Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impaired Retinal Circulation during Axitinib Treatment for Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

Purpose: Axitinib, an orally administered vascular endothelial growth factor receptors 1, 2, and 3 inhibitor, is widely used as the second-line treatment for metastatic renal cell carcinoma. We present a case of metastatic renal cell carcinoma who developed a novel ocular adverse event, impaired retinal circulation, during axitinib therapy. Methods: This is an observational case report. Results: A 57-year-old male who had been treated with axitinib for metastatic renal cell carcinoma for 2 years presented in August 2015. He complained of sudden-onset abnormal visual field in his right eye. His right eye exhibited multiple soft exudates on fundus photography and a significant fluorescein filling delay of the retinal vessels on fluorescein angiography. His best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 20/20 in the right eye, and a cecocentral scotoma was detected by Goldmann perimeter. As axitinib could have been responsible for impaired retinal circulation, axitinib was terminated and switched to temsirolimus. The soft exudates gradually subsided and the patients’ symptoms got better, but his right BCVA dropped to 20/63 3 months after the end of axitinib treatment with worsening of his general condition. Conclusion: Clinicians should be aware of retinal circulatory disorder that can occur in patients under axitinib treatment.
A review of chemical disinfection methods for minimally processed leafy vegetables

For the last decade in the U.S., consumers have demanded fresh, healthier convenience-type foods namely, fresh-cut vegetables. Globalization has played a major role in rapid growth of the fresh-cut industry sector. Thus, consumers may purchase their favorite seasonal vegetables in local grocery stores year-round. However, the convenience of year-round produce availability brings the potential of foodborne outbreaks. Thirty-two states reported 190 produce-associated outbreaks, 16,058 reported illnesses, 598 hospitalizations, and eight deaths from 1973 to 1997. Pathogenic bacteria contaminate raw agricultural commodities through various pathways such as irrigation with untreated water, use of noncomposted animal manure as fertilizer, and wash water systems. The increasing number of produce-related outbreaks has raised awareness to interventions that remove human pathogens on fresh produce. Washing solely with tap water cannot be relied upon to completely remove pathogens. Chlorinated water is the most frequently used sanitizer, however, reductions are less than 2.63-log CFU/g on leafy and salad vegetables. Such reductions, although significant, are not sufficient to assure the microbial safety of minimally processed vegetables. The efficacy of several other chemical agents such as chlorine dioxide, ozone, electrolyzed water, hydrogen peroxide, organic acids, and other commercial products have been evaluated as potential alternatives to chlorine.
Prevalence of virulence genes and their association with biofilm formation in VRE faecium isolates from Ahvaz, Iran.

INTRODUCTION Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREfm) is a common cause of nosocomial infections. Biofilm formation is an important factor in recurrence of infections, facilitating transfer of genetic elements, leading to treatment failures. The aim of this study was to investigate the virulence genes in biofilm producing isolates and to determine possible association between biofilm formation and the presence of these genes; also to determine association between antibiotic susceptibility patterns of VREfm isolates and their biofilm formation ability. METHODOLOGY A total of 57 isolates of VREfm were recovered from different sources of hospitals under Ahvaz University, Iran. The isolates were examined by conventional microbiological methods and molecular test using PCR. The antibiotic susceptibility patterns of the isolates were determined by disk-diffusion and E-test. The biofilm formation ability of the isolates was investigated by Modified Congo red agar and microtiter plate techniques. The presence of virulence genes was examined using Multiplex-PCR method. RESULTS Out of 57 VREfm isolates, 63.15% of isolates were biofilm producers. The frequency of biofilm producing isolates from clinical specimens, colonized patients and environmental sources were 78.26%, 60%, and 42.85%, respectively. The prevalence of acm, esp and hyl genes among biofilm producing isolates was 86.10%, 55.56% and 52.77%, respectively. There was statistically significant association between esp gene and biofilm formation among isolates from the clinical specimens. CONCLUSION Clinical isolates producing biofilms showed a positive association with the presence of the esp. Our study further suggests that the link between virulence genes and biofilms is affected by the environmental context.
Amino acid availability in poultry - in vitro and in vivo measurements

Methodology to evaluate the protein quality or amino acid availability in feed ingredients for poultry using in vitro (enzymic, chemical, or microbiological assays), indirect in vivo (plasma amino acid assays), or direct in vivo (growth or digestibility assays) measurements has been reviewed. The specific applications and limitations of these methods are examined. In vitro assays are useful in providing information on heat damage in selected protein sources under defined conditions, and on relative ranking of different samples, but they cannot form the basis of practical feed formulations. While growth assays remain the only direct means of confirming nutritional relevance of values obtained by other procedures, in vivo digestibility assays appear to be most useful, at present, to estimate amino acid availability. Amino acid digestibility assays in poultry should be based on the analysis of digesta from the terminal ileum rather than excreta, because of the variable and modifying effects of hindgut microflora. Techniques used to estimate endogenous amino acid losses in poultry are discussed. The needs for correction of endogenous losses in amino acid digestibility calculations and the relative merits of apparent and true digestible amino acid systems are still being debated. It is, however, clear that both digestible amino systems are superior to the total amino acid system currently employed to formulate practical diets. Digestible amino acid values are likely to form the basis of poultry feed formulations in the future. In particular, there is an urgent need for more precise information on the variation in digestible amino acid contents of locally grown ingredients and on the factors causing this variation (e.g. variety, location, season, agronomic practices, processing, etc.).
In vitro propagation of Banana (Musa sp - Rasthali variety) from sword suckers for its commercial production

Banana is the fourth most important fruit crop, in the world as well as in India. In vitro propagation of bananas provided excellent advantages, including a high multiplicationrate, physiological uniformity and the availability of disease-free material all round the year, faster growth in the earlier stages in comparison with conventional plants. An efficient micropropagation method has been developed in banana plants using the sword sucker explantscultured on MS medium with different phyto hormonal supplements for shoot and rootproliferation. The shoot proliferation was found best (80%) in the MS medium containing Benzylaminopurine (BAP) 2.0 mg/l. Maximum percent of adventitious root formation wasobserved in half strength MS medium supplemented with Indole butyric acid (IBA)1.5mg/land Napthalene acetic acid (NAA) 1.0mg/l. After three weeks, in vitro grown plants weretransferred to the poly-cups containing 1:1 ratio of soil and sand respectively for hardening and then transferred to garden in which showed 75% survival efficiency. In the present studya simple two step protocol was established using MS medium with 2.0mg/l for shoot proliferation and 1.5mg/l IBA + 1.0 mg/l NAA for rooting in banana. This protocol might beused for the massive in vitro production of the plantlets of banana.
Alteration of intermediate filament distribution in PtK1 cells by acrylamide.

: PtK1 cells were treated with low concentrations of acrylamide resulting in disruption of intermediate filament networks. An optimum treatment, 5 mM acrylamide in culture medium for 4 h, resulted in formation of a juxtanuclear aggregate containing both keratin and vimentin intermediate filaments. Actin-containing stress fibers and microtubules appeared normal after this treatment. Cells recovered when acrylamide was washed out of the cultures, and normal keratin and vimentin networks reappeared. These cells were capable of proliferation and grew to confluence. Acrylamide-treated cells appeared to locomote normally, showing membrane ruffling and changes in shape, but cytoplasmic organelles did not appear to move normally throughout the cell but remained at the cell center. These observations indicate that acrylamide is a useful intermediate filament inhibitor that does not affect other cytoskeletal elements.
Diferences in the pholidotic patterns of Podarcis bocagei and P.carbonelli and their implications for species determination

Podarcis bocagei y Podarcis carbonelli son dos especies cercanas de lacertidos endemicos del oeste de la Peninsula Iberica, cuyas diferencias biometricas ya han sido demostradas. Sin embargo, su folidosis nunca se ha estudiado detalladamente. Hemos estudiado diversos caracteres folidoticos, habitualmente utilizados en la taxonomia de lacertidos, con el objetivo de analizar los patrones que caracterizan ambas especies y detectar aquellos que podrian emplearse para su distincion. Los resultados demuestran que ambas especies presentan diferencias significativas en varios caracteres, aunque los patrones observados varian entre los sexos. La combinacion de caracteres cuantitativos y cualitativos permitio una aceptable discriminacion entre P. bocagei y P. carbonelli, especialmente cuando los sexos se separaron a priori. Sin embargo, las estrechas relaciones filogeneticas entre ambas especies y su elevada variabilidad morfologica intraespecifica dificultan la seleccion de caracteres que podrian servir como herramientas de diagnosis en el campo,
Biology and Culture of Asian Seabass Lates Calcarifer

This book covers the biology, ecology, genetics and aquaculture of the Asian Seabass or barramundi (Lates calcarifer), a commercially and recreationally valuable species. It brings together in the one place reviews written by world experts in Asian seabass taxonomy, genetics, nutrition, ecology, aquaculture, reproductive and developmental biology, climate change impacts, harvest quality and health management.
Knowledge, attitude and practices of oral rehydration therapy among mothers coming to tertiary care centre

Background: Diarrhoea is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among under-five children. Correct knowledge regarding oral rehydration therapy (ORT) helps prevent morbidity and mortality due to diarrhoea. The objective of this study is to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of mothers of under-five children regarding ORT and home management of diarrhoea.Methods: Study period from December 1st, 2017 to December 31st, 2017, total of 200 mothers were enrolled in this study. The data was entered in Microsoft excel sheet and percentages were calculated.Results: 95% of mothers were aware about ORS. ORS was given by parents on own in16%, 55% were advised by doctor. Only 60% knew how to prepare ORS correctly. About 45.7% had used bottle to give ORS and 55.3% used cup and spoon. About 67.9% had knowledge of quantity of ORS to be given during diarrhoea episode. Exclusive breast feeding was practised in 86% of mothers till 6 months of age. Misconceptions about the use of ORS were seen in 60% and more among illiterates. About 21% mothers’ felt ORS should be stopped if diarrhoea continues. Only 5% of mothers felt ORS can be given even if child has vomiting. About 9% mothers felt no fluids should be given during diarrhoea.Conclusions: Mothers’ knowledge and attitude on use of ORS in diarrhoea need to be improved.
Tamarix spp. (salt cedar), an invasive exotic woody plant in arid and semi-arid riparian habitats of western USA.

In the early 1800s plants of the genus Tamarix were introduced to the United States of America as ornamentals. Towards the late 1800s, some of these plants began to invade rivers and streams in the arid and semi-arid ') areas of the south-western United States. Between 1900 and the 1960s the plants rapidly spread into areas impacted by human activities. Man's many impacts along the rivers include clearing land for agriculture; uncontrolled livestock grazing; trapping of beaver; cutting native trees for fodder, or to help control flood effects, and to reduce evapotranspiration losses on the watersheds; groundwater depletion; diversion of streams for irrigation; building of reservoirs; mining effects; urbanization with channeling of streams; and recreational impacts. The plant gets it common name, salt cedar, from its ability to tolerate salt and because its general appearance is like that of a juniper "cedar". Rapid Tamarix invasion in United States habitats, coincides with the time (1900-40) when most of the large dams were being built. Tamarix was apparently favoured by flood elimination and inundation (Everitt, 1980; Irvine and West, 1979; Petranka and Holland, 1980). In reviewing streamside vegetation from historic aerial photographs in Texas, Busby and Schuster (1973) found an increase of 52% in Tamarix, with a corresponding 47% decrease of visible sandbars and gravel in stream channels for the period. In the Tamarix-dominated habitats, plant diversity is low, with the plant growing in mono specific stands. Hildebrandt and Ohmart (1982), working along the Pecos River of New Mexico and Texas, found the community with the fewest associated plant species to be in those dominated
Role of MAPK and NF-κB signalling pathways in the regulation of the human GM-CSF gene in normal and leukaemic blood cells

GM-CSF is an important haematopoietic growth factor and immune modulator. Studies on T cells revealed that efficient activation of the human GM-CSF gene is dependent upon the activation of an enhancer located 3 kb upstream of the promoter, inducible by phorbol myristate acetate and calcium ionophore (PMNI) via kinase-and Ca\(^2\)\(^+\) -dependent signalling pathways, respectively. This enhancer is often aberrantly remodelled as a constitutive DNase hypersensitive site (DHS) in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). To investigate the role of MAPKs in enhancer activity and chromatin remodelling, I used activated T blasts and human leukaemic cell lines as inducible model systems. The combination of MEK and p38 MAPK inhibitors reduced PMNI-induced GM-CSF gene expression and the DHS at the enhancer. This was associated with a reduction in DNA-binding activity for the MAPK-inducible AP-1 and in the phosphorylation of MSK1, which in turn stimulates NF-κB transcriptional activity by phosphorylating p65 at Ser276. The combination of MEK and p38 inhibitors also reduced the PMNI-mediated recruitment of AP-1, MSK1 and NF-κB at the enhancer. These data demonstrate a cross-talk between the MAPK and NF-κB signalling pathways in regulating GM-CSF gene transcription and therefore represent potential targets for the treatment of AML cases where aberrant chromatin remodelling occurs.
Natural enemies of native bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in western Oregon

Fungi in the genus Ascosphaera (Ascomycota: Eurotiomycetes: Ascosphaerales) have previously been documented to develop only in bees and on bee products. The fungus causes chalkbrood disease in solitary bees and honey bees. Only larval stages are affected, and the fungus has never been reported from adult bees. Here, we report the first-ever detection of Ascosphaera in adults of three bumble bee species, Bombus griseocollis (DeGeer), B. nevadensis Cresson, and B. vosnesenskii Radoszkowski. Wild queens that were maintained for establishment of nests under laboratory conditions and that died during rearing or that did not lay eggs within one month of capture were dissected, along with workers and larvae from select colonies, and examined for the presence of pathogens. Novel fungi were plated on artificial media containing broad spectrum antibiotics for isolation and identification using molecular markers. The results indicated that A. apis (Maasen ex Claussen) Olive and Spiltoir, reported earlier only from honey bees and carpenter bees, was present in all three 1 Maxfield-Taylor, S. , A.B. Mujic, S. Rao. 2014. Novel infection by the larval pathogen Ascosphaera apis (Ascomycota: Eurotiomycetes: Ascosphaerales) in bumble bee adults.The Journal of Invertebrate Pathology. (In review)
Use of mono‐bromo‐bimane to derivatize sulfide in whole blood: comparison of blood sulfide levels during atmospheric hydrogen sulfide exposure and intravenous sulfide infusion

With the discovery of hydrogen sulfide as a signaling molecule and a potential therapeutic, measurement of free sulfide in blood – as hydrogen sulfide or hydrosulfide anion – has taken on importance. Here, we demonstrate and validate a method of free sulfide measurement whereby the free sulfide in whole blood is derivatized with excess monobromobimane. The resulting sulfide‐dibimane is subsequently extracted into ethyl acetate, followed by quantitation of sulfide‐dibimane via reverse‐phase HPLC with fluorescence detection. Reaction conditions are validated through 1) characterization of rate of conversion from sulfide to sulfide‐dibimane, 2) analysis of reaction in the presence of potential interferants, and 3) recovery of standard samples from a whole‐blood matrix. We found that reaction conditions of a mixture of acetonitrile and HEPES buffer (50 mM pH 8) gave rapid, clean conversion of sulfide to sulfide‐dibimane in the presence of excess monobromobimane. For whole blood, a 1:1:1 reaction mixture of 200 μl each acetonitrile:HEPES:blood proved optimal. Using this protocol, standard samples were consistently recovered in approximately 76% yield over the range of the assay. Baseline levels of free sulfide in rat blood were found to be about 0.3 – 0.5 μM. Subsequent work has proved the method effective in generating whole‐blood sulfide PK data in multiple species.
Virus-Host Interactions at the Maternal-Fetal Interface

Strategies to protect against viral infections are essential during pregnancy. Maternal-fetal transmission can have serious pathological outcomes, including fetal infection, growth restriction, birth defects, and/or death. Throughout pregnancy, the placenta (composed of polarized trophoblasts amid stromal and vascular arrangements) is an indispensable tissue that forms a barrier at the maternal-fetal interface. Viruses have likely evolved specific mechanisms to exploit the protective functions of placental trophoblasts to initiate fetal infection. Despite the severity of pathologic disease associated with fetal viral infection, little is known regarding virus-host interactions at the maternal-fetal interface. In this work, we have examined the mechanisms by which – 1) placental trophoblasts protect against invading viruses and 2) coxsackievirus B (CVB), a virus associated with fetal pathology, gains entry into polarized trophoblasts. As a model, we have used cultured primary human trophoblasts (PHTs) and immortalized human (BeWo) trophoblasts. We have found that PHTs are highly resistant to infection by six disparate viruses. PHTs transfer this resistance to non-placental recipient cells through exosome-mediated delivery of select placental microRNAs (miRNAs). We show that members of the chromosome 19 miRNA cluster (C19MC), which are almost exclusively expressed in the primate placenta, are packaged within trophoblast-derived exosomes, and attenuate viral replication in recipient cells by inducing autophagy. To study CVB entry into placental trophoblasts, we have merged virological and cell biological techniques, combined with pharmacological inhibitors and siRNAs directed against diverse cellular endocytic and signaling components, to characterize the pathways hijacked by CVB to promote its entry into human trophoblasts. We found the kinetics of CVB entry and uncoating in placental trophoblasts similar to those described in polarized intestinal epithelial cells. CVB entry into placental trophoblasts requires decay accelerating factor (DAF) binding, and is associated with the relocalization of virus from the apical surface to intercellular tight junctions. We have identified a divergent mechanism for CVB entry that is independent of clathrin, caveolae, and dynamin II but is dependent on lipid-rafts and Src family tyrosine kinase signaling. Our studies model viral transmission and infection at the maternal-fetal interface, and have the therapeutic potential for preventing prenatal infections, pre-term labor, and birth defects.
Whole Genome Amplification and Branching Processes

Whole genome amplification is important for multipoint mapping by sperm or oocyte typing and genetic disease diagnosis. Polymerase chain reaction is not suitable for amplifying long DNA sequences. This paper studies a new technique, designated PEP-primer-extension-preamplification, for amplifying long DNA sequences using the theory of branching processes. A mathematical model for PEP is constructed and a closed formula for the expected target yield is obtained. A central limit theorem and a strong law of large numbers for the number of kth generation target sequences are proved.
Interactions peau/microbiote cutané : étude du microbiote cutané cultivable et influence de produits cosmétiques sur la virulence bactérienne. Apports de la technique de spectrométrie de masse MALDI-TOF

A la surface de la peau se trouve un grand nombre de microorganismes formant une communaute, le microbiote cutane, jouant un role essentiel dans le maintien de la sante de l’hote. Le syndrome de peaux sensibles est souvent associe a une alteration de la fonction barriere de la peau mais sa relation avec le microbiote n’est pas connue. Une analyse comparative de la flore bacterienne cultivable d’individus presentant des peaux normale et sensible a ete conduite. L’identification des isolats bacteriens par spectrometrie de masse MALDI-TOF n’a pas permis de conclure a une association entre syndrome de peaux sensibles et dysbiose. L’industrie cosmetique propose une large gamme de produits de soins visant a ameliorer les fonctions de la peau, mais leurs effets sur la flore cutanee sont peu documentes. Les effets de la nisine, agent conservateur naturel, et de composes actifs cosmetiques susceptibles d’etre employes dans la formulation de produits destines plus particulierement au soin des peaux sensibles ont ete evalues sur quatre souches bacteriennes provenant de la peau : Staphylococcus epidermidis,Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas fluorescens et Bacillus cereus. Les resultats obtenus montrent que la nisine, seule ou en association avec les peptides antimicrobiens endogenes, β-defensine-2 humaine et cathelicidine LL-37, peut entrainer une modulation de la persistance et de la virulence bacterienne. Les composes actifs cosmetiques peuvent influencer de differentes manieres la physiologie des bacteries du microbiote cutane. Parallelement, j’ai contribue au developpement d’une technique d’imagerie MALDI-TOF de la peau, decrite en fin du manuscrit.