Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neonatal ethanol exposure alters bcl-2 family mRNA levels in the rat cerebellar vermis.

BACKGROUND The objective of the present work was to determine whether ethanol-induced cerebellar cell death during development is related to alterations in the expression of bcl-2 family genes. METHODS Rats were exposed to ethanol or control conditions during the neonatal period and transcript levels of bcl-2 family members relative to cyclophilin were determined. Pups exposed in parallel were taken for cerebellar cell counts. RESULTS Ethanol exposure during the first postnatal week significantly reduced Purkinje and granule cell numbers by postnatal day 21 (P21). Acute first postnatal week ethanol exposure up-regulated mRNA transcripts encoding the cell death-promoting molecules bax and bcl-xs as measured on P4. An additional day of exposure on P5 resulted in no further alterations in bcl-2 family transcripts, likely because Purkinje cell death was detectable as early as P5. To determine whether proapoptotic gene expression changes were specific to first postnatal week ethanol neurotoxicity, we examined bcl-2 family mRNA levels in rats exposed to ethanol during a developmental period of cerebellar insusceptibility, the second postnatal week. Exposure on P7 to P8 produced no change in cerebellar cell number, but also resulted in increased levels of bax, although only after 2-day ethanol exposure and not after acute exposure on P7. CONCLUSIONS These data implicate altered expression of proapoptotic members of the bcl-2 gene family in acute ethanol-mediated cerebellar cell death during the first postnatal week. They also suggest that the differential survival of cerebellar neurons after ethanol exposure during more mature developmental stages may be related to more successful suppression of proapoptotic processes.
Protein kinase C(epsilon) modulates apoptosis induced by beta -adrenergic stimulation in adult rat ventricular myocytes via extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activity.

Beta-adrenergic stimulation of ventricular myocytes has been shown to induce apoptosis; however, the cellular mechanisms involved in this pathway have not been completely characterized. This study examines the role of protein kinase C (PKC) in the signaling cascade that mediates beta-adrenergic stimulation-induced apoptosis. Stimulation of beta-adrenergic receptors using isoproterenol (ISO, 1-10 microm, 24 h) induced apoptosis in cultured adult rat ventricular myocytes (ARVM) in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment with ISO significantly resulted in the membrane translocation of PKC(epsilon), but not of PKC alpha or delta in ARVM. The activation of PKC(epsilon) by ISO was confirmed using an immune complex kinase assay. To address whether PKC(epsilon) is involved in the mechanism of ISO-induced apoptosis, we used the PKC(epsilon)-specific translocation inhibitor peptide, epsilonV1-2. Peptide epsilonV1-2 significantly blocked the translocation of PKC(epsilon), as well as the enzymatic action of PKC(epsilon), resulting from ISO stimulation. The inhibition of PKC(epsilon) attenuated ISO-induced apoptosis as measured by terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay (18.2+/-3.8%v 49.0+/-2.4%P<0.05), while a PKC delta-specific peptide translocation inhibitor (delta V1-1) failed to do so (39.8+/-7.8%). In the presence of ISO, PKC(epsilon) inhibition by epsilonV1-2 was found to significantly enhance activity of ERK, but not that of Akt/PKB. Inhibition of ERK activation by PD 98059 (10-50 microm) attenuated the epsilonV1-2 peptide-mediated anti-apoptotic effect, thus suggesting that ERK activation is involved in this anti-apoptotic effect. Therefore, our results suggest that activation of PKC(epsilon) downstream of beta-adrenergic stimulation promotes apoptosis largely via inhibition of an ERK activation-dependent anti-apoptotic effect.
Recent advances and challenges in plant phosphoproteomics

Plants are sessile organisms that need to respond to environmental changes quickly and efficiently. They can accomplish this by triggering specialized signaling pathways often mediated by protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation. Phosphorylation is a fast response that can switch on or off a myriad of biological pathways and processes. Proteomics and MS are the main tools employed in the study of protein phosphorylation. Advances in the technologies allow simultaneous identification and quantification of thousands of phosphopeptides and proteins that are essential to understanding the sophisticated biological systems and regulations. In this review, we summarize the advances in phosphopeptide enrichment and quantitation, MS for phosphorylation site mapping and new data acquisition methods, databases and informatics, interpretation of biological insights and crosstalk with other PTMs, as well as future directions and challenges in the field of phosphoproteomics.
Influenza vaccine‐induced acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis during pregnancy

Dear Editor, A 33-year-old Japanese woman presented with a generalized rash with fever (38 °C) 1 day after receiving influenza vaccination (H1N1, H3N2 and Massachusetts/2/2012 strains). She was 10 weeks pregnant. Physical examination revealed variously sized erythematous lesions that had coalesced to form diffuse erythematous lesions with miliary sized pustules on the trunk, extremities and face. Histopathological examination showed neutrophilic pustules in subcorneal areas and in the upper epidermis. There were moderate dermal cellular infiltrates comprised of lymphocytes, neutrophils and a few eosinophils. Laboratory tests showed elevated blood neutrophils (18200/lL), C-reactive protein (9.7 mg/dL), aspartate aminotransferase (49 U/L; normal, <30) and alanine aminotransferase (40 U/L; normal, <35). Bacterial cultures of pustules and tonsils were negative. The patient was treated with topical corticosteroids. Fever subsided within 7 days, and skin symptoms and a weak liver dysfunction improved within 10 days. There were no changes in the antibody titers against Mycoplasma, cytomegalovirus, Epstein– Barr virus, human parvovirus B19 or Chlamydia pneumoniae. Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) usually presents with a sudden onset of edematous erythema and non-follicular sterile punctate pustules. While it is sometimes difficult to differentiate AGEP from generalized pustular psoriasis, AGEP typically resolves spontaneously within approximately 2 weeks. In general, AGEP is provoked by drugs, but may also be triggered by viruses. The influenza vaccine has been known to cause several cutaneous adverse reactions, including urticaria, lichenoid type eruption, neutrophilic dermatosis/Sweet syndrome, guttate psoriasis, leukocytoclastic vasculitis, and even adult-onset Still’s disease. However, we are not aware of AGEP cases due to influenza vaccination within the published works. The mechanisms of AGEP reactions in response to influenza vaccination are uncertain. The patient had received influenza vaccine without any adverse reactions 1 year before. We confirmed that neither mercury nor thiomersal was included as a preservative in the vaccine our patient used. In addition, she did not have a history of egg allergy. Thus, it can be assumed that hyperimmunization and/or dysregulated cytokine production rather than allergic responses to vaccines could contribute to AGEP reactions. We did not perform a skin patch test or a lymphocyte stimulation test with vaccines, as positive responses do not necessarily indicate allergic states of individuals that have been immunized via vaccination (Fig. 1).
Echocardiographic Screening for Pulmonary Hypertension in Stable COPD Out-Patients and NT-proBNP as a Rule-Out Test

Abstract Pulmonary hypertension (PH) worsens the prognosis in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The diagnosis of PH is established by right heart catheterisation (RHC), while echocardiography can be used for screening. We aimed to asses the outcome of echocardiographic screening for PH in a group of stable COPD out-patients, and to evaluate NT-proBNP as a first line screening tool. Criteria for PH on echocardiography were a tricuspid regurgitation pressure gradient > 40 mmHg, a tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion < 1.8 cm or right ventricular dilatation. Positively screened patients were asked to undergo RHC. Results (Mean ± SEM): 16 of 117 patients (14%) had PH on echocardiography. They had a higher mortality (hazard ratio for death: 2.7 ± 1.3, p = 0.037) and lower six minute walk test (224 ± 33 vs. 339 ± 15, p = 0.006). NT-proBNP below 95 ng/l excluded PH on echocardiography with a negative predictive value of 100 (95% CI: 89–100%). RHC was obtained in six patients screened positive. In three of these, PH was not confirmed. Conclusions: Signs of PH on echocardiography as defined here was found in 14% and had prognostic significance in COPD. A value of NT-proBNP less than 95 ng/l may be used to exclude signs of PH.
Initiation and Frequency of Pumping and Milk Production in Mothers of Non-Nursing Preterm Infants

This secondary data analysis examined if time of initiation of milk expression and pumping frequency influenced milk weight weeks 2-5 postpartum. Of the 39 subjects in the convenience sample, 20 were in the early initiating (EI) group, (n = 12 high frequency [HF], n = 8 lowfrequency [LF]), and 19 were in the late initiating (LI) group, (n= 7HF, n = 12LF). The EI group initiated pumping = 48 hours after birth; the HF group pumped a minimum of 6.25 times daily. A two-way analysis of variance indicated that milk weight was significantly higher in the HF as compared to the LF group. While there was no significant difference in milk weight between the EI and LI groups, therewas a significant interaction between frequency and initiation. Milk weight for the LF group appeared to be positively influenced by the initiation of mechanical expression soon after birth.
Characterization of the functional muscarinic receptors in the rat urinary bladder

1 Muscarinic receptors mediating contraction of the rat urinary bladder were characterized functionally in vitro by use of atropine, 4‐diphenylacetoxy‐N‐methylpiperidine methiodide (4‐DAMP methiodide), 4‐diphenylacetoxy‐N‐(2‐chloroethyl)‐piperidine hydrochloride (4‐DAMP mustard), hexahydro‐sila‐diphenidol hydrochloride (HHSiD), the p‐fluoro analogue of hexahydro‐sila‐diphenidol hydrochloride (p‐F‐HHSiD), methoctramine, and pirenzepine. 2 (+)‐cis‐Dioxolane contracted bladder strips in a concentration‐dependent manner with an EC50 of 0.169±0.018 μm and an Emax of 7.84±0.67 g. 3 Concentration‐effect curves to (+)‐cis‐dioxolane were shifted to the right in the presence of the antagonists in a concentration‐dependent manner. The rank order of antagonist affinities against the (+)‐cis‐dioxolane response was (pA2 values in the parentheses) atropine (9.28)≥4‐DAMP methiodide (9.04)>HHSiD (8.01) > p‐F‐HHSiD (7.28)=pirenzepine (7.12)≥ methoctramine (6.77, 7.25). The profile resembles that associated with the M3 receptor subtype. 4 Atropine, 4‐DAMP methiodide, pirenzepine, and methoctramine had no effects on the contractile response to 120 mM KCl. However, HHSiD and p‐F‐HHSiD decreased the response to KCl, and 4‐DAMP mustard increased it. 5 Contractile responses to electrical field stimulation (1–32 Hz, 0.05 ms pulse duration) were biphasic in nature. The tonic response was suppressed more than the phasic response by all antagonists except methoctramine. The suppression was not always concentration‐dependent, and did not seem to be related to antagonism of any one receptor subtype. 6 Our findings are consistent with the minority M3 receptors mediating the contractile response to muscarinic stimulation by (+)‐cis‐dioxolane in the rat bladder.
Left ventricular mass and risk of stroke in an elderly cohort. The Framingham Heart Study.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association of echocardiographically determined left ventricular mass (LVM) with incidence of stroke or transient ischemic attack in an elderly cohort. DESIGN Cohort study with a follow-up period of 8 years. SETTING Population-based sample. SUBJECTS Elderly original cohort subjects of the Framingham Heart Study who were free of cerebrovascular disease and atrial fibrillation at the 16th biennial examination and who had adequate echocardiograms. This group consisted of 447 men (mean age, 67.8 years; range, 60 to 90 years) and 783 women (mean age, 69.2 years; range 59 to 90 years). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Age-adjusted 8-year incidence of stroke was examined as a function of baseline quartiles of LVM-to-height ratio. Proportional hazards regression was used in multivariate analyses to assess risk of stroke as a function of LVM-to-height ratio quartile, adjusting for age, sex, systolic blood pressure, hypertension treatment, diabetes, cigarette smoking, and blood lipid levels. RESULTS Among the 1230 subjects eligible, 89 cerebrovascular disease events (62 strokes and 27 transient ischemic attacks) occurred during follow-up. In men, 8-year age-adjusted incidence of cerebrovascular events was 18.4% in the highest quartile of LVM-to-height ratio and 5.2% in the lowest quartile. Corresponding values in women were 12.2% and 2.9%. The hazard ratio for cerebrovascular events comparing highest to lowest quartile of LVM-to-height ratio was 2.72 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.39 to 5.36) after adjusting for age, sex, systolic blood pressure, hypertension treatment, diabetes, cigarette smoking, and the ratio of total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. After adjusting for age, sex, and cardiovascular disease risk factors, the hazard ratio for cerebrovascular events was 1.45 (95% CI, 1.17 to 1.80) for each quartile increment of LVM-to-height ratio. CONCLUSIONS Echocardiographically determined LVM-to-height ratio offers prognostic information beyond that provided by traditional cerebrovascular disease risk factors. Echocardiography provides information that facilitates identification of individuals at high risk for stroke and transient ischemic attack.
Generation of Mature Nα-Terminal Acetylated Thymosin α1 by Cleavage of Recombinant Prothymosin α

Nα-terminal acetylation of peptides plays an important biological role but is rarely observed in prokaryotes. Nα-terminal acetylated thymosin α1 (Tα1), a 28-amino-acid peptide, is an immune modifier that has been used in the clinic to treat hepatitis B and C virus (HBV/HCV) infections. We previously documented Nα-terminal acetylation of recombinant prothymosin α (ProTα) in E. coli. Here we present a method for production of Nα-acetylated Tα1 from recombinant ProTα. The recombinant ProTα was cleaved by human legumain expressed in Pichia pastoris to release Tα1 in vitro. The Nα-acetylated Tα1 peptide was subsequently purified by reverse phase and cation exchange chromatography. Mass spectrometry indicated that the molecular mass of recombinant Nα-acetylated Tα1 was 3108.79 in, which is identical to the mass of Nα-acetylated Tα1 produced by total chemical synthesis. This mass corresponded to the nonacetylated Tα1 mass with a 42 Da increment. The retention time of recombinant Nα-acetylated Tα1 and chemosynthetic Nα-acetylated Tα1 were both 15.4 min in RP-high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). These data support the use of an E. coli expression system for the production of recombinant human Nα-acetylated Tα1 and also will provide the basis for the preparation of recombinant acetylated peptides in E. coli.
Surface properties of Staphylococcus saprophyticus: hydrophobicity, haemagglutination and Staphylococcus saprophyticus surface‐associated protein (Ssp) represent distinct entities

Cell surface hydrophobicity may contribute to virulence in urinary tract pathogens. In this study we assess the influence of differential expression of the two major surface proteins (Ssp and the haemagglutinin) of Staphylococcus saprophyticus on cell surface hydrophobicity. The haemagglutinating strain CCM883, which does not produce Ssp, was hydrophobic regardless of the growth conditions. Strain 9325, which is non‐haemagglutinating and produces Ssp, was hydrophobic only when grown in liquid media. Although these results suggest an association between the ability to express the haemagglutinin and the structure responsible for cell surface hydrophobicity, they refute any major role of Ssp and haemagglutinin in hydrophobicity. Treatment of bacteria with proteases reduces hydrophobicity, indicating that the structure mediating hydrophobicity is a protein.
Predicting interviewee attitude and body language from speech descriptors

This present research investigated the relationship between personal impressions and the acoustic nonverbal communication conveyed by employees being interviewed. First, we investigated the extent to which different conversation topics addressed during the interview induced changes in the interviewees' acoustic parameters. Next, we attempted to predict the observed and self-assessed attitudes and body language of the interviewees based on the acoustic data. The results showed that topicality caused significant deviations in the acoustic parameters statistics, but the ability to predict the personal perceptions of the interviewees based on their acoustic non-verbal communication was relatively independent of topicality, due to the natural redundancy inherent in acoustic attributes. Our findings suggest that joint modeling of speech and visual cues may improve the assessment of interviewee profiles.
TESTING CAPM MODEL ON THE EMERGING MARKETS OF THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE

The paper examines if the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) is adequate for capital asset valuation on the Central and South-East European emerging securities markets using monthly stock returns for nine countries for the period of January 2006 to December 2010. Precisely, it is tested if beta, as the systematic risk measure, is valid on observed markets by analysing are high expected returns associated with high levels of risk, i.e. beta. Also, the efficiency of market indices of observed countries is examined.
Knighthood in the Morte Darthur

Part 1 The high order of knighthood: late medieval views of knighthood the office of kingship the office of king's knights. Part 2 A typology of knoghthood: Gawain, Tor and Pellinor Gawain, Marhalt and Ywain the literary ancestry of Malory's three types. Part 3 True knighthood: Lancelot and Gawain - King Arthur's Warriors Lancelot and Galahad - potential Grail knights Lancelot and Gareth - the courtly option. Part 4 Worshipful knighthood Tristram and Arthur - the courtiers and the prince Lancelot and Palomides - lovers and knights-errant Lamorak and Gawain - rivals for worship who may see the Grail? - the testing of worshipful knighthood. Part 5 Happy and unhappy knights: Balin's "Unhappy Sword" and the heroic code of vengeance "happynesse" and "unhappynesse" "Lancelot Other Ellis Galahad" - the quest for "happynesses". Part 6 Standing with "true justyce": Lancelot versus Mador de la Porte Lancelot versus Mellyaguant Lancelot versus Gawain. Part 7 Malory's "hoole book" and the death of Arthur.
Automotive Pistons for Use as Bases in Velveteen Replication

Relatively large numbers of velveteen replicators are frequently desired for use in the laboratory, for example, when an extensive screening program is undertaken as a research endeavor or as a microbial genetics laboratory exercise employing the indirect mutant selection technique (Lederberg and Lederberg, J. Bacteriol. 63:399, 1952). An adequate number of these bases is not usually available for such purposes, because the bases upon which the velveteen pads are mounted are too expensive when made by the scientific apparatus shop and are not easily prepared from lathed wooden dowelling or molded plaster. Aluminum automotive pistons are satisfactory bases for velveteen pads; they are inexpensive, readily available in large quantities, essentially unbreakable, and easy to handle. Discarded automotive pistons, perfectly usable as bases, can be obtained at very low cost at any "junk yard. " Pistons of 8.0 to 8.2 cm in diameter (common sizes) were found to be most suitable as bases for use with standard 100-mm petri dishes. Figure 1 illustrates such a replicator prepared for use as well as a simple crimping method for preparing the band used to hold the velveteen pad in place. Pistons from truck or tractor engines may be found in diameters suitable for use with larger than standard-size petri dishes. The use of the larger diameter pistons eliminates the necessity of using 100-mm petri dishes in extensive screening programs and facilitates examination by indirect selection of a proportionally larger number of colonies per plate. 9.1*M pTO IL
Changing patterns of distress during the adjustment of recent immigrants: a 1‐year follow‐up study

A sample of 419 recent immigrants from the former Soviet Union to Israel was assessed, with a 1‐year follow‐up of 199 of these subjects. The Immigration Related Stressors Scale, Talbieh Brief Distress Inventory and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support were employed to measure the level and sources of distress, as well as the sources of social support. Three major patterns of change in distress level were distinguished, and their 1‐year prevalence rates were established. In total, 44% of the respondents demonstrated the‘normal’pattern, with a permanent low distress level, 33% displayed the‘positive’pattern, with either persistent moderate or decreasing distress, and 23% displayed the‘negative’pattern, with either persistent high or increasing distress. Among the immigrants who demonstrated the positive pattern of change in distress, rates of stressors such as‘anxiety about the future’, ‘uncertainty in the present’, ‘depressive state’, ‘insufficient knowledge of Hebrew’and‘malevolence of Israelis’decreased during the study period. In those who showed the negative pattern, rates of stressors such as‘personality characteristics’and‘lack of acceptance of the host culture/mentality’have increased. Immigrants who showed the normal and positive patterns had greater total social support than those who showed the negative pattern. The level of family support tended be higher among immigrants with the normal pattern, while support by friends tended to be greater among those with the positive pattern of change in distress.
10-Gbit/s Bi-directional wireless data transmission system using 120-GHz-band ortho-mode transducers

This paper presents a 10-Gbit/s bidirectional wireless data transmission system using 120-GHz-band orthomode transducers (OMTs). The OMTs are used for polarization division duplex bi-directional transmission of 120-GHz-band wireless link. We designed and fabricated a new finline OMT which is adjusted for the spectrum of ASK modulation. The measured isolation is more than 59dB at a carrier frequency of 120-GHz-band wireless link. Using the finline OMT, we developed new 10-Gbit/s bidirectional wireless equipment. With this wireless equipment, we succeeded in experiments for 10-Gbit/s bi-directional wireless data transmission and for seamless connection to 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE).
Configurable microwave structures for software defined (and cognitive) radio front ends

Both Software Defined Radio and Cognitive Radio require a flexible transceiver front end. This paper introduces solutions to two important features of such a device; the antenna and the filter. These are both microwave resonant structures and so share design trade-offs and restrictions; in this application they must both offer some degree of tunability or wideband performance. MEMS technology is proposed as the enabler for reconfigurability in the distributed microwave structures. This technology overcomes the shortcomings of both large-scale mechanical devices and semiconductor-based solutions.