Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impacts of Elevated Level of hCG in Serum on Clinical Course and Radiotherapy Results in the Histology-confirmed Intracranial Germinomas

The prognosis of intracranial germinoma producing the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is controversial due to limited information. We undertook a retrospective analysis to determine whether this type of tumor has similar clinical course and prognosis to hCG non-secreting germinoma. Thirty-one histologically con® rmed intracranial germinoma patients who had pretreatment hCG examination in serum:CSF were treated with radiotherapy between 1980 and 1996. hCG level was measured by immunoradioassay of b subunit of hCG. Six patients had elevated serum hCG levels and were de® ned as having hCG secreting germinoma. All except three patients received craniospinal axis irradiation. The follow-up ranged from 19 ± 175 months with a median of 63 months. hCG secreting germinoma accounted for 19% of intracranial germinoma cases. Elevated hCG levels ranged from 39 ± 260 IU:l in serum. No difference was found between hCG non-secreting germinoma and hCG secreting germinoma in terms of patient or treatment characteristics. There was no recurrence among the six hCG secreting germinoma patients. The 5-year overall and disease-free survival rates were 96% for patients with hCG non-secreting germinomas and 100% for the patients with hCG secreting germinomas. The survival difference was not signi® cant (p3⁄40.59). Our results suggest that elevated level of hCG did not result in any differences in the clinical characteristics or survival after radical radiotherapy in histologically con® rmed intracranial germinoma.
XXVIII Italian Society for the Study of Connective Tissues (SISC) Meeting, Pavia, Italy, 6–7 November 2008

WELCOME ADDRESS FROM THE SISC PRESIDENT It is a great honour for me to open this XXVIII Meeting of the Italian Society for the Study of Connective Tissue held in this prestigious historical residence of Collegio Cairoli. It is a particular pleasure to be able to welcome the Academic Authorities of the University of Pavia, the Organizing Committee, and all participants and members of the Society. This meeting is dedicated to the memory of two outstanding personalities of the scientific community: Prof. Alessandro Castellani and Prof. Lorenzo Gotte, who had in common not only scientific interests, but also the fate of a premature decease. This year is the 20th anniversary of the death of Prof. Castellani (1929–1988). He was among the internationally recognized pioneers of the modern concepts of extracellular matrix, with particular interest to the biochemistry of glycosaminoglycans, collagen, and genetic diseases of extracellular matrix. He was founder and first president of our Connective Tissue Society, founder of the Department of Biochemistry in Pavia, which in 1994 was dedicated to its name, and he was also a great “Magnifico Rettore” of Pavia University. We want also to remember in this meeting, the other excellent scientist Lorenzo Gotte (1926–1991). Prof. Gotte was one of the most esteemed directors of the Institute of Histology and Embryology of the Faculty of Medicine in Padova University. He was a world-wide specialist in the field of elastin, that he studied from all points of view: structural, ultrastructural, and biochemical. He was the vice president of the SISC and the second president after the Castellani death. His guidance, enthusiasm, and support to the Society allowed the affirmation of our Society inside the international context and within the European Federation. But there is another aspect adjoining Castellani and Gotte: they were men never to be forgotten, both for human and scientific qualities. Both left a great school, in each of their context, and here today in this meeting we have the pleasure to see many of the first and second generation of Castellani and Gotte university pupils, pursuing their scientific mission. Finally, I offer my best welcome all participants, and particularly to the young researchers, expecting that we will all enjoy the meeting, both as a scientific event and an occasion of renewal and consolidation of bonds of friendship.
Phenetics of Natural Populations. II. Asymmetry and Evolution in a Lizard

1) The minor, "random" differences between bilateral structures in 20 natural populations (18 insular populations in the Gulf of California, Mexico and two continental populations) of lizards were examined. It was discovered that, in general, if a population is relatively asymmetrical for one character, it has a high probability of being asymmetrical for other characters as well. This phenomenon is called the population asymmetry parameter (PAP) and differs from the apparently nonexistent organism-wide asymmetry property and is not dependent on it. 2) Many of the populations on islands less than three square kilometers in area are very asymmetrical (i.e., the average of the individual's asymmetry values are high) compared to continental populations. This is especially true of the most phenetically distinct of the small island populations. 3) Populations on both recently formed continental islands and large islands tend to be relatively symmetrical. The lowest asymmetry values were found in what is probably the oldest and most distinct of the large island Populations--that on Angel de la Guarda. 4) Previous writers are followed in interpreting "fluctuating" asymmetry as resulting from random accidents during development. The level of asymmetry is thought of as an indication of the effectiveness of the developmental control systems in buffering against these accidents. 5) A model is proposed to account for the results. The model incorporates three relevant variables: immigration, the kind of selection regime, and time. The input of "foreign" chromosomes will dismantle coadapted gene complexes by recombining with them; this should cause a deterioration in developmental homeostasis, and hence, an increase in asymmetry. Directional (and disruptive) selection, by leading to changes in the types and frequencies of chromosomes, should have the same result, whereas a relatively stabilizing selective regime would favor coadapted gene complexes and should enhance developmental homeostasis. The nature of the ecological determinants of selection regimes is incorporated into the model. The level of coadaptation will also depend on the length of time the population has been isolated. The interactions of these variables is discussed. 6) The utility of the model and method for Population biology is discussed briefly.
The glassy state in seeds: analysis and function

Abstract In view of the finding that dry seeds may exist in the glassy state, a brief review of the commonest methods of detection and quantification of the glass transition is presented. While the glassy state may contribute to seed tolerance of desiccation, it does not appear to account for desiccation tolerance. Its major function in dry seeds may be its contribution to the stability of the seed components during storage.
Future trends in hepatitis C therapy

The development of new treatment strategies for the therapy of hepatitis C is an unmet need. There has already been an enormous improvement in the therapy of chronic hepatitis C since the early 1990s, but the sustained virologic response rates are still unsatisfactory for certain patient groups. Novel therapeutic strategies, especially for the difficult-to-treat patients, are currently being tested. This review discusses the latest achievements in the treatment of chronic heptatis C.
Cysteine Cathepsins Inhibition Affects Their Expression and Human Renal Cancer Cell Phenotype

Renal cancer would greatly benefit from new therapeutic strategies since, in advanced stages, it is refractory to classical chemotherapeutic approaches. In this context, lysosomal protease cysteine cathepsins may represent new pharmacological targets. In renal cancer, they are characterized by a higher expression, and they were shown to play a role in its aggressiveness and spreading. Traditional studies in the field were focused on understanding the therapeutic potentialities of cysteine cathepsin inhibition, while the direct impact of such therapeutics on the expression of these enzymes was often overlooked. In this work, we engineered two fluoromethyl ketone-based peptides with inhibitory activity against cathepsins to evaluate their potential anticancer activity and impact on the lysosomal compartment in human renal cancer. Molecular modeling and biochemical assays confirmed the inhibitory properties of the peptides against cysteine cathepsin B and L. Different cell biology experiments demonstrated that the peptides could affect renal cancer cell migration and organization in colonies and spheroids, while increasing their adhesion to biological substrates. Finally, these peptide inhibitors modulated the expression of LAMP1, enhanced the expression of E-cadherin, and altered cathepsin expression. In conclusion, the inhibition of cysteine cathepsins by the peptides was beneficial in terms of cancer aggressiveness; however, they could affect the overall expression of these proteases.
Study of Synthesis Pathways of the Essential Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid 20:5n-3 in the Diatom Chaetoceros Muelleri Using 13C-Isotope Labeling

The present study sought to characterize the synthesis pathways producing the essential polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) 20:5n-3 (EPA). For this, the incorporation of 13C was experimentally monitored into 10 fatty acids (FA) during the growth of the diatom Chaetoceros muelleri for 24 h. Chaetoceros muelleri preferentially and quickly incorporated 13C into C18 PUFAs such as 18:2n-6 and 18:3n-6 as well as 16:0 and 16:1n-7, which were thus highly 13C-enriched. During the experiment, 20:5n-3 and 16:3n-4 were among the least-enriched fatty acids. The calculation of the enrichment percentage ratio of a fatty acid B over its suspected precursor A allowed us to suggest that the diatom produced 20:5n-3 (EPA) by a combination between the n-3 (via 18:4n-3) and n-6 (via 18:3n-6 and 20:4n-6) synthesis pathways as well as the alternative ω-3 desaturase pathway (via 20:4n-6). In addition, as FA from polar lipids were generally more enriched in 13C than FA from neutral lipids, particularly for 18:1n-9, 18:2n-6 and 18:3n-6, the existence of acyl-editing mechanisms and connectivity between polar and neutral lipid fatty acid pools were also hypothesized. Because 16:3n-4 and 20:5n-3 presented the same concentration and enrichment dynamics, a structural and metabolic link was proposed between these two PUFAs in C. muelleri.
The interplay between iron limitation, light, and carbon in the proteorhodopsin containing Photobacterium angustum S14.

Fe-limitation is known to affect heterotrophic bacteria within the respiratory electron transport chain, therefore strongly impacting the overall intracellular energy production. We investigated whether the gene expression pattern of the light-sensitive proton pump, proteorhodopsin (PR), is influenced by varying light, carbon and Fe-concentrations in the marine bacterium Photobacterium angustum S14 and whether PR can alleviate the physiological processes associated with Fe-starvation. Our results show that the gene expression of PR increases as cells enter the stationary phase, irrespective of Fe-replete or Fe-limiting conditions. This upregulation is coupled to a reduction in cell size, indicating that PR gene regulation is associated with a specific starvation-stress response. We provide experimental evidence that PR gene expression does not result in an increased growth rate, cell abundance, enhanced survival or ATP concentration within the cell in either Fe-replete or Fe-limiting conditions. However, independent of PR gene expression, the presence of light did influence bacterial growth rates and maximum cell abundances under varying Fe-regimes. Our observations support previous results indicating that PR phototrophy seems to play an important role within the stationary phase for several members of the Vibrionaceae family, but that the exact role of PR in Fe-limitation, remains to be further explored.
Ten minutes of transcranial static magnetic field stimulation does not reliably modulate motor cortex excitability

Recently, modulatory effects of static magnetic field stimulation (tSMS) on excitability of the motor cortex have been reported. In our previous study we failed to replicate these results. It was suggested that the lack of modulatory effects was due to the use of an auditory oddball task in our study. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the role of an oddball task on the effects of tSMS on motor cortex excitability. In a within-subject-design we compared 10 minutes tSMS with and without oddball task. In one of the two sessions subjects had to solve an auditory oddball task during the exposure to the magnet, whereas there was no task during exposure in the other session. Motor cortex excitability was measured before and after tSMS. No modulation was observed in any condition. However, when data were pooled regarding the order of the sessions, a trend for an increase of excitability was observed in the first session compared to the second session. We now can rule out that the auditory oddball task destroys tSMS effects, as postulated. Our results rather suggest that fluctuations in the amplitudes of single pulse motor evoked potentials may possibly mask weak modulatory effects but may also lead to false positive results if the number of subjects in a study is too low. In addition, there might be a habituation effect to the whole procedure, resulting in less variability when subjects underwent the same experiment twice.
Regulation of poly(a)-specific ribonuclease activity by reversible lysine acetylation

Poly(A)-specific ribonuclease (PARN) is a 3′-exoribonuclease that plays an important role in regulating the stability and maturation of RNAs. Recently, PARN has been found to regulate the maturation of the human telomerase RNA component (hTR), a noncoding RNA required for telomere elongation. Specifically, PARN cleaves the 3′-end of immature, polyadenylated hTR to form the mature, nonpolyadenylated template. Despite PARN's critical role in mediating telomere maintenance, little is known about how PARN's function is regulated by post-translational modifications. In this study, using shRNA- and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene silencing and knockout approaches, along with 3′-exoribonuclease activity assays and additional biochemical methods, we examined whether PARN is post-translationally modified by acetylation and what effect acetylation has on PARN's activity. We found PARN is primarily acetylated by the acetyltransferase p300 at Lys-566 and deacetylated by sirtuin1 (SIRT1). We also revealed how acetylation of PARN can decrease its enzymatic activity both in vitro, using a synthetic RNA probe, and in vivo, by quantifying endogenous levels of adenylated hTR. Furthermore, we also found that SIRT1 can regulate levels of adenylated hTR through PARN. The findings of our study uncover a mechanism by which PARN acetylation and deacetylation regulate its enzymatic activity as well as levels of mature hTR. Thus, PARN's acetylation status may play a role in regulating telomere length.
Nuclear transfer in loach (Paramisgurnus dabryanus Sauvage) by cell‐to‐cell electrofusion

To study nuclear transfer in the leach (Paramisgurnus dabryanus Sauvage), blastula and gastrula cells were fused with UV-inactivated oocytes by cell-to-cell electrofusion. To facilitate nuclear transfer, blastula and gastrula cells were cultured or incubated at 4 degreesC in different solutions. TC-199 medium supplemented with 20% calf serum was the best culture solution, and effectively retained the totipotence of blastula or gastrula cells for up to 10 days, It was found that gastrula cells incubated at 4 degreesC had the same totipotence as blastula cells, The optimal UV dosage for inactivation of the oocyte chromatin was 180-240 mJ cm(-2). Electrofusion was carried out in a cone-shaped fusion chamber, which permitted the recipient oocyte and the donor blastula cell to contact one another. The electrofusion procedure resulted in a 10% success rate of normal-appearing fish. Genetic analysis indicated that the nuclear material originated from the donor cell (blastomere) and the oocyte pronucleus did not take part in development.
Highly purified human α-thrombin promotes morphological transformation of BALB/c 3T3 cells

Purified human alpha-thrombin stimulates phosphoinositide turnover as a necessary step in its stimulation of fibroblast cell proliferation. Since phosphoinositide turnover releases diacylglycerol, which activates protein kinase C, we postulated that long-term exposure to thrombin might promote cellular transformation in a manner similar to long-term exposure to phorbol esters, which also activate protein kinase C. The present studies show that chronic exposure of BALB/c 3T3 cells (subclone A31-1-13) to thrombin (5 micrograms/ml) led to a 4- to 20-fold increase in the frequency of morphological transformation over controls as determined by induced foci in monolayer cultures. The foci appeared to represent true transformants as cells from randomly selected foci grew in soft agar and had saturation densities 2- to 3-fold higher than control cells. Acute thrombin treatment for 24 h resulted in small but statistically significant (P less than 0.05) increases in morphological transformation with or without promotion by phorbol myristate acetate, indicating that thrombin can act as a weak initiator or complete carcinogen in this test system. Initiation of cells with low levels of 3-methylcholanthrene followed by promotion with thrombin caused a greater enhancement of morphological transformation (P less than 0.005). Thus, it appears that most of the stimulation of in vitro cell transformation by thrombin may be due to its promotional activity. These results raise the possibility that thrombin released locally following tissue injury or chronic irritation may play a role in cellular transformation and tumor development, especially in tissues sensitized by exposure to initiating carcinogens.
Transformation of barban and analogues by Pseudomonas alcaligenes isolated from soil

Chlorbufam and barban are two common herbicides used for the control of weeds. A bacterial strain isolated from soil and identified as Pseudomonas caligenes was able to hydrolyse chlorbufam with the production of 3-chloroaniline. However, barban was metabolised without production of 3-chloroaniline. A study has been made of the transformation by Pseudomonas alcaligenes of structural analogues of these two herbicides (but-2-ynyl 3-chlorocarbanilate, butyl 3-chlorocarbanilate, 4-hydroxy-but-2-ynyl 3-chlorocarbanilate) and cinnamyl chloride. It was shown that barban gave a water-soluble metabolite by reaction of the propargyl chloride group of this compound. The same reaction was obtained with the allyl chloride group of cinnamyl chloride. The water-soluble metabolite was identified as a glutathione conjugate. The pH and composition of the medium have a considerable influence on barban metabolism.
Central Modulation of Selective Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Receptor 1 Ameliorates Experimental Multiple Sclerosis

Future treatments of multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic autoimmune neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS), aim for simultaneous early targeting of peripheral immune function and neuroinflammation. Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptor modulators are among the most promising drugs with both “immunological” and “non-immunological” actions. Selective S1P receptor modulators have been recently approved for MS and shown clinical efficacy in its mouse model, the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Here, we investigated the anti-inflammatory/neuroprotective effects of ozanimod (RPC1063), a S1P1/5 modulator recently approved in the United States for the treatment of MS, by performing ex vivo studies in EAE brain. Electrophysiological experiments, supported by molecular and immunofluorescence analysis, revealed that ozanimod was able to dampen the EAE glutamatergic synaptic alterations, through attenuation of local inflammatory response driven by activated microglia and infiltrating T cells, the main CNS-cellular players of EAE synaptopathy. Electrophysiological studies with selective S1P1 (AUY954) and S1P5 (A971432) agonists suggested that S1P1 modulation is the main driver of the anti-excitotoxic activity mediated by ozanimod. Accordingly, in vivo intra-cerebroventricular treatment of EAE mice with AUY954 ameliorated clinical disability. Altogether these results strengthened the relevance of S1P1 agonists as immunomodulatory and neuroprotective drugs for MS therapy.
Migration of Yearling Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) as Determined by Time-Lapse Photography of Sonar Observations

The seaward migration of sockeye salmon smolts through the Babine Lake system to its outlet was examined by taking film records of the Plan-Position-Indicator display of a high-frequency sonar whereby each frame of film was exposed during one scan of the sonar unit. Frame-by-frame analysis of the films revealed information on speed, direction, and diurnal timing of migration of sockeye smolts during a 24-hr period.Migratory activity in the lake centered around dusk and dawn, a similar pattern to that near the outlet for smolts entering the river on their way to sea.Speeds of movements were 19–51 cm/sec (mean 30 cm/sec). Greatest velocities occurred at dusk and dawn. They were close to the maximum sustained swimming speeds determined under laboratory conditions for sockeye smolts of the same size and within similar temperature ranges as in the field.The most direct movements of targets were found at twilight, when migration activity was highest. In general, directional tendencies were consistent with the s.
Hydroacoustic measurement of swimming speed of North Sea saithe in the field

Saithe Pollachius virens, tracked diurnally with a split-beam echosounder, showed no relationship between size and swimming speed. The average and the median swimming speeds were 1·05 m s−1(±0·09 m s−1) and 0·93 m s−1, respectively. However, ping-to-ping speeds up to 3·34 m s−1 were measured for 25–29 cm fish, whose swimming speeds were significantly higher at night (1·08 m s−1) than during the day (0·72 m s−1). The high average swimming speed could be related to the foraging or streaming part of the population and not to potential weakness of the methodology. However, the uncertainty of target location increased with depth and resulted in calculated average swimming speeds of 0·15 m s−1 even for a stationary target. With increasing swimming speed the average error decreased to 0 m s−1 for speeds >0·34 m s−1. Species identity was verified by trawling in a pelagic layer and on the bottom.
Lamin A/C Mechanotransduction in Laminopathies

Mechanotransduction translates forces into biological responses and regulates cell functionalities. It is implicated in several diseases, including laminopathies which are pathologies associated with mutations in lamins and lamin-associated proteins. These pathologies affect muscle, adipose, bone, nerve, and skin cells and range from muscular dystrophies to accelerated aging. Although the exact mechanisms governing laminopathies and gene expression are still not clear, a strong correlation has been found between cell functionality and nuclear behavior. New theories base on the direct effect of external force on the genome, which is indeed sensitive to the force transduced by the nuclear lamina. Nuclear lamina performs two essential functions in mechanotransduction pathway modulating the nuclear stiffness and governing the chromatin remodeling. Indeed, A-type lamin mutation and deregulation has been found to affect the nuclear response, altering several downstream cellular processes such as mitosis, chromatin organization, DNA replication-transcription, and nuclear structural integrity. In this review, we summarize the recent findings on the molecular composition and architecture of the nuclear lamina, its role in healthy cells and disease regulation. We focus on A-type lamins since this protein family is the most involved in mechanotransduction and laminopathies.