sup>, respectively. The processing was conducted in a tube reactor with hollow needle-to-rod electrode system. The 2 min. of treatment caused decrease of total coli concentration by three orders of magnitude leaving only 3 cfu/100 cm<sup>3</sup>, which was <i>E. </i> <i>coli</i>. Obtained energy efficiency was 0.15 cfu/J.
Cadmium or cadmium compounds and chronic kidney disease in workers and the general population: a systematic review

Abstract Background: Cadmium (Cd) is abundantly documented as a metal mainly affecting tubular function both in workers and in the general population indirectly exposed via the environment. Results from epidemiological studies linking Cd exposure and risk of progression to chronic kidney disease (CKD) are, however, conflicting. Objectives: To perform a systematic review of the association between Cd exposure and CKD. Methods: A systematic appraisal of publications found in MEDLINE (1946–2014), EMBASE (1974–2012) and an in-house database (1986–2013) was conducted. Additional studies were searched for by contacting experts and checking reference lists. Search terms used key and text words. No language restriction was applied. Cohort, case–control and case-series with follow-up including individual and objective assessment of occupational or environmental exposure were eligible. Studies were selected and data extracted by two independent reviewers using predefined forms. Study characteristics and results were extracted to structured tables. Synthesis was qualitative and results appraised with causality criteria. Results: Thirty-four exposed groups, totaling more than 3000 participants, were eligible. Overall, results disclosed no convincing evidence supporting a risk of progression to CKD in populations exposed to Cd. Lack of information about methods, risk of bias and heterogeneity were identified as limitations and precluded conducting a meta-analysis. Publication bias did not appear as a major problem. Conclusions: This qualitative systematic review does not support the contention that human exposure to Cd leads to progressive CKD.
Interruption of two immunoglobulin heavy-chain switch regions in murine plasmacytoma P3.26Bu4 by insertion of retroviruslike element ETn

A number of moderately reiterated murine genetic elements have been shown to have structures like those of retroviral proviruses. These elements are thought to be transposons, although little evidence of their transposability exists. Two members of one of these families of reiterated elements, the ETn family, have inserted into separate immunoglobulin heavy-chain switch regions in the plasmacytoma P3.26Bu4. Switch regions are those DNA segments associated with each immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene in which the somatic recombinations that accompany the heavy-chain switch occur. This role in somatic recombination may be relevant to the ETn insertions into the switch regions in P3.26Bu4 DNA. P3.26Bu4 and a number of other B-lineage cells contain ETn transcripts.
Critique of “Precipitation in Light Extinction Reconstruction” by P.A. Ryan

Abstract The goal of the Regional Haze Rule (RHR) is to return visibility in class I areas (CIAs) to natural levels, excluding weather-related events, by 2064. Whereas visibility, the seeing of scenic vistas, is a near instantaneous and sight-path-dependent phenomenon, reasonable progress toward the RHR goal is assessed by tracking the incremental changes in 5-yr average visibility. Visibility is assessed using a haze metric estimated from 24-hr average aerosol measurements that are made at one location representative of the CIA. It is assumed that, over the 5-yr average, the aerosol loadings and relative humidity along all of the site paths are the same and can be estimated from the 24-hr measurements. It is further assumed that any time a site path may be obscured by weather (e.g., clouds and precipitation), there are other site paths within the CIA that are not. Therefore, when calculating the haze metric, sampling days are not filtered for weather conditions. This assumption was tested by examining precipitation data from multiple monitors for four CIAs. It is shown that, in general, precipitation did not concurrently occur at all monitors for a CIA, and precipitation typically occurred 3-8 hr or less in a day. In a recent paper in this journal, Ryan asserts that the haze metric should include contributions from precipitation and conducted a quantitative assessment incorrectly based on the assumption that the Optec NGN-2 nephelometer measurements include the effects of precipitation. However, these instruments are programmed to shut down during rain events, and any data logged are in error. He further assumes that precipitation occurs as often on the haziest days as the clearest days and that precipitation light scattering (bprecip) is independent of geographic location and applied an average bprecip derived for Great Smoky Mountains to diverse locations including the Grand Canyon. Both of these assumptions are shown to be in error.
Morphed Images of Basic Emotional Expressions: Ratings on Russell's Bipolar Field

An object may be gradually changed into another object by a technique called “morphing” as in the current study. Although in some studies, such as by Coren and Russell, subjects were asked to rate psychologically synthesized facial images seen in a stereoscope, there do not seem to be any studies in which facial images were physically synthesized as morphed images Our question then was how subjects would rate them. Multidimensional scaling indicated that ratings of facial images, physically synthesized by morphing, showed essentially the same configuration as those of psychologically synthesized faces and that our results conformed to the well-known dimensions of emotional space. In contrast, ratings of fear might not conform to the dimensional emotional space, suggesting cultural differences in emotion between Japan and the United States.
Intratesticular Isolated Anechoic Areas

Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of intratesticular isolated anechoic areas (ITIAAs) in a large population, the seminal profile, and follow‐up of patients with ITIAAs. Methods. A total of 2223 patients underwent an andrologic examination and scrotal sonography. In the patients with ITIAAs, a hormonal profile was obtained, and screening for neoplastic markers was performed. In selected cases, standard semen analysis was performed. Finally, a longitudinal study was initiated. Results. The prevalence of ITIAAs was 2.7% (59 of 2223 cases). In 48 of 59 cases (81.4%), a single ITIAA was found, whereas in the other 11 cases (18.6%), multiple ITIAAs were detected. Among the 59 patients with ITIAAs, we observed concomitant epididymal anechoic areas (EAAs) in 25 (42.4% of cases), specifically in 19 of 48 cases with a single ITIAA and 6 of 11 cases with multiple ITIAAs. Regarding age, 91.5% (54 of 59 cases) of the ITIAAs were found in patients older than 30 years; concomitant EAAs were present in about 50% of the cases. In patients younger than 30 years, no EAAs were detected. The seminal profile showed reduced sperm motility percentages in the patients with ITIAAs and concomitant EAAs. The longitudinal study did not show any significant variation of ITIAA patterns; all neoplastic markers remained negative. Conclusions. An ITIAA is a pattern occasionally observed on sonography. The findings suggest that an ITIAA with a concomitant EAA could have a microtraumatic or inflammatory pathogenesis, whereas an ITIAA without a concomitant EAA in young patients could have a dysontogenetic origin.
Neuropathology of Herpes Simplex Virus Encephalitis in a Rat Seizure Model

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is the cause of a serious and often fatal encephalitis. Patients who survive herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) experience behavioral abnormalities including profound cognitive dysfunctions. We have developed a rat model of acute HSE to investigate the cognitive impairments caused by HSV-1 central nervous system (CNS) infection. Following intranasal inoculation of Lewis rats with a neurovirulent strain of HSV-1, animals shed virus in both ocular and nasal secretions and developed clinical signs of infection, including partial complex motor seizures that eventually generalized. Homogenization assays demonstrated infectious virus in the trigeminal ganglia, olfactory bulbs, and the piriform and entorhinal cortices. Histopathological assessment revealed inflammatory and hemorrhagic lesions in the trigeminal ganglia, olfactory bulbs, amygdala, hippocampus, the piriform and entorhinal cortices, and the spinal trigeminal nuclei. Viral antigens and nucleic acids were also detected within these structures by immunofluorescencc microscopy and in situ hybridization, respectively. Viral-induced astrocytic hypertrophy in the CNS was demonstrated by glial fibrillary acidic protein immunoreactivity. Together, these results indicate that HSV-1 has the ability to invade, replicate, and induce site-specific CNS damage in the Lewis rat.
Computation Method to Identify Differential Allelic Gene Expression and Novel Imprinted Genes

MOTIVATION Genomic imprinting plays an important role in both normal development and diseases. Abnormal imprinting is strongly associated with several human diseases including cancers. Most of the imprinted genes were discovered in the neighborhood of the known imprinted genes. This approach is difficult to extend to analyze the whole genome. We have decided to take a computational approach to systematically search the whole genome for the presence of mono-allelic expressed genes and imprinted genes in human genome. RESULTS A computational method was developed to identify novel imprinted or mono-allelic genes. Individuals represented in human cDNA libraries were genotyped using Bayesian statistics, and differential expression of polymorphic alleles was identified. A significant reduction in the number of libraries that expressed both alleles, measured by Z-statistics, is a strong indicator for an imprinted or a mono-allelic gene. AVAILABILITY The data sets are available at http://leelab.nci. nih.gov/leelab/jsp/IGDM/IGDM.html
Double‐blind comparison of doxepin and desipramine in patients with primary affective disorder

A double‐blind comparison of doxepin versus desipramine was performed in carefully defined patients with research diagnoses of Primary Affective Disorder. While both drugs showed equal efficacy after 4 weeks, doxepin demonstrated a more rapid onset of action and surprisingly few side effects. Desipramine did not prove to be “activating” and did not worsen agitated depression. Although doxepin showed few autonomic side effects, it was nevertheless sedating, indicating that tricyclics with more anticholinergic effects are not necessarily more sedating drugs.
Large scale multi-criteria optimization of forestry biomass supply networks

For the replacement of fossil fuel forestry biomass should help mitigating Green House Gas (GHG) emissions. However the supply of energy wood is challenging because of high supply costs and rapidly increasing demand. Considering the typical, heterogeneous structure of landownership, contractors and energy producers in Mid-Europe, supply network optimization becomes of major importance. Mathematical supply network optimization often only implies minimizing costs and maximizing profit, respectively. Although the use of forestry biomass affects the GHG balance in a positive way, the supply chain processes cause GHG emissions, which have to be minimized. So there could be a trade-off between maximizing the profit and minimizing GHG emissions within biomass supply networks.
Investigations of the Contribution of a Putative Glycine Hinge to Ryanodine Receptor Channel Gating*

Background: In many K+ channels, gating requires flexing of inner helices at glycine residues within a “hinge motif. ” An analogous motif is present in the ryanodine receptor channel. Results: Mutation of ryanodine receptor “hinge” glycines produces varying effects on gating. Conclusion: Ryanodine receptors do not contain a typical glycine hinge. Significance: This work provides new insights into mechanisms of ryanodine receptor function. Ryanodine receptor channels (RyR) are key components of striated muscle excitation-contraction coupling, and alterations in their function underlie both inherited and acquired disease. A full understanding of the disease process will require a detailed knowledge of the mechanisms and structures involved in RyR function. Unfortunately, high-resolution structural data, such as exist for K+-selective channels, are not available for RyR. In the absence of these data, we have used modeling to identify similarities in the structural elements of K+ channel pore-forming regions and postulated equivalent regions of RyR. This has identified a sequence of residues in the cytosolic cavity-lining transmembrane helix of RyR (G4864LIIDA4869 in RyR2) analogous to the glycine hinge motif present in many K+ channels. Gating in these K+ channels can be disrupted by substitution of residues for the hinge glycine. We investigated the involvement of glycine 4864 in RyR2 gating by monitoring properties of recombinant human RyR2 channels in which this glycine is replaced by residues that alter gating in K+ channels. Our data demonstrate that introducing alanine at position 4864 produces no significant change in RyR2 function. In contrast, function is altered when glycine 4864 is replaced by either valine or proline, the former preventing channel opening and the latter modifying both ion translocation and gating. Our studies reveal novel information on the structural basis of RyR gating, identifying both similarities with, and differences from, K+ channels. Glycine 4864 is not absolutely required for channel gating, but some flexibility at this point in the cavity-lining transmembrane helix is necessary for normal RyR function.
Fault Detection Schemes for Continuous-Time Stochastic Dynamical Systems

In this paper the fault detection (FD) task in stochastic continuous-time dynamical systems is addressed. A new family of FD approaches is presented, which is based on the application of hypothesis testing on continuous-time estimators. The given FD schemes are widely analyzed in the framework of their characteristics, such as fault detectability, false alarms and missed detection. A collection of sufficient detectability conditions are given for a class of faults (referred here as generic), characterizing the faults which can be detected with certain formalized guarantee by the given FD schemes, and providing also an upper bound for the detection time in a probabilistic sense. The application and comparative performance of these FD approaches is illustrated for different faults in a simulation example.
Preceding and Poststroke Infections in Young Adults With First-Ever Ischemic Stroke: Effect on Short-Term and Long-Term Outcomes

Background and Purpose— Poststroke infections (PSIs) worsen the outcome in acute ischemic stroke, but the effect of preceding infection (PI) is controversial. Data on young patients are scarce. We characterized PI and PSI in young adults with first-ever stroke and studied whether they are associated with 3-month and long-term outcomes, recurrent vascular events, and death. Methods— From our database of 1008 consecutive patients aged 15 to 49 years, we included in the present study those who had brain imaging done within the first 2 days from stroke onset. Outcomes were unfavorable at 3 months and during long-term follow-up, vascular events, and all-cause death. Logistic regression and Cox proportional models were used to determine associations between infections and clinical outcomes. Results— A total of 681 patients (62.3% men) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Of these, 70 (10.3%) had PI, most commonly upper respiratory tract infection, and 103 (15.1%) had PSI, most commonly pneumonia. After adjusting for sex, age, and risk factors, both PI (odds ratio, 2.86; 95% confidence interval, 1.48–5.54) and PSI (odds ratio, 2.26; 95% confidence interval, 1.08–4.76) were independently associated with unfavorable 3-month outcome. PSI was also associated with long-term (follow-up, 7.8±4.0 years) higher risk of all-cause death. Conclusions— In young patients with ischemic stroke, both PI and PSIs are associated with unfavorable short-term outcome. PSIs are also associated with higher long-term mortality.
Conditional LoxP‐flanked glucosylceramide synthase allele controlling glycosphingolipid synthesis

Glycosphingolipids are organizational building blocks of plasma membranes that participate in key cellular functions, such as signaling and cell‐to‐cell interactions. Glucosylceramide synthase—encoded by the Ugcg gene—controls the first committed step in the major pathway of glycosphingolipid synthesis. Global disruption of the Ugcg gene in mice is lethal during gastrulation. We have now established a Ugcg allele flanked by loxP sites (floxed). When cre recombinase was expressed in the nervous system under control of the nestin promoter, the floxed gene underwent recombination, resulting in a substantial reduction of Ugcg expression and of glycosphingolipid ganglio‐series levels. The mice deficient in Ugcg expression in the nervous system show a striking loss of Purkinje cells and abnormal neurologic behavior. The floxed Ugcg allele will facilitate analysis of the function of glycosphingolipids in development, physiology, and in diseases such as diabetes and cancer. genesis 43:175–180, 2005. Published 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.