Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
FREE RADICAL SCAVENGING AND ANTICANCER ACTIVITY OF CLERODENDRON PANICULATUM.

Summary Oxidative stress has been implicated in numerous pathophysiological conditions including cancer. Conventional medical treatment has its own side effects besides the high cost. A simple but effective way of preventing cancer may be to prevent oxidative damage. In the recent years, several antioxidant phenolic compounds have been recognized to have ability to induce apoptosis in various tumour cells of human origin. By virtue of their antioxidant property, they also prevent cell growth by inhibiting the proteins responsible for cell growth. Ethno botanical search reveals use of many traditional herbs in treatment of cancer, which are usually free from side effects, are economical and also easily accessible to humans. However, their mechanism of action is not known. The plant Clerodendron paniculatum is a plant widely found in Udupi district of Karnataka, India. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the possible anticancer effects of alcoholic extract of the plant. Although, plants of the same genus were reported to possess potent anticancer activity [6] [7], no reports were available on this plant. The plants of the genus Clerodendron were reported to have antioxidant [10] and anti-inflammatory [8] [9] activities also. The extract was also studied for free radical scavenging potential. Although the extract showed significant antioxidant activity, its anticancer potential was not significant.
Effect of surface applied glycine betaine on herbage production and quality of perennial ryegrass–white clover pastures

Osmoprotectants have been reported to reduce the detrimental effects of various environmental stresses in many different plant species. However, there is little research available concerning pasture species. Two experiments were undertaken with the aim of quantifying the effect of surface applications of exogenous glycine betaine (GB) on herbage production and quality of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)–white clover (Trifolium repens L.) pastures during periods of moisture stress and cold temperatures over 2 years. Pastures fertilised with GB were compared with unfertilised pastures and pastures fertilised with nitrogen (N). Rates of 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 kg GB/ha.defoliation were applied in experiment 1 and 5 kg GB/ha.defoliation was applied in experiment 2. Surface applications of GB did not significantly affect herbage production relative to unfertilised pastures; herbage yields averaged 12 248 and 12 693 kg DM/ha over 11 months in experiment 1, and 7253 and 7177 kg DM/ha over 6 months during summer and autumn in experiment 2, for the unfertilised control and GB, respectively. During both experiments, herbage quality parameters were not affected by GB application, although the proportion of white clover in the sward between summer and winter during experiment 1 was greater (P < 0.01) in plots treated with GB than in untreated plots. Application of N fertiliser increased (P < 0.001) herbage production, but did not consistently affect herbage quality. The failure of surface applications of exogenous GB to improve the herbage production or quality of perennial ryegrass–white clover pastures suggests that it is not an appropriate method to enhance plant tolerance to environmental stress at the concentrations applied in these studies.
Cytochemical observations on cholinergic, serotoninergic and peptidergic neuronal pathways in Cephalochlamys namaquensis

ABSTRACT The localization and distribution of cholinergic, serotoninergic (5-HT, serotonin) and peptidergic components of the nervous system of adult Cephalochlamys namaquensis (Cestoda: Pseudophyllidea) have been determined using enzyme histochemical and immunocytochemical techniques interfaced with light and confocal scanning laser microscopy. All three classes of neuroactive substance showed a similar pattern of staining, occurring extensively throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems of the parasite. There were some minor regional differences in staining, suggesting specific roles for certain classes of neurone, and nerve cell bodies were most evident following immunostaining for serotonin. The general overlap in the distribution of staining may be indicative of some co-localization of neurotransmitter and/or neuromodulatory substances.
Limited Environmental Serine and Glycine Confer Brain Metastasis Sensitivity to PHGDH Inhibition.

A hallmark of metastasis is the adaptation of tumor cells to new environments. Metabolic constraints imposed by the serine and glycine-limited brain environment restrict metastatic tumor growth. How brain metastases overcome these growth-prohibitive conditions is poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that 3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH), which catalyzes the rate-limiting step of glucose-derived serine synthesis, is a major determinant of brain metastasis in multiple human cancer types and preclinical models. Enhanced serine synthesis proved important for nucleotide production and cell proliferation in highly aggressive brain metastatic cells. In vivo, genetic suppression and pharmacological inhibition of PHGDH attenuated brain metastasis, but not extracranial tumor growth, and improved overall survival in mice. These results reveal that extracellular amino acid availability determines serine synthesis pathway dependence, and suggests that PHGDH inhibitors may be useful in the treatment of brain metastasis.
Anthropometric indices and cut-off points in the diagnosis of metabolic disorders

Objective Identifying metabolic disorders at the earliest phase of their development allows for an early intervention and the prevention of serious consequences of diseases. However, it is difficult to determine which of the anthropometric indices of obesity is the best tool for diagnosing metabolic disorders. The aims of this study were to evaluate the usefulness of selected anthropometric indices and to determine optimal cut-off points for the identification of single metabolic disorders that are components of metabolic syndrome (MetS). Design Cross-sectional study. Participants We analyzed the data of 12,328 participants aged 55.7±5.4 years. All participants were of European descent. Primary outcome measure Four MetS components were included: high glucose concentration, high blood triglyceride concentration, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration, and elevated blood pressure. The following obesity indices were considered: waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), body fat percentage (%BF), Clínica Universidad de Navarra-body adiposity estimator (CUN-BAE), body roundness index (BRI), and a body shape index (ABSI). Results The following indices had the highest discriminatory power for the identification of at least one MetS component: CUN-BAE, BMI, and WC in men (AUC = 0.734, 0.728, and 0.728, respectively) and WHtR, CUN-BAE, and WC in women (AUC = 0.715, 0.714, and 0.712, respectively) (p<0.001 for all). The other indices were similarly useful, except for the ABSI. Conclusions For the BMI, the optimal cut-off point for the identification of metabolic abnormalities was 27.2 kg/m2 for both sexes. For the WC, the optimal cut-off point was of 94 cm for men and 87 cm for women. Prospective studies are needed to identify those indices in which changes in value predict the occurrence of metabolic disorders best.
Learning Interpretable Behavioral Engagement for Care Management

The health outcomes of high-need patients can be substantially influenced by the degree of patient engagement in their own care. The role of care managers (CMs) includes enrolling patients and keeping them sufficiently engaged in care programs, so that patients complete assigned goals leading to improvement in their health outcomes. Here, we present a data-driven behavioral engagement scoring (BES) pipeline that can compute the patients' engagement level with regards to their interest in: (1) enrolling into a relevant care program, and (2) completing program goals. This score is leveraged to predict a patient's propensity to respond to CMs' actions. Using real-world care management data, we show that the BES pipeline successfully predicts patient engagement and provides interpretable insights to CMs, using prototypical patient cases as a point of reference, without sacrificing prediction performance.
Analyzing Conﬂict Narratives to Predict Settlements in EBay Feedback Dispute Resolution

—We explore the possibility of predicting settlements in online disputes by performing text-analysis on conﬂict narratives from disputant parties. The experiment domain is eBay Motor vehicles, in which disputants try to resolve complaints, possibly working with online human mediators. The conﬂict discourse is analyzed based on the divergence of topic distributions in a generative model extending Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) to include role information. A set of distance schemes and a heuristic are designed for various negotiation scenarios to predict settlements. We analyze the quality of discovered topics in terms of topic coherence and evaluate settlement classiﬁcation and prediction power for settlements on unseen data. Experimental results show that this unsupervised model outperforms a state-of-the-art supervised learner on precision, recall, and F-measure. The performance of a supervised learner with derived features from this model outperforms that using bag-of-features in terms of precision and efﬁciency.
Semilunar Granule Cells Are the Primary Source of the Perisomatic Excitatory Innervation onto Parvalbumin-Expressing Interneurons in the Dentate Gyrus

Abstract We analyzed the origin and relevance of the perisomatic excitatory inputs on the parvalbumin interneurons of the granule cell layer in mouse. Confocal analysis of the glutamatergic innervation showed that it represents ∼50% of the perisomatic synapses that parvalbumin cells receive. This excitatory input may originate from granule cell collaterals, the mossy cells, or even supramammillary nucleus. First, we assessed the input from the mossy cells on parvalbumin interneurons. Axon terminals of mossy cells were visualized by their calretinin content. Using multicolor confocal microscopy, we observed that less than 10% of perisomatic excitatory innervation of parvalbumin cells could originate from mossy cells. Correlative light and electron microscopy revealed that innervation from mossy cells, although present, was indeed infrequent, except for those parvalbumin cells whose somata were located in the inner molecular layer. Second, we investigated the potential input from supramammillary nucleus on parvalbumin cell somata using anterograde tracing or immunocytochemistry against vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGLUT2) and found only occasional contacts. Third, we intracellularly filled dentate granule cells in acute slice preparations using whole-cell recording and examined whether their axon collaterals target parvalbumin interneurons. We found that typical granule cells do not innervate the perisomatic region of these GABAergic cells. In sharp contrast, semilunar granule cells (SGCs), a scarce granule cell subtype often contacted the parvalbumin cell soma and proximal dendrites. Our data, therefore, show that perisomatic excitatory drive of parvalbumin interneurons in the granular layer of the dentate gyrus is abundant and originates primarily from SGCs.
FUNCTIONAL MORPHOLOGY OF THE MOUTH OF THE BOWHEAD WHALE AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR CONSERVATION

Abstract Bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) hauled out on shore-fast ice by Inupiat whale hunters off Barrow, Alaska were examined. Anatomical observations confirmed the occurrence of a large, well-muscled tongue. Temporomandibular articulations were synovial. The mandibular symphysis was unfused. Standard measurement of baleen plates and close-range photogrammetry of a baleen rack confirmed that the anterior portion of the baleen rack is strongly convex, in contrast to its shape in balaenopterids. Moderate force applied to the lower lip in a lateral direction caused a pronounced abduction of the lower jaw. These observations support a conclusion that during feeding, the tongue may deflect the incoming flow of prey-laden water from side to side in the mouth, to convey prey slurries into the postlingual recess. Abduction of the lower lip likely would establish a channel for acceleration of flow around the outside of the baleen racks, reducing external pressures and drawing water out through the baleen. Thus, the shape of the baleen rack in the bowhead appears to be an adaptation to reduce the amplitude of the bow wave projected during feeding, the simultaneous advantage being concentration of prey slurries inside the mouth. It may also impart a configuration to the bow wave that stimulates countereffective evasive effort by actively mobile prey. Final compaction of a concentrated prey slurry in the postlingual recess probably involves retraction of the tongue against the oropharyngeal wall. These insights notably enable consideration of certain threats to bowheads and right whales (Balaenidae) associated with oil spills and oral entanglement. Previous research on the “physiologic” effects of fouling of baleen with oil is judged to be inadequate with respect to this taxonomic family. Oral entanglement with nonbiodegradable marine debris is predicted to be lethal because of interference with a critical hydrostatic oral seal.
A method to quantify crystallinity in amorphous metal alloys: A differential scanning calorimetry study

We developed and describe a differential scanning calorimetry method for calculating the initial crystallinity, change of crystallinity and crystallinity percentage of amorphous metal alloys as a function of temperature. Using thermodynamic enthalpies of amorphous, crystalline and partially devitrified specimens, our methodology is capable of determining crystallinity percentages as low as a few percent. Moreover, the linear relationship between the set (pre-determined) and calculated crystallinities of experimental samples indicates that there is no need to prepare calibration samples before measuring the crystallinity percentage of target samples. This technique also eliminates the need for expensive in situ accessories, such as those required in electron microscopy. Thus, the technique is highly relevant as a primary technique for characterization of devitrification behavior in amorphous materials.
Potential Hepatoprotective Activity of Super Critical Carbon Dioxide Olive Leaf Extracts against CCl4-Induced Liver Damage

Virgin olive oil has demonstrated its effective activity against oxidative stress. However, data on the bioactive effect of olive leaves or their major constituents on the liver are scarce. The present research work was conducted to evaluate the hepatoprotective effects of supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) extracts from fresh and dried olive leaves on hepatotoxicity caused by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in rat models. For this purpose, healthy albino rats of 180–250 g weight were used. The assessment of biochemical markers was carried out on blood and liver tissue. Then, a histopathological study was carried out on liver tissue. The obtained results showed that fresh and dried olive leaf extracts ameliorate the perturbed biochemical parameters caused by CCl4 treatment. Furthermore, the results registered for the histopathological study are in accordance with the biochemical parameters and the protective capacity of SC-CO2 extracts against DNA damage, indicating that olive leaf extracts helped to improve liver fibrosis caused by CCl4 treatment.
Characterization of a mouse model of islet transplantation using MIN-6 cells

ABSTRACT Immortalized beta cells are an abundant source of insulin-producing cells. Although MIN-6 cells have similar characteristics as normal islets in vitro, the in vivo use of MIN-6 cells has not been fully described. This study characterizes in vivo mouse models of MIN-6 transplantation and rejection. Subcutaneous (sc) transplantation of MIN-6 cells in either Matrigel or HyStem-C hydrogels reduced blood sugars in nude mice and thus are good matrices for MIN-6 cells in vivo. NOD mice are good transplant recipients since they best rejected MIN-6 cells. MLR responses from BalbC, Black Webster, Swiss Black, C3H, and NOD mice correlated with mean blood glucose response suggesting the importance of allogeneic differences in the rejection of cells. Three days of cyclosporine administration caused no inhibition of MIN-6 cell rejection and 6 days resulted in a transient decrease in blood glucose, while daily administration inhibited rejection long term. Kinetic glucose tolerance (GTT) studies in nude mice demonstrated transplanted MIN-6 cells are close but not as effective as normal islets in controlling blood glucose and blood glucose set point for insulin release in MIN-6 cells decreases to hypoglycemic levels over time. To avoid hypoglycemia, the effect of MIN-6 cell irradiation was assessed. However, irradiation only delayed the development of hypoglycemia, not altering the final glucose set point for insulin release. In conclusion, we have characterized a mouse model for beta-cell transplantation using subcutaneous MIN-6 cells that can be used as a tool to study approaches to mitigate immune rejection.
Inheritance of Resistance to The Auxinic Herbicide Dicamba in Kochia (Kochia scoparia)

Abstract The inheritance of resistance to the auxinic herbicide dicamba was examined in a kochia population from Nebraska. An inbred, resistant line was developed by selection and selfing over seven generations to ensure any resistance alleles would be homozygous in the parents. An inbred, susceptible line was similarly developed, but without selection. Dose–response experiments with dicamba determined a glyphosate-resistant concentration required to inhibit dry weight accumulation by 50% (GR50) of 45 and 1,331 g ae ha−1 for the susceptible and resistant populations, respectively. F1 crosses were made between resistant and susceptible inbred individuals by hand-pollination, and the F1 plants were selfed to produce F2 plants. The F2 population was screened with 280 g ha−1 dicamba, a rate that could discriminate between susceptible and resistant plants. A total of eight F2 families were screened twice. In the first screen, seven F2 families segregated in a 3:1 ratio, consistent with a single dominant allele controlling resistance, and in the second screen six F2 families segregated in a 3:1 ratio. F2 individuals were selfed, the F3 progeny were tested with 280 g ha−1 dicamba, and the genotype of each F2 parent was determined based on F3 progeny segregation. F3 family segregation was consistent with the F2 parents having a 1:2:1 homozygous-susceptible:heterozygote:homozygous-resistant pattern, confirming that resistance to dicamba in kochia is likely conferred by a single allele with a high degree of dominance. Nomenclature: Dicamba, kochia, Kochia scoparia (L.) Schrad. KCHSC
Single-cell mass spectrometry analysis of metabolites facilitated by cell electro-migration and electroporation.

Single-cell metabolite analysis plays an important role in biological study. While mass spectrometry is a powerful tool for identification and quantita-tion of metabolites, the low absolute analyte amounts in single cell and difficulty in sampling represent significant challenges in single cell analy-sis. In this study, we developed an effective method with simple sampling procedure for analyzing single cells. A single cell was driven to a capillary tip through electro-migration, followed by releasing the cell contents through electroporation, into a sealed small volume (~1.5 pL) to prevent dilution. Subsequent mass spectrometry analysis was performed directly with nano-electrospray ionization. This method was applied for analyzing a variety of cells and monitoring the metabolic changes in response to perturbed cell culturing conditions. This method opens a new avenue for easy and rapid analysis of single cells with high sensitivity.
Some AssyriellaSpecies in South East Anatolia in Turkey Differentiated by Multivariate Statistical Analysis (Gastropoda: Pulmonata, Helicidae)

This study was performed on 3 species of the genus Assyriella (A. escheriana , A. guttata and A. thospitis) collected from DiyarbakÝr province in Southeast Anatolia. Two derived and 6 shell variables of 50 specimens were examined for each species. Hierarchical clustering and discriminant analysis were used to evaluate the data in order to clarify and contribute to some systematic problems of these species. It was shown that WardOs method with Euclidean distance is the most appropriate hierarchical clustering method to cluster these species. A. escheriana is clearly differentiated from A. guttata and A. thospitis by both WardOs method and discriminant analysis. The results of discriminant analysis and WardOs method reveal that A. thospitis and A. guttata may have a close evolutionary relationship. Also, the most important shell characters (variables) that differentiate these species from each other were determined by discriminant analysis and the success efficiency of these techniques in systematic problems was observed. Consequently, the results of this study showed that more precise identification can be made in classification of A. escheriana, A. guttata and A. thospitis if classical criteria are used together with the group classification functions obtained from discriminant analysis.
Isolation and characterization of a β-galactosidase from a new Amazon forest strain of Aspergillus niger as a potential accessory enzyme for biomass conversion

Abstract The selection of enzyme-producing fungi is useful to obtain enzymes required to hydrolyze lignocellulosic material and thereby contribute to biomass conversion into fuels and chemicals. Besides cellulases, the presence of accessory enzymes in enzyme cocktails is necessary to enhance hydrolysis efficiency. This study evaluates the production, purification, and biochemical-kinetic characterization of β-galactosidase produced by a new strain of Aspergillus niger (P47C3) isolated from the Amazon Forest. The A. niger (P47C3) was cultured under SmF conditions and β-galactosidase was purified in a three-step purification, using an ultrafiltration membrane, ion exchange (TSK-SP), and gel filtration (Sephacryl S-200). The calculated molecular weight of the purified enzyme was 125 kDa. Optimum pH (4.0) and temperature (55°C) of β-galactosidase activity were determined. The values of the kinetic parameters obtained from p-nitrophenyl-β-D-galactopyranoside (PNPG) hydrolysis were 2.2 mM and 0.285 mM/min for Km and Vmax, respectively. The inhibition of PNPG hydrolysis by β-galactosidase in the presence of the inhibitor galactose gave a Ki value of 5.01 mM. As a precursor to elucidating the tertiary structure using X-ray diffraction, the β-galactosidase was crystallized using 0.2 M Tris–HCl buffer, with 12% PEG 4000 as the precipitation agent; the largest crystals were formed at pH 8.6. These results provide the basis for further structural and functional studies of this accessory enzyme to evaluate its potential biotechnological applications.
15‐deoxy‐Δ12,14‐prostaglandin J2, a ligand for peroxisome proliferators‐activated receptor‐γ, induces apoptosis in human hepatoma cells

Background/Aims: 15‐deoxy‐Δ12,14‐prostaglandin J2 (15‐d‐PGJ2) induces apoptosis in several carcinoma cell lines and is a potent activator of peroxisome proliferators‐activated receptor‐γ (PPAR‐γ). In the present study, we examined the effect of 15‐d‐PGJ2 on human hepatoma cells.