Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Herbo-mineral supplementation in men with idiopathic oligoasthenoteratospermia : A double blind randomized placebo-controlled trial

Introduction: There is insufficient scientific data on the medical management options for idiopathic oligoasthenoteratospermia (iOATs). We conducted a double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial to assess the efficacy and safety of the herbo-mineral supplement, Addyzoa®, in infertile men with iOATs. We also evaluated its effect on semen reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and DNA fragmentation index. Materials and Methods: Fifty infertile men with iOATS were recruited into an institutional ethics committee approved protocol from April to August 2009. Randomization was done using numbered, identical containers. Baseline semen samples were evaluated for routine parameters, ROS level, DNA fragmentation index and TAC. Drug/placebo was administered at a dose of two capsules twice a day for 3 months. All parameters were reassessed at 3 months and clinical side-effects were recorded. The study was registered with the Clinical Trials Registry of India and is available at www.ctri. in as study protocol number CTRI/2009/091/000551. Results: Forty-four subjects completed the study, 21 in the drug arm and 23 in the placebo arm. There was no difference in baseline parameters between the two groups. Men in the drug group had significant improvement in mean total motility from 23.2 ± 17.3% to 33.4 ± 23.2% (P-value: 0.008) and mean progressive (Type A+B) motility from 15.7 ± 12.6% to 22.6 ± 18.0% (P-value: 0.024). ROS, TAC and DFI did not change significantly in either group and did not show any correlation with other semen parameters. Conclusions: Treatment with Addyzoa resulted in a significant improvement in total and progressive motility in the semen of men with iOATs after 3 months of therapy. There was no change in the sperm concentration, ROS, DFI or TAC levels.
A comparison of the NCT Reichert R7 with Goldmann applanation tonometry and the Reichert ocular response analyzer

Citation information: Jorge J, González‐Méijome JM, Queirós A, Fernandes P & Diaz‐Rey JA. A comparison of the NCT Reichert R7 with Goldmann applanation tonometry and the Reichert ocular response analyzer. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2011, 31, 174–179. doi: 10.1111/j.1475‐1313.2010. 00817.x
and testosterone profiles in a songbird Female plumage colour influences seasonal oxidative damage

Supplementary data ml http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing. org/content/suppl/2013/08/19/rsbl.2013. 0539.DC1. ht "Data Supplement" References http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing. org/content/9/5/20130539.full. html#ref-list-1 This article cites 21 articles, 7 of which can be accessed free Subject collections (668 articles) evolution  (667 articles) ecology  (626 articles) behaviour  Articles on similar topics can be found in the following collections
Mitochondrial quality control during inheritance is associated with lifespan and mother–daughter age asymmetry in budding yeast

Fluorescence loss in photobleaching experiments and analysis of mitochondrial function using superoxide and redox potential biosensors revealed that mitochondria within individual yeast cells are physically and functionally distinct. Mitochondria that are retained in mother cells during yeast cell division have a significantly more oxidizing redox potential and higher superoxide levels compared to mitochondria in buds. Retention of mitochondria with more oxidizing redox potential in mother cells occurs to the same extent in young and older cells and can account for the age‐associated decline in total cellular mitochondrial redox potential in yeast as they age from 0 to 5 generations. Deletion of Mmr1p, a member of the DSL1 family of tethering proteins that localizes to mitochondria at the bud tip and is required for normal mitochondrial inheritance, produces defects in mitochondrial quality control and heterogeneity in replicative lifespan (RLS). Long‐lived mmr1Δ cells exhibit prolonged RLS, reduced mean generation times, more reducing mitochondrial redox potential and lower mitochondrial superoxide levels compared to wild‐type cells. Short‐lived mmr1Δ cells exhibit the opposite phenotypes. Moreover, short‐lived cells give rise exclusively to short‐lived cells, while the majority of daughters of long‐lived cells are long lived. These findings support the model that the mitochondrial inheritance machinery promotes retention of lower‐functioning mitochondria in mother cells and that this process contributes to both mother–daughter age asymmetry and age‐associated declines in cellular fitness.
Involvement of the olivocochlear bundle in the detection of tones in noise.

To investigate the involvement of auditory efferents in hearing-in-noise in humans, olivocochlear bundle (OCB) functioning and detection-in-noise abilities were compared in 30 subjects. OCB function was assessed in terms of contralateral attenuation of evoked otoacoustic emissions (EOAE): i.e., the reduction in EOAE amplitude elicited by a 30-dB SL contralateral broadband noise. Correspondingly, the detection thresholds for 1- and 2-kHz tone pips embedded in 50-dB SPL broadband noise were measured in the same ear as the EOAEs, successively in the presence and in the absence of a 30-dB SL broadband noise in the opposite ear. The shifts in detection threshold induced by the contralateral stimulation could thus be compared to those in EOAEs. The results indicated significant statistical correlations between the contralateral attenuation of EOAEs and (1) the detection threshold of the 2-kHz signal and (2) the contralaterally induced shift in the 1- and 2-kHz thresholds. Furthermore, the correlation between contralaterally induced reduction of EOAE amplitude and contralaterally induced threshold shift was observed only in the group of subjects who had first performed the detection task in the presence of contralateral stimulation. These results, which suggest that OCB is involved in detection of tones in noise in humans, are discussed in relation to previous physiological and behavioral studies of OCB function.
Awareness of Illness in Patients With Bipolar I Disorder With or Without Comorbid Anxiety Disorders

Background: The present study examined whether specific types of comorbid anxiety disorders, namely panic disorder (PD), social phobia (SP) and obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) are differentially associated with course variables and insight into bipolar illness. Method: The sample consisted of 151 consecutively hospitalized patients with bipolar I disorder. They were assessed in the week prior to discharge using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R (SCID-P), the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF) and the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL-90). Level of insight was assessed with the Scale to assess Unawareness of Mental Disorders (SUMD). Results: Of the 151 bipolar subjects, 92 had no PD, SP and OCD comorbidity, 35 had PD and 24 had SP and/or OCD. The three groups differed significantly on the current awareness of illness and treatment response scores and the retrospective awareness of illness and treatment response scores. Post-hoc analyses revealed that, compared with bipolar patients without PD/SD/OCD and those with comorbid PD, patients with comorbid SP and/or OCD had better insight on current awareness of illness, current awareness of treatment response, retrospective awareness of illness and retrospective awareness of treatment response. The regression analysis showed that the presence of no panic type anxiety comorbidity was a predictor of good insight. Conclusions: These data indicate the value of identifying comorbid anxiety disorders in patients with bipolar illness. The results could be interpreted as evidence of discrete disorders within the bipolar spectrum, one that is characterized by, among other things, SP and/or OCD with good insight, another characterized by PD with poor insight.
Conceptual models for real-world locomotion

During human and animal locomotion, the dynamics of the body can be represented with the help of simplified biomechanical models, such as the spring-mass model (often described as spring-loaded inverted pendulum, SLIP model). In this model, it is assumed that the force generated by each limb resembles that of a linear spring. Furthermore, it is assumed that force generated by the leg mainly acts in leg axis, e.g. the connecting line between contact point (foot) and body (center of mass). Finally, the contact point at the ground is considered fixed during ground contact. Although all of these assumptions are considerable simplifications compared to most biological and artificial legged systems, this gait model provides a useful template for developing more detailed gait models taking leg segmentation (thigh, shank, foot), non-elastic leg properties (e.g. damping, variable leg spring properties), upper body (trunk), neuro-muscular properties (e.g. reflexes) and multiple legs (e.g. bipedal configuration) into account.
Diagnosis from first principles for workflow executions

Workflow executions may fail because executed activities do not behave as intended. In this paper we present the concept of diagnosis for faulty workflow executions based on first principle diagnosis. This approach requires the definition of the system behavior by logical sentences. Since Colored-Petri nets (CPN) are among the most popular methods for expressing the semantics of workflows we show how CPN-based workflow descriptions can be transformed in a set of logical sentences. These sentences provide a semantics which is equivalent to the original semantics based on CPN. We show that the logical description of a workflow together with a description of an observed execution behavior allow a correct and complete characterization of diagnoses. Consequently, methods from first principle diagnosis can be applied to correctly and completely compute diagnoses for workflow executions.
Difficulties to the Crops Forage Integration in Agricultural Farms in the Sudanian Area of Benin ( West Africa )

Inadequate feed and nutrition are major constraints to livestock production in sub-Saharan Africa. The available foraging of natural pastures is gradually decreasing with the degradation of grasslands pastures and extensive cultural practices combined with climatic variability. It is urgent to think of alternatives to alleviate this state of affairs. It is for this purpose that a survey was conducted among 122 cattle farmers on the difficulties related to the integration of fodder crops on farms in northern Benin from April to June 2016. Data for the study was collected by the use of interview schedule. Percentage, mean score and standard deviation were used for analyzing data collected for the study. Results revealed that, 103 farmers don’t opted for grazing land mainly because of the existence of free natural grazing land, land factors and the unavailability of seeds. Pastoralists who have integrated forage farming into their production systems encounter many difficulties. Major problems militating against adoption of forage cropping are the limits to the supply of plant material (38.4%), forage conservation (12%), plot maintenance (9%), the effects of wildfires (8%), high costs of closing forage plots (20.1%) and lack of supervision (12.5%). The successful adoption of large numbers of fodder crops in agro-pastoral farms requires the sensitization, training of agro-pastoralists and the supply of fodder seeds to them. If farmers are to take advantage of forage technology to meet livestock market demands, new approaches need to be applied to targeting, designing and conducting research, and providing outcomes to farmers.
Interactive Visual Exploration of Latent Space (IVELS) for peptide auto-encoder model selection

We present a tool for Interactive Visual Exploration of Latent Space (IVELS) for model selection. Evaluating generative models of discrete sequences from a continuous latent space is a challenging problem, since their optimization involves multiple competing objective terms. We introduce a model-selection pipeline to compare and filter models throughout consecutive stages of more complex and expensive metrics. We present the pipeline in an interactive visual tool to enable the exploration of the metrics, analysis of the learned latent space, and selection of the best model for a given task. We focus specifically on the variational auto-encoder family in a case study of modeling peptide sequences, which are short sequences of amino acids. This task is especially interesting due to the presence of multiple attributes we want to model. We demonstrate how an interactive visual comparison can assist in evaluating how well an unsupervised auto-encoder meaningfully captures the attributes of interest in its latent space.
Documenting Food Safety Claims and Their Influence on Product Prices

In response to increasing customer attention to food attributes, agribusinesses are employing novel product differentiation strategies. As an example, we investigate the use of food safety claims on new packaged food products from the food manufacturers’ perspective. First, using two product innovation databases, we investigate claim use on labels in seven English-speaking countries over the period from 1980 to 2008. Then, based on manufacturer recommended selling prices and using U.S. data (from 2002 to 2008), we apply parametric and nonparametric hedonic methods to identify supply-side (agribusiness) valuations of chemical and microbiological claims in two food categories. We identify a significant 5 cent premium per ounce for a “preservative free” claim in spoonable yogurts. We do not find a statistically significant impact for “E. coli free” messages on meat and poultry products but find a significant price premium (19.3 cents and 25.7 cents per ounce in the two models) for “antibiotic free” claims in this category.
Bispecific anti ‐ CD 3 x anti ‐ HER 2 antibody mediates T cell cytolytic activity to HER 2 ‐ positive colorectal cancer in vitro and in vivo

targeting Her2 overexpressed breast cancer cells with anti-Her2 monoclonal antibodies inhibits tumor growth. Here we investigated whether Her2 can serve as a target for t cell-mediated immunotherapy of human colorectal carcinoma. Specific cytolytic activity of activated t cells (atcs) armed with anti-cD3 x anti-Her2 bispecific antibody (Her2Bi-ab) against Her2+ tumor cells was evaluated by bioluminescent signal generated by luciferase reporter on tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. in contrast to unarmed atcs, increased cytotoxic activity of Her2Bi-armed atcs against Her2+ tumor cells was observed. Moreover, Her2Bi-armed atcs expressed higher level of activation marker CD69 and secreted significantly higher levels of ifn-γ than the unarmed atc counterpart. in addition, compared with anti-Her2 mab (Herceptin®) or unarmed ATC, HER2Bi‐armed ATCs showed significant suppression against colorectal carcinoma cells. in colorectal tumor cell xenograft mice, infusion of Her2Bi-armed atcs successfully inhibited the growth of colo205-luc cells. the Her2Bi-armed atcs with anti-tumor effects may provide a promising immunotherapy for colorectal carcinoma in the future.
Mitochondrial electron transport chain, ROS generation and uncoupling (Review)

The mammalian mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) includes complexes I-IV, as well as the electron transporters ubiquinone and cytochrome c. There are two electron transport pathways in the ETC: Complex I/III/IV, with NADH as the substrate and complex II/III/IV, with succinic acid as the substrate. The electron flow is coupled with the generation of a proton gradient across the inner membrane and the energy accumulated in the proton gradient is used by complex V (ATP synthase) to produce ATP. The first part of this review briefly introduces the structure and function of complexes I-IV and ATP synthase, including the specific electron transfer process in each complex. Some electrons are directly transferred to O2 to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the ETC. The second part of this review discusses the sites of ROS generation in each ETC complex, including sites IF and IQ in complex I, site IIF in complex II and site IIIQo in complex III, and the physiological and pathological regulation of ROS. As signaling molecules, ROS play an important role in cell proliferation, hypoxia adaptation and cell fate determination, but excessive ROS can cause irreversible cell damage and even cell death. The occurrence and development of a number of diseases are closely related to ROS overproduction. Finally, proton leak and uncoupling proteins (UCPS) are discussed. Proton leak consists of basal proton leak and induced proton leak. Induced proton leak is precisely regulated and induced by UCPs. A total of five UCPs (UCP1-5) have been identified in mammalian cells. UCP1 mainly plays a role in the maintenance of body temperature in a cold environment through non-shivering thermogenesis. The core role of UCP2-5 is to reduce oxidative stress under certain conditions, therefore exerting cytoprotective effects. All diseases involving oxidative stress are associated with UCPs.
Near-optimal integration of orientation information across saccadic eye movements.

Visual acuity rapidly declines with eccentricity. Consequently humans move their eyes several times per second, repeatedly placing a new target region of the scene under the high-resolution scrutiny of the fovea. But what happens to the low resolution information acquired in the periphery just before the fovea lands on its new target? Integrating the pre-saccadic information into the post-saccadic estimate would make sense, as it can only reduce the error of the internal representation. But given the discrepancy in acuity between fovea and periphery, under normal viewing conditions the pre-saccadic view will contribute only marginally to the overall accuracy of the estimate. We used the well-established theoretical and experimental framework of cue integration to examine whether, and to what extent, human observers integrate pre- and post-saccadic orientation information. Untrained observers were asked to saccade on cue to one of two pre-determined peripheral targets (5 deg. eccentricity left or right). An oriented Gabor patch was visible either before the saccade, after the saccade, or both before and after saccade. Subjects were asked to determine whether the Gabor was oriented clockwise or counter-clockwise relative to vertical. In order to maximize the potential gain from saccadic integration, the contrast of the Gabor differed between the foveal and peripheral views (unbeknownst to the observers) and was experimentally set so that, for each subject, discriminability at the foveal and peripheral locations was approximately equal. Analysis of the results indicates that subjects integrate pre- and post-saccadic orientation information near optimally, achieving better orientation discriminability when the target is visible both before and after saccade. We conclude that humans are equipped with the apparatus to integrate low-level visual information across saccadic eye movements. Meeting abstract presented at VSS 2015.
Parallel loss of presynaptic and postsynaptic dopamine markers in normal aging

Aging of the human brain is associated with a decline in dopamine (DA) function, generally interpreted as reflecting DA cell loss. Postitron emission tomography studies revealed that in healthy individuals, the age‐related losses in DA transporters (presynaptic marker) were associated with losses in D2 receptors (postsynaptic marker) rather than with increases as is known to occur with DA cell loss. This association was specific for DA synaptic markers, because they were not correlated with striatal metabolism. Furthermore, the association was independent of age, suggesting that a common mechanism regulates the expression of receptors and transporters irrespective of age.
Pattern formation in biology : a comparison of models and experiments H Meinhardt The helical structure of DNA facilitates binding

The formation and growth of multi-cellular organisms and tissues from several genetically identical embryo cells is one of the most fundamental natural phenomena. These processes are stimulated and governed by multiple biological signaling molecules, which are also called morphogens. Embryo cells are able to read and pass genetic information by measuring the non-uniform concentration profiles of signaling molecules. It is widely believed that the establishment of concentration profiles of morphogens, commonly referred as morphogen gradients, is a result of complex biophysical and biochemical processes that might involve diffusion and degradation of locally produced signaling molecules. In this review, we discuss various theoretical aspects of the mechanisms for morphogen gradient formation, including stationary and transient dynamics, the effect of source delocalization, diffusion, different degradation mechanisms, and the role of spatial dimensions. Theoretical predictions are compared with experimental observations. In addition, we analyze the potential alternative mechanisms of the delivery of biological signals in embryo cells and tissues. Current challenges in understanding the mechanisms of morphogen gradients and future directions are also discussed.
Dietary factors in the prevention of dental caries: a systematic review

The aim of this study was, systematically, to evaluate the effect of dietary changes in the prevention of dental caries. A search and analysis strategy was followed, as suggested by the Swedish Council on Technology Assessment in Health Care (SBU). The search strategy for articles published in 1966–2003 was performed using electronic databases and reference lists of articles and selected textbooks. Out of 714 articles originally identified, 18 met the inclusion criteria for a randomized or controlled clinical trial—at least 2 years' follow‐up and caries increment as a primary endpoint. This included the total or partial substitution of sucrose with sugar substitutes or the addition of protective foods to chewing gum. No study was found evaluating the effect of information designed to reduce sugar intake/frequency as a single preventive measure. It is suggested that the evidence for the use of sorbitol or xylitol in chewing gum, or for the use of invert sugar, is inconclusive. No caries‐preventive effect was found from adding calcium phosphate or dicalcium phosphate dihydrate to chewing gums. The review clearly demonstrates the need for well‐designed randomized clinical studies with adequate control groups and high compliance.
An investigation of the effects of intravenous injection of the 5-hydroxytryptamine 2 receptor antagonists ketanserin and LY 53857 on blood pressure in anesthetized spontaneously hypertensive rats.

The mode of action of i.v. injected ketanserin, LY 53857 and other 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT2) receptor antagonists in lowering blood pressure was examined in anesthetized and pithed spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). In pithed SHR, LY 53857 (1 mg kg-1) had no effect on alpha-1 or alpha-2 adrenoceptors, but ketanserin (1 mg kg-1) had some potency as an alpha-1 adrenoceptor antagonist, being approximately 100 times less potent than prazosin. Both ketanserin and LY 53857 (0.01 mg kg-1) markedly antagonized the pressor response to 5-HT. In pentobarbitone-anesthetized SHR, ketanserin and LY 53857 (1 mg kg-1) were equieffective at lowering diastolic blood pressure (DBP) subsequent to prazosin (1 mg kg-1), although ketanserin (1 mg kg-1) was more effective at lowering DBP in the absence of prazosin. The blood pressure lowering effects of LY 53857 were unaffected by the peripherally acting 5-HT2 receptor antagonist BW 501C. Neither LY 53857 nor ketanserin lowered DBP in pithed rats. It is concluded that ketanserin in high doses lowers DBP in anesthetized SHR partly by alpha-1 adrenoceptor blockade, but that ketanserin and LY 53857 in high doses have additional blood pressure lowering properties, unrelated to peripheral 5-HT2 receptor blockade.