Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Quran and music on anxiety in patients during endoscopy

Introduction:Voice therapy is one of the methods of complementary medicine that is used in many diseases. Since stress level is high in patients during endoscopy, this study aimed to compare the effect of listening to Quran and music on stress level in patients during endoscopy. Methods:This study was a clinical trial study that was performed on 60 patients who referred to a private digestive clinic. Volunteers divided in 3 groups:Quran, music and control. Data were gathered by demographic and standard spill-Berger questionnaire for evaluation of stress level. Results:Results of this study showed that stress level decreased in patients in 2 groups of Quran (P=0.001) and music (P=0.03) compared to the control group. Stress was significantly lower in Quran group. Conclusion:Since listening to Quran is more effective in reducing stress than listening to music, use of Quran before any procedure that is stressful for patients is recommended.
Metodology for sampling inmature stages of the defoliator Opsiphanes cassina Felder (1862) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in oil palm.

Opsiphanes cassina is a defoliator insect that causes economically important losses in oil palm plantations ( Elaeis guineensis Jacq.). In order to implement timely control measures, with minimal environmental damage, it is essential to estimate the population size, which normally is realized throughout weekly counts on leaf 17 or 25 of two palms ha-1. At the farm "Agropecuaria El Aguila", Monagas state, Venezuela, evaluations were realized aimed to developing a sampling method to quantify the immature stages, discriminating its preference on the different sections of the leaf. Between August 2001 and August 2002, a lot of 10 hectares of oil palm were evaluated. Weekly, the leaf No. 25 was sectioned from two trees per hectare. It was determined that the immature stages of the insect showed a clear tendency to be located in the subapical section of the leaf (pairs of leaflets 41 to 80). In general, the oviposition occurred in the pair of leaflets 71, while larvae instars I and II were held between the pairs of leaflets 71 and 73, larvae III and IV were located on the pair 68, while the instars V was located on the pair of leaflets 61. Process of pupation occurred preferentially in the stipe of the plant. When it occurred in the leaf it had predilection by the pair of leaflets 43. The new strategy to sampling immature stages of the O. cassina suggests focusing the efforts on the subapical section of the leaf.
LOCAL CYTOKINE AND THE CD74 EXPRESSION IN THE HELICOBACTER PYLORI ASSOCIATED GASTRITIS

Helicobacter pylori infected gastric mucosa; the host immune response is unable to clear the infection and may contribute to the associated pathogenesis; CD74 expressed on the surface of gastric epithelial cells, as an adhesion molecules used by H. pylori that may contribute to the proinflammatory immune response seen during infection. This study aimed to investigate the role of local inflammatory cells infiltrating gastric mucosa that stained with IFN- and IL-6 monoclonal antibodies, as well as CD74 expressed on gastric epithelial cells in the immunopathogenic association with H. pylori gastritis. After the diagnosis of H. pylori infection by invasive and non-invasive diagnostic tests, patients were grouped as H. pylori positive, (n=47) and H. pylori negative (n=17). The immune staining of IL-6 and IFN- were positive at high level in 89.4% and 91.5%, respectively in H. pylori infected patients. In addition, the presence of specific stained lamina propria (MNCs and PMNs) cells with IL-6 and IFN- were significantly higher (P=0.0001) in the H. pylori-infected than in uninfected subjects; as well as a significant difference in the CD74 expression (p= 0.005) between infected and uninfected patients. It is concluded from this study that there was a significant difference between infected and uninfected biopsy specimens in the expression of CD74 in association with increase local presence of IFN- and IL-6, as well as PMNCs and MNCs, in the gastric mucosa.
Genetic divergence and heterosis in sesame

A 8 x 8 half diallel study carried out in six environments over two seasons indicated that both gca and sea were influenced by environment and observed higher sensitiveness of non additive gene effects to the environmental changes. The ratio of additive to total genotype variance revealed the preponderance of additive gene effects for the inheritance of effective and total length of primary raceme, capsules on primary raceme, nodes upto primary raceme, 100 seed weight and capsules per spike, while spikes per plant and seed yield per plant were mainly governed by non-additive gene effects. Pistillate parent MCP-2 and monoecious male parent RG184 were identified as the best combiners for seed yield and some other traits. Among mostly male parent RG-299 was good combiner for spikes/plant and RG 125 was good combiner for seed weight and nodes upto primary raceme (earliness). Crosses involving mostly male parent could also exhibit high per se and desirable sea effects for seed yield and other traits. It may be concluded that male parent possessing 50% length of primary raceme covered with capsules could be utilized for breeding purpose. Seed yield in castor is governed by multiple path ways, important yield contributing characters at 120 days after sowing (DAS) were capsules on primary raceme, effective length of primary raceme, nodes upto primary raceme ar:l 100 seed weight while capsules per spike, spikes per plant and 100 seed weight were decisive components for seed yield at 240 DAS. These pathways could be combined together or optimized through selection however, considering negative relationship between some traits, use of biparental mating is suggested. To achieve quantum jump in heterosis breeding development of heterotic pool would be useful.
Growth factor requirements of childhood acute leukemia: establishment of GM-CSF-dependent cell lines

Eight permanent cell lines were established from cells of 50 consecutive patients with childhood acute leukemia. Three cell lines required growth factor-containing conditioned media. Analysis using blocking antisera and recombinant granulocytic macrophage (GM) colony- stimulating factor (CSF) identified GM-CSF as a growth factor required to establish the latter three cell lines and necessary for their continuous proliferation in chemically defined medium. Two of the GM- CSF-dependent cell lines were derived from patients with undifferentiated T- and a biphenotypic B-myelomonocytic leukemia, which suggests that GM-CSF might maintain proliferation of leukemias originating from immature progenitor cells. Cytogenetic analysis indicated that all established leukemic cell lines were aneuploid, with six lines containing chromosomal alterations related to those observed in the leukemic cells of the patient. Two patients did not have an abnormal clone identified in the marrow but did yield an aneuploid cell line. These studies indicate that GM-CSF-dependent leukemic cell lines can be established in a fraction of childhood leukemia. These cell lines lend themselves to studies aimed at the evaluation in vitro of the role of growth factors in controlling proliferation and differentiation of leukemic cells.
Interleukin-10 Inhibits Erythropoietin-Independent Growth of Erythroid Bursts in Patients With Polycythemia Vera

In polycythemia vera (PV) erythroid colonies that grow in vitro in the absence of exogenous erythropoietin (EPO) arise from the abnormal clone that is responsible for overproduction of red blood cells. Although the mechanism of autonomous formation of burst-forming units-erythroid (BFU-E) is not fully understood, a spontaneous release of growth regulatory molecules by PV cells and/or by accessory cells is likely to be involved. Because of its cytokine synthesis inhibiting action, interleukin-10 (IL-10) could be a potentially useful molecule to modulate abnormal erythropoiesis in PV. We studied the effect of recombinant human IL-10 on the EPO-independent growth of erythroid bursts derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs) of patients with PV. IL-10 showed a profound, dose-dependent, and specific inhibitory effect on autonomous BFU-E formation. Ten nanograms per milliliter of IL-10 significantly suppressed spontaneous growth of erythroid colonies in methylcellulose in five of five PV patients tested with a mean inhibition by 81% (range, 72-94). To elucidate the possible mechanism of the inhibitory action of IL-10 we further studied the effect of anticytokine antibodies on autonomous BFU-E growth and the ability of exogenous cytokines to restore IL-10-induced suppression of erythroid colony growth. Among a panel of growth regulatory factors tested (granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor [GM-CSF], IL-3, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, stem cell factor, and insulin-like growth factor-1) GM-CSF was the only molecule for which both an inhibition of spontaneous BFU-E formation by its respective antibody as well as a significant restimulation of erythroid colonies in IL-10-treated cultures by exogenous addition was found. Moreover, inhibition of GM-CSF production by IL-10 was shown in PV PBMNCs at the mRNA level. Our data indicate that autonomous BFU-E growth in PV can be profoundly inhibited by IL-10 and that this inhibitory effect seems to be at least in part secondary to suppression of endogenous GM-CSF production.
GENERALISTS, SPECIALISTS, AND THE EVOLUTION OF PHENOTYPIC PLASTICITY IN SYMPATRIC POPULATIONS OF DISTINCT SPECIES

The evolution of phenotypic plasticity is studied in a model with two reproductively isolated “species” in a coarse‐grained environment, consisting of two types of habitats. A quantitative genetic model for selection was constructed, in which habitats differ in the optimal value for a focal trait, and with random dispersal among habitats. The main interest was to study the effects of different selection regimes. Three cases were investigated: (1) without any limits to plasticity; (2) without genetic variation for plasticity; and (3) with a fitness cost for phenotypically plastic reactions. In almost all cases a generalist strategy to exploit both habitats emerged. Without any limits to plasticity, optimal adaptive reactions evolved. Without any genetic variation for plasticity, a compromise strategy with an intermediate, fixed phenotype evolved, whereas in the presence of costs a plastic compromise between the demands of the habitats and the costs associated with plasticity was found. Specialization and phenotypic differentiation was only found when selection within habitats was severe and optimal phenotypes for different habitats were widely different. Under soft selection (local regulation of population numbers in each habitat) the specialists coexisted; under hard selection (global regulation of population numbers) one specialist outcompeted the other. The prevalent evolutionary outcome of compromises rather than specialization implies that costs or constraints are not necessarily detectable as local adaptation in transplantation or translocation experiments.
Two new acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell lines with early B-cell phenotypes

Two leukemic cell lines (697 and 207) were established from bone marrow cells obtained from children with ALL in relapse. These cell lines were positive for the common-ALL antigen (CALLA), the HLA-DR (i.e., Ia-like) antigen, and for cytoplasmic and surface IgM heavy chains. The lines were negative for other immunoglobulin heavy chains and light chains. The lines had elevated levels of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase enzyme and expressed surface antigens found on normal myeloid- macrophage cells (MMA) and on natural killer cells (HNK-1). A minority of cells in line 207 expressed the T-1, T-6, and Leu-1 antigens as detected by monoclonal antibodies. Line 697 was positive for Epstein- Barr virus (EBV), while line 207 did not possess EBV. Line 697 carried a marker chromosome (identified as a translocation between chromosomes 7 and 19), which was also patient9s fresh leukemic cells. The leukemic origin of the cell lines was further indicated by their morphological, cytochemical, and immunologic similarity to the patients9 leukemic cells. Phenotypically, both cell lines appear to be arrested in a transitional stage of development between pre-B and B cells and express surface antigens usually found on normal and fresh leukemic cells of non-B-cell lineages.
Regulation of the proteasome: evaluating the lung proteasome as a new therapeutic target.

SIGNIFICANCE Lung diseases are on the second rank worldwide with respect to morbidity and mortality. For most respiratory diseases, no effective therapies exist. Whereas the proteasome has been successfully evaluated as a novel target for therapeutic interventions in cancer, neurodegenerative, and cardiac disorders, there is a profound lack of knowledge on the regulation of proteasome activity in chronic and acute lung diseases. RECENT ADVANCES There are various means of how the amount of active proteasome complexes in the cell can be regulated such as transcriptional regulation of proteasomal subunit expression, association with different regulators, assembly and half-life of proteasomes and regulatory complexes, as well as post-translational modifications. It also becomes increasingly evident that proteasome activity is fine-tuned and depends on the state of the cell. We propose here that 20S proteasomes and their regulators can be regarded as dynamic building blocks, which assemble or disassemble in response to cellular needs. The composition of proteasome complexes in a cell may vary depending on tissue, cell type and compartment, stage of development, or pathological context. CRITICAL ISSUES AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS Dissecting the expression and regulation of the various catalytic forms of 20S proteasomes, such as constitutive, immuno-, and mixed proteasomes, together with their associated regulatory complexes will not only greatly enhance our understanding of proteasome function in lung pathogenesis but will also pave the way to develop new classes of drugs that inhibit or activate proteasome function in a defined setting for treatment of lung diseases.
Determinación del coeficiente global de transferencia de calor en secaderos rotativos de cáscara de limón

Determination of global heat transfer coefficient in lemon peel rotary dryers No papers on lemon peel drying in rotary dryers were actually found in the sources consulted. Measurement tests were carried out in the assessment of rotary dryer systems used to dehydrate lemon peel in an agroindustrial plant of Northwestern Argentina. A semiempirical mathematic model was developed solving mass and energy balances. A statistical correlation for predicting global heat transfer coefficient in rotary dryer lemon peel dehydration was obtained.
Stable phenotype and function of immortalized Lin-Sca-1+ cardiac progenitor cells in long-term culture: a step closer to standardization.

Putative cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) have been identified in the myocardium and are regarded as promising candidates for cardiac cell-based therapies. Although two distinct populations of CPCs reached the clinical setting, more detailed studies are required to portray the optimal cell type and therapeutic setting to drive robust cell engraftment and cardiomyogenesis after injury. Owing to the scarcity of the CPCs and the need for reproducibility, the generation of faithful cellular models would facilitate this scrutiny. Here, we evaluate whether immortalized Lin−Sca-1+ CPCs (iCPCSca-1) represent their native-cell counterpart, thereby constituting a robust in vitro model system for standardized investigation in the cardiac field. iCPCSca-1 were established in vitro as plastic adherent cells endowed with robust self-renewal capacity while preserving a stable phenotype in long-term culture. iCPCSca-1 differentiated into cardiomyocytic-, endothelial-, and smooth muscle-like cells when subjected to appropr.
Communication Audits and the Effects of Increased Information: A Follow-up Study

Communication audits have now been featured in the literature for 50 years, and many audit approaches have been evaluated. However, follow-up studies designed to chart the actual impact that an audit makes upon communication performance have not been reported. Rather, audits are typically presented as one-shot events, whose impact is not measured. It is as if the audit is an end in itself rather than part of a process of measurement and performance improvement. This paper is therefore timely because it employs a follow-up audit to track the effects of an initial audit upon a major health care organization. The findings do not support the view that the frequently expressed desire of staff for greater communication is a metamyth, and that an increased flow of information simply produces a demand for more. Rather, and consistent with the precepts of Uncertainty Reduction Theory, the provision of information reduced uncertainty and gener ated increased satisfaction with communication processes. The results from this study also illustrate how the audit can play a useful role in an organization's communication strategy.
Sphingosine blocks human polymorphonuclear leukocyte phagocytosis through inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase activation

In the present study, we investigated the mechanism by which sphingosine and its analogues, dihydrosphingosine and phytosphingosine, inhibit polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) phagocytosis of IgG-opsonized erythrocytes (EIgG) and inhibit ERK1 and ERK2 phosphorylation. We used antibodies that recognized the phosphorylated forms of ERK1 (p44) and ERK2 (p42) (extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2). Sphingoid bases inhibited ERK1 and ERK2 activation and phagocytosis of EIgG in a concentration-dependent manner. Incubation with glycine, N,N′-[1,2-ethanediylbis(oxy-2,1-phenylene)]bis[N-[2-[(acetyloxy)methoxy]-2-oxoethyl]]-bis[(acetyloxy)methyl]ester (BAPTA,AM), an intracellular chelator of calcium, failed to block either phagocytosis or ERK1 and ERK2 phosphorylation, consistent with the absence of a role for a calcium-dependent protein kinase C (PKC) in ERK1 and ERK2 phosphorylations. Western blotting demonstrated that sphingosine inhibited the translocation of Raf-1 and PKCδ from PMN cytosol to the plasma membrane during phagocytosis. These data are consistent with the interpretation that sphingosine regulates ERK1 and ERK2 phosphorylation through inhibition of PKCδ, and this in turn leads to inhibition of Raf-1 translocation to the plasma membrane. Consistent with this interpretation, the sphingosine-mediated inhibition of phagocytosis, ERK2 activation, and PKCδ translocation to the plasma membrane could be abrogated with a cell-permeable diacylglycerol analog. The increase in the diacylglycerol mass correlated with the translocation of PKCδ and Raf-1 to the plasma membrane by 3 minutes after the initiation of phagocytosis. Additionally, the diacylglycerol analog enhanced phagocytosis by initiating activation of PKCδ and its translocation to the plasma membrane. Because PMN generate sufficient levels of sphingosine by 30 minutes during phagocytosis of EIgG to inhibit phagocytosis, it appears that sphingosine can serve as an endogenous regulator of EIgG-mediated phagocytosis by downregulating ERK activation.
Phylogenetic relationships and distribution of the Rhizotrogini (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Melolonthinae) in the west Mediterranean

In this paper, the West Mediterranean genera of Rhizotrogini are reviewed. Two kinds of character sets are discussed: those relative to the external morphology of the adult and those of the male and female genitalia. Genera Amadotrogus Reitter, 1902; Amphimallina Reitter, 1905; Amphimallon Berthold, 1827; Geotrogus Guerin-Meneville, 1842; Monotropus Erichson, 1847; Pseudoapeterogyna Escalera, 1914 and Rhizotrogus Berthold, 1827 are analysed: to demonstrate the monophyly of this group of genera; to asses the realtionships of these taxa; to test species transferred from Rhizotrogus to Geotrogus and Monotropus , and to describe external morphological and male and female genitalic characters which distinguish each genus. Phylogenetic analysis leads to the conclusion that this group of genera is monophyletic. However, nothing can be said about internal relationships of the genera, which remain in a basal polytomy. Some of the species tranferred from Rhizotrogus are considered to be a new genus Firminus . The genera Amphimallina and Pseudoapterogyna are synonymized with Amphimallon and Geotrogus respectively.
PATRONES DE FRECUENCIA Y ABUNDANCIA DE SISTEMAS DE DISPERSIÓN DE PLANTAS EN BOSQUES COLOMBIANOS Y SU RELACIÓN CON LAS REGIONES GEOGRÁFICAS DEL PAÍS

The study of plant dispersal systems improves our understanding of forest regeneration, the dynamics of plant populations and the ecological relationships that emerge within ecosystems. In this study we analyzed the patterns of seed dispersal systems for Colombia, in relation to the Amazonian, Andean, Caribbean, Upper Magdalena, Middle Magdalena, Orinoco and Pacific geographic regions. Based on information on identity and abundance of plants found in 101 one hectare vegetation plots, we explored the changes in the relative frequency and relative abundance of plant dispersal systems among the geographic regions. Additionally, we explored the floristic affinities between the regions, as well as the representativeness of families and genera per dispersal system. Endozoochory was highly represented at different taxonomic levels (species, genus, family), and its relative importance changed among the different geographic regions. Those changes could be explained by ecological differences between the regions.
Molecular effects of autoimmune-risk promoter polymorphisms on expression, exon choice, and translational efficiency of interferon regulatory factor 5.

The rs2004640 single nucleotide polymorphism and the CGGGG copy-number variant (rs77571059) are promoter polymorphisms within interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5). They have been implicated as susceptibility factors for several autoimmune diseases. IRF5 uses alternative promoter splicing, where any of 4 first exons begin the mRNA. The CGGGG indel is in exon 1A's promoter; the rs2004640 allele creates a splicing recognition site, enabling usage of exon 1B. This study aimed at characterizing alterations in IRF5 mRNA due to these polymorphisms. Cells with risk polymorphisms exhibited ∼2-fold higher levels of IRF5 mRNA and protein, but demonstrated no change in mRNA stability. Quantitative PCR demonstrated decreased usage of exons 1C and 1D in cell lines with the risk polymorphisms. RNA folding analysis revealed a hairpin in exon 1B; mutational analysis showed that the hairpin shape decreased translation 5-fold. Although translation of mRNA that uses exon 1B is low due to a hairpin, increased IRF5 mRNA level.