Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Oral malodorous compound causes apoptosis and genomic DNA damage in human gingival fibroblasts.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Volatile sulfur compounds are the main cause of halitosis. Hydrogen sulfide is one of these volatile sulfur compounds and the principal malodorous compound in physiological halitosis. Periodontally pathogenic activities of hydrogen sulfide have been previously reported. Hydrogen sulfide induces apoptotic cell death in aorta smooth muscle cells and in other tissues. Apoptosis plays an important role in the onset and progress of periodontitis. The objective of this study was to determine whether hydrogen sulfide causes apoptosis in human gingival fibroblasts. MATERIAL AND METHODS Necrotic cells were detected using a lactate dehydrogenase assay. Apoptosis was ascertained using a histone-complexed DNA fragment assay and flow cytometry. The level of caspase 3, a key enzyme in apoptotic signaling, was also measured, and the effects of hydrogen sulfide on reactive oxygen species and superoxide dismutase were assessed. DNA damage caused by hydrogen sulfide was examined by means of single-cell gel electrophoresis. RESULTS After 72 h of incubation with 100 ng/mL of hydrogen sulfide, necrosis was found in less than 10% of human gingival fibroblasts, whereas apoptosis was significantly increased (p < 0.05). Superoxide dismutase activity was strongly inhibited, and reactive oxygen species production was enhanced, after 48 and 72 h of incubation. Caspase 3 activity was also increased after 72 h of incubation (p < 0.01). Tail length, percentage of DNA in tail, and tail moment, measured by single-cell gel electrophoresis, were also intensified after 72 h of incubation (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION Hydrogen sulfide caused apoptosis and DNA damage in human gingival fibroblasts. An increased level of reactive oxygen species stimulated by hydrogen sulfide may induce apoptosis and DNA strand breaks.
Structural abnormalities of the nervous system in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis

The broad repertoire of functions within the gastroin-testinal tract demands close co-ordination betweenvarious tissues and regions of the gut. It is no longerreasonable to consider the gut as a compartmentalizedorgan, in which secretion, motor function, sensoryperception and immune function operate indepen-dently. In health, recruitment and co-ordination ofthese systems is largely accomplished through thenervous system but also through the mucosal immunesystem. Interactions between the immune system andneuroendocrine system are evident in the innervationof immune organs, the effects of neurocrine factors onimmune cells and neuroendocrine responses to cyto-kines derived from immunological cells.
Efficient removal of crystal violet dye from aqueous solutions by vitreous tuff mineral

Textural, structural and morphological characteristics of the vitreous tuff were determined by means of several physicochemical techniques. The nitrogen adsorption isotherm at 77 K was fitted with the Brunnauer–Emmet–Teller model and together with the results of the average pore distribution showed a mesoporous material. Samples of vitreous tuff were used as adsorbent to study the removal of crystal violet from aqueous solution. The presence of -OH moieties in the material seems to be responsible for the removal of the dye showing that vitreous tuff can be used as an organic dye adsorbent material. The pseudo-second-order model was the best fit model for describing the sorption process of crystal violet; intraparticle diffusion being the controlling step in the process. The experimental adsorption isotherm was fitted with Langmuir, Freundlich and Langmuir–Freundlich models, showing better correlation with the second one. The adsorption capacity was 170.01 mg/g, being among the highest compared with other inorganic and organic common sorbent materials. The design of single stage of the adsorber can predict the behaviour to potential scale up. This mineral has a very good potential as an adsorbent material for organic dyes.
p21-activated Kinase (PAK1) Is Phosphorylated and Activated by 3-Phosphoinositide-dependent Kinase-1 (PDK1)*

In this study, we show that phosphorylated 3-phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 (PDK1) phosphorylates p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) in the presence of sphingosine. We identify threonine 423, a conserved threonine in the activation loop of kinase subdomain VIII, as the PDK1 phosphorylation site on PAK1. Threonine 423 is a previously identified PAK1 autophosphorylation site that lies within a PAK consensus phosphorylation sequence. After pretreatment with phosphatases, autophosphorylation of PAK1 occurred at all major sites except threonine 423. A phosphothreonine 423-specific antibody detected phosphorylation of recombinant, catalytically inactive PAK1 after incubation with wild-type PAK1, indicating phosphorylation of threonine 423 occurs by an intermolecular mechanism. The biological significance of PDK1 phosphorylation of PAK1 at threonine 423 in vitro is supported by the observation that these two proteins interact in vivo and that PDK1-phosphorylated PAK1 has an increased activity toward substrate. An increase of phosphorylation of catalytically inactive PAK1 was observed in COS-7 cells expressing wild-type, but not catalytically inactive, PDK1 upon elevation of intracellular sphingosine levels. PDK1 phosphorylation of PAK1 was not blocked by pretreatment with wortmannin or when PDK1 was mutated to prevent phosphatidylinositol binding, indicating this process is independent of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activity. The data presented here provide evidence for a novel mechanism for PAK1 regulation and activation.
Non–injection‐site necrotic skin lesions complicating postoperative heparin thromboprophylaxis

The patient case we present is a definite case of HIT from both clinical and serological perspectives. The 4Ts score was eventually 8/8 (maximum) based upon thrombocytopenia (88% platelet count fall to nadir of 58 × 109/L), appropriate timing (onset on Day 5 post-intraoperative UFH exposure), thrombosis (right lower limb DVTs, skin necrosis, anaphylactoid reaction to IV heparin, right hallux ischemic necrosis), and no plausible alternative explanation for thrombocytopenia. In addition, the patient had a strong positive SRA and PF4-dependent ELISA. Although necrotizing skin lesions distant from heparin injection sites are not a common consequence of HIT, their occurrence in this patient—along with previous supportive literature [11-13]—indicate that these lesions should be considered rare manifestations of HIT. Moreover, the distinct localization of the unusual necrotic skin rash to the right limb suggests that a low flow state due to the arterial obstruction or perhaps even as a result of an underlying venous thrombus, both of which were present in our patient, could play a key pathophysiological role in predisposing to this unusual complication of HIT.
Transcriptome analysis reveals dialogues between human trophectoderm and endometrial cells during the implantation period.

BACKGROUND Crosstalk between human trophectoderm (TE) and endometrial cells during the implantation window is a complex and not well-understood process. The aims of this study were (i) to evaluate the global gene expression profile in TE cells from Day 5 human blastocysts issued from IVF, (ii) to compare these data with the transcriptomic profile of endometrial cells in stimulated cycles for IVF and (iii) to identify potential early dialogues between maternal and embryonic cells during the implantation window. METHODS Endometrial biopsies (n = 18) from normal responder patients were performed on the day of embryo transfer (Day 5 after human chorionic gonadotrophin administration). TE biopsies from five blastocysts donated for research purposes were mechanically extracted. DNA microarray analysis was carried out to identify the specific gene expression profiles and the biological pathways activated during the implantation window in endometrial and TE cells. RESULTS Several cytokines (such as PDGFA, placenta growth factor, IGF2BP1 and IGF2BP3) were up-regulated in human TE cells, whereas some of the corresponding receptors (PDGFRA and KDR) were over-expressed in the receptive endometrium, suggesting that these molecules are involved in the early dialogue between blastocyst and maternal endometrial cells. In addition, several adhesion molecules and extracellular matrix proteins (MCAM, ITGAE and LAMA1) were also over-expressed in the TE, while others (ALCAM, CEACAM1, PECAM1, ITGB8 and LAMA2) were restricted to the receptive endometrium. CONCLUSION The present study shows that several growth factors, cytokines, integrins and adhesion molecules are expressed in the TE and endometrium at the time of implantation. These results could contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms involved in the early dialogue between blastocyst and endometrium during implantation. Such results should be confirmed by further studies.
A mechanism for the hypocholesterolaemic activity of saponins

1. Saponins are steroid or triterpene glycosides which occur in a number of important food plants, including such staples as soya beans (Glycine max) and chickpeas (Cicer arietinurn). They are known to be hypocholesterolaemic. 2. Some saponins form an insoluble complex with cholesterol which prevents its absorption from the small intestine. Others cause an increase in the faecal excretion of bile acids, an indirect route for elimination of cholesterol. 3. We have investigated the effects of different saponins on absorption of the bile salt sodium cholate from perfused loops of small intestine, in vivo, in the rat. Purified saponins from soapwort (Suponaria Officinalis), soya beans and quillaia (Quillata suponaria) reduced the rate of absorption of the bile salt; soya-bean and soapwort saponins substantially so but quillaia saponin to a much lesser extent. 4. These results were explained by the formation of large mixed micelles by bile acid and saponin molecules in aqueous solution. These aggregates can have molecular weights in excess of 106 daltons, consequently the bile acid molecules incorporated in them are not available for absorption. 5. Control of plasma cholesterol and nutrient absorption through dietary saponins could provide substantial health and nutritional benefits in humans.
Wideband Planar Four-Element Linear Antenna Array

This letter presents a planar wideband linear antenna array to cover multiple wireless standards. The array consists of four microstripline-fed open-ended quarter-wavelength slot antenna elements. By feeding the antenna properly, a fundamental radiating antenna mode can be excited over a wide frequency range. The antenna array is simulated in terms of surface current distributions and S-parameters. Simulated results are compared to the manufactured prototype antenna array. Measured results show the -10-dB impedance bandwidth is from 2.55 to 6.1 GHz, corresponding to 83% relative impedance bandwidth, while mutual coupling is less than -16.6 dB within the aforementioned impedance bandwidth. The simulated -10-dB bandwidth is from 2.0 to 6.0 GHz. Measured radiation patterns are presented at 2.4, 3.5, and 5.2 GHz with 4.6, 7.0, and 7.9 dBi maximum gain in boresight direction, respectively. The measured radiation patterns and grating lobe levels correlate well with the theory and are 10-15 dB below the main lobe depending on the studied frequency.
A technique for intrusion detection based on real- valued dual negative selection

A novel technique for intrusion detection based on real-valued dual negative selection scheme is proposed in this paper. In traditional real-valued negative selection algorithms, whether the candidate detectors can detect self- set or not totally relies on the affinity extent and the constant-sized mechanism is unfavorable to eliminating the black holes with irregular sizes. The proposed technique introduces the mechanism of variable-sized dual negative selection, in which each mutual detector has to pass three tests. Firstly, the new mutual detector should not be detected by the current existing ones. In other words, the existence of the new detector is necessary. Secondly, those detectors which can detect self-set will be eliminated. Thirdly, the detectors distribution has to be optimized aiming at enhancing the detecting efficiency. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed technique has much less black holes, fewer detectors and higher detecting rates.
IN VIVO SYNTHESIS OF STABLE RNA WITHIN THE RAT NODOSE GANGLIA FOLLOWING VAGOTOMY

Abstract— We have investigated the in vivo synthesis of stable RNA in the rat nodose ganglia following unilateral vagotomy. Incorporation of precursor into rRNA, and possibly tRNA, in the injured ganglion increases rapidly after vagotomy, reaching twice the normal value at 2 days post‐crush. In contrast to this, incorporation within the uninjured colateral ganglion decreases to about 65% of normal values after 4 days. But, by 7 days, both ganglia appear to be returning to their normal levels. One phase of DNA synthesis is detected in the injured ganglion, at days 1 and 2. while two phases are found in the contralateral ganglion, at days 2 and 34.
An Attempt to Improve the Suicide Opinion Questionnaire (SOQ)

Domino's Suicide Opinion Questionnaire (SOQ) was administered in three different answer formats. The original answer format used by Domino produced the highest reliabilities for five subscales. Correlates with measures of religiosity and manic-depressive tendencies indicated that the original format and a full Likert-type format gave similar results.
The Semiotic Layers of Instagram: Visual Tropes and Brand Meaning

In an era of mobility and ubiquity, Instagram is a relevant communicative landscape for brands and products, allowing for the creation of a specific mood for campaigns and ads in general, merging photos, videos, themes, captions, hashtags and stories with a multilayered web of meanings. This paper outlines how the visual syntax of Instagram and its meaning-making processes goes beyond uniformity by affording the possibility to invest in creative formats, while contemplating visual tropes such as metaforms, visual metonymies and ironic images coming from the participatory culture. It will also present an understanding of the democratic dimensions of amateur photography and a discussion of two academic concepts related to Instagram: Instagrammatics and Instagrammism. Being that applied semiotics involves the study and analysis of visual and verbal languages that express cultural contents, the aim of this essay is to contribute to the understanding of polysemic manifestations, associating its signifiers with the rhetorical and aesthetic potential of visual tropes, ultimately demonstrating overlapping codes that could be relevant for brand management.
Allergic cross-reactivity – a new challenge for allergists ?

Krzysztof Łukasz Piwowarek1, Ilona Mincer-Chojnacka1, Robert Zdanowski2, Bolesław Kalicki1 © Pediatr Med Rodz 2015, 11 (4), p. 382–390 © Medical Communications Sp. z o.o. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License (CC BY-NC-ND). Reproduction is permitted for personal, educational, non-commercial use, provided that the original article is in whole, unmodified, and properly cited. DOI: 10.15557/PiMR.2015. 0036 Received: 26.10. 2015 Accepted: 10.11. 2015 Published: 18.12. 2015 Alergiczna reaktywność krzyżowa – czy nowe wyzwanie dla alergologów? / Allergic cross-reactivity – a new challenge for allergists?
Trade-off between repetition factor and frame length in Time-Hopping Impulse Radio Ultra Wide Band

This paper investigates the parameters of time-hopping impulse radio ultra wide band (TH-IR-UWB). At a given spreading factor and a given system load, a trade-off has to be done in the choice of the frame length and the repetition factor. This trade-off lays on the condition of validity of the standard Gaussian approximation for multi user interferences (MUI). This study concerns both pulse amplitude modulation and pulse position modulation and may be applied to UWB networks with high density of users and low data rates like ad-hoc sensor networks, as well as networks with higher data rate and small number of users
Um estudo pancrônico da voz reflexiva em perspectiva construcional

Esta pesquisa descreve e analisa a voz reflexiva em diferentes momentos historicos de formacao da lingua portuguesa com vias a comprovar uma mudanca na configuracao desse dominio gramatical no portugues brasileiro contemporâneo (PB). Ela foi motivada pela nao marcacao pronominal na voz reflexiva prototipica no PB, especialmente, na variedade falada em Goias. No centro da mudanca esta a concorrencia entre usos da voz reflexiva prototipica ou marcada morfologicamente (VRM), definida pela presenca do pronome reflexivo, e da voz reflexiva nao marcada (VRNM), elaborada sem a marca pronominal. Busca-se compreender os processos linguisticos e discursivos que estao correlacionados a essa mudanca. A Linguistica Funcional Centrada no Uso, mais especificamente, a Gramatica de Construcoes, forneceu as bases teoricas para a analise, com destaque para as contribuicoes de Bagno e Casseb-Galvao (no prelo), Bybee (2010, 2015), Croft (2001), Croft e Cruse (2004), Givon (1984, 1990, 1992, 1995), Goldberg (1995, 2006), Hopper e Thompson (1980), Langacker (2013), Tomasello (2003, 2008, 2009) e Trougott (2008) e Traugott e Trousdale (2013). Autores como Barros (2011), Benveniste (2005), Bertoque (2010, 2014), Camacho (2000, 2002, 2003) e Kemmer (1993, 1994), entre outros, forneceram subsidios para a definicao e a caracterizacao da voz reflexiva. A Gramatica de Construcoes e uma abordagem teorico-metodologica que considera a lingua em uso e reconhece a existencia de uma estreita relacao entre as estruturas das linguas e o uso atualizado pelos falantes em contextos reais de comunicacao. Nessa perspectiva, a lingua emerge do uso e se organiza em construcoes, unidades linguisticas constituidas pelo pareamento forma e sentido. A voz reflexiva e considerada, portanto, integrante da rede construcional da voz, um dominio multifatorial em cuja base conceptual esta um esquema abstrato influenciado pela transitividade e pela ordenacao oracional. A analise dos dados e, predominantemente, qualitativa e pancronica, contemplando diferentes momentos da historia de formacao do portugues, desde o latim vulgar ao portugues moderno, e o PB contemporâneo (seculos XX e XXI). Os resultados da analise indicaram alteracoes na estruturacao da voz reflexiva e nos tracos semânticos do agente e do paciente, o que vem provocando transformacao na rede construcional da voz, ampliada por pressoes semântico-pragmaticas, o que constitui um caso de construcionalizacao.
The clinical efficacy and tolerability of doxazosin standard and gastrointestinal therapeutic system for benign prostatic hyperplasia

The therapeutic goal of treating benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) through early detection and effective therapy is to relieve the symptoms, improve patients’ quality of life, decrease postvoid residual urine volume, and prevent the associated morbidity when the condition remains untreated. á1‐Adrenoreceptor antagonists, e.g. doxazosin, terazosin, tamsulosin and alfuzosin, relax the bladder outlet to improve urinary flow, by reducing prostatic smooth muscle tone through the blockade of sympathetic adrenergic receptors. Doxazosin gastrointestinal therapeutic system (GITS) is a controlled‐release formulation developed to enhance the pharmacokinetic profile of the drug while simultaneously minimizing possible adverse effects and reducing the need for dose titration. While both doxazosin standard and GITS are indicated for hypertension, they are also useful in the pharmacologically or naturally normotensive patient with BPH. In a cross‐over trial comparing doxazosin GITS and tamsulosin, doxazosin gave a significantly greater improvement from baseline in symptoms. Results from recent trials (e.g. Medical Therapy of Prostatic Symptoms, MTOPS) showed that doxazosin was significantly more effective than the 5á‐reductase inhibitor finasteride in relieving lower urinary tract symptoms, irrespective of prostate volume. The MTOPS trial showed clearly that over the long term, the combination of doxazosin and finasteride was more effective than either agent alone in significantly improving symptoms and reducing the clinical progression of BPH. Both doxazosin standard and GITS are well‐tolerated, long‐term therapies that are equally effective in younger and older men, and not associated with causing sexual dysfunction.
Prosody model in a Mandarin text-to-speech system based on a hierarchical approach

The authors developed a prosody model in a Mandarin text-to-speech (TTS) system. We extract some meaningful parameters form the voice files and text files. We find these parameters in a hierarchical way. For each syllable, we consider the following four parameters (there are five parameters in our duration prediction model): information of word (consonants, vowel and tone); information of phrase; information of breath group; and information of sentences (duration model add punctuation mark). In the syllable duration prediction model, there are 37% training syllables in the inside test and 43% test syllables in the outside test, with prediction error less than ratio 0.1. The average error of all syllables in the inside test is 0.182 and 0.169 in the outside test. In the syllable volume prediction model, there are 81% training syllables in the inside test and 76.2% test syllables in the outside test, with prediction error less than ratio 0.1. The average error of all syllables in the inside test is 0.176 and 0.166 in the outside test. For the performance evaluation of the pitch prediction module, there are 64% internal samples and 57% external samples with pattern error being within 5 Hz. The average pattern error of all syllables in the inside test is 5 Hz and 6 Hz in the outside test.
Aplicación de transformada ondicular discreta bidimensional (DWT-2D) a registros geofísicos de imágenes de pozo en la determinación de la distribución de porosidad secundaria

Se presentan los resultados de la aplicacion de la transformada ondicular bidimensional discreta (DWT-2D) a registros geofisicos de imagenes de pozo (FMI, EMI, FMS, ARI, UBI, USI) en la caracterizacion y delimitacion de zonas porosas, vugulares y fracturadas. En este marco general, se presentan los conceptos relevantes del analisis tiempo (espacio) – frecuencia (escala) 2D; los topicos principales del registro de imagenes y finalmente, se proporcionan los resultados obtenidos en la experimentacion y aplicacion de la DWT-2D a registros de imagenes de pozo. Finalmente, se concluye que como consecuencia del analisis y correlacion de resultados, la aplicacion de la DWT-2D a registros de imagenes de pozo, constituyen una herramienta adecuada, complementaria, util y no convencional, en la fase de analisis y evaluacion de registros geofisicos de pozo y caracterizacion de yacimientos
Engineering Students Decision-Making Process: The Role of Aspirations

This paper analyses the influence of external factors which affect the decision-making process in the selection of telecommunications engineering studies. Particularly, we have studied the influence of factors related to the generation of expectations about the studies. A survey was conducted on a sample of 701 male and female telecommunications engineering students. The results show the existence of a direct correlation between the choice of telecommunications studies and the prospects of finding a job more easily, getting higher salaries and more prestige. The study shows low vocational orientation for the engineering area selected, but a high vocational orientation for engineering in general