Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Biological evaluation of neopeptins isolated from a Streptomyces strain.

BACKGROUND Microbial secondary metabolites are a rich source of antifungal agents and have merit as alternatives to synthetic fungicides. To develop disease control agents against powdery mildew, the lipopeptide antibiotic neopeptins were identified from the culture broth of a Streptomyces sp. , and in vivo control efficacy of the compounds was evaluated on cucumber plants under glasshouse conditions. RESULTS The Streptomyces sp. KNF2047 antagonistic against powdery mildew development in cucumber plants was isolated from a soil sample. Antifungal compounds were purified from the culture broth and identified as neopeptin A and B. In vitro microtitre assays revealed the inhibitory activities of the compounds in the range 128-512 microg mL(-1) against the mycelial growth of Alternaria mali, Botrytis cinerea, Cladosporium cucumerinum, Colletotrichum lagenarium, Didimella bryoniae and Magnaporthe grisea. Although neither compound showed remarkable in vitro antifungal activity against other plant pathogenic fungi, a mixture of neopeptins (484 mg of neopeptin A and 290 mg of neopeptin B per gram of partially purified powder) showed potent protective and curative activity against cucumber powdery mildew in vivo. The disease control activity of the neopeptins at a concentration of 2.4 mg L(-1) was 92.1%, which was similar to that of the commercial fungicide fenarimol (89.3% at 63 mg L(-1)) and that of the commercial biocontrol agent Actinovate (67.4% at 2 x 10(7) cfu L(-1)). CONCLUSION Neopeptin mixtures isolated from Streptomyces sp. KNF2047 showed potent disease control activity against powdery mildew development on cucumber plants.
INTERACTION OF PHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS IN CONTROL OF MUSCLE GLUCOSE UPTAKE

1. Control of glucose uptake is distributed between three steps. These are the rate that glucose is delivered to cells, the rate of transport into cells, and the rate that glucose is phosphorylated within these same cells. The functional limitations to each one of these individual steps has been difficult to assess because they are so closely coupled to each other. Studies have been performed in recent years using complex isotopic techniques or transgenic mouse models to shed new light on the role that each step plays in overall control of muscle glucose uptake.
A putative placebo comparison of the SCOPE and LIFE trials

The Losartan Intervention For Endpoint reduction in hypertension (LIFE) trial and the Study on Cognition and Prognosis in the Elderly (SCOPE) superficially produced comparable outcomes, with effects on stroke greater than those anticipated from blood pressure (BP) lowering alone. This, however, ignores important features of both studies. It ignores firstly the disparate comparator agents — atenolol in LIFE and predominantly hydrochlorthiazide in SCOPE, secondly the small, but potentially important BP differential between the treatment arms in SCOPE and finally the small, statistically non-significant increase in coronary heart disease (CHD) in both trials. This analysis compares the major cardiovascular outcomes in these trials with reference to placebo. Two alternative reference populations were employed to calculate the imputed placebo, firstly the MRC Trial in Elderly Hypertensives and secondly a meta-analysis of trials in the elderly, which included comparisons between diuretic- and β-blocker-based regimens. Overall, the choice of `comparator placebo' did not substantially influence the derived results. Accounting for BP difference and based on the meta-analysis, both trials demonstrated statistically significant reductions in fatal/non-fatal stroke compared with placebo — relative risks (95% confidence intervals [CI]) of 0.53 (0.39, 0.73) and 0.56 (0.41, 0.76) for SCOPE and LIFE, respectively. For fatal/non-fatal MI, there were greater discrepancies between the studies, but with neither achieving statistical significance compared with placebo — relative risks of 0.85 (0.59, 1.24) and 1.08 (0.80, 1.46) for SCOPE and LIFE, respectively. This analysis clearly demonstrates that both candesartan in SCOPE and losartan in LIFE are associated with reductions in stroke events compared with placebo, greater than that observed in the well-established meta-analysis of placebo-controlled hypertensive trials. However, the CIs are such that it is not possible to suggest definitively that this is a benefit beyond BP reduction alone. Neither trial is sufficiently `powered' to demonstrate a benefit in CHD outcomes, but with SCOPE there was a trend towards benefit with a point estimate compatible with the major meta-analysis.
Betaine, a promising new agent for patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: results of a pilot study

OBJECTIVES:No effective therapy currently exists for patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Betaine, a naturally occurring metabolite of choline, has been shown to raise S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) levels that may in turn play a role in decreasing hepatic steatosis. Our aim was to determine the safety and effects of betaine on liver biochemistries and histological markers of disease activity in patients with NASH.METHODS:Ten adult patients with NASH were enrolled. Patients received betaine anhydrous for oral solution (Cystadane) in two divided doses daily for 12 months. Seven out of 10 patients completed 1 yr of treatment with betaine.RESULTS:A significant improvement in serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (p = 0.02) and ALAT (p = 0.007) occurred during treatment. Aminotransferases normalized in three of seven patients, decreased by >50% in three of seven patients, and remained unchanged in one patient when compared to baseline values. A marked improvement in serum levels of aminotransferases (ALT −39%; AST −38%) also occurred during treatment in those patients who did not complete 1 yr of treatment. Similarly, a marked improvement in the degree of steatosis, necroinflammatory grade, and stage of fibrosis was noted at 1 yr of treatment with betaine. Transitory GI adverse events that did not require any dose reduction or discontinuation of betaine occurred in four patients.CONCLUSIONS:Betaine is a safe and well tolerated drug that leads to a significant biochemical and histological improvement in patients with NASH. This novel agent deserves further evaluation in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial.
Intermittent Hypoxia Causes Inflammation and Injury to Human Adult Cardiac Myocytes

BACKGROUND:Intermittent hypoxia may occur in a number of clinical scenarios, including interruption of myocardial blood flow or breathing disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea. Although intermittent hypoxia has been linked to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, the effect of intermittent hypoxia on the human heart is not fully understood. Therefore, in the present study, we compared the cellular responses of cultured human adult cardiac myocytes (HACMs) exposed to intermittent hypoxia and different conditions of continuous hypoxia and normoxia. METHODS:HACMs were exposed to intermittent hypoxia (0%–21% O2), constant mild hypoxia (10% O2), constant severe hypoxia (0% O2), or constant normoxia (21% O2), using a novel cell culture bioreactor with gas-permeable membranes. Cell proliferation, lactate dehydrogenase release, vascular endothelial growth factor release, and cytokine (interleukin [IL] and macrophage migration inhibitory factor) release were assessed at baseline and after 8, 24, and 72 hours of exposure. A signal transduction pathway finder array was performed to determine the changes in gene expression. RESULTS:In comparison with constant normoxia and constant mild hypoxia, intermittent hypoxia induced earlier and greater inflammatory response and extent of cell injury as evidenced by lower cell numbers and higher lactate dehydrogenase, vascular endothelial growth factor, and proinflammatory cytokine (IL-1&bgr;, IL-6, IL-8, and macrophage migration inhibitory factor) release. Constant severe hypoxia showed more detrimental effects on HACMs at later time points. Pathway analysis demonstrated that intermittent hypoxia primarily altered gene expression in oxidative stress, Wnt, Notch, and hypoxia pathways. CONCLUSIONS:Intermittent and constant severe hypoxia, but not constant mild hypoxia or normoxia, induced inflammation and cell injury in HACMs. Cell injury occurred earliest and was greatest after intermittent hypoxia exposure. Our in vitro findings suggest that intermittent hypoxia exposure may produce rapid and substantial damage to the human heart.
Epithelial–mesenchymal plasticity in carcinoma metastasis

A developmental program termed epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a critical role in promoting metastasis in epithelial-derived carcinomas. Recent studies also implicate its reverse program, mesenchymal–epithelial transition (MET), in this metastatic process. In this review, Tsai and Yang discuss the functional requirement of EMT and/or MET during the individual steps of tumor metastasis and the potential for targeting these programs when treating metastatic diseases.
AFLP markers reveal high clonal diversity and extreme longevity in four key arctic‐alpine species

We investigated clonal diversity, genet size structure and genet longevity in populations of four arctic‐alpine plants (Carex curvula, Dryas octopetala, Salix herbacea and Vaccinium uliginosum) to evaluate their persistence under past climatic oscillations and their potential resistance to future climate change. The size and number of genets were determined by an analysis of amplified fragment length polymorphisms and a standardized sampling design in several European arctic‐alpine populations, where these species are dominant in the vegetation. Genet age was estimated by dividing the size by the annual horizontal size increment from in situ growth measurements. Clonal diversity was generally high but differed among species, and the frequency distribution of genet size was strongly left‐skewed. The largest C. curvula genet had an estimated minimum age of c. 4100 years and a maximum age of c. 5000 years, although 84.8% of the genets in this species were <200 years old. The oldest genets of D. octopetala, S. herbacea and V. uliginosum were found to be at least 500, 450 and 1400 years old, respectively. These results indicate that individuals in the studied populations have survived pronounced climatic oscillations, including the Little Ice Age and the postindustrial warming. The presence of genets in all size classes and the dominance of presumably young individuals suggest repeated recruitment over time, a precondition for adaptation to changing environmental conditions. Together, persistence and continuous genet turnover may ensure maximum ecosystem resilience. Thus, our results indicate that long‐lived clonal plants in arctic‐alpine ecosystems can persist, despite considerable climatic change.
Force and intracellular Ca2+ during cyclic nucleotide‐mediated relaxation of rat anococcygeus muscle and the effects of cyclopiazonic acid

1 Simultaneous recordings of tension and [Ca2+]i were made in rat anococcygeus muscle strips to investigate possible mechanisms involved during cyclic nucleotide‐mediated relaxation. Relaxation of pre‐contracted muscles was induced by sodium nitroprusside (SNP) or forskolin and the effects of cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) on these responses were examined. 2 In muscles pre‐contracted with 0.2 μm phenylephrine addition of SNP (10 μm) caused a rapid and near complete relaxation of force. This was accompanied by a decrease in [Ca2+]i, however, this was not of a comparable magnitude to the decrease in force. The level of [Ca2+]i in muscles relaxed with SNP was shown to be associated with substantially higher force levels in the absence of SNP. Forskolin (10 μm) caused a slower, essentially complete relaxation which was associated with a proportional decrease in [Ca2+]i. 3 In muscles pretreated with SNP or forskolin subsequent responses to phenylephrine were attenuated with both force and [Ca2+]i rising slowly to attain eventually levels similar to those observed when the relaxant was applied to pre‐contracted muscles. 4 Exposure of the muscles to the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+‐ATPase inhibitor, CPA (10 μm), resulted in a sustained increase in [Ca2+]i which, in most cases, was not associated with any force development. The relaxation and decrease in [Ca2+]i in response to both SNP and forskolin were attenuated and substantially slowed in the presence of CPA. Overall the extent of this attenuation was greater for SNP. For both SNP and forskolin, CPA attenuated the decrease in [Ca2+]i to a greater extent than the decrease in force. In some cases, SNP‐mediated relaxation in the presence of CPA was observed with almost no detectable change in [Ca2+]i. 5 The results suggest that, in the rat anococcygeus muscle under normal circumstances, a lowering of [Ca2+]i can fully account for the relaxation induced by forskolin but not for that induced by SNP, where mechanisms independent of changes in [Ca2+]i appear to contribute. Whilst Ca2+ sequestration into the sarcoplasmic reticulum plays a role in the relaxation mediated by both SNP and forskolin other Ca2+ lowering mechanisms may also be involved, especially in the response to forskolin.
The heritability of Cluster B personality disorders assessed both by personal interview and questionnaire.

Whereas the heritability of common personality traits has been firmly established, the results of the few published studies on personality disorders (PDs) are highly divergent, with some studies finding high heredity and others very low. A problem with assessing personality disorders by means of interview is errors connected with interviewer bias. A way to overcome the problem is to use self-report questionnaires in addition to interviews. This study used both interview and questionnaire for assessing DSM-IV Cluster B personality disorders: antisocial personality disorder (APD), borderline (BPD), narcissistic (NPD), and histrionic (HPD). We assessed close to 2,800 twins from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health Twin Panel using a self-report questionnaire and, a few years later, the Structured Interview for DSM-IV Personality (SIDP-IV). Items from the self-report questionnaire that best predicted the PDs captured by the interview were then selected. Measurement models combining questionnaire and interview information were applied and were fitted using Mx. Whereas the heritability of Cluster B PDs assessed by interview was around . 30, and around . 40-. 50 when assessed by self-report questionnaire, the heritability of the convergent latent factor, including information from both interview and self-report questionnaire was . 69 for APD, . 67 for BPD, . 71 for NPD, and . 63 for HPD. As is usually found for personality, the effect of shared-in families (familial) environment was zero. In conclusion, when both interview and self-report questionnaire are taken into account, the heritability of Cluster B PD appears to be in the upper range of previous findings for mental disorders.
The Youth Development Handbook: Coming of Age in American Communities

Foreword Preface INTRODUCTION: WHAT IS YOUTH DEVELOPMENT? 1. Principles for Youth Development - Stephen F. Hamilton, Mary Agnes Hamilton (both of Cornell University), & Karen Johnson Pittman (Executive Director, The Forum for Youth Investment) SECTION ONE: PROCESSES & PRACTICES IN YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CONTEXTS 2. Youth Organizations: From Principles to Practice - Sarah Deschenes (Stanford University), Morva McDonald (University of Maryland), & Milbrey McLaughlin (Stanford University) 3. Organizations Serving All Ages - Geoffrey L. Ream (Cornell University) & Peter A. Witt (Texas A&M University) 4. Bridging Juvenile Justice & Positive Youth Development - William H. Barton (University of Indiana) 5. Youth Development & Health - Richard Kreipe (University of Rochester), Sheryl A. Ryan (University of Rochester & Rochester General Hospital), & Susan Seibold-Simpson (University of Rochester) 6. Can High Schools Foster Youth Development? - Jerome Ziegler (Cornell University) 7. Designing Work & Service for Learning - Mary Agnes Hamilton & Stephen F. Hamilton (both of Cornell University) 8. Using & Building Family Strengths to Promote Youth Development - Catherine P. Bradshaw & James Garbarino (both of Cornell University) 9. Enlisting Peers in Developmental Interventions: Principles & Practices - Michael J. Karcher (University of Texas at San Antonio), Bradford B. Brown (University of Wisconsin-Madison), & Douglas W. Elliott (Cornell University) 10. How Neighborhoods Matter for Youth Development - Ray Swisher & Janis Whitlock (both of Cornell University) 11. Popular Media Culture & the Promise of Critical Media Literacy - Jane D. Brown, Rebecca Schaffer, Lucila Vargas (all of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), & LaHoma S. Romocki (Director of Communication, Family Health International) SECTON TWO: ACTION STEPS 12. Success Factors in Community-wide Initiatives for Youth Development - Kathleen A. Dorgan & Ronald F. Ferguson (Malcolm Wiener Center for Social Policy, JFK School of Government, Harvard University) 13. Understanding & Improving Youth Development Initiatives through Evaluation - Charles V. Izzo, James Connell, Michelle Alberti Gambone, & Catherine P, Bradshaw 14. Understanding the Lay of the Land: Strategies for Funding Youth Development Programs - Glenda Partee (President, American Youth Policy Forum) 15. Implications for Youth Development Practices - Stephen F. Hamilton & Mary Agnes Hamilton (both of Cornell University)
Low effective population size and evidence for inbreeding in an overexploited flatfish, plaice (Pleuronectes platessa L.)

Overexploitation and subsequent collapse of major worldwide fisheries has made it clear that marine stocks are not inexhaustible. Unfortunately, the perception remains that marine fishes are resilient to large population reductions, as even a commercially ‘collapsed’ stock will still consist of millions of individuals. Coupled with this notion is the idea that fisheries can, therefore, have little effect on the genetic diversity of stocks. We used DNA from archived otoliths collected between 1924 and 1972 together with 2002 juvenile's tissue to estimate effective population size (Ne) in plaice (Pleuronectes platessa). Ne was estimated at 20 000 in the North Sea and 2000 in Iceland. These values are five orders of magnitude smaller than the estimated census size for the two locations. Populations examined between 1924 and 1960 were in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium, whereas populations examined after approximately 1970 were not. Extensive testing was performed to rule out genotyping artefacts and Wahlund effects. The significant heterozygote deficiencies found from 1970 onward were attributed to inbreeding. The emergence of inbreeding between 1950 and 1970 coincides with the increase in fishing mortality after World War II. Although the biological mechanisms remain speculative, our demonstration of inbreeding signals the need for understanding the social and mating behaviour in commercially important fishes.
Polymorphonuclear leukocyte-mediated cytolysis induced by animal lectin.

Nine animal lectins, i.e., Sarcophaga peregrina agglutinin, Balanus roseus agglutinin, Aplysia kurodai agglutinin, Balanus balanoides agglutinin, Tetraclita squamosa japonica agglutinin, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus lectin, Asterina pectinifera agglutinin, Helix aspersa agglutinin and Helix pomatia agglutinin, were tested for induction of cytolysis mediated by polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Among them, S. peregrina agglutinin and B. roseus agglutinin lysed murine target cells in co-operation with polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) from the peritoneal cavity of mice. PMNs can lyse various tumor cells in the presence of S. peregrina agglutinin, although normal spleen cells were also lysed. This lectin-dependent cytolysis by PMNs was inhibited by galactose, a sugar which is specifically recognized by S. peregrina agglutinin. S. peregrina and B. roseus agglutinins were inhibitory to in vivo development of MM46 tumor cells. These results suggest that PMNs can lyse various target cells in the presence of appropriate animal lectins and that some animal lectins participate in tumor rejection.
Bone breaking strength and apparent metabolisability of calcium and phosphorus in selected and unselected broiler chicken genotypes

1. The present study examined the bone strength and apparent mineral metabolisability of a selected broiler chicken compared with those of a relatively unselected genotype. 2. Selected (SB) and unselected genotypes (UB) were reared under standard conditions and were fed on either a high quality (HQ) or a low quality (LQ) diet. Tibiotarsi samples were collected at 42 d from SB and compared to tibiotarsi from UB of the same age and the same body mass (BM). 3. Bones were assessed for: bone breaking strength (BBS), morphology (weight and length), and both organic (OM) and inorganic content (ASH). Apparent dry matter digestibility and the coefficient of apparent metabolisability of calcium and phosphorus were determined at the same BM. 4. The BBS of SB (214 ± 9 N) was greater than that of same-age UB (119 ± 8 N) but the same as that of same-BM UB (218 ± 10 N). At the same age, the SB had stronger, heavier bones with more ash and organic matter per unit length of tibiotarsus than UB. At the same BM, the tibiotarsi of the SB were shorter and lighter, with a higher ash and a similar organic content than the bones of the UB. At the same BM, BBS was about 15% lower in both genotypes fed on the LQ compared to the HQ diet. 5. The coefficients of apparent metabolisability of calcium and phosphorus were the same in both genotypes when fed on the HQ diet, but were lower in the SB than in the UB genotype when the birds were given the LQ diet. 6. The tibiotarsi of the selected broilers were stronger, or at least as strong, as those of the unselected broiler genotype, which may be due to similar levels of apparent calcium metabolisability of the selected chickens.
Lung function and farm size predict healthy worker effect in swine farmers.

BACKGROUND Swine farmers are exposed to a number of airborne contaminants associated with respiratory ill health. OBJECTIVES To examine the factors associated with healthy worker effect in the swine industry from a longitudinal follow-up of farmers at 4 years and 13 years. DESIGN A prospective study of swine farmers and nonexposed rural residents was conducted using similar questionnaires and same spirometer at each time point. RESULTS In the original observations in 1990/1991, we studied 302 swine farmers and 261 nonfarming control subjects. Four years later in 1994/1995, 217 swine farmers and 171 nonfarming control subjects of the original group participated again. In 2003/2004, 163 swine farmers and 118 control subjects were retested. Of the 163 swine farmers, 52 remained active swine farmers and 111 were no longer swine farming, thus providing the opportunity to evaluate work continuity in the industry. Among farmers studied in 2003/2004, mean values for percentage of predicted FEV(1)/FVC ratio and forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of FVC were lower in those who had quit swine farming compared to those still swine farming and nonfarming control subjects. The herd size in the barn at baseline in 1990/1991 and at interim follow-up in 1994/1995 was a significant predictor of quitting swine farming. In addition, percentage of predicted FEV(1)/FVC at the interim observation was a significant predictor of quitting swine farming. CONCLUSIONS There is a significant healthy worker effect among swine farmers. The continuation of work in the facilities may be predicted by herd size and interim lung function.