Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The next phase of life-sciences spaceflight research: Harnessing the power of functional genomics

Recently we demonstrated that the effectiveness of RNAi interference (RNAi) for inhibiting gene expression is maintained during spaceflight in the worm Caenorhabditis elegans and argued for the biomedical importance of this finding. We also successfully utilized green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged proteins to monitor changes in GPF localization during flight. Here we discuss potential applications of RNAi and GFP in spaceflight studies and the ramifications of these experiments for the future of space life-sciences research.
IMMUNOLOGY AND IMMUNOMODULATION OF CORNEAL TRANSPLANTATION

Corneal allografts are the oldest, most common, and most successful transplants performed on humans and animals. The cornea is endowed with a constellation of unique factors that contribute to its immune privilege and the low incidence of immune rejection. In spite of this immune privilege, 10 percent of first-time corneal grafts will undergo immune rejection. Several novel therapeutic strategies hold promise for modulating the alloimmune response by either promoting antigen-specific tolerance or redirecting the host's response from a Th1 pathway toward a Th2 pathway.
Anti-proliferative effect of curcumin on melanoma cells is mediated by PDE1A inhibition that regulates the epigenetic integrator UHRF1.

SCOPE Curcumin inhibits proliferation of many cancer cells. Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs), by hydrolyzing intracellular cyclic adenosine-3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) and/or cyclic guanosine-3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP), play a pivotal role in signalling pathways involved in cell proliferation. Therefore, this study investigated PDE1-5 participations in the anti-proliferative properties of curcumin in B16F10 murine melanoma cells. METHODS AND RESULTS We report that curcumin inhibits PDE1-5 activities (IC(50) ≅10(-5) M), indicating that curcumin acts as a non-selective PDE inhibitor. In melanoma cells, PDE4 and PDE1 represent the major cAMP-PDEs and cGMP-PDEs activities, respectively. Curcumin treatment decreased PDE1 and PDE4 activities and dose dependently increased intracellular cGMP levels, whereas cAMP levels were unchanged. Curcumin inhibited cell proliferation and cell cycle progression by accumulating cells in the S- and G2/M-phases with enhanced expressions of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors. In contrast, expressions of PDE1A, cyclin A and the epigenetic integrator ubiquitin-like containing PHD and Ring Finger domains 1 (UHRF1) and DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) were decreased by curcumin. Interestingly, PDE1A overexpression increased UHRF1 and DNMT1 expressions and rescued the B16F10 cells from curcumin anti-proliferative effects. Nimodipine, a PDE1 inhibitor, mimicked the curcumin effects. CONCLUSION Curcumin exerts its anti-cancer property by targeting PDE1 that inhibits melanoma cell proliferation via UHRF1, DNMT1, cyclin A, p21 and p27 regulations. This suggests that natural PDE1 inhibitors present in food might be effective in preventing cancer.
Measurement Methodology in Children’s Health Locus of Control

ABSTRACT. Health locus of control scales for children are often constructed in an agree/disagree format. It was hypothesized that the structure of the instrument may be in part responsible for the finding that young children (7–8 yr) have an external health locus of control relevant to children several years older. The original version and a revised version, using a choice of attribution format, were both administered to 444 students (98% of eligible students) attending 10 second-grade classes. Although the mean scores for the two formats were the same, 32.0 (SD = 3.3), item level analyses showed poor agreement (kappa, −.005–.41) and significant bias in disagreements on 15 of the 20 items. Changes in the wording of the questions led to different results, indicating possible limitations in either format. The observation that young children likely have a mixed health locus of control indicates that health educators may benefit from employing both internal and external sources of reinforcement to promote healthy behaviors in young children.
Intracellular recordings in thalamic neurones during spontaneous spike and wave discharges in rats with absence epilepsy

1 In vivo extracellular and intracellular recordings were performed from thalamocortical (TC) neurones in a genetic model of absence epilepsy (genetic absence epilepsy rats from Strasbourg) during spontaneous spike and wave discharges (SWDs). 2 Extracellularly recorded single units (n= 14) fired either a single action potential or a high frequency burst of up to three action potentials, concomitantly with the spike component of the spike‐wave complex. 3 Three main events characterized the intracellular activity of twenty‐six out of twenty‐eight TC neurones during SWDs: a small amplitude tonic hyperpolarization that was present throughout the SWD, rhythmic sequences of EPSP/IPSPs occurring concomitantly with the spike‐wave complexes, and a small tonic depolarization at the end of the SWD. The rhythmic IPSPs, but not the tonic hyperpolarization, were mediated by activation of GABAA receptors since they reversed in polarity at ‐68 mV and appeared as depolarizing events when recording with KCl‐filled electrodes. 4 The intracellular activity of the remaining two TC neurones consisted of rhythmic low threshold Ca2+ potentials, with a few EPSP/IPSP sequences present at the start of the SWD. 5 These results obtained in a well‐established genetic model of absence epilepsy do not support the hypothesis that the intracellular activity of TC neurones during SWDs involves rhythmic sequences of GABAB IPSPs and low threshold Ca2+ potentials.
What are the drivers of sustainability reporting? A systematic review

The purpose of this paper is to systematise the research field of sustainability reporting. The authors contribute to closing this research gap and, on the basis of this systematisation, address the research question of what are the drivers of sustainability reporting. ,The paper systematically reviews existing studies and analyses drivers of sustainability reporting using a qualitative approach. The authors intend to demonstrate and discuss the wide range of approaches used in literature. ,The review suggests that firm size, media visibility and ownership structure are the most important drivers of the disclosure of sustainability reports, while corporate governance only seems to have an influence on the existence of audit or sustainability committees. In contrast, other determinants such as profitability, capital structure, firm age or board composition as an indicator of corporate governance do not show a clear tendency. ,The authors systemise the research field related to sustainability reporting to give an overview of the current research landscape that is not influenced by environmental or social reporting and discuss the identified determinants and the related variables. This results in a comprehensive report of what is known and unknown about the questions addressed in the systematic review.
Mechanisms of conduit plug formation: Implications for vulcanian explosions

We explore physical mechanisms controlling formation of a confining conduit plug using 1D, steady‐state numerical models of magma ascent. Model results for the well‐documented 1997 Vulcanian explosions at Soufrière Hills volcano were compared against subsurface conditions constrained by geophysical and petrologic analysis. We suggest that, if magma is permeable and overpressured and rock surrounding the conduit is permeable, degassing occurs both vertically and through conduit walls. This outgassing creates a region of low‐vesicularity, dense magma near the surface (magma plug) which eventually seals the conduit and promotes system overpressure. Driving pressure increases with increasing magma flow rate, hindering volatile exsolution and shifting open‐system degassing to shallower levels of the conduit. As a result, increasing magma flow rate for a fixed conduit width creates a vertically thinner plug and increases the magnitude and vertical extent of conduit overpressure. Plug thickness and density are also controlled by magma and edifice permeability.
“Side effects affected my daily activities a lot”: a qualitative exploration of the impact of contraceptive side effects in Bangladesh

Purpose In a country like Bangladesh that has made great progress in contraceptive use with one of the lowest levels of fertility and highest levels of contraceptive use, understanding what factors influence women’s decisions to discontinue a contraceptive method and not switch to a new method is critical in designing interventions and programs that will help enable Bangladesh to reach its FP2020 goals. Research on side effects has focused on physical manifestations like headaches, moodiness, abdominal pain, and menstrual irregularities. While physical effects alone may stop women from continuing a contraceptive method, less is known about how side effects influence women’s daily activities and lives. The purpose of this study is to understand the ways that side effects affect Bangladeshi women’s participation in different social settings. Methods Thirty-five in-depth interviews with married women who recently discontinued or switched to a different contraceptive method were conducted in Sylhet and Khulna Divisions. Interviews explored reasons for discontinuation including experience of side effects and impact of side effects on women’s lives. Results Key themes emerged including that side effects are not only experienced physically but are barriers to women’s participation in many aspects of their lives. The spheres of life that most commonly appeared to be influenced by side effects include religion, household, and sexual intimacy irrespective of method used or residence. Conclusion Family planning providers need to be aware of these additional consequences associated with contraceptive side effects to provide tailored counseling that recognizes these issues and helps women to mitigate them. For Bangladesh to achieve its FP2020 goals, understanding the broader context in which family planning decisions are made vis-à-vis side effects is critical to design programs and interventions that meet all the needs of women beyond just their fertility intentions.
Analysis and Design of Functionally Weighted Single-Input-Rule-Modules Connected Fuzzy Inference Systems

The single-input-rule-modules (SIRMs) connected fuzzy inference method can efficiently solve the fuzzy rule explosion phenomenon, which usually occurs in the multivariable modeling and/or control applications. However, the performance of the SIRMs connected fuzzy inference system (SIRM-FIS) is limited due to its simple input–output mapping. In this paper, to further enhance the performance of SIRM-FIS, a functionally weighted SIRM-FIS (FWSIRM-FIS), which adopts multivariable functional weights to measure the important degrees of the SIRMs, is presented. Then, in order to show the fundamental differences of the SIRMs methods, properties of the traditional SIRM-FIS, the type-2 SIRM-FIS (T2SIRM-FIS), the functional SIRM-FIS (FSIRM-FIS), the SIRMs model with single-variable functional weights (SIRM-FW), and FWSIRM-FIS are explored. These properties demonstrate that the proposed FWSIRM-FIS has more general and complex input–output mapping than the existing SIRMs methods. Such properties theoretically guarantee that better performance can be achieved by FWSIRM-FIS. Furthermore, based on the least-squares method, a novel data-driven optimization method is presented for the parameter learning of FWSIRM-FIS. It can also be used to optimize the parameters of SIRM-FIS, T2SIRM-FIS, FSIRM-FIS, and SIRM-FW. Due to the properties of the least-squares method, the proposed parameter learning algorithm can overcome the drawbacks of the gradients-based parameter learning methods and obtain both smallest training errors and smallest parameters. Finally, to show the effectiveness and superiority of FWSIRM-FIS and the proposed optimization method, six examples and detailed comparisons are given. Simulation results show that FWSIRM-FIS can obtain better performance than the other SIRMs methods, and, compared with some well-known methods, FWSIRM-FIS can achieve similar or better performance but has much less parameters and faster training speed.
High Growth Yield of Single Multiwall Carbon Nanotube With Different Length Effect

Vertically aligned single multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) is quite an interesting nanostructure due to its high probability of nanodevice realization with an ultrahigh integration density. Although ~200 nm catalyst diameter size and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) method have been known as key parameters to grow a single MWCNT, the details and the phenomenon of below 200 nm catalyst size have not been studied or published well. Here, we report the details of catalyst size effect below 200 nm. One-hundred-nanometer diameter Ni catalyst on SiO2 layer shows 95% yield of single MWCNT growth. Surface roughness of substrate makes a large deviation in the yield and the critical catalyst size for single MWCNT. The various catalyst sizes result in the different growth rate of carbon nanotube (CNT) at the same growth condition. The change of diffusion surface area induces such a difference. From the results, single MWCNTs with various lengths are successfully grown on the same substrate by a one-step growth process.
Critical Function of AP-2gamma/TCFAP2C in Mouse Embryonic Germ Cell Maintenance1

Abstract Formation of the germ cell lineage involves multiple processes, including repression of somatic differentiation and reacquisition of pluripotency as well as a unique epigenetic constitution. The transcriptional regulator Prdm1 has been identified as a main coordinator of this process, controlling epigenetic modification and gene expression. Here we report on the expression pattern of the transcription factor Tcfap2c, a putative downstream target of Prdm1, during normal mouse embryogenesis and the consequences of its specific loss in primordial germ cells (PGCs) and their derivatives. Tcfap2c is expressed in PGCs from Embryonic Day 7.25 (E 7.25) up to E 12.5, and targeted disruption resulted in sterile animals, both male and female. In the mutant animals, PGCs were specified but were lost around E 8.0. PGCs generated in vitro from embryonic stem cells lacking TCFAP2C displayed induction of Prdm1 and Dppa3. Upregulation of Hoxa1, Hoxb1, and T together with lack of expression of germ cell markers such Nanos3, Dazl, and Mutyh suggested that the somatic gene program is induced in TCFAP2C-deficient PGCs. Repression of TCFAP2C in TCam-2, a human PGC-resembling seminoma cell line, resulted in specific upregulation of HOXA1, HOXB1, MYOD1, and HAND1, indicative of mesodermal differentiation. Expression of genes indicative of ectodermal, endodermal, or extraembryonic differentiation, as well as the finding of no change to epigenetic modifications, suggested control by other factors. Our results implicate Tcfap2c as an important effector of Prdm1 activity that is required for PGC maintenance, most likely mediating Prdm1-induced suppression of mesodermal differentiation.
A SOCIAL NETWORK PERSPECTIVE ON THE DEAL FLOW OF BUSINESS ANGELS.

Business angels play a crucial role in new venture financing, but "the private investor market is still largely incompletely understood, inefficient and understudied" (Baty & Sommer, 2002: 290). Based on an empirical study we investigate different drivers of business angels' two deal flow dimensions, i.e. quantity and quality.
Exploration of the relationship between continuity, trust in regular doctors and patient satisfaction with consultations with family doctors

Objective - To determine the influence of longitudinal continuity and trust in patients' regular family doctors on patient satisfaction with consultations. Design - Observational questionnaire study. Setting - Three family practice centres in the USA and four general practices in the UK. Subjects - 418 patients in the USA and 650 in the UK who were consulting family doctors. Main outcome measures - A pre-consultation questionnaire sought information about the patient's experience of continuity and trust in their regular doctor; a post-consultation questionnaire measured satisfaction with the consultation. Results - 78.8% of patients rated seeing the same doctor every time they had a health problem as important or very important. Trust in the regular doctor, consulting the regular doctor and country were the strongest predictors of satisfaction. Patients who had a high level of trust in their regular doctor and consulted that doctor had the highest levels of satisfaction with their consultations. Among patients with relatively low levels of trust in regular doctor, levels of satisfaction were similar whether or not they consulted their regular doctor. Conclusions - Consulting the regular doctor, trust and satisfaction with consultations are associated, and patients who consult a doctor they trust report the highest levels of satisfaction with consultations.
Score-based recommendation for efficiently selecting individual virtual agents in multi-agent systems

Controlling user-agent-interactions by means of an external operator includes selecting the virtual interaction partners fast and faultlessly. However, especially in immersive scenes with a large number of potential partners, this task is non-trivial. Thus, we present a score-based recommendation system supporting an operator in the selection task. Agents are recommended as potential partners based on two parameters: the user's distance to the agents and the user's gazing direction. An additional graphical user interface (GUI) provides elements for configuring the system and for applying actions to those agents which the operator has confirmed as interaction partners.
Role of phosphatidylinositol 3‐phosphate in formation of forespore membrane in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3‐kinase (encoded by the pik3+ gene) in Schizosaccharomyces pombe has been identified as a homologue of VPS34p, a protein required for proper vesicular protein sorting. The clone defective in this protein carries enlarged vacuoles and exhibits sensitivity to high temperature or high ion concentration. The effect of disruption of pik3+ on sporulation of Sz. pombe was examined. The diploid cells underwent G1 arrest and meiosis. However, the spores formed by the Δpik3 cells were not viable. Electron‐microscopic analysis revealed that the growth of the forespore membrane of Δpik3 cells was not correctly orientated, failing to engulf the nucleus or forming extremely small spores, as was confirmed by the use of Spo3p–GFP and GFP–Psy1p, which are markers of the forespore membrane. The coating materials found along the forespore membrane of the wild‐type were greatly reduced in these cells. PI 3‐P, the product of Pik3p, was detected on the forespore membrane, suggesting that PI 3‐P‐dependent vesicle transport may take place in formation of the forespore membrane. Misshaped forespore membrane, accumulation of vesicles, formation of small non‐viable spores, and suppression by over expression of Psy1p were the phenotypes commonly seen in Δpik3 and Δspo3 cells, suggesting a relationship between the functions of Pik3p and Spo3p in formation of the forespore membrane in Sz. pombe. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mechanisms by which Astragalus membranaceus injection regulates hematopoiesis in myelosuppressed mice

The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism underlying the effects of Astragalus membranaceus injection (AMI) on myelopoiesis in myelosuppressed mice. At 72 h after cyclophosphamide injection (250 mg/kg), the mice were administered AMI (500 mg/kg) intraperitoneally for 6 consecutive days or an equivalent volume of saline as a control. Murine colony‐forming unit‐fibroblast (CFU‐F) formation, production of IL‐6 and GM‐CSF by bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC), and bcl‐2 protein and mRNA expression in BMSC were measured by CFU‐F assay, ELISA, immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. The results indicated that AMI improved the hematopoietic microenvironment by enhancing the BMSC survival and proliferation of CFU‐F, production of IL‐6 as well as GM‐CSF by BMSC and bcl‐2 protein and mRNA expression in BMSC, which promoted myelopoiesis. The data may provide a mechanistic basis for applying this ancient Chinese herb to promote hematopoiesis as an efficacious adjuvant therapy against myelosuppression induced by anti‐cancer therapy. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
[Psychology of nutrition].

What do you do to start reading psychology of nutrition? Searching the book that you love to read first or find an interesting book that will make you want to read? Everybody has difference with their reason of reading a book. Actuary, reading habit must be from earlier. Many people may be love to read, but not a book. It's not fault. Someone will be bored to open the thick book with small words to read. In more, this is the real condition. So do happen probably with this psychology of nutrition.
Realization of high efficiency 4H-SiC IMPATT diode using optimized doping steps

The electric field and width of the avalanche region are vital while determining the performance of an IMPATT diode. In an attempt to optimize the same a new doping pattern in the form of doping steps is introduced in the avalanche zone and its effects on the terahertz characteristics of a 4H-SiC IMPATT Diode are explored. It is exciting to observe a conversion efficiency of 17.24 % from the IMPAT T diode with the proposed doping steps.
Novel Dual-Band Filter Incorporating Defected SIR and Microstrip SIR

This letter presents a novel approach to design dual-band bandpass filter by using defected stepped impedance resonator (DSIR) and microstrip stepped impedance resonator (MSIR). A pair of MSIRs on the upper plane forms a cross coupled filtering passage, and a pair of DSIRs at the lower plane constructs a linear phase filtering passage. Both of them are fed by a common T-shaped microstrip feed line with source-load coupling. Then they are directly combined to construct a compact dual-band filter with two passbands centering at 2.35 GHz and 3.15 GHz, respectively. The measurement results agree well with the full-wave electromagnetic designed responses.
Inhibition of Aldehyde Dehydrogenases in Rat Brain and Liver by Disulfiram and Coprine

Abstract: Rats were treated with either coprine or disulfiram and the inhibition of aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) in liver and brain mitochondria was measured with acetaldehyde, 3,4‐dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde (DOPAL), and succinate semialdehyde at different concentrations. The inhibition pattern was similar for both inhibitors, but the degree of inhibition was lower with disulfiram. The ALDH activity both in the liver and the brain was inhibited at low concentrations of acetaldehyde and DOPAL, but not with succinate semialdehyde. The high‐Km enzyme activities with acetaldehyde were not inhibited in liver and brain. The activity at high concentration of DOPAL was inhibited in the liver, but only slightly affected in the brain, suggesting the presence of a brain enzyme with an intermediate Km value for DOPAL. In contrast with the results observed in viva, it was found that the high‐Km activities with acetaldehyde and DOPAL in brain mitochondrial preparations were more sensitive to the inhibitors in vitro than the low‐Km activities. Kinetic studies on ALDH preparations from brain and liver mitochondria suggested that acetaldehyde and DOPAL are metabolized by the same low‐Km ALDH.