Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
α-Lipoic Acid Therapy Modulates Serum Levels of Some Trace Elements and Antioxidants in Type 2 Diabetic Patients

Problem statement: The metabolism of several trace elements has been reported to alter in diabetes mellitus. The disturbance of their serum levels may have a role in the pathogenesis and progress of this disease. In addition, the reports about the status of antioxidants and antioxidant enzymes in diabetic patients are very contradictory. Though α-Lipoic Acid (LA) has long been touted as antioxidant, it has also been shown to improve glucose handling. Approach: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of exogenous supplementation of LA (600mg day−1) on the serum levels of some antioxidants (Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Glutathione (GSH) and vitamin C) and trace elements (Zn, Se, Cu and Co) in type 2 diabetic patients. The aim of this study was also extended to study the association of these parameters with the glycemic status. The studied participants were categorized into 3 groups (15 each): Control group: Non diabetic healthy volunteers. Diabetic group: Type 2 diabetic patients. Lipoic acid treated group: Type 2 diabetic patients received α-lipoic acid for 2 months in a daily oral dose of 600 mg. All participants were subjected to full history taking and complete clinical examination during the experimental period. Fasting serum samples were taken for determination of glucose, insulin, lipid profile and antioxidants as well as some trace elements. Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA) was also calculated as a marker of insulin resistance. Results: The results revealed that LA improved insulin resistance present in diabetic patients. The effects of oral treatment with LA were pronounced by improvement of serum levels of antioxidants (SOD and GSH, p<0.001, while vitamin C, p<0.02), Zn and Se (amounted 24.17 and 23.24%, respectively), compared to diabetic group. Oral treatment with LA produced strong positive correlations between serum levels of fasting glucose and both SOD and Se (r = 0.8). In addition, LA converted the negative correlation between SOD and HOMA index in diabetic patients into strong positive correlation. Conclusion: This study suggests that oral administration of LA (600mg day−1) for 2 months to type 2 diabetic patients alleviated the insulin resistance, oxidative stress and lipid profile abnormalities. In addition, LA returned the serum levels of Zn and Se to the normal values.
Building 3D subsurface models conforming to seismic structural and stratigraphic features

ABSTRACTSubsurface modeling from seismic and borehole data is important for reservoir prediction, geophysical exploration, and production. A reasonable model should honor borehole rock properties and conform to seismic structural and stratigraphic features. Such a subsurface model can be difficult to build in cases complicated by faults and unconformities. Automatic and semiautomatic methods have been proposed to build subsurface models from seismic and borehole data; however, seismic structural and stratigraphic features and borehole measurements are not fully used in most methods. I have developed a workflow to fully use seismic and borehole data to build subsurface models that honor borehole measurements and conform to seismic horizons, faults, unconformities, and stratigraphic features such as channels. In this workflow, I first automatically remove the faulting and folding in seismic and borehole data and map them into an unfaulted and flattened space, in which seismic reflectors and borehole measure.
Familial T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma caused by biallelic MSH2 mutations

Familial non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is rare and in most cases, no underlying cause is identifiable. We report homozygous truncating mutations in the mismatch repair gene MSH2 (226C→T; Q76X) in three siblings who each developed T-cell NHL in early childhood. All three children had hyperpigmented and hypopigmented skin lesions. Constitutional biallelic MSH2 mutations have previously been reported in five individuals, all of whom developed malignancy in childhood. Familial lymphoma has not been reported in this context or in association with biallelic mutations in the other mismatch repair genes MLH1, MSH6 or PMS2. In addition, hypopigmented skin lesions have not previously been reported in biallelic MSH2 carriers. Our findings therefore expand the spectrum of phenotypes associated with biallelic MSH2 mutations and identify a new cause of familial lymphoma. Moreover, the diagnosis has important management implications as it allows the avoidance of chemotherapeutic agents likely to be ineffective and mutagenic in the proband, and the provision of cascade genetic testing and tumour screening for relatives.
Interprofessional Learning in Practice: The Student Experience

Interprofessional learning and the development of teamworking skills are recognised as essential for patient care and are also a government priority for undergraduate education. Sixteen occupational therapy students worked on an interprofessional training ward as part of their practice placement and three of them participated in an evaluation using the nominal group technique. Despite this small number, the evaluation identifies the value of this learning experience in giving the students an opportunity to appreciate the importance of interpersonal skills; to learn about other team members' roles; and to experience the challenges of working on a busy rehabilitation ward for older people.
Amino Acid-Dependent Alterations in Cell Wall and Cell Morphology of Deinococcus indicus DR1

Deinococcus radiodurans exhibits growth medium-dependent morphological variation in cell shape, but there is no evidence whether this phenomenon is observed in other members of the Deinococcaceae family. In this study, we isolated a red-pigmented, aerobic, Deinococcus indicus strain DR1 from Dadri wetland, India. This D. indicus strain exhibited cell–morphology transition from rod-shaped cells to multi-cell chains in a growth-medium-dependent fashion. In response to addition of 1% casamino acids in the minimal growth medium, rod-shaped cells formed multi-cell chains. Addition of all 20 amino acids to the minimal medium was able to recapitulate the phenotype. Specifically, a combination of L-methionine, L-lysine, L-aspartate, and L-threonine caused morphological alterations. The transition from rod shape to multi-cell chains is due to delay in daughter cell separation after cell division. Minimal medium supplemented with L-ornithine alone was able to cause cell morphology changes. Furthermore, a comparative UPLC analysis of PG fragments isolated from D. indicus cells propagated in different growth media revealed alterations in the PG composition. An increase in the overall cross-linkage of PG was observed in muropeptides from nutrient-rich TSB and NB media versus PYE medium. Overall our study highlights that environmental conditions influence PG composition and cell morphology in D. indicus.
Quantifying Acromiohumeral Distance in Overhead Athletes With Glenohumeral Internal Rotation Loss and the Influence of a Stretching Program

Background: Loss of internal rotation range of motion (ROM) on the dominant side is well documented in athletes performing overhead sports activity. This altered motion pattern has been shown to change glenohumeral and scapular kinematics. This could compromise the subacromial space and explain the association between glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD) and subacromial impingement. Purpose: First, to quantify acromiohumeral distance (AHD) and compare between the dominant and nondominant side in overhead athletes with GIRD of more than 15°. Second, to investigate the effect of a sleeper stretch program on ROM and AHD. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: Range of motion was measured with a digital inclinometer and AHD was measured with ultrasound in 62 overhead athletes with GIRD (>15°) at baseline. Differences between sides were analyzed. Athletes were randomly allocated to the stretch (n = 30) or control group (n = 32). The stretch group performed a 6-week sleeper stretch program on the dominant side. Change of range of motion and AHD were measured and analyzed in both groups after 6 weeks. Results: The dominant side showed a significant internal rotation deficit (−24.7° ± 6.3°) and horizontal adduction deficit (−11.8° ± 7.4°) and the dominant side AHD was significantly smaller with the arm at neutral (−0.4 ± 0.6 mm) and at 45° (−0.5 ± 0.8 mm) and 60° (−0.6 ± 0.7 mm) of active abduction compared with the nondominant side. After stretching, significant increase of internal rotation (+13.5° ± 0.8°), horizontal adduction (+10.6° ± 0.9°) ROM and AHD (+0.5 to +0.6mm) was observed at the dominant side of the stretch group compared with prestretching measurements. No significant change of AHD was seen in the nondominant side of the stretch group and in both sides of the control group. Conclusion: The AHD, a 2-dimensional measure for subacromial space, was found to be smaller on the dominant side in athletes with GIRD and was found to increase after a 6-week sleeper stretch program. Clinical Relevance: These findings might provide insight into the relation between GIRD and subacromial impingement but future studies are needed to determine clinical implications.
MultiCache: Multilayered Cache Implementation for I/O Virtualization

As the virtual machine technology is becoming the essential component in the cloud environment, VDI is receiving explosive attentions from IT market due to its advantages of easier software management, greater data protection, and lower expenses. However, I/O overhead is the critical obstacle to achieve high system performance in VDI. Reducing I/O overhead in the virtualization environment is not an easy task, because it requires scrutinizing multiple software layers of guest-to-hypervisor and also hypervisor-to-host. In this paper, we propose multilayered cache implementation, called MultiCache, which combines the guest-level I/O optimization with the hypervisor-level I/O optimization. The main objective of the guest-level optimization is to mitigate the I/O latency between the back end, shared storage, and the guest VM by utilizing history logs of I/O activities in VM. On the other hand, the hypervisor-level I/O optimization was implemented to minimize the latency caused by the “passing I/O path to the host” and the “contenting physical I/O device among VMs” on the same host server. We executed the performance measurement of MultiCache using the postmark benchmark to verify its effectiveness.
Adverse drug reactions in patients admitted to hospital identified by discharge ICD-10 codes and by spontaneous reports.

AIMS We studied the international classification of disease (ICD) hospital discharge codes to find unreported adverse drug reactions (ADRs), and asked doctors about their attitudes to reporting some of these cases. METHODS We examined the ICD codes assigned on discharge to identify ADRs and compared these with spontaneous reports made to the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM). Doctors involved were sent brief résumés of cases and asked if they would report them. RESULTS 49 of 21 365 patient episodes were coded on discharge as ADRs, of which 33 were 'reportable'. Fourteen spontaneous reports were received by the CSM during the same period. The two groups did not overlap. 25 of 60 doctors responded to our questionnaire, and would have reported only 8 of 75 cases outlined. CONCLUSIONS The ICD coding allowed us to identify important ADRs which most doctors would not report spontaneously.
Open Data Integration - Visualization as an Asset

Since several years, even some decades, a major problem in computer sciences is directly linked with data integration. When it becomes necessary to process information coming from different data sources, several problems may appear turning the process of integration more difficult to be accomplished. Nowadays, more and more information is flowing and is provided into the Web - Data Integration became even more important. The emerging trend of Open Data (OD) is an active actor for this event. Integrating data coming from public entities can be a difficult process. Large quantities of datasets are made available. However, an important level of heterogeneity may also exist: Datasets can be on different formats, forms and shapes. If the fact of being possible to access this information can be an important asset, it also can be completely useless if it is not possible to interpret so it can be used. Information Visualization may be an important tool to help the OD integration process. This paper presents problems and barriers which can be encountered on the OD integration process. The paper also describes how Information Visualization can be used to facilitate the integration of OD and turn the procedure more effective, friendlier, and faster.
Lentivirus Infection in the Brain Induces Matrix Metalloproteinase Expression: Role of Envelope Diversity

ABSTRACT Infection of the brain by lentiviruses, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), causes inflammation and results in neurodegeneration. Molecular diversity within the lentivirus envelope gene has been implicated in the regulation of cell tropism and the host response to infection. Here, we examine the hypothesis that envelope sequence diversity modulates the expression of host molecules implicated in lentivirus-induced brain disease, including matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) and related transcription factors. Infection of primary macrophages by chimeric HIV clones containing brain-derived envelope fragments from patients with HIV-associated dementia (HAD) or nondemented AIDS patients (HIV-ND) showed that MMP-2 and -9 levels in conditioned media were significantly higher for the HAD clones. Similarly, STAT-1 and JAK-1 levels were higher in macrophages infected by HAD clones. Infections of primary feline macrophages by the neurovirulent FIV strain (V1CSF), the less neurovirulent strain (Petaluma), and a chimera containing the V1CSF envelope in a Petaluma background (FIV-Ch) revealed that MMP-2 and -9 levels were significantly higher in conditioned media from V1CSF- and FIV-Ch-infected macrophages, which was associated with increased intracellular STAT-1 and JAK-1 levels. The STAT-1 inhibitor fludarabine significantly reduced MMP-2 expression, but not MMP-9 expression, in FIV-infected macrophages. Analysis of MMP mRNA and protein levels in brain samples from HIV-infected persons or FIV-infected cats showed that MMP-2 and -9 levels were significantly increased in lentivirus-infected brains compared to those of uninfected controls. Elevated MMP expression was accompanied by significant increases in STAT-1 and JAK-1 mRNA and protein levels in the same brain samples. The present findings indicate that two lentiviruses, HIV and FIV, have common mechanisms of MMP-2 and -9 induction, which is modulated in part by envelope sequence diversity and the STAT-1/JAK-1 signaling pathway.
Two Putative α-Helical Domains of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Vpr Mediate Nuclear Localization by at Least Two Mechanisms

ABSTRACT To identify the domains of Vpr that are involved nuclear localization, we transfected HeLa cells with a panel of expression vectors that encode mutant Vpr protein with deletions or substitutions within putative domains. Immunofluorescence staining of transfected cells revealed that wild-type Vpr was localized predominantly in the nucleus and the nuclear envelope and certainly in the cytoplasm. Introduction of substitutions or deletions within αH1 or αH2 resulted, by contrast, in diffuse expression over the entire cell. In addition, double mutations within both of these α-helical domains led to the complete absence of Vpr from nuclei. Next, we prepared HeLa cells that express chimeric proteins which consist of the αH1 and αH2 domains fused individually with green fluorescent protein (GFP) and a Flag tag and extracted them with digitonin and Triton X-100 prior to fixation. Flag-αH1-GFP was detected in the nucleus but not in the cytoplasm, while Flag-αH2-GFP was retained predominantly in the nucleus and in a small amount in the cytoplasm. The immunostaining patterns were almost eliminated by substitutions in each chimeric protein. Thus, it appeared that the two α-helical domains might be involved in nuclear import by binding to certain cellular factors. Taken together, our data suggest that the two putative α-helical domains mediate the nuclear localization of Vpr by at least two mechanisms.
The Polymorphism of GDF-9 Gene in Hisari Sheep

Application of molecular technologies led to the discovery of mutations with major effects on the reproductive and meat efficiency of sheep and goat. This study aimed to identify mutations in exon 1 region of GDF-9 gene associated with twining was conducted using PCR-RFLP method on Sheep Hisari - Tajikistan race. To identify polymorphisms in these loci Tajikistan blood samples were bled from 110 head of Hisari Tajikestani sheep race. DNA was extracted using the salt in Yashor biotechnology laboratory was located in Dushanbe and to amplification of these fragments in gene loci, quantity and quality of extracted DNA was determined by using electrophoresis gel. Then, piece, 462 bp, is related to GDF -9 positions was used from specific primer and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). GDF-9 gene by the enzyme HhaI showed both wild type allele G (+) and G (-). Also, G (+/+), G (-/+) and G (-/-) genotypes in frequency 93.64, 6.36 and 0 and alleles frequency G (+) and G (-), respectively showed 0.97 and 0.03. The average heterozygosity for GDF -9 is 0.0616. Results of this study indicate that there is genetic polymorphic and mutation in the gene loci GDF -9. Further studies on exon 1 region of GDF-9 gene or other genes are required using larger samples to be done in this race, so that definite the results. Because the Hisari sheep race is an important source of genetic Tajikistan sheep and pay attention to valued production traits, it has ability to become a twining b reed.
Differential Calcium Regulation of Proinflammatory Activities in Human Neutrophils Exposed to the Neuropeptide Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Protein1

The neuropeptide pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating protein (PACAP) acts via the G protein-coupled receptor vasoactive intestinal peptide/PACAP receptor-1 to induce phospholipase C/calcium and MAPK-dependent proinflammatory activities in human polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs). In this study, we evaluate other mechanisms that regulate PACAP-evoked calcium transients, the nature of the calcium sources, and the role of calcium in proinflammatory activities. Reduction in the activity of PMNs to respond to PACAP was observed after cell exposure to inhibitors of the cAMP/protein kinase A, protein kinase C, and PI3K pathways, to pertussis toxin, genistein, and after chelation of intracellular calcium or after extracellular calcium depletion. Mobilization of intracellular calcium stores was based on the fact that PACAP-associated calcium transient was decreased after exposure to 1) thapsigargin, 2) Xestospongin C, and 3) the protonophore carbonyl cyanide 4-(trifluoromethoxy) phenyl hydrazone; inhibition of calcium increase by calcium channel blockers, by nifedipine and verapamil, indicated that PACAP was also acting on calcium influx. Such mobilization was not dependent on a functional actin cytoskeleton. Homologous desensitization with nanomoles of PACAP concentration and heterologous receptors desensibilization by G protein-coupled receptor agonists were observed. Intracellular calcium depletion modulated PACAP-associated ERK but not p38 phosphorylation; in contrast, extracellular calcium depletion modulated PACAP-associated p38 but not ERK phosphorylation. In PACAP-treated PMNs, reactive oxygen species production and CD11b membrane up-regulation in contrast to lactoferrin release were dependent on both intra- and extracellular calcium, whereas matrix metalloproteinase-9 release was unaffected by extracellular calcium depletion. These data indicate that both extracellular and intracellular calcium play key roles in PACAP proinflammatory activities.
A Mechanism for Both Capacitative Ca2+ Entry and Excitation-Contraction Coupled Ca2+ Release by the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum of Skeletal Muscle Cells

We have previously established that L6 skeletal muscle cell cultures display capacitative calcium entry (CCE), a phenomenon established with other cells in which Ca2+ uptake from outside cells increases when the endoplasmic reticulum (sarcoplasmic reticulum in muscle, or SR) store is decreased. Evidence for CCE rested on the use of thapsigargin (Tg), an inhibitor of the SR CaATPase and consequently transport of Ca2+ from cytosol to SR, and measurements of cytosolic Ca2+. When Ca2+ is added to Ca2+-free cells in the presence of Tg, the measured cytosolic Ca2+ rises. This has been universally interpreted to mean that as SR Ca2+ is depleted, exogenous Ca2+ crosses the plasma membrane, but accumulates in the cytosol due to CaATPase inhibition. Our goal in the present study was to examine CCE in more detail by measuring Ca2+ in both the SR lumen and the cytosol using established fluorescent dye techniques for both. Surprisingly, direct measurement of SR Ca2+ in the presence of Tg showed an increase in luminal Ca2+ concentration in response to added exogenous Ca2+. While we were able to reproduce the conventional demonstration of CCE—an increase of Ca2+ in the cytosol in the presence of thapsigargin—we found that this process was inhibited by the prior addition of ryanodine (Ry), which inhibits the SR Ca2+ release channel, the ryanodine receptor (RyR). This was also unexpected if Ca2+ enters the cytosol first. When Ca2+ was added prior to Ry, the later was unable to exert any inhibition. This implies a competitive interaction between Ca2+ and Ry at the RyR. In addition, we found a further paradox: we had previously found Ry to be an uncompetitive inhibitor of Ca2+ transport through the RyR during excitation-contraction coupling. We also found here that high concentrations of Ca2+ inhibited its own uptake, a known feature of the RyR. We confirmed that Ca2+ enters the cells through the dihydropyridine receptor (DHPR, also known as the L-channel) by demonstrating inhibition by diltiazem. A previous suggestion to the contrary had used Mn2+ in place of direct Ca2+ measurements; we showed that Mn2+ was not inhibited by diltiazem and was not capacitative, and thus not an appropriate probe of Ca2+ flow in muscle cells. Our findings are entirely explained by a new model whereby Ca2+ enters the SR from the extracellular space directly through a combined channel formed from the DHPR and the RyR. These are known to be in close proximity in skeletal muscle. Ca2+ subsequently appears in the cytosol by egress through a separate, unoccupied RyR, explaining Ry inhibition. We suggest that upon excitation, the DHPR, in response to the electrical field of the plasma membrane, shifts to an erstwhile-unoccupied receptor, and Ca2+ is released from the now open RyR to trigger contraction. We discuss how this model also resolves existing paradoxes in the literature, and its implications for other cell types.
Simultaneous multi-frequency observation of the unknown redshift blazar PG 1553+113 in March-April 2008

The blazar PG 1553+113 is a well known TeV -ray emitter. In this paper we determine its spectral energy distribution through simultaneous multi-frequency data to study its emission processes. An extensive campaign was carried out between March and April 2008, where optical, X-ray, high-energy (HE) -ray, and very-high-energy (VHE) -ray data were obtained with the KVA, Abastumani, REM, RossiXTE/ASM, AGILE and MAGIC telescopes, respectively. We combine the data to derive the source’s spectral energy distribution and interpret its double-peaked shape within the framework of a synchrotron self-Compton model.