Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adnit Development : * Age Differences : * Attitude Change : Developmental Stages : Family Attitudes : * Generation Gap : Parent Attitudes

ABSTRACT Although anecdotal material suggests that parenting changes people, experimental tests in this area are lacking. Undergraduates (N=139) and their same-sex parents read one of eight summaries of parent-child interactions which varied in terms of success and in terms of the sex of the story character. Descriptions were reduced to three parent factors (Generous, Lost, and Masculine) and four child factors (Troubled, Responsible, Selfish, and Warm) . The older generation used the factor, "Lost," less often than their children in describing the story parent: "Lost" was used more often to describe a mother than a father. The story child was described as more troubled, more responsible, less selfish, and less warm by the older generation than by their own children. Although the results were unclear as to whether generational differences were due to age, Parenting, or cohort group differences, the data suggest that individuals over age 35 had a less conventional view of parents and children. The older generation showed signs of greater tolerance and more capacity for ambiguity. (NR B)
Vitamin D and Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common form of neurodegeneration among the elderly population. PD is clinically characterized by tremors, rigidity, slowness of movement, and postural imbalance. Interestingly, a significant association has been demonstrated between PD and low levels of vitamin D in the serum, and vitamin D supplement appears to have a beneficial clinical effect on PD. Genetic studies have provided the opportunity to determine which proteins link vitamin D to PD pathology, e.g., Nurr1 gene, toll‐like receptor, gene related to lipid disorders, vascular endothelial factor, tyrosine hydroxylase, and angiogenin. Vitamin D also exerts its effects on cancer through nongenomic factors, e.g., bacillus Calmette‐Guerin vaccination, interleukin‐10, Wntβ‐catenin signaling pathways, mitogen‐activated protein kinase pathways, and the reduced form of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate. In conclusion, vitamin D might have a beneficial role in PD. Calcitriol is best used for PD because it is the active form of the vitamin D3 metabolite and modulates inflammatory cytokine expression. Further investigation with calcitriol in PD is needed. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Small molecules targeting glycogen synthase kinase 3 as potential drug candidates for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa

Abstract Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is an inherited retinal dystrophy that courses with progressive degeneration of retinal tissue and loss of vision. Currently, RP is an unpreventable, incurable condition. We propose glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) inhibitors as potential leads for retinal cell neuroprotection, since the retina is also a part of the central nervous system and GSK-3 inhibitors are potent neuroprotectant agents. Using a chemical genetic approach, diverse small molecules with different potency and binding mode to GSK-3 have been used to validate and confirm GSK-3 as a pharmacological target for RP. Moreover, this medicinal chemistry approach has provided new leads for the future disease-modifying treatment of RP.
odeling plant transpiration under limited soil water : Comparison of ifferent plant and soil hydraulic parameterizations and preliminary mplications for their use in land surface models

Accurate estimates of how soil water stress affects plant transpiration are crucial for reliable land surface model (LSM) predictions. Current LSMs generally use a water stress factor, ˇ, dependent on soil moisture content, , that ranges linearly between ˇ = 1 for unstressed vegetation and ˇ = 0 when wilting point is reached. This paper explores the feasibility of replacing the current approach with equations that use soil water potential as their independent variable, or with a set of equations that involve hydraulic and chemical signaling, thereby ensuring feedbacks between the entire soil–root–xylem–leaf system. A comparison with the original linear -based water stress parameterization, and with its improved curvi-linear version, was conducted. Assessment of model suitability was focused on their ability to simulate the correct (as derived from experimental data) curve shape of relative transpiration versus fraction of transpirable soil water. We used model sensitivity analyses under progressive soil drying conditions, employing two commonly used approaches to calculate water retention and hydraulic conductivity curves. Furthermore, for each of these hydraulic parameterizations we used two different parameter sets, for 3 soil texture types; a total of 12 soil hydraulic permutations. Results showed that the resulting transpiration reduction functions (TRFs) varied considerably among the models. The fact that soil hydraulic conductivity played a major role in the model that involved hydraulic and chemical signaling led to unrealistic values of ˇ, and hence TRF, for many soil hydraulic parameter sets. However, this model is much better equipped to simulate the behavior of different plant species. Based on these findings, we only recommend implementation of this approach into LSMs if great care with choice of soil hydraulic parameters is taken. Crown Copyright © 2014 Published by Elsevier B.V. Open access under CC BY license.
Climatic Niche Shifts Are Rare Among Terrestrial Plant Invaders

Invading a Place Like Home Biological invasions can cause enormous economic problems but they also represent a biological experiment and provide insight into species distributions and range expansion or restriction. Most predictions about when and where species will invade rest on the assumption that invasive species will retain the same climatic niche in the invaded area. But is this assumption valid? Petitpierre et al. (p. 1344) studied a large data set on plant invasions between Eurasia, North America, and Australia and indeed found that fewer than 15% of the studied species occupied more than 10% of invaded distribution outside their native climatic niche, and only one species exhibited >50% climatic niche expansion in its invaded range. Thus, niche shifts are rather rare events in plant invasions. Distribution data for 50 species confirms that invasive plants usually expand into areas with similar climate characteristics. The assumption that climatic niche requirements of invasive species are conserved between their native and invaded ranges is key to predicting the risk of invasion. However, this assumption has been challenged recently by evidence of niche shifts in some species. Here, we report the first large-scale test of niche conservatism for 50 terrestrial plant invaders between Eurasia, North America, and Australia. We show that when analog climates are compared between regions, fewer than 15% of species have more than 10% of their invaded distribution outside their native climatic niche. These findings reveal that substantial niche shifts are rare in terrestrial plant invaders, providing support for an appropriate use of ecological niche models for the prediction of both biological invasions and responses to climate change.
Isolation and Characterisation of the Corticotropin Releasing Factor Receptor 1 (CRFR1) Gene in a Teleost Fish, Fugu rubripes

Corticotropin releasing factor receptor (CRF) is a member of the secretin family of the G-protein coupled receptor superfamily. These are characterised by the presence of seven transmembrane domains and six conserved cysteines that are important for receptor conformation and ligand binding. In vertebrates two CRF receptors (CRF1 and CRF2) have been isolated and characterised. In this study the complete structure of the CRF1 receptor was isolated and partially characterised for the first time in a vertebrate using the compact genome of the Japanese pufferfish, Fugu rubripes as a model. The Fugu CRF1 receptor gene is composed of 14 exons is approximately 27 kb in length. A tissue distribution of this receptor in Fugu reveals that it is expressed mainly in liver, gonads, heart and brain, however, expression in the kidney, gut and gills was also detected. In vertebrates this receptor appears to have a different tissue distribution and its presence in the gills may indicate a new role in osmoregulatory processes.
Australia's national crash in-depth study progress report

Australia’s National Crash In-depth Study (ANCIS) is an ongoing retrospective study of real-world modern vehicle crash performance and occupant injuries undertaken in accordance with the format prescribed by the National Automotive Sampling System. The study primarily focuses on occupants of crashed vehicles that are hospitalised. Study method involves interviewing the patient and/or their relatives, perusal of the clinical records and an engineering assessment of the damaged vehicle. In addition, investigators visit the crash scene to assess various road and crash characteristics. Ten Victorian and three New South Wales hospitals are currently associated with the study. It is anticipated that the study will extend to other states Australia-wide and possibly New Zealand. Data have been collated from 91 cases investigated to date. Statistics and trends regarding various crash configurations such as frontal, side impact and rollovers have been compiled from this data. Injury patterns and scene data associated with these crashes will also be discussed. The study findings will assist in the identification of crash injury trends, emerging vehicle safety problems, as well as confirmation of successful safety developments. Furthermore, a greater understanding of injury biomechanics and possible counter-measures to these injuries may be gained. These data can be used for an in-depth evaluation of modern vehicle crash performance and injury outcomes.
Spatial Multiplexing with Opportunistic Multiuser Scheduling in Ad Hoc Networks

In this paper, we investigate the performance of multiuser scheduling with open-loop spatial multiplexing in ad hoc networks. Closed-form expressions for outage probability and spatial throughput are derived for spatial multiplexing transmission with zero forcing (ZF) receiver and multiuser scheduling. Monte Carlo simulation results reveal that these expressions accurately demonstrate the performance of multiuser scheduling with open-loop spatial multiplexing. Based on these expressions, transmission capacity performance is analyzed and the effects of system parameters over network performance metrics are studied. Our finding indicates that spatial multiplexing with opportunistic multiuser scheduling can provide boosted network performance for ad hoc network by exploiting multiuser diversity gain, whilst requiring very low feedback requirements.
Negative cooperativity in the nitrogenase Fe protein electron delivery cycle

Significance Nitrogenase catalyzes N2 reduction to ammonia, the largest N input into the biogeochemical nitrogen cycle. This difficult reaction involves delivery of electrons from the Fe protein component to the catalytic MoFe protein component in a process that involves hydrolysis of two ATP per electron delivered. MoFe contains two catalytic halves, each of which binds an Fe protein. The prevailing picture has been that the two halves function independently. Here, it is demonstrated that electron transfer (ET) in the two halves exhibits negative cooperativity: Fe→MoFe ET in one-half partially suppresses ET in the other. These findings thus show that conformational coupling in nitrogenase not only gates ET within each half, as shown previously, but introduces negative cooperativity between the two halves. Nitrogenase catalyzes the ATP-dependent reduction of dinitrogen (N2) to two ammonia (NH3) molecules through the participation of its two protein components, the MoFe and Fe proteins. Electron transfer (ET) from the Fe protein to the catalytic MoFe protein involves a series of synchronized events requiring the transient association of one Fe protein with each αβ half of the α2β2 MoFe protein. This process is referred to as the Fe protein cycle and includes binding of two ATP to an Fe protein, association of an Fe protein with the MoFe protein, ET from the Fe protein to the MoFe protein, hydrolysis of the two ATP to two ADP and two Pi for each ET, Pi release, and dissociation of oxidized Fe protein-(ADP)2 from the MoFe protein. Because the MoFe protein tetramer has two separate αβ active units, it participates in two distinct Fe protein cycles. Quantitative kinetic measurements of ET, ATP hydrolysis, and Pi release during the presteady-state phase of electron delivery demonstrate that the two halves of the ternary complex between the MoFe protein and two reduced Fe protein-(ATP)2 do not undergo the Fe protein cycle independently. Instead, the data are globally fit with a two-branch negative-cooperativity kinetic model in which ET in one-half of the complex partially suppresses this process in the other. A possible mechanism for communication between the two halves of the nitrogenase complex is suggested by normal-mode calculations showing correlated and anticorrelated motions between the two halves.
Comparative study of the neuroprotective and nootropic activities of the carboxylate and amide forms of the HLDF-6 peptide in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease

A comparative study of the neuroprotective and nootropic activities of two pharmaceutical substances, the HLDF-6 peptide (HLDF-6-OH) and its amide form (HLDF-6-NH2), was conducted. The study was performed in male rats using two models of a neurodegenerative disorder. Cognitive deficit in rats was induced by injection of the beta-amyloid fragment 25–35 (βA 25–35) into the giant-cell nucleus basalis of Meynert or by coinjection of βA 25–35 and ibotenic acid into the hippocampus. To evaluate cognitive functions in animals, three tests were used: the novel object recognition test, the conditioned passive avoidance task and the Morris maze. Comparative analysis of the data demonstrated that the neuroprotective activity of HLDF-6-NH2, evaluated by improvement of cognitive functions in animals, surpassed that of the native HLDF-6-OH peptide. The greater cognitive/ behavioral effects can be attributed to improved kinetic properties of the amide form of the peptide, such as the character of biodegradation and the half-life time. The effects of HLDF-6-NH2 are comparable to, or exceed, those of the reference compounds. Importantly, HLDF-6-NH2 exerts its effects at much lower doses than the reference compounds.
Prolonged swimming promotes cellular oxidative stress and p66Shc phosphorylation, but does not induce oxidative stress in mitochondria in the rat heart

Abstract Exercise-induced changes in p66Shc-dependent signaling pathway are still not fully understood. The p66Shc protein is one of the key players in cell signaling, particularly in response to oxidative stress. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of prolonged swimming on the phosphorylation of p66Shc as well as the induction of mitochondrial and cellular oxidative stress in rat hearts. Male Wistar rats were divided into a sedentary control group and an exercise group. The exercised rats swam for 3 hours and were burdened with an additional 3% of their body weight. After the cessation of exercise, their hearts were removed immediately for experiments. The exercise protocol caused increased levels of the following oxidative stress parameters in cardiac cells: DNA damage, protein carbonyls, and lipid dienes. There was also increased phosphorylation of p66Shc without any alterations in Akt and extracellular signal-regulated kinases. Changes in the ferritin L levels and the L to H subunit ratio were also observed in the exercised hearts compared with the control hearts. Despite increased phosphorylation of p66Shc, no significant increase was observed in either mitochondrial H2O2 release or mitochondrial oxidative stress markers. Regardless of the changes in phosphorylation of p66Shc, the antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase and catalase) and anti-apoptotic (Bcl2), and pro-apoptotic (Bax) protein levels were not affected by prolonged swimming. Further studies are required to investigate whether p66Shc phosphorylation is beneficial or detrimental to cardiac cells after exercise cessation.
Dose and linear energy transfer distributions of primary and secondary particles in carbon ion radiation therapy: A Monte Carlo simulation study in water

The factors influencing carbon ion therapy can be predicted from accurate knowledge about the production of secondary particles from the interaction of carbon ions in water/tissue-like materials, and subsequently the interaction of the secondary particles in the same materials. The secondary particles may have linear energy transfer (LET) values that potentially increase the relative biological effectiveness of the beam. Our primary objective in this study was to classify and quantify the secondary particles produced, their dose averaged LETs, and their dose contributions in the absorbing material. A 1 mm diameter carbon ion pencil beam with energies per nucleon of 155, 262, and 369 MeV was used in a geometry and tracking 4 Monte Carlo simulation to interact in a 27 L water phantom containing 3000 rectangular detector voxels. The dose-averaged LET and the dose contributions of primary and secondary particles were calculated from the simulation. The results of the simulations show that the secondary particles that contributed a major dose component had LETs <100 keV/µm. The secondary particles with LETs >600 keV/µm contributed only <0.3% of the dose.
Design of Embedded System-Based CAPTCHA in C

This paper describes the technical details of design and implementation of embedded system-based CAPTCHA (verification code) in C, including a brief analysis of techniques for implementing CAPTCHA, and a simple and practical CAPTCHA system designed by the author of this paper, which can be used not only in embedded systems but also ordinary Web based MIS or control systems, without the support of any dedicated graphics library. An example is provided to show the practical usage and effect of this CAPTCHA system on an embedded application demo system.
Analysis of the sequence and gene products of the transfer region of the F sex factor

Bacterial conjugation results in the transfer of DNA of either plasmid or chromosomal origin between microorganisms. Transfer begins at a defined point in the DNA sequence, usually called the origin of transfer (oriT). The capacity of conjugative DNA transfer is a property of self-transmissible plasmids and conjugative transposons, which will mobilize other plasmids and DNA sequences that include a compatible oriT locus. This review will concentrate on the genes required for bacterial conjugation that are encoded within the transfer region (or regions) of conjugative plasmids. One of the best-defined conjugation systems is that of the F plasmid, which has been the paradigm for conjugation systems since it was discovered nearly 50 years ago. The F transfer region (over 33 kb) contains about 40 genes, arranged contiguously. These are involved in the synthesis of pili, extracellular filaments which establish contact between donor and recipient cells; mating-pair stabilization; prevention of mating between similar donor cells in a process termed surface exclusions; DNA nicking and transfer during conjugation; and the regulation of expression of these functions. This review is a compendium of the products and other features found in the F transfer region as well as a discussion of their role in conjugation. While the genetics of F transfer have been described extensively, the mechanism of conjugation has proved elusive, in large part because of the low levels of expression of the pilus and the numerous envelope components essential for F plasmid transfer. The advent of molecular genetic techniques has, however, resulted in considerable recent progress. This summary of the known properties of the F transfer region is provided in the hope that it will form a useful basis for future comparison with other conjugation systems.
Chronic Follicular Bronchiolitis Requires Antigen-Specific Regulatory T Cell Control To Prevent Fatal Disease Progression

To study regulatory T (Treg) cell control of chronic autoimmunity in a lymphoreplete host, we created and characterized a new model of autoimmune lung inflammation that targets the medium and small airways. We generated transgenic mice that express a chimeric membrane protein consisting of hen egg lysozyme and a hemoglobin epitope tag under the control of the Clara cell secretory protein promoter, which largely limited transgene expression to the respiratory bronchioles. When Clara cell secretory protein–membrane hen egg lysozyme/hemoglobin transgenic mice were crossed to N3.L2 TCR transgenic mice that recognize the hemoglobin epitope, the bigenic progeny developed dense, pseudo-follicular lymphocytic peribronchiolar infiltrates that resembled the histological pattern of follicular bronchiolitis. Aggregates of activated IFN-γ– and IL-17A–secreting CD4+ T cells as well as B cells surrounded the airways. Lung pathology was similar in Ifng−/− and Il17a−/− mice, indicating that either cytokine is sufficient to establish chronic disease. A large number of Ag-specific Treg cells accumulated in the lesions, and Treg cell depletion in the affected mice led to an interstitial spread of the disease that ultimately proved fatal. Thus, Treg cells act to restrain autoimmune responses, resulting in an organized and controlled chronic pathological process rather than a progressive disease.