Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Definition of the Mediterranean Diet Based on Bioactive Compounds

Antioxidant (polyphenols and carotenoids) and nonantioxidant (phytosterols) bioactive compounds and dietary fiber may have a significant role in health. The intake of these compounds is strongly linked with the high consumption of fruits, vegetables, and unrefined cereals. A whole-diet approach to these food constituents is intended to render the current definition of Mediterranean diet based on food consumption more comprehensive. The Mediterranean dietary pattern can be characterized by the following four essential dietary indicators: 1) Monounsaturated to saturated fatty acid ratio (range: 1.6 to 2.0); 2) Intake of dietary fiber (41 to 62 g/person/day); 3) Antioxidant capacity of the whole diet (3500 to 5300 trolox equivalent/person/day); 4) Phytosterols intake (370 to 555 mg/person/day). The contribution of foods and beverages to these parameters is described. Spanish National Food Consumption Data for the years 2000 and 1964 were used to quantify the lowest and highest range values. The occurrence of these indicators in the Mediterranean diet has specific characteristics and there is sufficient scientific evidence to support the beneficial health effects.
Effect of water table drawdown on northern peatland methane dynamics: Implications for climate change

As natural sources of methane (CH4), peatlands play an important role in the global carbon cycle. Climate models predict that evapotranspiration will increase under a 2 × CO2 scenario due to increased temperatures leading to lowered water tables at many northern latitudes. Given that the position of the water table within a peatland can have a large effect on CH4 emissions, climate change may alter the CH4 emissions from peatlands in this area. Research was conducted during 2001–2003 on natural and drained (8 years prior) sites within a poor fen in central Quebec. Flux measurements were made for each site at different microtopographical features that varied in depth to water table and vegetation cover. The quantity of CH4 dissolved in the pore water was measured in the field and the potential of the peat for CH4 production and consumption was determined in the laboratory. Methane emissions and storage were lower in the drained fen. Growing season CH4 emissions at the drained site were 55% lower than the control site, primarily due to significantly reduced fluxes from topographic highs (up to 97% reduction), while the flux from topographically low areas remained high. The maintenance of high fluxes at these hollow sites was related to hydrological and ecological effects of the water table drawdown. The removal of standing water removed a potential zone of CH4 oxidation. It also enabled plant colonization at these locations, leading to an increase in gross ecosystem photosynthesis (GEP). At the hollow sites, seasonal CH4 emissions were significantly correlated to seasonal GEP (R2 = 0.85). These results suggest that the response of northern peatland CH4 dynamics to climate change depends on the antecedent moisture conditions of the site. Moreover, ecological succession can play an important role for determining future CH4 emissions, particularly from wetter sites.
The detection of mature T‐ and B‐cells during development of the lymphoid tissues of the tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii)

The distribution of T‐ and B‐cells in the developing lymphoid and immunohaematopoietic tissues of the tammar wallaby were investigated using antibodies to the mature cell surface markers, CD3, CD5 and CD79b. In the thymus, CD3‐ and CD5‐positive T‐cells were first observed at day 12 postpartum whilst rare B‐cells were first detected at day 23. Both T‐ and B‐lymphocytes were first stained on day 21 postpartum in the spleen and day 24 in lymph nodes. In one sample from a 7‐day‐old animal, rare CD79b‐positive (CD79b+) lymphocytes were observed in the gut‐associated lymphoid tissues. However, CD3+ cells were not apparent until day 12 and CD5+ cells were not detected until day 74 postpartum. No lymphocytes were detected in liver or bone marrow samples and no bronchus‐associated lymphoid tissues were observed. The pattern of development and the distribution of T‐ and B‐cells in the lymphoid and immunohaematopoietic tissues were similar to those observed in eutherian mammals and in limited studies of other metatherians. However, the detection of apparently mature T‐ and B‐cells in the thymus and gut‐associated lymphoid tissues (GALT) at the same postnatal age highlights the need for a more substantial study of the development of GALT. This is, at present, limited by availability of marsupial‐specific antibodies.
Polymorphisms in four candidate genes in young patients with essential hypertension

Aim: To determine whether four potential genetic factors (polymorphisms in genes for alpha‐adducin, beta‐adducin, the G‐protein beta‐3 subunit and nitric oxide synthase) are important for the development of essential hypertension (EH) in Slovenian children and young adults with EH. Methods: Both a nuclear families approach and case‐control study have been performed. Genotyping of common polymorphisms in these genes using polymerase chain reaction was carried out in 104 nuclear families (an affected child, both parents) and in 200 control patients. Results: Using the transmission disequilibrium test, no statistically significant differences were found between the frequencies of transmitted and non‐transmitted alleles in nuclear families for all four investigated polymorphisms. In addition, the distributions of genotypes and alleles for the four polymorphisms did not differ significantly between our children and 200 healthy control patients. The allele frequencies of all polymorphisms were concordant with those observed in some other Caucasian populations.
The Relationship Between Sociodemographic Characteristics and Clinical Features in Burning Mouth Syndrome.

OBJECTIVE To compare sociodemographic and clinical characteristics in patients with burning mouth syndrome (BMS) and their relationship with pain. DESIGN Cross-sectional clinical study. SETTING University-Hospital. SUBJECTS 75 BMS patients were enrolled. METHODS The study was conducted between September 2011 and March 2012 at the "Federico II" University of Naples. Demographic characteristics and clinical information including age, sex, educational level, marital status, job status, age at disease onset, oral symptoms, and triggers were collected via questionnaire interviews. To assess pain intensity the visual analogue scale (VAS) was administered. Descriptive statistics were collected, and Pearson Chi-square tests, Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric tests and the Spearman bivariate correlation were performed. RESULTS The mean age was 61.17 (±11.75, female/male ratio = 3:1). The mean age at disease onset was 56.75 (±12.01). A low educational level (8.57 ± 4.95) and 80% of unemployment were found. Job status and age at disease onset correlated with the VAS scale (P = 0.019 and P = 0.015, respectively). Tongue morphology changes, taste disturbances, and intraoral foreign body sensation have a significant dependence on gender (P = 0.049, 0.001, and 0.045, respectively); intraoral foreign body sensation has a significant dependence on marital status (P = 0.033); taste disturbances have a significant dependence on job status. (P = 0.049); xerostomia has a significant dependence on age (P = 0.039); and tongue color changes and a bitter taste have a significant dependence on educational level (P = 0.040 and 0.022, respectively). Marital status and educational level have a significant dependence on the triggers (P = 0.036 and 0.049, respectively). CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of BMS is higher in women, and in married, unemployed, and less highly educated patients. Burning is the most frequent symptom while stressful life events are the most frequent trigger reported.
The Incorporation of Graphene and Magnetic Beads Into Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells and Application With Electrochemical Capacitor

In this study, the titanium dioxide (TiO2) photoelectrode of a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) was fabricated into a double-layer structure, which was made up of a TiO2/graphene/magnetic bead layer and a TiO2 layer by the spin coating method and electrophoretic deposition. The effects of graphene and magnetic bead for photovoltaic performances of the DSSC were investigated by X-ray diffraction, solar simulator, ultra-violet (UV)-visible spectrometer, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. According to the experimental results, graphene had the higher specific surface area to improve the dye loading of the DSSC and magnetic bead used its ability for dispersion and charge transfer to enhance the electron transportation in the DSSC, which made the photovoltaic conversion efficiency of DSSC achieve 5.70%. Moreover, DSSC with incorporation of graphene and magnetic bead was combined with electrochemical capacitor, which had the specific capacitance of 4.15 F/g to store energy from DSSC. Then, the electricity stored from electrochemical capacitor was used to drive the light-emitting diode (LED) for work.
Zinc finger protein STOP1 is critical for proton tolerance in Arabidopsis and coregulates a key gene in aluminum tolerance

Acid soil syndrome causes severe yield losses in various crop plants because of the rhizotoxicities of ions, such as aluminum (Al3+). Although protons (H+) could be also major rhizotoxicants in some soil types, molecular mechanisms of their tolerance have not been identified yet. One mutant that was hypersensitive to H+ rhizotoxicity was isolated from ethyl methanesulfonate mutagenized seeds, and a single recessive mutation was found on chromosome 1. Positional cloning followed by genomic sequence analysis revealed that a missense mutation in the zinc finger domain in a predicted Cys2His2-type zinc finger protein, namely sensitive to proton rhizotoxicity (STOP)1, is the cause of hypersensitivity to H+ rhizotoxicity. The STOP1 protein belongs to a functionally unidentified subfamily of zinc finger proteins, which consists of two members in Arabidopsis based on a Blast search. The stop1 mutation resulted in no effects on cadmium, copper, lanthanum, manganese and sodium chloride sensitivitities, whereas it caused hypersensitivity to Al3+ rhizotoxicity. This stop1 mutant lacked the induction of the AtALMT1 gene encoding a malate transporter, which is concomitant with Al-induced malate exudation. There was no induction of AtALMT1 by Al3+ treatment in the stop1 mutant. These results indicate that STOP1 plays a critical role in Arabidopsis tolerance to major stress factors in acid soils.
Antiapoptotic Activity of the Herpesvirus Saimiri-Encoded Bcl-2 Homolog: Stabilization of Mitochondria and Inhibition of Caspase-3-Like Activity

ABSTRACT Viruses have evolved different strategies to interfere with host cell apoptosis. Herpesvirus saimiri (HVS) and other lymphotropic herpesviruses code for proteins that are homologous to the cellular antiapoptotic Bcl-2. In this study HVS-Bcl-2 was stably expressed in the human leukemia cell line Jurkat and in the murine T-cell hybridoma DO to assess its antiapoptotic spectrum and to gain further insight into its mode of action. HVS- Bcl-2 prevented apoptosis that occurs as a result of a disturbance of intracellular homeostasis by, for example, DNA damage or menadione, which gives rise to oxygen radicals. In Jurkat cells, HVS-Bcl-2 also inhibited apoptosis mediated by the death receptor CD95. In DO cells, HVS-Bcl-2 did not interfere with CD95-mediated apoptosis but blocked dexamethasone-induced cell death. Mitochondrial damage is a central coordinating event in apoptosis induced by different stimuli. To assess the integrity of mitochondria, we used rhodamine 123, which is released upon disturbance of the mitochondrial membrane potential, and determined the release of cytochrome c into the cytosol. Both signs of mitochondrial damage were prevented by HVS-Bcl-2. This viral protein also inhibited the generation of caspase-3-like DEVDase activity and blocked the cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, a natural substrate of caspase-3-like proteases. In conclusion, HVS-Bcl-2 protects against a great variety of apoptotic stimuli, stabilizes mitochondria, and acts upstream of the generation of caspase-3-like activity.
Measurement of Cochlea to Facial Nerve Canal With Thin-Section Computed Tomographic Image

AbstractFacial nerve (FN) paralysis is a rare but devastating complication of cochlear implant surgery. This study aimed to measure the cupula of the cochlea to the tympanic segment of the FN canal, cupula of the cochlea to the mastoid segment of the FN canal, and the geniculate ganglion to provide a more secure and accurate orientation of the FN canal and to facilitate operation on the cochlea by avoiding potential damage to FN. Using computed tomography, we scanned skulls of 120 volunteers who suffer no cases of skull base lesions. Multiplane reconstruction images were prepared with high-resolution computed tomography. Preoperative evaluation of the FN anatomy within the temporal bone by high-resolution computed tomography helps in minimizing surgical trauma to the nerve, and these results can help guide clinical surgery on the cochlea.
The Advisable Technology of Key-Point Detection and Expression Recognition for an Intelligent Class System

The intelligent classroom system has a very wide range of application scenarios in modern education. With the continuous breakthrough of artificial intelligence technology, a realtime intelligent system that can judge students’ performance in class has a large demand market. In this paper, the real-time detection technology needed by the smart classroom system is studied from the aspects of behavior detection and expression recognition. In terms of behavior detection, this paper combines the two key point detection technologies CPM (Convolutional Pose Machines) and CMU (Carnegie Mellon University) OPENPOSE [1] [2]. In terms of expression recognition, in order to detect the position of the face in real time, this paper studies several popular target detection algorithms and improves the traditional CNN network, and proposes a real-time image classification network architecture [8].
Radioimmunoassay for urinary albumin using a single antibody.

A simple and rapid single antibody radioimmunoassay for the accurate determination of urinary albumin in the normal range of concentrations is described. Microfiltration is used for the separation of free and antibody- bound radioalbumin. The specificity and reliability of the immunoassay is investigated in experiments on dilution, recovery, and following the addition of other proteins. The influence of time and temperature is studied. The range of 24-hour excretion of urinary albumin in 6 normal male subjects was 8.6–12.6 mg.
Probably approximate Bayesian computation: nonasymptotic convergence of ABC under misspecification

Approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) is a widely used inference method in Bayesian statistics to bypass the point-wise computation of the likelihood. In this paper we develop theoretical bounds for the distance between the statistics used in ABC. We show that some versions of ABC are inherently robust to misspecification. The bounds are given in the form of oracle inequalities for a finite sample size. The dependence on the dimension of the parameter space and the number of statistics is made explicit. The results are shown to be amenable to oracle inequalities in parameter space. We apply our theoretical results to given prior distributions and data generating processes, including a non-parametric regression model. In a second part of the paper, we propose a sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) to sample from the pseudo-posterior, improving upon the state of the art samplers.
Applying formal methods to PCEP: an industrial case study from modeling to test generation

This paper presents the experimental results in applying formal methods to an industrial protocol for constraint‐based path computation, called Path Computation Element Communication Protocol (PCEP). The experiments include a number of major activities in model‐based testing from modeling to test generation. From the PCEP specification defined by IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force), the functionalities of PCEP are divided into two parts: application and protocol. The protocol part of PCEP is then described in the IF (Intermediate Format) language which is based on communicating timed automata. A number of basic requirements are identified from the PCEP specification and then described as properties in IF. Based on these properties, the validation and verification of the formal specification are carried out using the IF toolset. Test cases are generated using an automatic test generation tool, called TestGen‐IF, which uses partial state space exploration guided by test purposes. As a result, some errors and ambiguities have been found in the PCEP standard specification. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ultrastructural Characterization of the Prokaryotic Symbiosis in “Chlorochromatium aggregatum”

ABSTRACT The phototrophic consortium “Chlorochromatium aggregatum” currently represents the most highly developed interspecific association of bacteria and consists of green sulfur bacteria, so-called epibionts, surrounding a central, motile, chemotrophic bacterium. In order to identify subcellular structures characteristic of this symbiosis, consortia were studied by a combination of high-resolution analytical scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and three-dimensional reconstruction and image analyses. Epibionts are interconnected and to a lesser extent are also connected with the central bacterium, by electron-dense, hair-like filaments. In addition, numerous periplasmic tubules extend from the outer membrane of the central bacterium and are in direct contact with the outer membrane of the epibionts. In each epibiont cell, the attachment site to the central bacterium is characterized by the absence of chlorosomes and an additional 17-nm-thick layer (epibiont contact layer [ECL]) attached to the inner side of the cytoplasmic membrane. The ECL is only occasionally observed in pure cultures of the epibiont, where it occurs in about 10 to 20% of the free-living cells. A striking feature of the central bacterium is the presence of one or two hexagonally packed flat crystals (central bacterium crystal [CBC]) per cell. The CBC reaches 1 μm in length, is 35 nm thick, and consists of bilayers of subunits with a spacing of 9 nm. A detailed model for consortia is presented, summarizing our conclusions regarding (i) cohesion of the cells, (ii) common periplasmic space between the central bacterium and the epibiont, (iii) ECL as a symbiosis-specific structure, and (iv) formation of the interior paracrystalline structures, central bacterium membrane layer, and CBC.
Antiviral and Anticancer Optimization Studies of the DNA‐binding Marine Natural Product Aaptamine

Aaptamine has potent cytotoxicity that may be explained by its ability to intercalate DNA. Aaptamine was evaluated for its ability to bind to DNA to validate DNA binding as the primary mechanism of cytotoxicity. Based on UV–vis absorbance titration data, the Kobs for aaptamine was 4.0 (±0.2) × 103 which was essentially equivalent to the known DNA intercalator N‐[2‐(diethylamino)ethyl]‐9‐aminoacridine‐4‐carboxamide. Semi‐synthetic core modifications were performed to improve the general structural diversity of known aaptamine analogs and vary its absorption characteristics. Overall, 26 aaptamine derivatives were synthesized which consisted of a simple homologous range of mono and di‐N‐alkylations as well as some 9‐O‐sulfonylation and bis‐O‐isoaaptamine dimer products. Each product was evaluated for activity in a variety of whole cell and viral assays including a unique solid tumor disk diffusion assay. Details of aaptamine’s DNA‐binding activity and its derivatives’ whole cell and viral assay results are discussed.
Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Probiotics for Primary Prevention: No Clinical Effects of Lactobacillus GG Supplementation

BACKGROUND. The value of probiotics for primary prevention is controversial. Published trials vary considerably in study design and the applied probiotics, thereby limiting comparability of the results. OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this trial was to study the preventive effect of the probiotic Lactobacillus GG on the development of atopic dermatitis. METHODS. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled prospective trial, 105 pregnant women from families with ≥1 member (mother, father, or child) with an atopic disease were randomly assigned to receive either the probiotic Lactobacillus GG (American Type Culture Collection 53103; 5 × 109 colony-forming units of Lactobacillus GG twice daily) or placebo. Ninety-four families (89.5%) completed the trial. The supplementation period started 4 to 6 weeks before expected delivery, followed by a postnatal period of 6 months. The primary end point was the occurrence of atopic dermatitis at the age of 2 years. Secondary outcomes were severity of atopic dermatitis, recurrent episodes of wheezing bronchitis, and allergic sensitization at the age of 2 years. RESULTS. Atopic dermatitis was diagnosed in 14 (28%) of 50 in the Lactobacillus GG group and in 12 (27.3%) of 44 in the placebo group. The risk of atopic dermatitis in children on probiotics relative to placebo was 0.96 (confidence interval 0.38–2.33). Severity of atopic dermatitis was comparable between the 2 groups. Notably, children with recurrent (≥5) episodes of wheezing bronchitis were more frequent in the Lactobacillus GG group (26%; n = 13), as compared with the placebo group (9.1%; n = 4). No difference was observed between both groups in total immunoglobulin E concentrations or numbers of specific sensitization to inhalant allergens. CONCLUSIONS. Supplementation with Lactobacillus GG during pregnancy and early infancy neither reduced the incidence of atopic dermatitis nor altered the severity of atopic dermatitis in affected children but was associated with an increased rate of recurrent episodes of wheezing bronchitis. Therefore, Lactobacillus GG cannot be generally recommended for primary prevention.
Insulin and Insulin-Like Growth Factor I Receptors: Similarities and Differences in Signal Transduction

The insulin receptor (IR) and the insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGF-IR) belong to the same subfamily of receptor tyrosine kinases with two extracellular α-subunits and two transmembrane β-subunits. They share a high similarity of structure and intracellular signalling events. However, the IR and the IGF-IR mediate different effects on metabolism, cell proliferation, apoptosis and differentiation. Although some of the variation can be attributed to a different tissue distribution or subcellular localization, it can also be explained by structural differences in the β-subunit, which may result in activation of specific substrates and signal pathways.