Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Study on the interaction between pelargonidin-3-O-glucoside and bovine serum albumin using spectroscopic, transmission electron microscopy and molecular modeling techniques.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the binding behavior between pelargonidin-3-O-glucoside (P3G) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) using multi-spectroscopic, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and molecular docking methods under physiological conditions. Fluorescence spectroscopy and time-resolved fluorescence showed that the fluorescence of BSA could be quenched remarkably by P3G via a static quenching mechanism, and there is a single class of binding site on BSA. In addition, the thermodynamic functions ΔH and ΔS were -21.69 kJ/mol and 24.46 J/mol/K, indicating that an electrostatic interaction was a main acting force. The distance between BSA and P3G was 2.74 nm according to Förster's theory, illustrating that energy transfer occurred. In addition, the secondary structure of BSA changed with a decrease in the α-helix content from 66.2% to 64.0% as seen using synchronous fluorescence, UV/vis, circular dichroism and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies, whereas TEM images showed that P3G led to BSA aggregation and fibrillation. Furthermore, site marker competitive experiments and molecular docking indicated that P3G could bind with subdomain IIA of BSA. The calculated results of the equilibrium fraction showed that the concentration of free P3G in plasma was high enough to be stored and transported from the circulatory system to its target sites to provide therapeutic effects.
Electrophysiological studies of paraventricular and supraoptic neurones recorded in vitro from slices of rat hypothalamus.

1. In slices (300 micrometer) of rat hypothalamus maintained in vitro in isotonic (298 +/‐ 4 m‐osmol/kg) medium, the median firing rate of twenty‐four supraoptic (s.o.) neurones was 0 . 05 spikes/s, compared to 0 . 66 spikes/s for twenty‐eight paraventricular (p.v.) units (P < 0 . 01) and 0 . 79 spikes/s for forty‐three anterior hypothalamic area a.h. a. units (P < 0 . 001). 2. One hundred and two p.v. and s.o. units incubated in hypertonic medium (311‐‐343 m‐osmol/kg, achieved by adding NaCl) showed no correlation with osmotic pressure and displayed a similar level of spontaneous activity to units recorded in isotonic medium. Recordings from nineteen p.v. and s.o. units during rapid changes from iso‐ to hypertonic (338 +/‐ 4 m‐osmol/kg) medium confirmed this lack of osmo‐sensitivity. 3. Excitation of s.o. units in vitro with glutamate resulted in firing patterns similar to those found in previous in vivo studies on activated s.o. cells. Thus out of thirty‐two glutamate‐excited units, twelve (37%) fired in repetitive bursts, giving a phasic pattern and thirteen (41%) showed fast continuous activity. The remaining seven (22%) units showed ambiguous patterns that were neither continuous nor clearly phasic. 4. Mean durations of bursts and silent periods in phasic cells excited by perifused glutamate were 16 . 6 s and 13 . 2 s (calculated from normalized distributions of thirty values), compared to means of 41 . 7 s and 33 . 9 s (thirty‐six values, P < 0 . 001 for each parameter) for cells excited by glutamate ionophoresis. The periodicity of phasic firing in vitro was unaffected by a change to hypertonic (340 m‐osmol/kg) medium. 5. From these in vitro results it is proposed that the excitation associated with osmotic stimuli in vivo does not originate within the p.v. and s.o. neurosecretory cells, but that it involves a separate osmoreceptor. However, the control of phasic firing, which is commonly found during osmotic excitation, would seem to involve a mechanism which lies within or in close proximity to, the neurosecretory neurones.
The wild thing goes local

Suppose you are on a mobile device with no keyboard (e.g., a cell phone) and you want to perform a "near me" search. Where is the nearest pizza? How do you enter queries quickly? T9? The Wild Thing encourages users to enter patterns with implicit and explicit wild cards (regular expressions). The search engine uses Microsoft Local Live logs to find the most likely queries for a particular location. For example, 7#6 is short-hand for the regular expression: /^[PQRS]. *[ ][MNO]. */, which matches "post office" in many places (but "Space Needle" in Seattle). Some queries are more local than others. Pizza is likely everywhere, whereas "Boeing Company," is very likely in Seattle and Chicago, moderately likely nearby, and somewhat likely elsewhere. Smoothing is important. Not every query is observed everywhere.
Ranking in a Domain Specific Search Engine CS 6998-03-NLP for the Web Spring 2008 , Final Report

A search engine that runs over all domains must give equal weight to all words. However, if a search engine is domain specific it is intuitive that some words are more important than others. These are words specific to the domain. They should carry different weight which will affect the ranking. In this paper I have explored search in the clothing domain. I have extracted important features and will discuss how I gathered them and why they are important. In addition, I will discuss how they are used to improve the rankings and evaluate its performance.
Activation of N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptors in rat brain in vivo following acute ammonia intoxication: Characterization by in vivo brain microdialysis

Ammonia is considered the main agent responsible for the neurological alterations in hepatic encephalopathy. It was suggested that ammonia toxicity is mediated by activation of N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA) receptors. The aim of this work was to assess, by in vivo brain microdialysis in freely moving rats, whether acute ammonia intoxication leads to activation of NMDA receptors in the cerebellum of the rat in vivo. We measured the effects of ammonia intoxication on the neuronal glutamate–nitric oxide–cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) pathway, by measuring the ammonia‐induced increase of extracellular cGMP. Ammonia intoxication increases extracellular cGMP, and this increase is prevented by (5R,10S)‐5‐methyl‐10,11‐dihydro‐5H‐dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten‐5,10‐imine hydrogen maleate (MK‐801). There is a good correlation between the increase in cGMP and the seriousness of the neurological symptoms elicited by different doses of ammonia. Ammonia doses inducing coma did not affect extracellular glutamate, while doses leading to death increased it by 349%. The time courses of ammonia‐induced increases in extracellular ammonia, cGMP, and glutamate indicate that NMDA receptor activation occurs before the increase in extracellular glutamate. Ammonia‐induced increase in glutamate is prevented by MK‐801. These results indicate that ammonia intoxication leads to activation of NMDA receptors in the animal in vivo, and that this activation is not caused by increased extracellular glutamate. The possible underlying mechanism is discussed.
Functional Significance of KCNH2 (HERG) K897T Polymorphism for Cardiac Repolarization Assessed by Analysis of T‐Wave Morphology

Background: Although KCNH2 (HERG) K897T polymorphism has been shown to be associated with the QT interval measured from 12‐lead electrocardiogram (ECG), the functional significance of K897T polymorphism has been debated. The aim of this study was to test whether the K897T polymorphism of the KCNH2 (HERG) gene coding for the rapidly activating delayed rectifier K+ channel influences cardiac repolarization assessed by principal component analysis (PCA) of T‐wave morphology.
Alterations in biochemical components in mesta plants infected with yellow vein mosaic disease

Yellow vein mosaic disease of mesta (kenaf, Hibiscus cannabinus L.; and roselle, H. sabdariffa L.) is a new entrant to the disease scenario and it is associated with a novel monopartite Begomovirus. Changes in different biochemical parameters in diseased mesta plants were observed as compared to healthy ones. Isozyme pattern and assays of different enzymes, namely catalase, acid phosphatase, peroxidase, esterase, polyphenol oxidase and superoxide dismutase, revealed lower activities of catalase, acid phosphatase and peroxidase enzymes and enhanced activities of esterase, polyphenol oxidase and superoxide dismutase in diseased plants as compared to healthy ones. Due to the infection, chlorophyll content, phenolics and total soluble protein decreased whereas free amino acid, proline and disease-related proteins increased in the host plants. Differential responses of polyacetylene and isoflavone content as well as SDS-PAGE band profiling of total soluble proteins were also observed in plants due to the infection.
Experiments on data processing algorithms: Energy efficiency of wireless and untethered Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)-based embedded systems

In this paper we present preliminary results regarding data processing approach to energy efficiency of wireless and untethered field programmable gate array (FPGA)-based embedded systems. Re-configurability of FPGA allows for significant flexibility in its applications to embedded systems. However, high power consumption (caused by such flexibility) influences the designing process significantly. Moreover, radio communication adds additional power consumption to the overall energy budget. We present few ideas (addressing local data processing versus communicating processed data) that are envisaged to decrease the total energy spent on communicating data bits. Energy efficiency is addressed on the high-level of the designing process (the system-level). It is envisaged that results of our experiments can be also applied to other embedded systems applications, not limited to FPGA-based only.
A specific subset of RabGTPases controls cell surface exposure of MT1-MMP, extracellular matrix degradation and three-dimensional invasion of macrophages

Summary The matrix metalloproteinase MT1-MMP has a major impact on invasive cell migration in both physiological and pathological settings such as immune cell extravasation or metastasis of cancer cells. Surface-associated MT1-MMP is able to cleave components of the extracellular matrix, which is a prerequisite for proteolytic invasive migration. However, current knowledge on the molecular mechanisms that regulate MT1-MMP trafficking to and from the cell surface is limited. We have identified three members of the RabGTPase family, Rab5a, Rab8a and Rab14, as crucial regulators of MT1-MMP trafficking and function in primary human macrophages. Both overexpressed and endogenous forms show prominent colocalisation with MT1-MMP-positive vesicles, whereas expression of mutant constructs, as well as siRNA-induced knockdown, reveal that these RabGTPases are crucial in the regulation of MT1-MMP surface exposure, contact of MT1-MMP-positive vesicles with podosomes, extracellular matrix degradation in two and three dimensions, as well as three-dimensional proteolytic invasion of macrophages. Collectively, our results identify Rab5a, Rab8a and Rab14 as major regulators of MT1-MMP trafficking and invasive migration of primary human macrophages, which could be promising potential targets for manipulation of immune cell invasion.
Dynamic Update of Business Process Management

Requirements and domain assumptions of Business Process Management (BPM) need to be studied. Most times, they change during BPM life unpredictably at design-time leading to a BPM update. Updating a BPM must take current state into consideration. Update process may vary depending on it. To the best of our knowledge, there is a lack of techniques for updating BPM at run-time and only few of them build BPM from its requirements, which we believe that is the most natural way for designing them. As updating processes at runtime is a critical duty, there is a need of guaranteeing correct dynamic updates. Hence, we are interested in correct-by-construction approaches rather than construct-then-verify approaches in order to automatically provide guarantees of producing only expected BPM for given requirements. Requirements must be specify in an understandable declarative language, so as to easily design BPM by writing requirements in a convenient way. Moreover, we plan to issue efficient tools supporting the developed techniques and languages, and then, evaluate them by 1) modelling known case studies from the software engineering and BPM literature, and 2) solving real BPM problems from companies or any other institution.
Effects of acute exposure to simulated altitude on heart rate variability during exercise.

It has been shown that fluctuation of human heartbeat intervals [heart rate variability (HRV)] reflects variations in cardiac autonomic nervous system activity. The present study was designed to investigate whether the acute exposure to moderate levels of simulated altitude and the resultant hypoxia could modify HRV during exercise. Seven healthy men completed one resting measurement in the upright sitting position and two submaximal steady-state cycle ergometer exercises at intensities equivalent to 25 and 50% of their estimated maximal work rate. Experiments were conducted in random order at altitude equivalents of 500, 1,500, 2,500, and 3,500 m within 2 h of exposure to that altitude. Beat-to-beat HRV was measured continuously during the tests. HRV data were analyzed by "coarse-graining spectral analysis" (Y. Yamamoto and R.L. Hughson, Physica 68D: 250-264, 1993) to break down their total power (PT) into harmonic and nonharmonic (fractal) components. The harmonic component was further divided into low (0.0- to 0.15-Hz; PL)- and high (> 0.15-Hz; PH)-frequency components, and the indicators of relative sympathetic (SNS) and parasympathetic (PNS) nervous system activities were calculated by PL/PH and PH/PT, respectively. The fractal component was used to calculate the spectral exponent (beta) to evaluate the overall "irregularity" of HRV. The effects of exercise intensity (increase in heart rate, SNS indicator, and beta and decrease in PNS indicator) were significant (P < 0.05) at all altitude levels. The altitude effects (increase in heart rate and SNS indicator and decrease in PNS indicator) were found only during exercise at 3,500 m (P < 0.05). There was no significant effect of altitude on beta (P > 0.05). These data indicate that acute effects of altitude exposure on HRV were found 1) during exercise at moderate altitude (> 2,500 m) and 2) mainly for the harmonic components of HRV.
Existence of Branched Side Chains in the Cell Wall Mannan of Pathogenic Yeast, Candida albicans

Isolation of side chain oligosaccharides from mannans of Candida albicans NIH B-792 (serotype B) and Candida parapsilosis IFO 1396 strains has been conducted by acetolysis under mild conditions. Structural study of these oligosaccharides by 1H and C NMR and methylation analyses indicated the presence of novel branched side chains with the following structures in C. albicans mannan.
Phosphorylation of the cytoplasmic domain of Alzheimer's beta-amyloid precursor protein at Ser655 by a novel protein kinase.

The cytoplasmic domain of Alzheimer's beta-amyloid precursor protein (APP) can be phosphorylated at Thr654, Ser655, and Thr668 (APP695 isoform numbering). Previous studies demonstrated that Ser655 of APP was phosphorylated by protein kinase C (PKC) and calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) in vitro and by unidentified protein kinase(s) in vivo. We report here the characterization of a novel protein kinase (designated APP kinase I) which phosphorylates Ser655 of APP. APP kinase I was partially purified over 7,000-fold from rat brain and identified as a approximately 43 kDa protein that is distinct from a number of known protein kinases, including PKC and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs). The identification of a novel protein kinase that phosphorylates Ser655 will hopefully contribute to our understanding of the metabolism and/or function of APP in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD).
Evidence for transfer of antibiotic‐resistance genes in soil populations of streptomycetes

Phylogenetic analysis was used to evaluate the hypothesis of gene transfer in streptomycetes, many of which are antibiotic producers. The diversity and possible origins of streptomycin‐resistance genes was investigated for a population of Streptomyces strains isolated from a site in Brazil where antibiotic production had previously been implicated. The analysis provides compelling evidence for the transfer of these genes. Examination of other Streptomyces‐type strains also reveals a scattered distribution of streptomycin producers with respect to the overall phylogeny. These results suggest that horizontal gene transfer may be an important factor in the evolution of antibiotic genes in streptomycetes.
Parasexuality in Race 65 Colletotrichum lindemuthianum Isolates

ABSTRACT. Heterokaryosis is the initial step of the parasexual cycle, a process that provides genetic variability in filamentous fungi through the production of heterozygous diploid nuclei. To characterize the parasexual cycle in Colletotrichum lindemuthianum, we evaluated the presence of heterokaryosis, vegetative compatibility reactions, and diploid formation among isolates of Race 65 collected from different Brazilian states. Vegetative compatibility groups were identified among the isolates according to their ability to form heterokaryons. Two heterozygous diploids were selected from compatible heterokaryons, which were characterized by the segregation of the parental auxotrophic markers and by RAPD profiles.
Treatment of patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer: Experience from a tertiary Indian cancer center.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to look at the outcome of patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer treated at a tertiary cancer center in India. PATIENTS AND METHODS A total of 101 patients with locally advanced and metastatic pancreatic cancer diagnosed between May 2012 and July 2013 were identified from a prospectively maintained database at the tertiary cancer center. Overall survival (OS) was computed using the Kaplan-Meir product limit method and compared across groups using the log-rank statistics. Cox proportional hazards model, adjusted for a number of patient and tumor characteristics, was then used to determine factors prognostic for OS. RESULTS Median age at diagnosis was 55 years (range: 21-81 years). 57.4% (n = 58) of patients were male, 22% (n = 22) had performance status (PS) of <2 at diagnosis and 89% received first-line chemotherapy, while the rest received best supportive care. For the whole cohort, 6 month and 1-year OS was 57% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 46-66%) and 47% (95% CI: 35-57%), respectively. In a multivariable model, PS <2 and oligometastatic disease were associated with a significantly decreased risk of death. CONCLUSION Results from our analysis indicate that the prognostic outcome among Indian patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer is poor with survival outcomes similar to those reported in North America and Europe.
Effects of inspired air conditions on catecholamine response to exercise in asthma

The influence of different inspired air conditions on exercise‐induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) is well appreciated. However, the mechanism by which this influence is exerted is uncertain. To determine if varied inspired air conditions during exercise could affect the catecholamine response to physical exercise, we had 13 asthmatic and 6 healthy children (aged 10–18 years) undergo two bouts of cycle ergometry tests under different air conditions. One test was done while breathing cold dry (CD) air (temperature, −20.2°C; relative humidity, 0%) and the other while breathing warm humid (WH) air (temperature, 34.3%; relative humidity, 100%). Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV,) and plasma catecholamine concentrations were recorded before and after exercise. Marked EIB (48 2 5% SEM fall in FEV, from baseline) developed in all asthmatics after the CD exercise, but no EIB was noted after the WH exercise. Normal controls had no EIB under either test conditions. Plasma levels of catecholamines at rest, and the changes that occurred during and after exercise, were comparable within as well as between the groups in both tests. Catecholamines did not rise in asthmatics following development of EIB. These data demonstrate that inspired air conditions do not influence the sympathoadrenal response to exercise, at least as reflected in plasma catecholamine levels. In fact, this response did not differ between asthmatics and normals, irrespective of the development of EIB. These results are consistent with previous reports about impaired catecholamine response of asthmatics to bronchoconstriction.Pediatr Pulmonol. 1994;18:99–103. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Oncostatin M‐Preconditioned Mesenchymal Stem Cells Alleviate Bleomycin‐Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis Through Paracrine Effects of the Hepatocyte Growth Factor

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are widely considered for treatment of pulmonary fibrosis based on the anti‐inflammatory, antifibrotic, antiapoptotic, and regenerative properties of the cells. Recently, elevated levels of oncostatin M (OSM) have been reported in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of a pulmonary fibrosis animal model and in patients. In this work, we aimed to prolong engrafted MSC survival and to enhance the effectiveness of pulmonary fibrosis transplantation therapy by using OSM‐preconditioned MSCs. OSM‐preconditioned MSCs were shown to overexpress type 2 OSM receptor (gp130/OSMRβ) and exhibited high susceptibility to OSM, resulting in upregulation of the paracrine factor, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). Moreover, OSM‐preconditioned MSCs enhanced cell proliferation and migration, attenuated transforming growth factor‐β1‐ or OSM‐induced extracellular matrix production in MRC‐5 fibroblasts through paracrine effects. In bleomycin‐induced lung fibrotic mice, transplantation of OSM‐preconditioned MSCs significantly improved pulmonary respiratory functions and downregulated expression of inflammatory factors and fibrotic factors in the lung tissues. Histopathologic examination indicated remarkable amelioration of the lung fibrosis. LacZ‐tagged MSCs were detected in the lung tissues of the OSM‐preconditioned MSC‐treated mice 18 days after post‐transplantation. Taken together, our data further demonstrated that HGF upregulation played an important role in mediating the therapeutic effects of transplanted OSM‐preconditioned MSCs in alleviating lung fibrosis in the mice. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2017;6:1006–1017