Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evidence for a Role of Transforming Growth Factor (TGF)-β1 in the Induction of Postglomerular Albuminuria in Diabetic Nephropathy

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) has previously been implicated in the progression of diabetic nephropathy, including the onset of fibrosis and albuminuria. Here we report for the first time the use of a high-affinity TGF-β1 binding molecule, the soluble human TGF-β type II receptor (sTβRII.Fc), in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy in 12-week streptozotocin-induced diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats. In vitro studies using immortalized rat proximal tubule cells revealed that 50 pmol/l TGF-β1 disrupted albumin uptake (P < 0.001 vs. control), an inhibition significantly reversed by the use of the sTβRII. Fc (1,200 pmol/l). In vivo studies demonstrated that treatment with sTβRII. Fc reduced urinary albumin excretion by 36% at 4 weeks, 59% at 8 weeks (P < 0.001), and 45% at 12 weeks (P < 0.01 for diabetic vs. treated). This was correlated with an increase in megalin expression (P < 0.05 for diabetic vs. treated) and a reduction in collagen IV expression following sTβRII. Fc treatment (P < 0.001 for diabetic vs. treated). These changes occurred independently of changes in blood glucose levels. This study demonstrates that the sTβRII. Fc is a potential new agent for the treatment of fibrosis and albuminuria in diabetic nephropathy and may reduce albuminuria by reducing TGF-β1–induced disruptions of renal proximal tubule cell uptake of albumin.
Usability of bioslurry to improve system productivity and economic return under potato-rice cropping system

Establishment of huge number of biogas plant in the recent years in Bangladesh creates a burden to disposal of bioslurry. An attempt was undertaken to explore the usability of bioslurry in agricultural crop production under potato-rice system as well as to reduce bioslurry induced pollution. The experiment involved a sole chemical fertilizer treatment, four treatments based on integrated plant nutrition system with 5 t ha -1 cowdung and cowdung bioslurry and 3 t ha 1 poultry manure and poultry manure bioslurry, and a control. The potato crops received manures or slurries, and its residual effect was evaluated on the succeeding T.Aman crop. Poultry manure bioslurry, poultry manure, cowdung bioslurry and cowdung gave 22.5, 20.0, 9.9 and 2.9 % increase in total system productivity, respectively over sole chemical fertilizer treatment. Bioslurries had higher contribution compared to their respective original manure. Bioslurry was found very useful as manure for crop production. Res. Agric. , Livest. Fish.2(1): 27-33, April 2015
Inhibition of cholesterol absorption associated with a PPARα-dependent increase in ABC binding cassette transporter A1 in mice Published, JLR Papers in Press, August 1, 2003. DOI 10.1194/jlr.M300042-JLR200

Dietary supplementation with the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) ligand WY 14,643 gave rise to a 4- to 5-fold increase in the expression of mRNA for the ATP binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) in the intestine of normal mice. There was no effect in the intestine of PPARα-null mice. Consumption of a high-cholesterol diet also increased intestinal ABCA1 expression. The effects of WY 14,643 and the high-cholesterol diet were not additive. WY 14,643 feeding reduced intestinal absorption of cholesterol in the normal mice, irrespective of the dietary cholesterol concentration, and this resulted in lower diet-derived cholesterol and cholesteryl ester concentrations in plasma and liver. At each concentration of dietary cholesterol, there was a similar significant inverse correlation between intestinal ABCA1 mRNA content and the amount of cholesterol absorbed. The fibrate-induced changes in the intestines of the normal mice were accompanied by an increased concentration of the mRNA encoding the sterol-regulatory element binding protein-1c gene (SREBP-1c), a known target gene for the oxysterol receptor liver X receptor α (LXRα). There was a correlation between intestinal ABCA1 mRNA and SREBP-1c mRNA contents, but not between SREBP-1c mRNA content and cholesterol absorption. These results suggest that PPARα influences cholesterol absorption through modulating ABCA1 activity in the intestine by a mechanism involving LXRα.
Effects of inflammatory cytokines IL‐1β, IL‐6, and TNFα on the intracellular localization of retinoid receptors in Schwann cells

It was investigated whether retinoic acid (RA) and the proinflammatory cytokines IL‐1β, IL‐6, and TNFα influence the intracellular distribution of retinoic acid receptors (RAR) and retinoid X receptors (RXR) in Schwann cells. This question arose because nuclear translocation of RARα, RXRα, and RXRβ was observed after nerve injury, and because mutual interactions exist between the signal transduction pathways of RA and proinflammatory cytokines. Schwann cell primary cultures from the rat sciatic nerve were incubated with IL‐1β, IL‐6, and TNFα, with all‐trans RA and with a combination of IL‐1β and RA. After incubation periods ranging from 5 min to 5 h, the intracellular distributions of RARα, RARβ, RXRα, and RXRβ were analyzed. All three cytokines caused a shift of RARα from the cytosolic compartments into the cell nuclei. This was also observed with RA, and combining RA with IL‐1β produced an additive effect. IL‐1β and IL‐6 also affected the distribution of RARβ, although immunoreactivity of this receptor always remained stronger in the cytosol. No effect of the cytokines on RXRα or RXRβ was observed, whereas RA treatment caused a stronger nuclear signal of both receptors. Effects on the subcellular localization of retinoid receptors may provide a link in a feedback loop between RA/RAR and cytokines. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Risk Budgets

While risk budgets are the new fashion among investment managers, the investment community has yet to agree on the precise meaning of the term, or, more important, on how risk budgeting relates to asset allocation. Intuitively, a risk budget conveys the notion that a portfolio's risk is somehow apportioned to various categories, but such disaggregation is impossible for many descriptions of risk. The authors explore the issues associated with risk budgets with a view to arriving at a clear and uniform understanding of risk budgets and their role in the investment process.
Implementation Shortfall

Implementation shortfall refers to the total cost of buying or selling a set of securities or of transitioning from one set of securities to another. It comprises the explicit costs of commissions and bid-ask spreads as well as implicit costs such as market impact and the opportunity cost of transacting at what may be disadvantageous prices. A comprehensive analysis of implementation shortfall uses a unique sample of 800,000 security transactions to provide information on component costs and methods of trading. Market trades cost nearly six times more than internal crosses. An adjustment to implementation shortfall to account for liquidity and risk makes it possible to compare the quality of portfolio transitions.
Characterization of an extract from the leaves of Cissampelos sympodialis Eichl. on the spontaneous tone of isolated trachea

An aqueous fraction of the ethanol extract of the leaves (AFL) of Cissampelos sympodialis Eichl. (Menispermaceae) was shown to relax the spontaneous tone of guinea‐pig tracheal smooth muscle rings with an IC50 of 20.5 μg/mL. The AFL inhibited cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity in isolated smooth muscle homogenates and stimulated an increase in intracellular cAMP synthesis in intact cultured smooth muscle cells. A complete inhibition of phosphodiesterase activity in isolated homogenates was almost achieved. These studies indicate that the AFL contains a substance which is a non‐selective, but highly potent inhibitor of phosphodiesterase activity. This probably accounts for its effect on the spontaneous tone of guinea‐pig tracheal smooth muscle. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Spatial patterns of maternal lineages and clones of Galium odoratum in a large ancient woodland: inferences about seedling recruitment

1 We investigated spatial genetic patterns in the clonal herbaceous plant species Galium odoratum L. , which has previously been shown to be significantly associated with ancient woodlands. 2 A maternally inherited chloroplast DNA marker was developed for G. odoratum. Seven chloroplast haplotypes were detected in the study area and mapped at different spatial scales. Their spatial patterns suggest that both local and non‐local gene flow occurs via seeds. 3 Fingerprints from DIG‐labelled AFLP technology were validated as markers for G. odoratum clone identification. A single primer–enzyme combination was sufficient to distinguish between clones. A typical patch of G. odoratum is composed of numerous genets, mainly occurring in separate clusters of ramets, which may be several meters in diameter. 4 Pairwise similarities, calculated from the AFLP banding patterns, were used for spatial autocorrelation analysis. The distinct spatial genetic structure at the patch level may be due to the genetic similarity of neighbouring genets or to clonal growth. 5 The spatial patterns obtained using the two DNA markers, suggest that a mixture of local and non‐local gene flow via both seeds and pollen is occurring. Repeated seedling recruitment (RSR) would be consistent with the life history of G. odoratum in ancient woodlands with long‐term spatial continuity.
Native highland and lowland populations differ in γ-globin gene promoter polymorphisms related to altered fetal hemoglobin levels and delayed fetal to adult globin switch after birth

Lowered partial oxygen pressure at high altitude exerts a strong selection pressure. Since hypoxia is most serious for the fetus, fetal hemoglobin genes (HBG1, HBG2) are candidates for genetic adaptation to high altitude. The aim of this study was to compare promoter polymorphisms of these genes for differences between highland and lowland populations. In 50 native highlanders of the Chilean Andes and 50 lowlanders of European ancestry, the promoters of HBG1 and HBG2 genes were sequenced. In the HBG1 promoter, the 4-basepair AGCA deletion was less frequently present in highlanders than in lowlanders (10% vs. 24%, P = 0.014). In the HBG2 promoter, the frequency of the T allele of the common −158 C > T polymorphism was decreased in highlanders, compared with lowlanders (8% vs. 34%, P = 0.000009). A combined analysis of both markers showed that none of the highlanders with the AGCA deletion carried the HBG2 T allele, in contrast to 43% of lowlanders (P = 0.030). Since the AGCA deletion is associated with diminished expression of fetal γ globin chains, it might affect fetal oxygen supply at high altitude. Both the AGCA deletion and the HBG2 −158 T allele are associated with a delayed fetal to adult globin switch after birth, resulting in a delayed production of adult hemoglobin, thereby possibly affecting the oxygen supply of infants at high altitude.
Polymorphisms in intron 1 of carrot AOX2b – a useful tool to develop a functional marker?

Alternative oxidase (AOX) has been proposed as a promising functional marker candidate for multiple plant stress behaviour. The present paper describes natural polymorphism in AOX2b of Daucus carota L. (DcAOX2b). Exon-primed intron crossing-PCR (EPIC-PCR) revealed length variation (intron length polymorphisms, ILPs) in intron 1. Six fragment patterns were identified in 40 genotypes. However, no more than two fragments were found per genotype, suggesting the presence of two alleles. The ILPs were able to discriminate between single plant genotypes in cv. Rotin and to distinguish individual wild carrot plants. The repetitive pattern of intron 1 length variation allows the grouping of genotypes for functional analysis in future studies. Sequence analysis in intron 1 of polymorphic but also of obviously identical PCR-fragments revealed underlying high levels of sequence polymorphisms between alleles and genotypes. Variation was due to repetitive insertion/deletion (InDel) events and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The results suggest that high AOX2b gene diversity in D. carota may be a source of functional markers for agronomic traits related to environmental stress responses.
Allozymic Differentiation between Tolmiea menziesii and Tellima grandiflora (Saxifragaceae)

Tellima and Tolmiea are monotypic genera of Saxifrageae and part of a natural group that includes Conimitella, Heuchera, Mitella, and Tiarella. Natural intergeneric hybrids have been reported between several of these genera, including Conimitella and Mitella, Mitella and Tiarella, Tiarella and Heuchera, and Tellima and Tolmiea. Since members of this natural group are vegetatively very homogeneous and differ largely in floral morphology, the occurrence of hybrids between so many of these genera suggests that they may not be highly differentiated genetically. To test this hypothesis, Tellima grandiflora and Tolmiea menziesii were compared electrophoretically. Evidence from enzyme electrophoresis indicates a high degree of allozymic similarity between Tolmiea men- ziesii and Tellima grandiflora (I = 0.49). These two species are more highly differentiated than are species within genera of Saxifrageae, such as Heuchera and Sullivantia. However, the degree of allozymic differentiation between Tolmiea and Tellima appears comparable to that reported for congeneric species of other plant groups. Tolmiea and Tellima are monotypic genera of tribe Saxifrageae (Saxifragaceae). Tolmiea men- ziesii (Pursh) Torrey & A. Gray is a herbaceous perennial ranging from southern Alaska south- ward through British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon into northern California (Hitch- cock and Cronquist 1973). Previous studies (Soltis 1984a) have shown Tolmiea to comprise diploid and tetraploid cytotypes having 2n = 14 and 2n = 28, respectively. Diploid popula- tions occupy the southern portion of the species' range (fig. 1; see also fig. 1 of Soltis 1984b), whereas tetraploid populations are found in the northern portion of the range. The closely related Tellima grandiflora (Pursh) Dougl. has a very similar geographic distribu- tion, although it occurs over a slightly larger range. It occurs farther north and south than does Tolmiea, and is found east of the Cascades in northeastern Washington, northern Idaho, and southern British Columbia. We have made chromosome counts of populations from throughout the range of Tellima and all are dip- loid with 2n = 14.
Primer Terminus Stabilization at the φ29 DNA Polymerase Active Site

φ29 DNA polymerase shares with other DNA-dependent DNA polymerases several regions of amino acid homology along the primary structure. A conserved amino acid motif, located in the C-terminal portion of the polypeptide and characterized by the amino acid sequence KK(K/R)Y, is conserved in the group of eukaryotic-type DNA polymerases. In the subgroup of DNA polymerases that have a protein-priming mechanism, this motif is restricted to the sequence KXY, X never being a positively charged amino acid. Residues Lys498 and Tyr500 form this conserved motif in φ29 DNA polymerase. Mutant K498T, in which the positive charge of the motif has been eliminated, was strongly affected both in initiation (terminal protein-dAMP formation, using terminal protein as primer) and DNA polymerization reactions. Mutants K498R and Y500S were able to carry out the initiation reaction to a higher or similar extent, respectively, than wild-type φ29 DNA polymerase but were affected in DNA polymerization reactions. All of the mutations severely affected the stable binding of the polymerase to a primer-template DNA. In addition, all of the mutant polymerases analyzed in this work showed an unusually strong 3′-5′ exonuclease activity both under polymerization or non-polymerization conditions. The results obtained suggest a role of the conserved residues of the KXY motif in stabilizing the primer terminus at the polymerization active site, the positive charge of residue Lys498 being critical for the synthetic activities of φ29 DNA polymerase.
Naming Dinosaur Species: The Performance of Prolific Authors

ABSTRACT Many current debates about biodiversity and large-scale evolution have identified the need for comprehensive species inventories. Such species lists may be incomplete because more collecting is needed, or because of errors by systematists. Empirical studies show that error rates are high, as much as 30–50% for many living and fossil groups. A clear requirement is skilled systematists, and more of them; but who does the best work? An empirical investigation of the 321 authors who named all 1400 species of dinosaurs since 1824 shows that prolific authors do worse than authors who name only a few dinosaurs, and the key difference is between the 147 authors who named only one species, and the 174 who named two or more. The most prolific author was Othniel Marsh, who named 98 species of dinosaurs (including 80 non-avian dinosaurs and 18 Mesozoic birds), but only 35 (36%) of his names are currently regarded as valid. The poor showing by prolific authors is not a result of their working at different times over the last two centuries, nor on dinosaurs of a particular age, body size, or quality class, nor that their work has been over-revised, but most likely because many prolific authors of dinosaur species names have been too interested in splitting species. Current tougher refereeing standards and international communication should continue to improve standards in naming new taxa.
Relationship between gape size and feeding selectivity of fish larvae from a Neotropical reservoir

Larvae feeding selectivity of Iheringichthys labrosus, Hypophthalmus edentatus and Plagioscion squamosissimus was assessed, examining the role of mouth gape in prey selection. Fish larvae were sampled in the Itaipu Reservoir (Brazil–Paraguay). Iheringichthys labrosus and H. edentatus larvae, with small and similar gape sizes, exhibited slightly different diets; I. labrosus preferred cladocerans (Bosmina hagmanni, Bosmina huauriensis and Bosminopsis deitersi) and the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus. Hypophthalmus edentatus, however, primarily ingested the cladocerans B. hagmanni, Ceriodaphnia cornuta, Daphnia gessneri and Diaphanosoma spinulosum. Plagioscion squamosissimus, with a greater gape size, preferred Calanoida. The mechanistic processes that determine food selectivity of fish larvae in temperate aquatic systems were similar in the Neotropical system. The trophic spectrum of these species is characterized by small- to intermediate-sized prey. Plagioscion squamosissimus larvae, which have larger mouths, exploit primarily larger prey differing from the most abundant species or size classes; consequently, their diet is quite different from I. labrosus larvae and modestly similar to H. edentatus larvae, opportunistic feeders that they eat more abundant prey.
Experimental reintroduction of the crayfish species Orconectes virilis into formerly acidified Lake 302S (Experimental Lakes Area, Canada).

Reintroduction of functionally important species is considered a key strategy for restoring damaged ecosystems. However, the sudden reappearance of an extirpated species may have adverse ecological impacts, degrading ecosystem services. Therefore, we experimentally reintroduced the crayfish Orconectes virilis into a biologically recovering, formerly acidified Boreal Shield lake (Lake 302S, Experimental Lakes Area, Canada) to determine its effect on the littoral food web following a 17-year absence. In June 2004, a single-factor experimental design consisting of two treatment levels (crayfish-less control versus 1.8 introduced crayfish·m–2) was replicated five times for a total of 10 littoral cages (4 m2). Orconectes virilis significantly (P < 0.05) suppressed the total biomass of other benthic invertebrates by 70% primarily because of declines in larval damselflies and midges. In addition, crayfish reduced periphytic biomass by 90% (P < 0.001). Stable isotopic analyses of the mesocosm food webs further in.
Ascension Island shallow-water Zoantharia (Hexacorallia: Cnidaria) and their zooxanthellae (Symbiodinium)

This is the first report on the Zoantharia fauna (Cnidaria: Hexacorallia) of the isolated oceanic island of Ascension, southern Atlantic, where zoantharians are a dominant component of the shallow-water benthos. Specimens from two expeditions (1983, 2012) were examined regarding external morphology and molecular phylogeny using three DNA markers, which confirmed the presence of four zoantharian species: Palythoa caribaeorum; Palythoa aff. clavata; Parazoanthus swiftii; and Zoanthus sp. Two of these, Palythoa aff. clavata and Parazoanthus swiftii, were previously only known from the western Atlantic and Caribbean. Molecular examination of the zooxanthellae (=Symbiodinium spp.) of Palythoa specimens showed that they were in association with only one type, subclade C1.
Universal amplification and analysis of pathogen 16S rDNA for classification and identification of mycoplasmalike organisms

Regions representing about 80% of the 16S rDNA sequences of 40 mycoplasmalike organism (MLO) strains from North America, Asia, and Europe were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using a primer pair designed on the basis of an MLO 16S rRNA gene. This primer pair detected every MLO examined from infected periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) and some other plants. No PCR products were obtained in samples containing DNA extracted from healthy plants. The partial 16S rDNA sequences amplified from these various MLOs were compared through restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses [. ]
Are the Probabilities Right? New Multiperiod Calibration Tests

A credit rating system in which the number of observed defaults aligns well with the number of defaults expected by the system demonstrates good calibration. The author derives new goodness-of-fit statistics to test the calibration hypothesis over several observation periods, and he therefore solves the multiple testing problem. The new test statistics are more powerful than existing ones: they are unbiased even under sparse default observations, and they take default correlations explicitly into account. Yet, the tests can be implemented with straightforward spreadsheet calculations. Consequently, compared with Monte Carlo simulations, the new method is computationally far less intensive.
Predicting Intraday Trading Volume and Volume Percentages

This article discusses recent techniques and results in the area of forecasting intraday volume and intraday volume percentages. By exploring ways to predict volume, the authors seek to improve the performance of trading algorithms, many of which depend upon the volume that will trade while the order is active. Traditionally, algorithms use historical averages to predict volume over the lifetime of an order. The authors show that improving the prediction of volume boosts the performance of algorithms.
The Structure of Human β-Defensin-1

Defensins are a class of small cationic peptides found in higher organisms that serve as both antimicrobial and cell signaling molecules. The exact mechanism of the antimicrobial activity of defensins is not known, but two models have been postulated, one involving pore formation and the other involving nonspecific electrostatic interaction with the bacterial membrane. Here we report the high resolution structures of human β-defensin-1 (hBD1) in two crystallographic space groups. The structure of a single molecule is very similar to that of human β-defensin-2 (hBD2), confirming the presence of an N-terminal α-helix. However, while the packing of hBD1 is conserved across both space groups, there is no evidence for any larger quaternary structure similar to octameric hBD2. Furthermore, the topology of hBD1 dimers that are formed between monomers in the asymmetric unit is distinct from both hBD2 and other mammalian α-defensins. The structures of hBD1 and hBD2 provide a first step toward understanding the structural basis of antimicrobial and chemotactic properties of human β-defensins.