Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ginseng: Is it in the root?

Abstractathletics today, there is no shortage of participants looking for an extra edge in competition. In addition, there is no shortage of nutritional supplements for athletes to use with hopes of reaping ergogenic benefits. Ginseng is and will continue to be one of these supplements consumed by athletes despite little or no scientific data to support its ergogenicity. Multiple different types of ginseng can be consumed; the most studied and most common types are Siberian, Chinese, and American. Although related, each has different active compounds, and likely, different effects on the body. There do not appear to be significant adverse effects when used for short periods, but further studies are needed to confirm this. Similarly, more studies are needed to address the ergogenic potential of ginseng. At this time, ginsengs cannot be recommended to improve athletic performance, but there may be some utility for athletes by preventing viral upper respiratory infection and improving cognition. This review evaluates recently published literature on ginseng use in athletes.
The expanded FindCore method for identification of a core atom set for assessment of protein structure prediction

Maximizing the scientific impact of NMR‐based structure determination requires robust and statistically sound methods for assessing the precision of NMR‐derived structures. In particular, a method to define a core atom set for calculating superimpositions and validating structure predictions is critical to the use of NMR‐derived structures as targets in the CASP competition. FindCore (Snyder and Montelione, Proteins 2005;59:673–686) is a superimposition independent method for identifying a core atom set and partitioning that set into domains. However, as FindCore optimizes superimposition by sensitively excluding not‐well‐defined atoms, the FindCore core may not comprise all atoms suitable for use in certain applications of NMR structures, including the CASP assessment process. Adapting the FindCore approach to assess predicted models against experimental NMR structures in CASP10 required modification of the FindCore method. This paper describes conventions and a standard protocol to calculate an “Expanded FindCore” atom set suitable for validation and application in biological and biophysical contexts. A key application of the Expanded FindCore method is to identify a core set of atoms in the experimental NMR structure for which it makes sense to validate predicted protein structure models. We demonstrate the application of this Expanded FindCore method in characterizing well‐defined regions of 18 NMR‐derived CASP10 target structures. The Expanded FindCore protocol defines “expanded core atom sets” that match an expert's intuition of which parts of the structure are sufficiently well defined to use in assessing CASP model predictions. We also illustrate the impact of this analysis on the CASP GDT assessment scores. Proteins 2014; 82(Suppl 2):219–230. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Cloning of the rpoD analog from Rhizobium etli: sigA of R. etli is growth phase regulated

Rhizobium bacteria fix atmospheric nitrogen during symbiosis with legume plants only after bacterial division is arrested. The role of the major vegetative sigma factor, SigA, utilized by Rhizobium bacteria during symbiosis is unknown. By using PCR technology, a portion of the sigA gene corresponding to domain II was directly amplified from Rhizobium etli total DNA by using two primers designed in accordance with the published sequence of sigA from Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The amplified fragment was cloned and used as a hybridization probe for cloning of the R. etli sigA gene. Sequencing data revealed an open reading frame of 2,055 bp showing extensive similarity to various vegetative sigma factors. The 5' end of the sigA transcript was determined and revealed a long, seemingly untranslated region of 170 nucleotides. Quantitative analysis of the sigA transcript by RNase protection and by primer extension assays indicated its down-regulation during entry into the stationary phase. On the basis of the structures of various vegetative sigma factors and considering previous information on heterologous expression, we speculate on the function of domain I of vegetative sigma factors.
Impact of Different Random Initializations on Generalization Performance of Extreme Learning Machine

The generalization performance of extreme learning machine (ELM) is influenced by the random initializations to input-layer weights and hidden-layer biases. In this paper, we demonstrate this conclusion through testing the classification accuracies of ELMs corresponding to different random initializations. 30 UCI data sets and 24 continuous probability distributions are employed in this experimental study. The final results present the following important and valuable observations and conclusions, i.e., (1) the probability distributions with symmetrical and bell-shaped probability density functions (e.g., Hyperbolic Secant, Student's-t, Laplace and Normal) always bring about the higher training accuracies and easily cause the over-fitting of ELM; (2) ELMs with random input-layer weights and hidden-layer biases chosen from heavy-tailed distributions (e.g., Gamma, Rayleigh and Frechet) have the better generalization performances; and (3) the light-tailed distributions (e.g., Central Chi-Squared, Erlang, F, Gumbel and Logistic) are usually unsuited to initialize the input-layer weights and hidden-layer biases for ELM. All these provide the useful enlightenments for practical applications of ELMs in different fields.
The Political Integration of Mexican American Children: A Generational Analysis

This article investigates the integration of various generations of Chicano children into the United States political system. Specifically, it focuses upon the assimilation and acculturation of these children into prevailing American political orientations. Even with controls for socioeconomic status, language environment and education, generational experiences structure the political views of these children. There is a linear progression of political integration from the newcomers through the second generation. Third generation Chicanos, however, recede in their political assimilation and acculturation.
Redox-dependent Regulation of Nuclear Import of the Glucocorticoid Receptor*

A number of transcription factors including the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) are regulated in a redox-dependent fashion. We have previously reported that the functional activity of the GR is suppressed under oxidative conditions and restored in the presence of reducing reagents. In the present study, we have used a chimeric human GR fused to theAequorea green fluorescent protein and demonstrated that both ligand-dependent and -independent nuclear translocation of the GR is impaired under oxidative conditions in living cells. Substitution of Cys-481 for Ser within NL1 of the human GR resulted in reduction of sensitivity to oxidative treatment, strongly indicating that Cys-481 is one of the target amino acids for redox regulation of the receptor. Taken together, we may conclude that redox-dependent regulation of nuclear translocation of the GR constitutes an important mechanism for modulation of glucocorticoid-dependent signal transduction.
Preparation and mass spectrometric study of egg yolk antibody (IgY) against rabies virus.

Rabies virus was used as the antigen to immunize laying chickens. Anti-rabies virus immunoglobulin Y(IgY) was isolated from yolks of the eggs laid by these chickens using a two-step salt precipitation and one-step gel filtration protocol. The purified IgY was reduced with dithiothreitol, and heavy chains (HC) and light chains (LC) were obtained. In addition, the purified IgY was digested with pepsin and the fragment with specific antigen binding properties (Fab) was produced. Using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS), the average molecular weights of IgY, HC, LC, and Fab were determined as 167 250, 65 105, 18 660, and 45,359 Da, respectively. IgY has two structural differences compared with mammalian IgGs. First, the molecular weight of the heavy chain of IgY is larger than that of its mammalian counterpart, while the molecular weight of the light chain of IgY is smaller. Second, upon pepsin digestion, anti-rabies virus IgY is degraded into Fab, in contrast to mammalian IgG, which has been reported to be degraded into F(ab')(2) under the same conditions.
The phosphatidylinositol phosphatase PTEN is under control of costimulation and regulates proliferation in human T cells

The phosphatidylinositol phosphatase gene PTEN is a dualspecific phosphatase acting on phospho amino acids but also on three phosphorylated inositol phospholipids. Present results demonstrate that PTEN is inducible by costimulatory signals in human CD4+ T cells. PTEN expression was up‐regulated on RNA and protein level in freshly isolated human CD4+ T cells following stimulation with CD28 or CD2. In contrast, PTEN expression was high but remained CD28 and CD2 unresponsive in lymphoma cells. Intracellular staining revealed PTEN expression in CD4+ T cell populations stimulated with anti‐CD28 or anti‐CD28 / anti‐CD3. Stimulation with anti‐CD3 alone did not induce PTEN expression. Inhibition of PTEN expression by antisense oligonucleotides in CD4+ T cells stimulated with non‐mitogenic anti‐CD28 resulted in massively increased proliferation, which was sensitive to the phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3 K) inhibitor wortmannin. Although CD28 and CD2 induce PI3 K signal transduction, wortmannin did not block PTEN up‐regulation by CD28 or CD2 indicating that PTEN gene expression is PI3 K independent. These results demonstrate that PTEN negativelycontrols costimulatory signals by antagonizing PI3 K activity in the absence of TCR engagement.
Midtrimester amniyotik sıvı leptin ve insülin düzeyleri ile gestasyonel diabetes mellitus ilişkisi

Amac. Bu calismanin amaci midtrimester amniyotik sivida leptin ve insulin duzeylerini inceleyerek bunlarin daha sonraki donemde gestasyonel diabetes mellitus gelisen olgulari tahmin etmede faydali olup olamayacagini arastirmaktir. Yontem. Genetik amniyosentezle 16-20 haftalik gebelerden alinan amniyotik sivi orneklerinde leptin ve insulin duzeylerini arastirdik. Prospektif takiplerde gestasyonel diabetes mellitusta gelisen ve saglikli gebelik surduren hastalari kaydettik. Bulgular. Gestasyonel diabetes mellitus gelisen grupta amniyotik sivi leptin (17,3 ng/mL) ve insulin (3,4 ng/mL) duzeyleri kontrol grubunun amniyotik sivi leptin (10,1 ng/mL) ile amniyotik sivi insulin (1,7 ng/dL) duzeylerine gore istatistiksel olarak yuksek bulunmustur. Sonuc. Amniyotik sivi’da henuz gestasyonel diabetes mellitus bulgulari ortaya cikmadan leptin ve insulin duzeylerinin yuksek bulunmasi bu proteinlerin gestasyonel diabetes mellitusu onceden tahmin etmede kullanilabilecegi kanisini vermektedir.
Analysis of slotted microstrip — A simple line with vast range of characteristic impedance

The asymptotic behavior of the characteristic impedance (Z0) of a slotted microstripline is used to develop a very simple and accurate approximate formula for Z0. A method of moments (MoM) analysis of the structure is used to verify the formula's accuracy. The use of a 2-D quasi-static complex images Green's function in MoM allows fast and accurate computation of the characteristic impedance Z0. It is shown that a wide range of Z0 can be achieved by varying the slot width to the strip width ratio (s/w). This makes the line suitable for matching ordinary 50Ω feed lines to the very low input impedance of for instance most superconducting devices.
Effect of fetal exposure to gentamicin on phosphate transport in young rat kidney.

The renal phosphate (Pi)-transporting capacity normally increases, due to increased carrier system affinity, during the third postnatal week in rats. However, the tubular Pi reabsorption of rat pups born from gentamicin-treated mothers does not increase during this period. This study determines whether exposure to gentamicin in utero selectively alters the postnatal maturation of the carrier affinity for Pi. Pi and glucose transports by proximal tubule brush-border membrane (BBM) were studied. The maximal rate of uptake (Vmax) of Na-Pi cotransport was significantly lower (536 +/- 169 pmol.mg protein-1.10 s-1; n = 6, P < 0.01) in gentamicin-exposed rats than in controls (1,021 +/- 167 pmol.mg protein-1.10 s-1, n = 6), whereas the Michaelis constant (Km) values were the same. Gentamicin exposure had no effect on plasma parathyroid hormone concentration or on BBM glucose transport activity. The total phospholipid content of BBM, their phospholipid composition, cholesterol content, and cholesterol-to-total phospholipid mole ratio were unaltered, suggesting that membrane fluidity was unchanged. The Vmax of BBM alkaline phosphatase was lower in gentamicin-exposed rats than in controls.
Interferon-γ-Induced Suppression of S100A4 Transcription Is Mediated by the Class II Transactivator

We have previously shown that interferon-γ (IFN-γ) inhibits expression of the metastasis-promoting protein S100A4. In the present study, we further explore the mechanism behind the IFN-γ-mediated effects on the human S100A4 promoter and demonstrate that IFN-γ represses S100A4 promoter activity through induction of the class II transactivator (CIITA). The acidic domain in the N-terminal part of CIITA was crucial for the observed IFN-γ-induced inhibition of S100A4 promoter activity, probably by binding the histone acetyltransferase CBP/p300. Importantly, overexpression of CIITA significantly reduced the expression of endogenous S100A4. Our data suggest a model where CIITA represses S100A4 transcription through sequestering of CBP/p300, thereby reducing the level of CBP/p300 at the S100A4 promoter, which in turn leads to inhibition of S100A4 transcription.
Photoreactivation of ultraviolet light injury in gametes of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus.

1. Ultraviolet radiation induced cleavage delay in eggs of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus can be reduced by exposure to visible light before fertilization.2. Photoreactivation by visible light occurs in injury by any of the wavelengths of ultraviolet light which we tested: λ2450A, λ2537A, λ2654A, λ2804A, λ3025A, λ3130A. The phenomenon is less pronounced at λ2450A than at the other wavelenths tried.3. Wavelengths shorter than λ4300A are most effective in photoreactivation. The minimum visible light exposure giving an effect near maximal is determined.4. Zygotes formed from ultraviolet injured eggs are more readily photoreactivated than the unfertilized eggs.5. Ultraviolet irradiated eggs show no increase or decrease in injury when kept in the dark for several hours before fertilization.6. Visible light is injurious to sperm.7. Sperm injured by ultraviolet radiations can be photoreactivated, even though the visible light is itself harmful.8. The results are compared with photoreactivation data.
Treatment-related risk factors for hospital mortality in Candida bloodstream infections*

Objective:To examine the relationship between treatment-related variables for Candida bloodstream infection and hospital mortality. Design:Retrospective cohort analysis. Setting:Thousand two hundred-bed academic medical center. Patients:A total of 245 consecutive patients with Candida bloodstream infections who received antifungal therapy. Interventions:Identification of treatment-related risk factors: central vein catheter retention, inadequate initial fluconazole dosing, and delayed administration of antifungal therapy. Measurements and Main Results:A total of 245 patients with Candida bloodstream infections who received antifungal therapy were identified. One hundred eleven (45.3%) patients were managed in an intensive care unit and analyzed as a separate subgroup. In the hospital cohort, 72 (29.4%) patients died during hospitalization and 40 (36.0%) patients died in the intensive care unit cohort. In the hospital cohort, logistic regression analysis identified Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores (1-point increments) (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11–1.25; p = 0.003), corticosteroid use at the time a positive blood culture was drawn (AOR, 3.41; 95% CI, 1.96–5.93; p = 0.027), inadequate initial fluconazole dosing (AOR, 3.31; 95% CI, 1.83–6.00; p = 0.044), and retention of a central vein catheter (AOR, 4.85; 95% CI, 2.54–9.29; p = 0.015) as independent determinants of hospital mortality. In the intensive care unit cohort, logistic regression analysis identified Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores (1-point increments) (AOR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.14–1.29; p = 0.001), inadequate initial fluconazole dosing (AOR, 9.22; 95% CI, 2.15–19.79; p = 0.004), and retention of a central vein catheter (AOR, 6.21; 95% CI, 3.02–12.77; p = 0.011), as independent determinants of hospital mortality. For both cohorts the incremental presence of treatment-related risk factors was statistically associated with greater hospital mortality. Conclusions:Treatment-related factors, including retention of central vein catheters and inadequate initial fluconazole dosing, were associated with increased hospital mortality in patients with Candida bloodstream infections. These data suggest that optimization of initial antifungal therapy and removal of central vein catheters may improve the outcomes of patients with Candida bloodstream infections.
The metabolism of amiodarone by various CYP isoenzymes of human and rat, and the inhibitory influence of ketoconazole.

PURPOSE To evaluate the metabolism of amiodarone (AM) to desethylamiodarone (DEA) by selected human and rat cytochrome P450, and the inhibitory effect of ketoconazole (KTZ). METHODS Some important CYP isoenzymes (rat CYP1A1, 1A2, 2C6, 2C11, 2D1, 2D2, and 3A1 and human CYP1A1, 1A2, 2D6 and 3A4) were spiked with various concentrations of AM to determine the relative kinetic parameters for formation of DEA in the presence and absence of various concentrations of KTZ. RESULTS The formation of DEA was observed when AM was exposed to each of the CYP tested, although the rates were varied. Human CYP1A1 followed by 3A4 had the highest intrinsic clearance (CLint) for DEA formation whereas in rat, CYP2D1 followed by CYP2C11 had the highest CLint. Human and rat CYP1A2 seemed to have the lowest CLint. At high concentrations of AM and KTZ, near those expected in vivo, significant inhibition of all isoforms except for rat CYP1A2 was observed. At lower concentration ranges of both drugs, the inhibitory constant was determined. At these levels, KTZ was found to potently inhibit human CYP1A1 and 3A4 and rat 2D2 and 1A1. CONCLUSION Human CYP1A1 and 3A4 and rat CYP2D1 and 2C11 were most efficient in converting AM to DEA. For DEA formation, the in vivo administration of KTZ could inhibit other CYP isoforms besides CYP3A in human and rat.
Huge mucinous cystic neoplasm of the pancreas in a young diabetic woman.

A 30-year-old woman who had been diagnosed as gestational diabetes during her first pregnancy at the age of 28, was referred to our hospital with the complaint of abdominal fullness. Abdominal radiograph, CT, and MRI findings revealed a huge cystic mass of the pancreas compressing other organs (Picture 1). Her height was 145 cm, BW was 70.5 kg, BMI was 33.5 kg/m, fasting blood glucose was 155 mg/dL, and HbA1c was 9.4%. Serum levels of immunoreactive insulin and glucagon before/30 minutes after infusion of 30 g of arginine were 4.72/21.1 μU/mL and 32/ 270 pg/mL respectively, indicating decreased insulin secretion without oversecretion of glucagon. Mucinous cystic neoplasm (MCN) was suspected and confirmed histologically. MCN develops with a predilection of pancreas tail in middle aged women. It is usually surgically excised due to its potential of developing malignancy (1). The diabetes of the present case seemed to be pancreatic diabetes. This case also suggests the importance of pancreas imaging at the first diagnosis of diabetes.
Continuous-time restless bandit and dynamic scheduling for make-to-stock production

We study the "Whittle relaxation" version of the continuous time, discrete, and continuous state space Restless Bandit problem under the discounted cost criterion. Explicit expressions of Whittle's priority indexes, which generalize the Gittins indexes, are derived. This formalism is then used in the context of flexible make-to-stock production to construct dynamic scheduling rules. These analytical results are finally compared with the optimal numerically derived policy, obtained for a server delivering two product types. It is observed that the Whittle relaxation version of the Restless Bandit model nearly yields optimal dynamic scheduling rules.
Complement alternative pathway activation and control on membranes of human lymphoid B cell lines

Membrane regulatory molecules normally prevent complement activation by autologous cells, therefore we compared the membrane control system of human lymphoid cell lines which activate or not human complement through the alternative pathway (AP). Membrane expression of decay‐accelerating factor (DAF), membrane cofactor protein (MCP), complement receptors (CR)1, CR2 and H was measured either by radioimmunoassay or enzyme‐linked immuno‐sorbent assay on cell lysates. Soluble extracts of isolated membranes were tested functionally for their ability to accelerate the decay of C3bBb C3‐convertase and allow the cleavage of C3b by factor I. Both regulatory functions were detected in solubilized membranes of Ramos cells, which do not activate the AP, as well as on the potent AP activator, Raji. Raji cells were found to express CR2, DAF and MCP molecules, while MCP was the only known regulatory protein detected on Ramos cells which expressed neither CR1, nor CR2, H or DAF. The I‐cofactor activity of both Raji and Ramos cells was immunoprecipitated by anti‐MCP, but the decay‐accelerating activity was not adsorbed by anti‐DAF nor by any of the available antibodies. Two EBV genome‐negative cell lines (BJAB, BL41) were tested before and after in vitro conversion by EBV. As previously shown, EBV‐converted cell lines activate the AP more efficiently than EBV− cell lines. At the same time, EBV superinfection induces an increase of both AP regulatory functions of cell membranes and enhances the expression of DAF, MCP and CR2. The results of this study show that complement activation by lymphoid cell lines is not related to an impaired autologous control of these cells, but that the expression of regulatory molecules increases together with the appearance of activating structures on the cell surface. Our results also suggest the occurrence of a new factor involved in the decay‐accelerating activity on BL lines.
The induction of BDNF and c-fos mRNA in the hippocampal formation after febrile seizures

In this study we investigated the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and c-fos mRNA in the hippocampal formation after febrile seizures (FSs) with in situ hybridization histochemistry using riboprobes. The induction of BDNF mRNA was firstly observed in the dentate gyrus at 30 min after FSs. The expression in the dentate gyrus peaked at 3 h and returned to basal level at 24 h. It was also observed in the CA3 of hippocampus from 2 to 3 h. The induction of c-fos mRNA was observed in the dentate gyrus at 30 min and 1 h. These observations suggest that BDNF and c-fos are the genes whose expression can be altered by FSs and might be related to pathologic alterations after FSs.