Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Revertant muscle fibers expressing dystrophin do not tolerize the immune system in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: lessons learned from a Phase I clinical trial (96.9)

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is characterized by progressive muscle weakness due to mutation of the dystrophin gene. Muscle inflammation is an unexplained feature of DMD. T lymphocytes dominate the inflammatory infiltrate but antigen(s) they target have not been identified. Here we evaluated T cell immunity to dystrophin in 6 humans with DMD before and after delivery of a gene therapy vector to skeletal muscle. The vector transgene encoded a miniaturized version of human dystrophin that restores muscle function in animal models of DMD. Sustained transgene expression was not observed in any of the subjects. Non-self epitopes encoded by the vector transgene, but deleted from the defective dystrophin gene, provoked CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses in a subset of the subjects. Dystrophin-specific T cell immunity was unexpectedly detected in two subjects before gene therapy. Epitopes were mapped to revertant dystrophin protein spontaneously expressed in rare muscle fibers when alternative splicing restores the correct open reading frame. Delivery of the minidystrophin gene to skeletal muscle of one subject provoked a very rapid increase in the frequency of these self-reactive T cells. T cell priming by idiosyncratic expression of revertant dystrophin could explain muscle inflammation and contribute to the pathogenesis of DMD. Recall of auto-reactive T cells also has important clinical significance in the design and monitoring of experimental therapies for this disease.
Toxinas paralizantes en moluscos bivalvos durante una proliferación de Gymnodinium catenatum Graham en la Bahía de La Paz, México

From February to March 2007 a harmful algae bloom of Gymnodinium catenatum Graham ocurred in Bahia de La Paz, Mexico, with cell densities from 6 x 10 5 to 2,39 x 10 6 cells L -1 . During this event the toxin concentration and toxin profile of paralytic shellfish toxins in mollusks (Pinna rugosa, Modiolus capax, Megapitaria squalida, Periglypta multicostata, Dosinia ponderosa, and Megapitaria aurantiaca), and in phytoplankton samples were determined. Some physicochemical data were obtained. The average values of the surface temperature and dissolved oxygen were 20.9 ± 0.7 °C and 6.9 ± 0.3 mg L -1 . The average concentrations of nitrites, nitrates, ammonium, phosphates, and silicates were 0.22 ± 0.05, 1.04 ± 0.33, 0.89 ± 0.88, 0.81 ± 0.76, and 8.85 ± 1.60 µM, respectively. The concentration of paralytic shellfish
Latitudinal Variation in Leaf and Tree Traits of the Mangrove Avicennia germinans (Avicenniaceae) in the Central Region of the Gulf of Mexico

The variation in leaf mass per area, leaf nutrients (% carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus), and the allometric relation between tree height and diameter of the black mangrove, Avicennia germinans, were explored in nine mangrove forests in similar environments along a 5° latitudinal gradient in the central region of the Gulf of Mexico, as indicated by a southward increase in temperature and precipitation. There was no correlation between leaf nitrogen or phosphorus content and latitude. Leaf mass per area and leaf carbon content were positively correlated with latitude and negatively correlated with temperature and annual rainfall, whereas asymptotic tree height and maximum diameter showed the opposite trend. Such patterns suggest a trade‐off between leaf traits and tree size which may be constrained by the same environmental factors along a dry‐cold to humid‐warm latitudinal gradient.
Influence of season, drought and xylem ABA on stomatal responses to leaf-to-air vapour pressure difference of trees of the Australian wet-dry tropics

This paper reports the results of two experiments undertaken to investigate the influence of season and soil drying on stomatal responses to leaf-to-air vapour pressure differences. We examined the response of stomatal conductance to increasing leaf-to-air vapour pressure difference, in the wet and dry seasons, of five tropical tree species. We also examined leaves of these species for anatomical differences to determine whether this could explain differences in stomatal sensitivity to leaf-to-air vapour pressure differences. Finally, we conducted a split-root experiment with one of those species to look for interactions between xylem abscisic acid concentration, predawn water potential, leaf area to root mass ratio and stomatal responses to leaf-to-air vapour pressure differences. Stomatal conductance declined linearly with increasing leaf-to-air vapour pressure difference in all species. Leaves that expanded in the ‘dry’ season were more sensitive to leaf-to-air vapour pressure differences than those that had expanded in the ‘wet’ season. The value of leaf-to-air vapour pressure difference where 50% of extrapolated maximum stomatal conductance would occur was 5.5 kPa for wet season but only 3.4 kPa for dry season leaves. In the wet season, transpiration rate increased with increasing leaf-to-air vapour pressure difference in most example species. However, in the dry season, transpiration was constant as leaf-to-air vapour pressure differences increased in most cases. There were significant changes in the proportion of cell wall exposed to air space in leaves, between wet and dry seasons, in three of four species examined. In the split-root experiment, a very mild water stress increased stomatal sensitivity to leaf-to-air vapour pressure differences, and stomatal conductivity declined linearly with decreasing predawn water potential. However, levels of ABA in the xylem did not change, and stomatal sensitivity to exogenous ABA did not change. The ratio of leaf area to root mass declined during water stress and was correlated to changes in stomatal sensitivity to leaf-to-air vapour pressure differences.
Medium-chain fatty acids – Nutritional function and application to cooking oil

Medium-chain fatty acids, which are saturated fatty acids composed of 8–10 carbons, have unique nutritional characteristics different from those of long-chain fatty acids. Medium-chain triacylglycerol (MCT) is more readily digested and absorbed than long-chain triacylglycerol (LCT), and easily utilized as energy. The use of MCT as an edible oil is limited because it has a low smoking point and easily foams during deep-frying like lauric acid does. Medium- and long-chain triacylglycerol (MLCT) prepared by transesterification between MCT and LCT has a higher smoking point and reduced foaming property. MLCT oil has been shown to result in less body fat accumulation in animal and human studies. It has been approved as a food for specified health use (FOSHU) and widely sold in Japan as a cooking oil less likely to lead to body fat accumulation.
Effects of Dietary Panax Ginseng, Dioscorea Japonica and Oriental Medicine Refuse on Productivity of Korean Native Chicken

본 연구는 경상북도 축산기술연구소에서 보유하고 있는 재래닭 160수를 공시하여 인삼부산물(잎 줄기), 산약부산물(박피후 건조껍질), 한약(달인후 찌꺼기) 부산물을 각각 5%씩 기본사료에 첨가 급여하였다. 시험기간은 부화후 8주령에 시작하여 20주령에 종료하였으며, 재래닭의 사료섭취량, 증체량, 사료요구율, 폐사율등의 생산성에 미치는 영향을 조사하였다. 영양소 섭취량에서 건물섭취량은 대조구가 125.79g 인삼구 122.26g, 산약구 122.30g, 한약구 123.72g으로 대조구가 처리구에 비해 가장 많이 섭취하였으나 통계적 유의성은 없었다. 건물소화율은 대조구와 산약구에서 62.89% 및 61.20%로서 인삼구의 55.44%, 한약구의 59.76 %보다 높았다(p $ 0.05). 체중변화는 전체적으로 수탉이 암탉보다 월등히 무거웠으며, 16주령에서는 대조구, 인삼구, 산약구, 한약구가 각각 1,436.6g, 1,427.2g, 1,546.0g, 1,442. 0g로서 특히 산약구가 가장 무거웠다(p $ 0.05). 사료섭취량은 대조구, 인삼구, 산약구, 한약구에서 각각 6,087 g, 5,947g, 5,816g, 5,852g으로 대조구가 가장 높았다. 사료요구율은 전시험기간 동안 대조구에 비해 처리구가 다소 높은 경향이었고, 특히 인삼구에서 가장 높은 결과를 나타내었다. 폐사수는 대조구에 비해 처리구에서 유의성 있게 낮은 결과를 나타내었다(p $ 0.05). 재래닭의 생체중, 도체중 및 각 부분육 생산량은 처리구 사이에 유의성이 없었으나, 복강지방량은 대조구와 한약구에서 산약구와 인삼구에 비해 높았다(p $ 0.05). 【This study was conducted to investigate the influence of dietary Panax Ginseng Refuse(PGR), Dioscorea Japonica Refuse(DJR) and Oriental Medicine Refuse(OMR) on performance(feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion, mortality) of Korean Native Chicken(KNC). KNC were randomly assigned to one of the 4 dietary treatment : 1) control(commercial feed), 2) PGR(commercial feed supplemented with 5% panax ginseng leaves) 3) DJR(commercial feed with 5% dioscorea japonica hulls and 4) OMR (commercial feed with 5% oriental medicine refuse). 160 KNC were fed one of the above experimental diet for 12 weeks and slaughtered at 20 weeks of age. Daily DM intake of control, PGR, DJR and OMR diet were 125.79g, 122.26g, 122.30g and 123.72g, respectively, with no significantly difference(p $>$ 0.05). The DM utilizability of control and DJR(62.89% and 61.20%) diets were higher(p $ 0.05) than those of PGR and OMR(55.44% and 59.76%)(p $ 0.05). 16 weeks weight of bird fed control, PGR, DJR and OMR diets were 1,436.6g, 1,427.2g, 1,546g and 1,422.0g respectively with DJR being the highest than other treatments(p $ 0.05). Total feed intake of control, PGR, DJR and OMR diets were 6,087g, 5,947g, 5,816g and 5,852g, respectively where control was higher than other treatments. The feed conversion of PGR, DJR and OMR were higher than the control. Chicken housed mortality of control, PGR, DJR and OMR were respectively 24, 15, 13 and 20 birds with rather lower mortality in the supplented groups(p $ 0.05). The body weight, carcass weight and carcass yield were not different among the treatments. But abdominal fat of chicken in control and OMR groups were higher than that of DJR and PGR groups. 】
Do Alien Plants Reduce Insect Biomass?

Alien plants, defined here as species whose evolutionary history occurred elsewhere, are replacing native vegetation in natural ecosystems and anthropogenic landscapes throughout North America (Williamson 1996; Mooney & Hobbs 2000; Pimentel et al. 2000). At least 5000 alien plant species have been introduced to the United States, either intentionally or by accident. Hundreds are now well established in natural ecosystems, but many more reside as ornamentals in managed gardens. Some species are aggressively invasive and disperse rapidly by wind, water, and animal transport, whereas others with no invasive characteristics are planted each year in millions of suburban hectares from which native plants have been removed. A number of biotic and abiotic consequences of the large-scale replacement of native vegetation have been recognized (e.g., Randall 1996; Cox 1999; Levin 2002). However, one potentially important impact that has received little empirical attention concerns the replacement of native plants that are palatable to a diverse array of specialist and generalist insect herbivores with alien species predicted to be partially or entirely unpalatable to most native phytophagous insects. Several researchers have examined the relationship between phytophagous insects and alien plants from the phytocentric perspective of how insects affect the fitness of such plants (reviewed in Keane & Crawley 2002). Others have shown that the diversity of invertebrates in a habitat is reduced by alien species (Olckers & Hulley 1991; Samways et al. 1996), but no one has explicitly designed a study to measure the impact of alien plants on the production of native insect biomass. Such studies are essential to the management of natural and anthropogenic landscapes for biodiversity because phytophagous insects play a critical role in transferring energy from plants to higher trophic levels (Wilson 1987). An estimated 37% of all animal species are insects that eat green plants (Weis & Berenbaum 1989), and these, or the predatory and parasitic insects that eat them, comprise essential parts of the diets of innumerable species of reptiles, amphibians,
The effect of pH and ABA on the hydraulic conductivity of Nitella membranes

The method of transcellular osmosis was used to compare the hydraulic permeability (LP) of Nitella membranes at different pH's. LP did not change when the pH ranged from 5.0 to 7.0 but dropped slightly when the pH was 4.4 or below. Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane buffer and abscissic acid (ABA) both increased LP significantly.
Resting state connectivity predicts implicit sequence learning performance: a replication and extension

PARTICIPANTS § 33 young adults ages 18-34 (M±SD = 20.7 ± 2.6) from Washington, DC metro area § 2 participants subsequently eliminated from all analyses due to image artifact or meeting study drug exclusion criteria (final sample: N = 31) fMRI DATA ACQUISITION & PREPROCESSING § Subjects scanned in resting state (eyes open) for 11 minutes in 3T Siemens Trio magnet § 264 whole brain images, gradient EPI acquisition (TR = 2500ms, TE = 30ms, 90oflip angle, FOV = 192 x192mm, voxel size = 3 mm isotropic) § Data preprocessing in SPM8 (Slice Time Correction/Realignment, Normalization to EPI template, Resliced to 3mm, Smoothing {8mm FWHM}, Band-pass filtering, and “scrubbing” (Power et al., 2012) with at least 200 volumes retained per participant BEHAVIORAL TESTING (see top middle panel) § Took place in scanner immediately following the resting scan § 3 sessions (720 trials) of the Triplets Learning Task (TLT; Howard, Howard, Dennis, & Kelly, 2008), modified for fMRI § Computer-based recognition task and interview to assess explicit awareness RESTING STATE FUNCTIONAL CONNECTIVITY CALCULATIONS § Bilateral dorsal caudate (DC) seed created in Marsbar as two spheres (R and L hemispheres) of radius 6mm, centered around coordinates taken from Di Martino et al. (2008) Seed based Voxelwise resting state connectivity: § For each subject, partial correlations computed between timecourse of DC seed and those of every other voxel in brain, controlling for motion (from realignment parameter timecourses) and physiological noise (approximated by timecourses of WM and CSF); resulting r-values converted to Z-scores before statistical analyses of correlation strengths § Produced brain map of intrinsic connectivity strength with the DC for each subject Correlations with SL performance: § Single-subjects’ whole brain connectivity maps entered as the DV in regression models (SPM8) testing for correlations with SL performance within a medial temporal lobe (MTL) region of interest, as well as across the whole brain § Mean framewise displacement included in models as a covariate of no interest § Whole Brain results corrected for multiple comparisons at P 54) Resting State Connectivity Predicts Implicit Sequence Learning Performance: A Replication and Extension
Sandy beaches at the brink

Sandy beaches line most of the world's oceans and are highly valued by society: more people use sandy beaches than any other type of shore. While the economic and social values of beaches are generally regarded as paramount, sandy shores also have special ecological features and contain a distinctive biodiversity that is generally not recognized. These unique ecosystems are facing escalating anthropogenic pressures, chiefly from rapacious coastal development, direct human uses — mainly associated with recreation — and rising sea levels. Beaches are increasingly becoming trapped in a ‘coastal squeeze’ between burgeoning human populations from the land and the effects of global climate change from the sea. Society's interventions (e.g. shoreline armouring, beach nourishment) to combat changes in beach environments, such as erosion and shoreline retreat, can result in severe ecological impacts and loss of biodiversity at local scales, but are predicted also to have cumulative large‐scale consequences worldwide. Because of the scale of this problem, the continued existence of beaches as functional ecosystems is likely to depend on direct conservation efforts. Conservation, in turn, will have to increasingly draw on a consolidated body of ecological theory for these ecosystems. Although this body of theory has yet to be fully developed, we identify here a number of critical research directions that are required to progress coastal management and conservation of sandy beach ecosystems.
G protein-coupled receptor regulation: The role of protein interactions and receptor trafficking

The superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) is the largest gene family in the human genome. GPCR-mediated signaling operates in every human cell, and about 50% of existing clinically useful drugs act through GPCR. Kinins are proinflammatory peptides that are rapidly produced extracellularly following pathological insults and tissue damage. These peptides act through two GPCR subtypes, B1 (B1R) and B2 (B2R), to elicit numerous inflammatory responses including vasodilatiation, increased vascular permeability, and pain. GPER1 (G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1) has recently been suggested as a novel estrogen receptor. Much controversy surrounds this receptor regarding its subcellular localization and activation. The aim of the present thesis was to explore the role of receptor trafficking and protein-interactions in kinin receptor regulation, as well as studying the receptor trafficking and signaling of GPER1. B1R forms homo-oligomers, which is required for proper B1R maturation and cell-surface expression. Furthermore, the endopeptidase EP24.15 is able to degrade BK intracellularly and attenuate maximal B2R responsiveness without influencing the potency of BK. Finally, GPER1 is localized both intracellularly and on the cell surface, where it is subject to rapid, constitutive endocytosis. Estrogen was found to elevate the level of cAMP in mouse myotube C2C12 cells, in a GPER1-dependent manner, but it is still not clear whether estrogen is the true agonist for GPER1. Taken together, the present thesis demonstrates the importance of protein-protein interactions and trafficking for B1R, B2R, and GPER1 regulation and activity. Understanding these mechanisms will be of great benefit in drug development by presenting novel drug targets. (Less)
Die Regulation des humanen Lipopolysaccharid bindenden Proteins (hLBP)

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) binding protein (LBP) is an acute phase protein with the ability to bind and transfer LPS of Gram-negative bacteria. This soluble pattern recognition molecule represents an important defense principle of the host. Regulation of the hepatic acute phase response and its termination are important mechanisms for limiting systemic inflammatory activity of the host. Here were analyze the cooperation of Interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, and Dexamethasone (Dex) at LBP expression in the hepatoma cell lines HuH-7 and Hep G2. The major inducer of LBP expression is IL-6. Within the LBP promoter numerously highly consensus binding sites such as AP-1, C/EBPbeta and STAT3 are present, that confer transcriptional activity as shown by truncation and mutation experiments. Additionally, activate NF-kappaB sites activated by IL-1 were detected at the LBP promoter. By mutation experiments of the promoter furthermore were found differentially active glucocorticoid response elements (GREs). The promoter contains GREs enhancing the activity as well as inhibitory ones. The enhancing effect towards LBP expression by Dex was mediated by IL-6. Dex stimulated the expression of the IL-6 receptor and therefore upregulated the IL-6 pathway. Transforming Growth Factor (TGF)-beta is able to inhibit LBP expression in stimulated cells. An AP-1 binding site was identified mediating inhibitory TGF-beta effects towards LBP promoter activity. Furthermore it was shown that a growth factor independence (Gfi)-1 binding site localized near the AP-1 site is essential for mediating the TGF-beta inhibitory effect. The relevancy of the Gfi-1 site fore mediating TGF-beta effects indicates a novel mechanism for understanding inhibitory TGF-beta effects at the transcriptional level. In summary the complex regulation of LBP were elucidate which may help to eventually develop novel intervention strategies for acute phase, sepsis, and septic shock.
Uma Abordagem Baseada em Modelos para Gerenciamento de Situações em CEP

This paper proposes a methodology to support situation awareness in complex event processing (CEP) systems, both at design time and runtime. At design time, the graphical language SML has been used, allowing developers to model situations at a high level of abstraction. At runtime, transformations were implemented from SML models to Java code, allowing the target platform (Esper) to detect and process situations described in SML. To illustrate the proposed methodology, an application scenario for monitoring influenza epidemics has been developed according to the recommendations described by the World Health Organization. Resumo. Este trabalho propõe uma metodologia para apoiar o uso de situações em sistemas de processamento de eventos complexos (CEP), tanto em tempo de design quanto em tempo de execução. Em tempo de design foi utilizada a linguagem gráfica SML, permitindo que desenvolvedores modelem situações num alto nível de abstração. Em tempo de execução, foram implementadas transformações de modelos SML para código Java, permitindo que a plataforma alvo (Esper) seja capaz de detectar e processar as situações descritas em SML. Para exemplificar a metodologia proposta, foi desenvolvida uma aplicação voltada para o cenário de detecção de Influenza, segundo as recomendações descritas pela Organização Mundial de Saúde.
Poliembrionia em citrus

The studies on polyembryony in Citrus reported in this paper show that there is a great variability in the degree of polyembryony among the seeds, fruits and trees of a same form or variety of Citrus. Seeds from different crops of the same plant also show considerable variation in the degree of polyembryony. In order to obtain reliable data on the degree of polyembryony in Citrus the samples for study should include a great number of seeds taken from several fruits of different trees. Since there is a yearly variation on the degree of polyembryony it was found necessary to study samples from several crops. The average number of embryos was determined by direct examination of individual seeds. Determinations based on the number of plants developed from every seed always give lower results as many embryos do not grow into seedlings.
Viral proteinases: targets of opportunity

During antiviral drug development, any essential stage of the viral life cycle can serve as a potential drug target. Since most viruses encode specific proteases whose cleavage activity is required for viral replication, and whose structure and activity are unique to the virus and not the host cell, these enzymes make excellent targets for drug development. Success using this approach has been demonstrated with the plethora of protease inhibitors approved for use against HIV. This discussion is designed to review the field of antiviral drug development, focusing on the search for protease inhibitors, while highlighting some of the challenges encountered along the way. Protease inhibitor drug discovery efforts highlighting progress made with HIV, HCV, HRV, and vaccinia virus as a model system are included. Drug Dev. Res. 67:501–510, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Insect larvae meal as an alternative source of nutrients in the diet of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) postsmolt

Two insect meal (IM) products were tested as ingredient in diets for Atlantic salmon weighing ~250 g. The modern control diet contained 200 g kg−1 fish meal (FM100), which was stepwise replaced by insect meal A (IM A) as a 25% (A25), 50% (A50) or 100% (A100) FM replacement or insect meal B (IM B) as a 25% (B25) or 100% (B100) FM replacement. Selected nutrient parameters and contaminants were measured in the diets. After 15 weeks, fish length and weight were recorded and visceral and hepatic indices calculated. Fatty acid and amino acid digestibility was calculated. Morphology of the liver, kidney, mid- and hind intestine was evaluated. Finally, a sensory testing of the fillets was conducted. A25, A50 and A100 performed equally well as the FM100 diet. The feed intake decreased moderately with increasing IM A inclusion; however, food conversion ratio decreased, resulting in an equal net growth of the fish. Histology did not show any differences between any of the dietary groups, and sensory testing of fillets from FM100, A100 and B25 did not reveal any significant differences in odour, flavour/taste or texture between groups. IM A was suitable to replace up to 100% of dietary FM, whilst IM B did not perform equally well.