Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High-monounsaturated fatty acid diets lower both plasma cholesterol and triacylglycerol concentrations.

BACKGROUND Low-fat diets increase plasma triacylglycerol and decrease HDL-cholesterol concentrations, thereby potentially adversely affecting cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. High-monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), cholesterol-lowering diets do not raise triacylglycerol or lower HDL cholesterol, but little is known about how peanut products, a rich source of MUFAs, affect CVD risk. OBJECTIVE The present study compared the CVD risk profile of an Average American diet (AAD) with those of 4 cholesterol-lowering diets: an American Heart Association/National Cholesterol Education Program Step II diet and 3 high-MUFA diets [olive oil (OO), peanut oil (PO), and peanuts and peanut butter (PPB)]. DESIGN A randomized, double-blind, 5-period crossover study design (n = 22) was used to examine the effects of the diets on serum lipids and lipoproteins: AAD [34% fat; 16% saturated fatty acids (SFAs), 11% MUFAs], Step II (25% fat; 7% SFAs, 12% MUFAs), OO (34% fat; 7% SFAs, 21% MUFAs), PO (34% fat; 7% SFAs, 17% MUFAs), and PPB (36% fat; 8% SFAs, 18% MUFAs). RESULTS The high-MUFA diets lowered total cholesterol by 10% and LDL cholesterol by 14%. This response was comparable with that observed for the Step II diet. Triacylglycerol concentrations were 13% lower in subjects consuming the high-MUFA diets and were 11% higher with the Step II diet than with the AAD. The high-MUFA diets did not lower HDL cholesterol whereas the Step II diet lowered it by 4% compared with the AAD. The OO, PO, and PPB diets decreased CVD risk by an estimated 25%, 16%, and 21%, respectively, whereas the Step II diet lowered CVD risk by 12%. CONCLUSION A high-MUFA, cholesterol-lowering diet may be preferable to a low-fat diet because of more favorable effects on the CVD risk profile.
Response of the mayfly (Cloeon dipterum) to chronic exposure to thiamethoxam in outdoor mesocosms

Thiamethoxam is a widely used neonicotinoid insecticide that has been detected in surface water monitoring programs in North America and Europe. This has led to questions about its toxicity to nontarget insects, specifically those with an aquatic life stage. To address the uncertainty associated with possible impacts from environmental exposures, a chronic (35‐d) outdoor mesocosm study with a formulated product containing thiamethoxam was conducted. The specific focus of the study was the response of mayflies (Ephemeroptera), which have been reported to be particularly sensitive in laboratory studies. A range of concentrations (nominally 0.1, 0.3, 1.0, 3.0, and 10.0 µg/L thiamethoxam), plus untreated controls were tested, and the abundance and emergence of mayflies (Cloeon dipterum) were assessed weekly for 35 d. Mean measured time‐weighted average exposures were within 6% of nominal over the duration of the study, with the mean half‐life of thiamethoxam in each treatment ranging from 7 to 13 d. Statistically significant reductions in both larval abundance and adult emergence were observed at 10.0, 3.0, and 1.0 μg/L following 1, 2, and 3 wk of exposure, respectively. Exposure to 0.1 and 0.3 µg/L thiamethoxam had no statistically significant effect on larval mayfly abundance or adult emergence at any point in the study. These findings support a 35‐d no‐observed‐effect concentration (NOEC) of 0.3 µg thiamethoxam/L for mayflies (C. dipterum) under chronic conditions. Furthermore, because the 95th percentile of environmental concentrations has been reported to be 0.054 µg/L, these results indicate that populations of C. dipterum and similarly sensitive aquatic insects are unlikely to be significantly impacted by thiamethoxam exposure in natural systems represented by the conditions in our study. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:1040–1050. © 2017 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC.
Pathological changes produced in Japanese quail by ingestion of cadmium.

Histological sequelae of feeding 75 mg cadmium/kg of diet from hatching to 4 or 6 weeks of age were studied in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). The effects of cadmium were compared with those of zinc and iron deficiencies at 4 weeks, and the protective effects of ascorbic acid against cadmium were investigated at 4 and 6 weeks. Testicular hypoplasia and growth retardation occurred in 4-week-old quail fed either cadmium-containing or zinc-deficient diets. Severe anemia and bone marrow hyperplasia were present in birds fed either cadmium-containing or iron-deficient diets. The morphological appearance of circulating erythrocytes was not the same with both treatments. Both heart ventricles were hypertrophied in response to cadmium at 6 weeks, whereas hypertrophy was not apparent microscopically at 4 weeks, even though the weight was significantly increased in relation to body weight. Left ventricular hypertrophy occurred in iron-deficient quail by 4 weeks. Enteropathy of the small intestine was more severe after 6 weeks of cadmium feeding than after 4 weeks. Cadmium caused decreased granules in the adrenal medullary cells at both 4 and 6 weeks of age. Conditions that were less severe at 6 than at 4 weeks of cadmium ingestion were: testicular development, anemia, and periodicmore » acid-Schiff reactivity of esophageal mucus glands. Ascorbic acid added to the cadmium containing diet significantly alleviated or prevented almost all aspects of cadmium toxicity in quail at 4 and/or 6 weeks of age. It protected against some changes that were not observed in either zinc- or iron-deficient birds. 40 references, 22 figures, 4 tables. « less
Relative contributions of acetate, lactate and glucose to lipogenesis in bovine intramuscular and subcutaneous adipose tissue.

Intramuscular adipose tissue from the fifth-eighth thoracic vertebrae region of the longissimus dorsi muscle, and portions of the overlying subcutaneous adipose tissue, were obtained at 16 and 18 months of age from Angus steers fed ad libitum either a corn silage (low energy) or ground corn (high energy) diet. Carcass weight, backfat thickness, and kidney, pelvic and heart fat were significantly greater in the steers fed the high energy diet; however, there were no significant differences in marbling scores between diet groups. Additionally, feeding steers the high energy diet did not result in differences in adipocyte diameter or number of adipose cells per gram tissue in either adipose tissue depot. Intramuscular adipocytes had a peak diameter (the diameter represented by the greatest number of cells) of 104 +/- 2 microns; peak diameter in subcutaneous adipose tissue was 141 +/- 5 microns. The activities of ATP-citrate lyase and NADP-malate dehydrogenase increased with age in the subcutaneous adipose tissue; feeding steers the high energy diet increased enzyme activities further. Age and diet had no effect on enzyme activities in intramuscular adipose tissue. A similar pattern was observed for the incorporation of lipogenic precursors into fatty acids. Acetate provided 70-80% of the acetyl units to in vitro lipogenesis in subcutaneous adipose tissue, but only 10-25% in intramuscular adipose tissue. Conversely, glucose provided 1-10% of the acetyl units in subcutaneous adipose tissue, but 50-75% in the intramuscular depot. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Genetic variation in adaptability and pleiotropy in budding yeast

Evolution can favor organisms that are more adaptable, provided that genetic variation in adaptability exists. Here, we quantify this variation among 230 offspring of a cross between diverged yeast strains. We measure the adaptability of each offspring genotype, defined as its average rate of adaptation in a specific environmental condition, and analyze the heritability, predictability, and genetic basis of this trait. We find that initial genotype strongly affects adaptability and can alter the genetic basis of future evolution. Initial genotype also affects the pleiotropic consequences of adaptation for fitness in a different environment. This genetic variation in adaptability and pleiotropy is largely determined by initial fitness, according to a rule of declining adaptability with increasing initial fitness, but several individual QTLs also have a significant idiosyncratic role. Our results demonstrate that both adaptability and pleiotropy are complex traits, with extensive heritable differences arising from naturally occurring variation.
Cluster analysis of acoustic emission signals for 2D and 3D woven carbon fiber/epoxy composites

Understanding the failure mechanisms in textile composites based on acoustic emission signals is a challenging task. In the present work, unsupervised cluster analysis is performed on the acoustic emission data registered during tensile tests on two-dimensional and three-dimensional woven carbon fiber/epoxy composites. The analysis is based on the k-means+ + algorithm and principal component analysis. Peak amplitude and frequency features – peak frequency for two-dimensional woven composites and frequency centroid for three-dimensional woven composites – were found to be dominant in cluster analysis. Cluster bounds were identified for both reinforcement types. These bounds do not differ for both reinforcement types and can be used as a starting point for acoustic emission analysis of other carbon fiber/epoxy composites. The statistics of high-frequency acoustic emission events are compared with the estimates obtained from a fiber bundle model based on Weibull fiber strength statistics. The number of acoustic emission events agrees well with the number of groups of carbon fibers that fail simultaneously. This finding may provide a new way to explain why the Weibull distribution predicts much more fiber breaks than measured by acoustic emission.
Warming magnifies predation and reduces prey coexistence in a model litter arthropod system

Climate warming can destabilize interactions between competitors as smaller organisms gain advantages in warmer environments. Whether and how warming-induced effects on competitive interactions are modified by predation remains unknown. We hypothesized that predation will offset the competitive advantage of smaller prey species in warmer environments because of their greater vulnerability to predation. To test this, we assembled a litter arthropod community with two Collembola species (Folsomia candida and Proisotoma minuta) of different body sizes across a temperature gradient (three thermal environments) and in the presence and absence of predatory mites. Predatory mites reduced Collembola coexistence with increasing temperatures. Contradicting our hypothesis, the larger prey species always outperformed the smaller prey species in warmer environments with predators. Larger prey probably benefited as they expressed a greater trait (body length) plasticity to warming. Warming can thus magnify predation effects and reduce the probability of prey coexistence.
Relation of diet to cardiovascular disease risk factors in subjects with cardiovascular disease in Australia and New Zealand: analysis of the Long-Term Intervention with Pravastatin in Ischaemic Disease trial.

BACKGROUND Comparisons of the relation of diet with coronary heart disease (CHD) between countries with similar socioeconomic environments have been few. Patients in Australia and New Zealand (n = 9014) who participated in a large secondary prevention trial had significantly different CHD mortality rates. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to ascertain the effects of nutrient consumption on cardiovascular disease risk in patients from the 2 countries. DESIGN Nutrient consumption patterns were surveyed in a subgroup of 1077 patients on 3 occasions over 4 y during an intervention trial with a statin. RESULTS Within the entire cohort of 9014 patients, the New Zealanders had significantly (40%) more cardiovascular deaths than did the Australians. In the subgroup of 1077 patients, the New Zealanders were found at entry to have eaten significantly more total (69.34 +/- 12.35 compared with 66.45 +/- 12.9 g/d) and saturated (26.23 +/- 8.41 compared with 24.37 +/- 7.36 g/d) fat (P < 0.001 for each) and to have significantly (4%) higher concentrations of LDL cholesterol (3.96 +/- 0.74 compared with 3.8 +/- 0.76 mmol/L; P < 0.001) than did the Australians. At baseline, patients with previous coronary artery bypass grafting had diets that were significantly different from those of patients without previous coronary artery bypass grafting. Relations between nutrients and plasma lipids confirmed the direct effects of saturated fatty acids on LDL cholesterol and of alcohol on plasma triacylglycerol and HDL cholesterol. Dietary counseling throughout the trial led to significant improvements in compliance with guidelines. However, neither the baseline nor the improved 1-y nutrient intakes predicted future changes in cardiovascular events. CONCLUSION Differences in CHD mortality and in LDL-cholesterol concentrations between 2 populations with similar socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds were consistent with the amounts and types of fats eaten.
ABCD1 dysfunction alters white matter microvascular perfusion

X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by mutations in ABCD1. By applying a vascular model to conventional MR perfusion imaging, Lauer et al. demonstrate that ABCD1 deficiency causes alterations in microvascular flow in white matter areas and developmental stages with the highest probability for conversion to cerebral disease.
The nuclear export factor CRM1 controls juxta-nuclear microtubule-dependent virus transport

ABSTRACT Transport of large cargo through the cytoplasm requires motor proteins and polarized filaments. Viruses that replicate in the nucleus of post-mitotic cells use microtubules and the dynein–dynactin motor to traffic to the nuclear membrane and deliver their genome through nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) into the nucleus. How virus particles (virions) or cellular cargo are transferred from microtubules to the NPC is unknown. Here, we analyzed trafficking of incoming cytoplasmic adenoviruses by single-particle tracking and super-resolution microscopy. We provide evidence for a regulatory role of CRM1 (chromosome-region-maintenance-1; also known as XPO1, exportin-1) in juxta-nuclear microtubule-dependent adenovirus transport. Leptomycin B (LMB) abolishes nuclear targeting of adenovirus. It binds to CRM1, precludes CRM1–cargo binding and blocks signal-dependent nuclear export. LMB-inhibited CRM1 did not compete with adenovirus for binding to the nucleoporin Nup214 at the NPC. Instead, CRM1 inhibition selectively enhanced virion association with microtubules, and boosted virion motions on microtubules less than ∼2 µm from the nuclear membrane. The data show that the nucleus provides positional information for incoming virions to detach from microtubules, engage a slower microtubule-independent motility to the NPC and enhance infection. Summary: The mechanism through which macromolecular complexes reach the nuclear pores is incompletely understood. We show that the cytoplasmic perinuclear ecology is tuned by CRM1 to control virus transport to the nuclear pore complex.
Mobile Data Offloading for Green Wireless Networks

The explosive growth in mobile data traffic has resulted in unprecedented energy consumption in cellular networks, and has also induced huge operational expenditure for mobile network operators. A promising solution to address this problem in 5G systems is to use complementary technologies, such as Wi-Fi, to offload the traffic originally targeted toward cellular networks. In this article, we discuss the recent advances in the technologies and economics of two types of mobile data offloading: operator-initiated offloading and user-initiated offloading. In operator- initiated offloading, the mobile operators offload cellular traffic to Wi-Fi networks, which may belong to the mobile operators, mobile operators' residential subscribers, and third party Wi-Fi owners. In user-initiated offloading, the users decide how to offload traffic with or without the mobile operators' coordination. We present a taxonomy of various data offloading models, discuss various technical and economic challenges, and summarize the algorithms and mechanisms that we design to address these challenges. Finally, we outline some open problems that require further investigation.
Genomic methylation of peripheral blood leukocyte DNA: influences of arsenic and folate in Bangladeshi adults.

BACKGROUND Studies in cell culture and animal models indicate that arsenic exposure induces modifications in DNA methylation, including genome-wide DNA hypomethylation. It is not known whether arsenic exposure influences genomic DNA methylation in human populations chronically exposed to arsenic-contaminated drinking water. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to determine whether arsenic is associated with genomic hypomethylation of peripheral blood leukocyte (PBL) DNA in Bangladeshi adults who are chronically exposed to arsenic. We also investigated whether arsenic-induced alterations in DNA methylation may be influenced by folate nutritional status. DESIGN PBL DNA methylation and concentrations of plasma folate, plasma arsenic, and urinary arsenic were assessed in 294 adults in Araihazar, Bangladesh. Genomic PBL DNA methylation was measured by using a [(3)H]-methyl incorporation assay. RESULTS Urinary arsenic, plasma arsenic, and plasma folate were positively associated with the methylation of PBL DNA (P = 0.009, 0.03, and 0.03, respectively). Stratification of participants by folate nutritional status [<9 nmol/L (n = 190) or >or=9 nmol/L (n = 104)] showed that the associations between arsenic exposure and methylation of PBL DNA were restricted to persons with folate concentrations >or= 9 nmol/L. CONCLUSIONS Contrary to our a priori hypothesis, arsenic exposure was positively associated with genomic PBL DNA methylation in a dose-dependent manner. This effect is modified by folate, which suggests that arsenic-induced increases in DNA methylation cannot occur in the absence of adequate folate. The underlying mechanisms and physiologic implications of increased genomic DNA methylation are unclear, and they warrant further study.
Coconut oil and beef tallow, but not tricaprylin, can replace menhaden oil in the diet of red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) without adversely affecting growth or fatty acid composition.

The ability of juvenile red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) to utilize medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) and other saturated dietary lipids was investigated in two 6-wk feeding experiments. Diets contained solvent-extracted menhaden fish meal to which menhaden fish oil (control), coconut oil, corn oil, beef tallow or various levels of MCT as tricaprylin (30, 46, 65 and 80% of total lipid) were added. Diets were fed to triplicate groups of juvenile red drum in aquaria containing brackish (6%) water. In the first feeding experiment, red drum fed the control diet had the greatest weight gains and feed efficiencies. Weight gain, but not feed was slightly, of fish fed corn oil and fish fed coconut oil was slightly (P < 0.05) lower. In the second feeding experiment, fish fed coconut oil and those fed beef tallow had significantly higher weight gains and feed efficiencies than did fish fed the control diet. Fish fed the diets containing tricaprylin at all inclusion levels in both feeding experiments had significantly lower weight gains and feed efficiencies and higher levels of beta-hydroxybutyric acid in plasma. Fish fed diets with high levels of MCT also had lower (n-3) and greater (n-6) fatty acid levels in the neutral lipid fraction of muscle tissue compared with fish fed the control diet. Coconut oil and beef tallow consistently resulted in greater liver lipid deposition but had variable effects on other tissue indices. Saturated dietary lipids had variable effects on fatty acid composition of muscle polar and neutral lipid fractions. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Resveratrol inhibits IL‐6‐induced ovarian cancer cell migration through epigenetic up‐regulation of autophagy

Interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), a pro‐inflammatory cytokine released by cancer‐associated fibroblasts, has been linked to the invasive and metastatic behavior of ovarian cancer cells. Resveratrol is a naturally occurring polyphenol with the potential to inhibit cancer cell migration. Here we show that Resveratrol and IL‐6 affect in an opposite manner the expression of RNA messengers and of microRNAs involved in cell locomotion and extracellular matrix remodeling associated with the invasive properties of ovarian cancer cells. Among the several potential candidates responsible for the anti‐invasive effect promoted by Resveratrol, here we focused our attention on ARH‐I (DIRAS3), that encodes a Ras homolog GTPase of 26‐kDa. This protein is known to inhibit cell motility, and it has been shown to regulate autophagy by interacting with BECLIN 1. IL‐6 down‐regulated the expression of ARH‐I and inhibited the formation of LC3‐positive autophagic vacuoles, while promoting cell migration. On opposite, Resveratrol could counteract the IL‐6 induction of cell migration in ovarian cancer cells through induction of autophagy in the cells at the migration front, which was paralleled by up‐regulation of ARH‐I and down‐regulation of STAT3 expression. Spautin 1‐mediated disruption of BECLIN 1‐dependent autophagy abrogated the effects of Resveratrol, while promoting cell migration. The present data indicate that Resveratrol elicits its anti‐tumor effect through epigenetic mechanisms and support its inclusion in the chemotherapy regimen for highly aggressive ovarian cancers. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Co-evolution of cooperation and cognition: the impact of imperfect deliberation and context-sensitive intuition

How does cognitive sophistication impact cooperation? We explore this question using a model of the co-evolution of cooperation and cognition. In our model, agents confront social dilemmas and coordination games, and make decisions using intuition or deliberation. Intuition is automatic and effortless, but relatively (although not necessarily completely) insensitive to context. Deliberation, conversely, is costly but relatively (although not necessarily perfectly) sensitive to context. We find that regardless of the sensitivity of intuition and imperfection of deliberation, deliberating undermines cooperation in social dilemmas, whereas deliberating can increase cooperation in coordination games if intuition is sufficiently sensitive. Furthermore, when coordination games are sufficiently likely, selection favours a strategy whose intuitive response ignores the contextual cues available and cooperates across contexts. Thus, we see how simple cognition can arise from active selection for simplicity, rather than just be forced to be simple due to cognitive constraints. Finally, we find that when deliberation is imperfect, the favoured strategy increases cooperation in social dilemmas (as a result of reducing deliberation) as the benefit of cooperation to the recipient increases.