Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Vulnerable groups in working life: disabled workers in Turkey

In occupational health services, there are some vulnerable groups that might be effected by risks they encounter in their working life. They are seasonal agricultural workers, children, women, elderly workers, as well as disabled individuals. The rate of disabled workers is 14.3 per cent in Turkey. However, even though there are legislative regulations for employees who are disabled, studies show that those individuals face many problems such as unemployment, different payment policies, inappropriate physical environmental conditions, negative attitude of managers and different work tasks for their qualifications. In business, the creation of a safe working environment and additional measures are needed for disabled employees. Employers have the responsibility to include occupational health and safety practices for disabled employees. In the literature, it is shown that employers’ awareness level about the legislations for disabled employees was 72.6 per cent. In addition, there are limited preventive mechanisms for disabled people for working on equal terms with other employees and participating actively to working life. Occupational health team members initiate protection of the employees’ health and they serve as an agent to promote health by developing and improving workers’ abilities and opportunities. Risk assessment, appropriate job placement, physical environmental regulations, initial physical examinations, periodic and return to work examinations, health education and counseling, follow-up and rehabilitation should be done by the occupational health team. Occupational physicians, occupational nurses and occupational safety specialists have important roles in protecting and promoting disabled workers’ health. This review is aimed at giving information about legislative regulations and occupational health services in Turkey and discussing occupational health services that could be organized
Session 10: Dna Repair

The structural folding of DNA by proteins ultimately determines the biological consequences of their action. We suggest that there are three major classes of repair/signaling proteins. The first class comprises of proteins that carry out direct repair, and the mismatch repair factors provide an excellent example. The second class of proteins are replication and damage checkpoint proteins. These proteins do not carry out repair themselves but are involved in the early events of lesion recognition and signaling. Claspin, ATM, ATR, and the 9-1-1 complex may all be involved at this stage. The third class includes structural DNA remodeling proteins. Members of this last class include facilitator proteins similar to matchmakers or chaperons which aid in presenting the damage to the cell via DNA remodeling and help build the signal and repair complexes.
Conducta diurna del chungungo Lontra felina (Molina, 1782) en dos localidades de la costa de Talcahuano, Chile: ¿efectos de la exposición al oleaje y de las actividades humanas?

La biologia del chungungo (Lontra felina) en la costa de Chile es poco conocida. En este estudio se describe el uso diurno del habitat y las conductas que realiza esta especie, y se las compara entre una caleta de pescadores y otro lugar de dificil acceso en el sur de Chile. El estudio se realizo a fines del 2005 y principio del 2006. Pese a la cercania de las localidades estudiadas (cerca de 9 km), se observaron diferencias en los maximos de actividad diurna, en la extension de los buceos y en la proporcion del tiempo dedicado a socializacion. En la localidad mas expuesta al oleaje y de mas dificil acceso fue mas frecuente observar al chungungo en transito, y efectuando buceos mas extensos. En la localidad mas protegida fue mas frecuente observarlos buceando, interactuando con otras especies y socializando. El uso del habitat en presencia y ausencia de actividades humanas tambien arrojo diferencias entre localidades. Algunos de estos resultados se contraponen a hallazgos en otras partes de Chile y resaltan la necesidad de mejorar el conocimiento acerca de los factores que afectan la conducta de Lontra felina
Screening for Putative Biomarkers of Lung Cancer in Exhaled Air

Early stage non-invasive diagnostic of diseases can possibly take place by analyzing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from the breath of patients [1]. Lung cancer is typically silent early in its course, so that a majority of patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, resulting in poor prognosis [2]. The implementation of an early diagnostic procedure for lung cancer screening by means of breath analysis could possibly contribute to increase the survival rate of diagnosed patients.
The origins of symbiosis as a lifestyle in marine crabs (genus Petrolisthes) from the eastern Pacific: Does interspecific competition play a role?

La adopcion de un habito de vida simbiotico representa una de las adaptaciones ambientales mas importantes entre los crustaceos marinos. La competencia inter-especifica puede ser considerada como un mecanismo importante capaz de explicar la evolucion de la simbiosis en este y otros grupos de invertebrados marinos. En el presente estudio se explora el origen historico del estilo de vida simbiotico en cangrejos marinos (genero Petrolisthes) y se examina la importancia de la competencia inter-especifica respecto de la evolucion de este caracter ecologico. Como marco para este analisis, se utilizo una hipotesis filogenetica previamente publicada por otros autores para 29 especies de cangrejos Petrolisthes. Esta hipotesis fue generada utilizando dos metodos de inferencia filogenetica (Evolucion Minima y Parsimonia) y la subunidad 16s del ARN ribosomal como marcador genetico. Cuando el estilo de vida de cada especie de cangrejo Petrolisthes fue trazado en dicho arbol filogenetico, se infirio: i) que el habito de vida libre representa el caracter ancestral y ii) que el habito de vida simbiotico evoluciono independientemente al menos dos veces en este grupo de cangrejos. Los cangrejos Petrolisthes que han desarrollado un habito de vida simbiotico ocurren en aguas templadas del hemisferio sur; Allopetrolisthes spinifrons que habita anemonas, y Liopetrolisthes mitra que habita erizos. Un analisis comparativo utilizando el metodo de contrastes independientes sugirio que la competencia inter-especifica no representa un mecanismo importante capaz de explicar la evolucion de la simbiosis ni la ocurrencia de asociaciones menos frecuentes entre cangrejos Petrolisthes y otros macro invertebrados marinos. No obstante, la adopcion de un habito de vida simbiotico posee importantes consecuencias para la vida social de los cangrejos que han asumido este estilo de vida
Innate Inflammation in Parkinson’s Disease

It has long been known that degeneration of neurons caused either by acute tissue injury or by chronic neurodegenerative disease is associated with a response by the resident macrophages of the brain, the microglia. Indeed, the microglia are exquisitely sensitive to all forms of brain injury and have been called the sensors of pathology (Kreutzberg 1996). In the injured or diseased brain, the microglia change their morphology and up-regulate, or express de novo, several myeloid antigens: They are then referred to as “activated microglia. ” An important question is whether these activated innate immune cells contribute to the outcome of injury or disease or whether their response is simply a consequence of the tissue degeneration. If the innate immune response does contribute, we then need to know if this is significant such that it might be a potential therapeutic target in the clinical setting. As humans live longer and the proportion of aged individuals in the population increases, so does the prevalence of chronic neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease increase. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common chronic neurodegenerative disease in humans (Lees et al. 2009). The neuropathology of PD is characterized by the slow and progressive neurodegeneration of dopaminergic cells, which have their cell bodies in the substantia nigra (SN) and axon terminals in the striatum (for a comprehensive description of the neuropathology of PD, see Dickson 2012). As the disease progresses, the degeneration becomes more widespread and involves other regions of the brain (Braak et al. 2003). The affected circuits and the clinical consequences are described in more detail in other articles in this collection (Lanciego et al. 2012; Massano and Bhatia 2012). Associated with the widespread neurodegeneration, there are activated microglia in the brains of these individuals. The inflammatory response associated with this chronic degenerative disease is unusual because it takes place in an immune privileged organ (Galea et al. 2007), evolves over many years (Lees et al. 2009), and is almost exclusively dominated by cells of the macrophage lineage. We consider here the key conceptual issues in investigating the innate immune response associated with Parkinson’s disease with a view to establishing the potential contribution to disease pathogenesis. We first review key components of the innate immune cells of the brain and then consider how we can use this information in the study of the inflammation associated with neuropathology of PD and animal models used to study the disease.
Propriétés inattendues de l’échangeur anionique du globule rouge : la leçon des poissons

Conclusions Les microglies provenant de la moelle osseuse offrent un potentiel formidable en vue du traitement de la maladie d’Alzheimer, puisqu’elles sont attirees vers les proteines toxiques et sont en mesure de les eliminer. Il est interessant de noter que des proteines toxiques sont presentes dans d’autres maladies neurodegeneratives, telle que l’alpha-synucleine dans la maladie de Parkinson et la superoxyde dismutase dans la sclerose laterale amyotrophique. Les cellules souches de la moelle osseuse pourront ainsi se diriger vers les differents foyers inflammatoires provoques par ces proteines toxiques. Elles ont aussi l’avantage, contrairement aux autres types de cellules souches, d’infiltrer de facon naturelle les regions endommagees et de s’adapter aux conditions inflammatoires. De plus, le prelevement des cellules souches hematopoietiques evitera le rejet des cellules genetiquement modifiees, puisque le patient servira a la fois de donneur et de receveur. Il nous reste maintenant a trouver la facon de rendre ces cellules plus resistantes, a selectionner de meilleurs phagocytes par exemple, plus specifiques a la βA (ou a d’autres proteines toxiques), tout en evitant l’emballement de la reponse inflammatoire. Un tres beau defi scientifique et medical a relever ! ‡ Bone marrow stem cells to the rescue of Alzheimer’s disease REFERENCES
Variação das massas de gordura e proteína corporal e dos órgãos viscerais de cabras Alpinas nos 60 dias de lactação

This study aimed to measure the changes of masses of body fat and protein, and also quantify the masses of organs and viscera of Alpine goats throughout the eight weeks of lactation. We used 51 multiparous Alpine goats, allocated in individual metabolic pens. The goats were distributed in a completely randomized design with six replications and eight treatments, and the treatments by weeks of lactation. Slaughters were carried sequential six goats per week of lactation to measure the mass of fat and protein, as well as the weight of the organs and viscera. Significant reduction in mass and adipose tissue protein, but adversely, and the tissue protein was mobilized with greater intensity in the first two weeks postpartum, since the fat falling steadily. There was no effect on liver weight, rumen, omasum, abomasum and large intestine, but there was a reduction in the weights of the small intestine, uterus and mammary gland. The Alpine goats within three weeks postpartum mobilize not just fat, but also body protein to meet the demand of milk production. Only the small intestine, uterus and mammary gland shown weight affected with eight weeks of lactation.
Fenotipo atípico de Vibrio ordalii, bacteria altamente patogénica aislada desde salmón del Atlántico cultivado en las costas marinas del sur de Chile

Durante invierno y primavera de 2003, salmones del Atlantico cultivados en las costas marinas del sur de Chile fueron afectados por brotes de una enfermedad. El analisis patologico revelo la presencia de lesiones en piel, ulveras hemorragicas, mientras que los signos internos incluyeron pericarditis, peritonitis y focos necroticos multiples en el higado. En todos los casos, los cultivos bacterianos puros fueron aislados de las lesiones externas y organos internos. La bacteriologia convencional mostro como sospechoso a Vibrio sp como causante de la enfermedad. La identificacion final de la bacteria fue llevada a cabo por analisis filogenetico por la comparacion de la secuencia casi total del gen que codifica el RNAr 16s.
Characterization of derivatives of the high-molecular-mass penicillin-binding protein (PBP) 1 of Mycobacterium leprae

Mycobacterium leprae has two high-molecular-mass multimodular penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) of class A, termed PBP1 and PBP1* [Lepage, Dubois, Ghosh, Joris, Mahapatra, Kundu, Basu, Chakrabarti, Cole, Nguyen-Disteche and Ghuysen (1997) J. Bacteriol. 179, 4627–4630]. PBP1-Xaa–β-lactamase fusions generated periplasmic β-lactamase activity when Xaa (the amino acid of PBP1 at the fusion junction) was residue 314, 363, 407, 450 or 480. Truncation of the N-terminal part of the protein up to residue Leu-147 generated a penicillin-binding polypeptide which could still associate with the plasma membrane, whereas [∆M1–R314]PBP1 (PBP1 lacking residues Met-1 to Arg-314) failed to associate with the membrane, suggesting that the region between residues Leu-147 and Arg-314 harbours an additional plasma membrane association site for PBP1. Truncation of the C-terminus up to 42 residues downstream of the KTG (Lys-Thr-Gly) motif also generated a polypeptide that retained penicillin-binding activity. [∆M1–R314]PBP1 could be extracted from inclusion bodies and refolded under appropriate conditions to give a form capable of binding penicillin with the same efficiency as full-length PBP1. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first report of a soluble derivative of a penicillin-resistant high-molecular-mass PBP of class A that is capable of binding penicillin. A chimaeric PBP in which the penicillin-binding (PB) module of PBP1 was fused at its N-terminal end with the non-penicillin-binding (n-PB) module of PBP1* retained pencillin-binding activity similar to that of PBP1, corroborating the finding that the n-PB module of PBP1 is dispensable for its penicillin-binding activity.
Efecto de Niveles Crecientes de Nitrógeno no Proteico Dietario en Vacas Lactantes sobre las Concentraciones de Metabolitos Nitrogenados en Orina, Sangre y Leche

Con el fin de evaluar el efecto de niveles crecientes de nitrogeno no proteico dietario (NNP) en vacas lactantes sobre las concentraciones de metabolitos nitrogenados en orina, sangre y lehe, se evaluaron 15 vacas Holstein que cursaban los primeros 100 dias posparto. Estas se asignaron aleatoriamente a tres tratamientos experimentales que consistieron en el suministro de un suplemento alimenticio comercial al que se le adiciono urea de tal manera que se incrementara el consumo de proteina degradable en rumen (PDR) en aproximadamente 0,0 (T0), 10 (T1) y 15% (T2) respecto a los requerimientos. Para las 15 vacas se determinaron las concentraciones de nitrogeno ureico en sangre (NUS), orina (NUO) y leche (NUL) asi como las de amonio en sangre (AS), amonio en orina (AO) y la glicemia (GLIC), utilizando kit comerciales acoplados a espectrofotometria. Se realizo un balance de PDR donde se encontraron diferencias significativas entre los tratamientos (P<0,01). El balance para la PDR represento el 2,8; 9,5 y 13,1% de los requerimientos para T0, T1 y T2, respectivamente. Se encontraron correlaciones positivas entre el NUS y el AS, y entre el NUS y el NUL; mientras que la correlacion entre el NUO con el AO fue negativa (P<0,1). Las demas correlaciones exploradas no fueron estadisticamente significativas.
Differential effects of testosterone and dibutyryl cyclic AMP on the meiotic maturation of mouse oocytes in vitro.

Fully grown, meiotically immature mouse oocytes were isolated and cultured under varying conditions with the aim of determining a) whether the inhibitory effects of testosterone on oocyte meiotic maturation require the synthesis of new oocyte proteins and b) if the meiosis-inhibiting effects of testosterone and dibutyryl cyclic AMP (dbcAMP) are distinct and can be differentiated. We found that the inclusion of puromycin in culture medium containing testosterone has no effect on the meiosis-inhibiting potency of testosterone or upon the reversibility of testosterone effects. We conclude that testosterone inhibits oocyte meiosis by a mechanism that is independent of protein synthesis. We also found that oocytes exposed to testosterone recover more rapidly, as evidenced by the timing of germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) following placement in a control medium, than do oocytes exposed to dbcAMP. Through further investigation of this phenomenon we have determined the sequence of testosterone and dbcAMP effects relative to the time course of GVBD. A testosterone-sensitive event occurs 20 min prior to GVBD, while the dbcAMP-sensitive event precedes GVBD by 41 min. The nature of this difference may involve the differential interaction of testosterone and dbcAMP with a set of puromycin-sensitive proteins that are required for GVBD. When oocytes were initially cultured in medium containing both puromycin and either testosterone or dbcAMP and then moved to medium containing puromycin alone the incidence of GVBD was reduced relative to oocytes never exposed to puromycin. This observation suggests that mouse oocytes contain proteins that are required for GVBD and that experience a high turnover rate. The degree of reduction in GVBD was a function of the length of puromycin exposure and was significantly greater in dbcAMP- than in testosterone-exposed oocytes. If oocytes were initially cultured in medium containing puromycin and dbcAMP, the rate of GVBD upon removal of dbcAMP was initially slow but increased with time. This observation is consistent with the hypothesis that dbcAMP inhibits oocytes at a point prior to the functioning of the puromycin-sensitive proteins. However, if oocytes were cultured in medium containing puromycin and testosterone the rate of GVBD following testosterone removal was not significantly reduced relative to oocytes that were not exposed to puromycin. This observation suggests that testosterone acts to inhibit meiosis at a site beyond the function of the puromycin-sensitive proteins or that testosterone causes a reduction in the turnover rate of these proteins. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Multiscale and Modular Analysis of Cardiac Energy Metabolism

Computational models of large molecular systems can be assembled from modules representing biological function emerging from interactions among a small subset of molecules. Experimental information on isolated molecules can be integrated with the response of the network as a whole to estimate crucial missing parameters. As an example, a “skeleton” model is analyzed for the module regulating dynamic adaptation of myocardial oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) to fluctuating cardiac energy demand. The module contains adenine nucleotides, creatine, and phosphate groups. Enzyme kinetic equations for two creatine kinase (CK) isoforms were combined with the response time of OxPhos (tmito; generalized time constant) to steps in the cardiac pacing rate to identify all module parameters. To obtain tmito, the time course of O2 uptake was measured for the whole heart. An O2 transport model was used to deconvolute the whole‐heart response to the mitochondrial level. By optimizing mitochondrial outer membrane permeability to 21 μm/s the experimental tmito = 3.7 s was reproduced. This in vivo value is about four times larger, or smaller, respectively, than conflicting values obtained from two different in vitro studies. This demonstrates an important rule for multiscale analysis: experimental responses and modeling of the system at the larger scale allow one to estimate essential parameters for the interfaces of components which may have been altered during physical isolation. The model correctly predicts a smaller tmito when CK activity is reduced. The model further predicts a slower response if the muscle CK isoform is overexpressed and a faster response if mitochondrial CK is overexpressed. The CK system is very effective in decreasing maximum levels of ADP during systole and reducing average Pi levels over the whole cardiac cycle.
Study of the mechanisms underlying the cytotoxic effects of bovine lactoferrin on breast cancer cells

Lactoferrin (LF) has been widely studied over the last 70 years and its role in diverse biological functions is well known and generally accepted by the scientific community. This protein is a key player in the human defense mechanisms against various diseases. The protein response elements have been localized and characterized. Usually, an alteration of the LF gene in cells is associated with an increased cancer incidence. Several studies suggest that exogenous treatment with LF and its derivatives can efficiently inhibit the growth of tumors and reduce cancer susceptibility. However, none of these studies reported a consistent outcome concerning the mechanisms underlying the anticancer effects of exogenous application of LF and its derivatives. In this chapter, the association of LF with cancer is thoroughly discussed from its gene expression to its potential use in cancer therapy. Furthermore, the LF cytotoxicity against several cancers is generalized into four possible mechanisms of action under different conditions: cell membrane disruption, apoptosis induction, cell cycle arrest and immunoreaction. Based on these mechanisms, new strategies to improve the anticancer effects of LF and/or its variants are proposed. Finally, the potential of LF in cancer therapy in the near future is discussed.
Getting ready for REDD+ in Tanzania: a case study of progress and challenges

Abstract The proposed mechanism for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) offers significant potential for conserving forests to reduce negative impacts of climate change. Tanzania is one of nine pilot countries for the United Nations REDD Programme, receives significant funding from the Norwegian, Finnish and German governments and is a participant in the World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility. In combination, these interventions aim to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, provide an income to rural communities and conserve biodiversity. The establishment of the UN-REDD Programme in Tanzania illustrates real-world challenges in a developing country. These include currently inadequate baseline forestry data sets (needed to calculate reference emission levels), inadequate government capacity and insufficient experience of implementing REDD+-type measures at operational levels. Additionally, for REDD+ to succeed, current users of forest resources must adopt new practices, including the equitable sharing of benefits that accrue from REDD+ implementation. These challenges are being addressed by combined donor support to implement a national forest inventory, remote sensing of forest cover, enhanced capacity for measuring, reporting and verification, and pilot projects to test REDD+ implementation linked to the existing Participatory Forest Management Programme. Our conclusion is that even in a country with considerable donor support, progressive forest policies, laws and regulations, an extensive network of managed forests and increasingly developed locally-based forest management approaches, implementing REDD+ presents many challenges. These are being met by coordinated, genuine partnerships between government, non-government and community-based agencies.