Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inhibitors of steroidogenesis as agents for the treatment of hormone-dependent cancers

Oestrogens and androgens stimulate growth in hormone-dependent breast and prostate cancers respectively. Modern strategies seek to remove the influence of hormones on tumour growth using anti-oestrogens (breast) or anti-androgens (prostate) which block the action of the hormone on its receptor. For prostate cancer patients LHRH (luteinising hormone releasing hormone) agonists, which decrease testes synthesis of testosterone are also used. Newer alternative (or sequential) strategies aim to deplete circulating and tissue levels of the respective mitogenic hormone by inhibition of a specific target enzyme involved in its steroidogenic pathway: for breast cancer - aromatase (P450AROM) or 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD) Type 1 isoenzyme or the metabolic enzyme oestrogen sulfatase; for prostate cancer - 17α-hydroxylase: 17, 20-lyase (P450 17) or 5α-steroid reductase (5α-SR) or 17β-HSD Type 3 isoenzyme. The use of P450AROM inhibitors as sequential agents in breast cancer patients is well established; inhibitors of the other target enzymes are under development and could be sequential or combinational agents. Certain P450 17 inhibitors for prostatic cancer treatment protect the metabolism of retinoic acid (RAMBAs) and 1α,25-dihydroxy vitamin D-3, thereby being cellular differentiation and antiproliferative mimics. These new cytochrome P450 targets and the built-in action of the P450 17 inhibitors may be shown at a later date to alter or delay the progression of the disease from hormone-dependent to hormone-independent. This review discusses the progress made in developing of clinically useful steroidogenesis inhibitors for the relevant disease and some of the difficulties encountered in maintaining/achieving remission due to the changing nature of the disease.
Atherosclerosis vaccine using bacteria Salmonella typhimurium on rat models.

Aims: To prove the effect of S. typhimurium vaccine on inhibiting foam cell formation and arterial wall thickness, and also to decrease body weight and abdominal visceral fat. Study Design: This experimental research was conducted using rat models. Place and Duration of Study: Faculty of Medicine, Brawijaya University, Indonesia, between February – May 2011. Methodology: The vaccine was 10 CFU of heat-killed S. typhimurium/100μl vaccine per rat. The adjuvant was CFA-IFA 100μl per rat. Twenty Wistar rats were divided into five Original Research Article British Journal of Medicine & Medical Research, 4(36): 5729-5740, 2014 5730 groups: a negative control group (have normal diet), and four treatment groups which were given with atherogenic diet. The four treatment groups were positive control group (atherogenic diet only), vaccine + adjuvant group (added with the vaccine + adjuvants), vaccine group (added with vaccine only), and adjuvant group (added with adjuvant only). The vaccines were injected intraperitoneally, five times in two-week intervals. Results: There was no significantly difference in the average diet intake every day among the groups (P=0.17). The administration of ‘vaccine + adjuvants’, ‘vaccine only’ and ‘adjuvants only’ could decrease foam cell formation and arterial wall thickness compared to the positive control group (P= .00). The ‘vaccine alone’ treatment returned the foam cell numbers to be a normal value just like negative control (P=.15), but ‘vaccine + adjuvants ‘and ‘adjuvant alone’ did not (P=.01). There was a strong and significantly correlation between the foam cell formation with arterial wall thickness (R=0.842, P=.00). In addition, administration of ‘vaccine only’ decreased the rats’ body weight and abdominal visceral fat accumulation significantly compared to the positive control (P=.04 and P=.00 respectively). Conclusion: The heat-killed Salmonella typhimurium vaccine without CFA-IFA adjuvant decreases foam cells expression and aortic wall thickness, body weight, and abdominal visceral fat accumulation in rat-induced atherogenic diet. In suggestion, heat-killed S. typhimurium is a potential antigen to be developed as an atherosclerosis vaccine in the future.
Cloning and sequencing of the genes of β-glucosyl-HMC-α-glucosyl-transferases of bacteriophages T2 and T6

Bacteriophages T2, T4 and T6 code for enzymes that transfer glucosyl-residues to the hydroxymethylcytosine of their DNAs. Most of the sugar residues are bound through carbon 1 in a-glycosidic linkage. In addition to these, T4-DNA contains (-glucosyl groups whereas in T2- and T6-DNA a species-specific percentage of gentiobiosyl-residues is observed (1). The glucosylation occurs at the level of the polymer and the ratio of glucosyl residues bound to the DNA in a- and ,3-glycosidic linkage or as a diglucoside is characteristic for each of the three phage strains. The enzymes catalyzing these reactions are a- or (3-glucosyltransferase and j3-glucosyl-HMC-a-glucosyl-transferase, respectively. The genes coding for the a- and j3-glucosyltransferase of T4 (and also the ca-gt genes of T2 and T6) had been cloned, sequenced, over-expressed and the proteins purified to homogeneity. While the a-glucosyltransferases coded by T2, T4 and T6 are close to identical at the level oftheir amino acid sequences (2), the c- and (B-glucosyltransferases reveal only few similarities (3). Here we deal with the nucleotide sequences coding for the (3-glucosyl-HMC-a-glucosyl-transferases,
Oxidation Behavior and Structural Transformation of (CrTaTiVZr)N Coatings

(CrTaTiVZr)N coatings were prepared on Si substrates through the reactive magnetron sputtering system to investigate the oxidation behaviors and structural evolution of the coatings at different annealing temperatures in air. The (CrTaTiVZr)N coating had a face-centered cubic structure with an oxidation temperature of up to 300 °C, but its surface changed into the amorphous oxide phase and then into the rutile TiO2 phase when the annealing temperature was increased to 500 °C. The rutile TiO2 phase continued to grow, and an additional solid solution phase of body-centered tetragonal I41/amd was formed at annealing temperatures beyond 600 °C. The high annealing temperature promoted the oxidation to progress along the thickness direction and synergistically developed the porosity. As a result, the hardness and the electrical performance of the coating deteriorated. The hardness decreased from 34.30 GPa to 1.52 GPa, and the electrical resistivity increased from 142 µΩ·cm to 17.5 Ω·cm.
The Effect of Supplemental Copper and Methionine on the Performance of Turkey Poults

Abstract A total of 384 white turkey poults were divided within sex into four replicate groups of eight birds each and fed one of six treatment diets. To a basal corn-soy diet which contained 26% protein and . 765% sulfur-amino acid was added 0, 500, or 750 ppm copper as CuSO4 · 5H2O both with and without . 40% supplemental methionine. The diets were fed ad libitum from hatch to 21 days of age, at which time poults were individually weighed and one bird in each replicate sacrificed for digestive tract observation. Mortality and feed consumption data were obtained, and the experiment was repeated once. The addition of methionine increased growth, which indicated that the diet was inadequate in sulfur-amino acids. The addition of copper at either level greatly reduced 21-day body weights in proportion to the level fed. Copper addition also reduced average daily feed consumption. Feed efficiency did not appear to be affected by the addition of copper. Addition of supplemental methionine to the copper treatments partially offset the effects of the copper and resulted in higher weights and better feed efficiency than was observed with the basal alone. Gizzard erosion was increased with copper supplementation and was partially offset with supplemental methionine.
An experimental examination of the effects of habitat quality on the dispersal and local abundance of the butterfly Parnassius smintheus

Abstract 1. Nectar flower abundance was manipulated through flower removal, and sex ratio was manipulated by moving individual butterflies within a series of nine alpine meadows. The movement and abundance of the butterfly Parnassius smintheus in the meadows were monitored using mark–release–recapture methods.
Ecology of viruses in soils: Past, present and future perspectives

Abstract Viruses play important roles in biogeochemical nutrient cycles and act as genomic reservoirs in marine and freshwater environments, the understanding of which brought about the so-called ‘third age’ of virus ecology in aquatic environments. Unfortunately, the third age is in oceanography and limnology and outside the soil world. The main reason why virus ecology in soils has shown less progress is that agronomical and epidemiological interests were the primary motivation of viral studies by soil microbiologists. In this review, past research on viruses in soils is summarized after the introduction of the ecological traits of viruses, which are the effects of viruses on beneficial bacteria and soil-borne plant pathogens, adsorption of viruses to soils, and soil factors affecting viral inactivation and survival in soils. Horizontal gene transfer (transduction) in soils is also reviewed. Second, the abundance of viruses and their roles in biogeochemical nutrient cycles are summarized in aquatic environments. Five to 25% of the carbon fixed by primary producers is estimated to enter into the microbial loop via virus-induced lysis at different trophic levels in aquatic environments. The diversity of virus communities in aquatic environments estimated from analyses of the frequency distribution of capsid sizes and the morphology of virus populations are reviewed, and recent findings on the genomic diversity of viruses and their roles as the greatest genomic reservoirs in aquatic environments follow in the subsequent section. Viral genomics is elucidating the viral diversity and phylogenetic relationships among viruses in different environments. As the soil environment is a more diverse habitat for viruses than aquatic environments, viruses in soils have great potential to play roles comparable in quantity, which are unique in quality, to those in aquatic environments. Therefore, the potentiality and characteristics of viruses in soils are discussed in the final section for future research on virus ecology in soils from the viewpoints of biogeochemistry and genomic diversity. Synecological approaches to viruses in soils may open up a new era of soil virus ecology.
A three-term Karatsuba multiplier for a special class of trinomials

Abstract In this paper, we continue the study of bit-parallel multiplier using three-term Karatsuba algorithm (KA), recently introduced by Li et al. (VLSI Design 2018). The three-term KA is the simplest variation of the classic Karatsuba algorithm, which multiplies two 3-term polynomials using six scalar multiplications. Based on this observation, Li et al. developed an efficient bit-parallel multiplier scheme for a new special class of irreducible trinomial, namely, xm + xk + 1, m = 3k. The scheme can save about 1/3 logic gates compared with the fastest multiplier so far. However, such a special type of trinomials is quite rare. We consider two more general type of trinomials, where m = 3k + 1 or m = 3k + 2. The corresponding Mastrovito matrices are constructed for different computing parts. It is demonstrated that the space complexity of our proposal matches Li et al. scheme, while its time complexity increases a little. In the end, some comments are derived.
U.S. State-level Projections of the Spatial Distribution of Population Consistent with Shared Socioeconomic Pathways

Spatial population distribution is an important determinant of both drivers of regional environmental change and exposure and vulnerability to it. Spatial projections of population must account for changes in aggregate population, urbanization, and spatial patterns of development, while accounting for uncertainty in each. While an increasing number of projections exist, those carried out at relatively high resolution that account for subnational heterogeneity and can be tailored to represent alternative scenarios of future development are rare. We draw on state-level population projections for the US and a gravity-style spatial downscaling model to design and produce new spatial projections for the U.S. at 1 km resolution consistent with a subset of the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs), scenarios of societal change widely used in integrated analyses of global and regional change. We find that the projections successfully capture intended alternative development patterns described in the SSPs, from sprawl to concentrated development and mixed outcomes. Our projected spatial patterns differ more strongly across scenarios than in existing projections, capturing a wider range of the relevant uncertainty introduced by the distinct scenarios. These projections provide an improved basis for integrated environmental analysis that considers uncertainty in demographic outcomes.
Population dynamics and community structure of fish in the mangroves of Pagbilao, Philippines

128 fish species were recorded for the mangroves of Pagbilao. Aspects of the population dynamics of the common species, Ambassis kopsi, Secutor ruconius. Leiognathus brevirostris and Prosopodasys gogorzae were investigated. Growth coefficients varied from 0.41 to 1.2. Mortality in the mangroves was high, and most species there breed once per year. Species diversity (H') of the community ranged from 1.05 to 2.9. It was influenced by evenness rather than by species richness. Species abundance gave a log normal distribution, except during the typhoon, when it fitted the niche preemption model.
Nitrate Nutrition and Temperature Effects on Wheat: Enzyme Composition, Nitrate and Total Amino Acid Content of Leaves

Lawlor, D. W. , Boyle, F. A. , Kendall, A. C. and Keys, A. J. 1987. Nitrate nutrition and temperature effects on wheat: Enzyme composition, nitrate and total amino acid content of leaves. —J. exp. Bot. 38: 378-392. Wheat plants were grown in controlled environments in two temperature regimes with two rates of nitrate fertilization. In some experiments two light intensities were combined with the nitrogen and temperature treatments. The composition of the third leaf was studied from soon after emergence until early senescence. The amounts of chlorophyll, soluble protein, ribulose ftisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase (RuBPc-o) protein, nitrate, and total amino acids were measured together with the activities of RuBPc-o, fructose-l,6-6isphosphatase, glycolate oxidase, carbonic anhydrase, nitrate reductase, glutamine synthetase and serine- and glutamate-glyoxylate aminotransferases. Additional nitrate supply increased the amounts, per unit leaf area, of chlorophyll, total soluble protein and RuBPc-o protein and the activities of all the enzymes. The ratio of RuBP carboxylase to RuBP oxygenase activity, when measured at constant CO2/O2 ratio and temperature, was unaffected by growth conditions or leafage. Leaves grown at the lower temperature, especially with more nitrate, contained much more soluble protein, nitrate reductase, fructose feisphosphatase and free amino acids per unit area than the plants grown in the warmer conditions. However, young leaves grown in the warm contained more nitrate than those grown in the cool. Amounts of protein, amino acids and chlorophyll and most enzyme activities reached maxima near full leaf expansion and decreased with age; additional nitrate slowed the decrease and senescence was delayed. Nitrate content and nitrate reductase activities were highest in leaves before full expansion and then fell rapidly after full expansion. Increased light intensity increased the content of RuBPc-o protein at the higher rate of nitrate supply. Chloroplast components and, to a lesser extent, peroxisomal enzymes associated with photosynthetic nitrogen assimilation changed in proportion with different treatments but nitrate reductase activity was not closely related to chloroplast enzymes. Control of tissue composition in relation to environmental conditions is discussed. Key words—Nitrate nutrition, temperature, wheat, enzyme, amino acid, leaves, ribulose feisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase, nitrate reductase.
Regulation of maize root nitrate reductase mRNA levels

The regulation of maize (Zea mays L. cv. W64A x W182E) root nitrate reductase (NR) transcript levels has been investigated. To facilitate this process a partial nitrate reductase cDNA clone has been isolated from a maize root cDNA library. Its derived amino acid sequence was found to be more similar to that of the barley nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (phosphate)-reduced from [NAD(P)H] bispecific isoform of NR than to that of the maize leaf NADH:NR. The amount of NR mRNA in maize roots was found to increase very rapidly upon the addition of nitrate, reaching a maximum approximately 30 min after induction in the root tip. The level of NR mRNA was analysed in leaf and root tissue. There was very little cross-hybridizing mRNA in leaf tissue when the root cDNA clone was used as a probe. Conversely, the leaf NADH:NR cDNA clone hybridized to an mRNA that was present at considerably higher levels in leaf tissue than in root tissue, although there was a clearly detectable level of this transcript present in the roots. Finally, the level of root NR mRNA was analyzed by using the tissue print technique to study its localization at the cellular level. The greatest amount of NR transcript was found in the region just above the root tip. At the cellular level, NR mRNA was found in all root cell types.
Affective Dynamics Across Internalizing and Externalizing Dimensions of Psychopathology

Little is known about pathogenic affective processes that cut across diverse mental disorders. We examine how dynamic features of positive and negative affect differ or converge across internalizing and externalizing disorders in a diagnostically diverse urban sample using bivariate dynamic structural equation modeling. One-hundred fifty-six young women completed semistructured clinical interviews and a 21-day ecological momentary assessment protocol with seven assessments of affective states per day. Internalizing and externalizing dimensions of psychopathology were modeled using confirmatory factor analysis of mental disorders. After controlling for externalizing disorders, internalizing disorders were associated with higher negative affective mean intensity, higher negative affective variability (i.e., unique innovation variance), and lower positive affective variability. Conversely, externalizing disorders were associated with less persistent positive affect (i.e., lower inertia) and more variable positive emotionality. Results suggest internalizing and externalizing disorders have distinct affective dynamic signatures, which have implications for development of tailored interventions.
Not quite an echo chamber: ethnic debate on Ethiopian Facebook pages during times of unrest

Social media commonly function as alternative channels for debate in controlled media societies, often supported by the digital diaspora. This study takes a closer look at Ethiopia, where communication traditionally has been controlled by the government. The situation was particularly tense between 2016 and 2017, when a state of emergency act was declared following anti-government protests. The study scrutinizes three of the most popular online channels during the unrest (Ethiopian DJ, Mereja.com and Zehabesha), all of which used Facebook as their primary means of communication. The findings show that the stories posted by the sites were overwhelmingly political, with a particular focus on ethnic issues. Reader reactions show a slightly different pattern, concentrating less on politics and more on society and culture. This could be an expression of felt anxiety among the public due to the tense political situation. Interestingly, when users did comment on ethnic issues, they were not in agreement, but debated the issues intensely and fiercely. A diversity of views was represented. The study concludes that an echo chamber effect was not detected. For lack of appropriate channels for public discussion in the mainstream media, Facebook accommodated a space for political exchange during the state of emergency.
A Conceptual Critique of the Use of Moral Disengagement Theory in Research on Violent Video Games

Moral disengagement refers to cognitive processes of misrepresenting immoral acts in order to justify them. Research on moral disengagement factors in violent video games assumes that the digital representation of violence in video games is meaningfully similar to the cognitive misrepresentation of immoral acts that defines moral disengagement. Thus, the story worlds of violent video games are thought to misrepresent violence as being justified in order that players may morally disengage from their violent actions. This article challenges the moral disengagement perspective on violent video games by demonstrating its empirical reliance on a conceptual misunderstanding: The story worlds of most video games are not representational; they do not deviously misrepresent an underlying reality against which players ought rightfully to judge their own in-game conduct. Rather, video games simply present a story world that is as real or unreal as the violence that occurs within it. Therefore, moral disengagement theory is not readily applicable to the story worlds of video games. The article proceeds to show how this misconception leads researchers to draw empirically false and topically fraught conclusions about how players perceive and respond to violence in video games. Thus, the article challenges the moral disengagement literature’s claim to meaningfully inform the pervasive debates surrounding violent video games.
Effects of competitor spacing in a new class of individual-tree indices of competition: semi- distance-independent indices computed for Bitterlich versus fixed-area plots

We illustrate effects of competitor spacing for a new class of individual-tree indices of competition that we call semi-distance-independent. This new class is similar to the class of distance-independent indices except that the index is computed independently at each subsampling plot surrounding a subject tree for which growth is to be modelled. We de- rive the effects of distance for this class as the expected value over independent samples containing a particular subject tree. In a previous paper, we illustrated distance effects implicit in eight indices of the distance-dependent class. Here, we present distance effects of four semi-distance-independent indices: density, sum of diameters, basal area, and tree-area ra- tio; each determined for small fixed-area plots of 0.04 ha and for Bitterlich samples of 6 m 2 � ha -1 . We show that several members of this new class have distance effects very similar to the distance-dependent class and should, therefore, be equally effective in accounting for competitive effects in individual-tree increment models. The comparisons should inform selection of competition indices and sampling designs for growth modelling.