Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Population Structure of the Raccoon Dog on the Grounds of the Imperial Palace, Tokyo, Revealed by Microsatellite Analysis of Fecal DNA

The raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides, Canidae, Carnivora) is highly adaptable to urban environments. Populations of carnivorans inhabiting urban areas sometimes differ ecologically and genetically from those in rural areas. However, there is little information on urban raccoon dogs. This study focused on raccoon dog populations in Tokyo, one of the most highly urbanized cities in the world. We examined the genotypes of 10 microsatellites for 101 fecal samples from raccoon dogs inhabiting the grounds of the Imperial Palace, a green space in central Tokyo. We successfully genotyped 58 samples originating from 31 individuals. We also analyzed muscle tissue samples from raccoon dogs from the grounds of the Imperial Palace, the Akasaka Imperial Grounds (a green space close to the Imperial Palace), and the surrounding urban area, and then investigated the genetic structure and diversity of these populations, and the genetic differentiation among them. The population on the grounds of the Imperial Palace was genetically differentiated from that in the Akasaka Imperial Grounds, suggesting that the roads and buildings act as barriers to gene flow. In addition, the population on the grounds of the Imperial Palace showed greater genetic difference from that in the surrounding area than that in the Akasaka Imperial Grounds. We speculate that the moats around the Imperial Palace restrict individual ranges within the palace grounds and limit migration and gene flow to other areas.
Immunoblotting of Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease prion proteins: Host species—specific epitopes

Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare dementia that is generally found in older people and is caused by unusual infectious pathogens or prions. Using rabbit antisera raised against hamster scrapie prion proteins (HaPrPSc), we identified by immunoblotting human CJD prion proteins (HuPrPCJD) in the brains of 14 patients dying of CJD. Extracts from 6 of the patients were transmitted to mice after prolonged incubation. The rabbit antisera raised against HaPrPSc also reacted with the mouse CJD prion proteins (MoPrPCJD) found in the brains of these experimentally infected mice. When mice were immunized with HuPrPCJD, they produced antibodies that reacted with HuPrPCJD but not with MoPrPCJD. Mice immunized with MoPrPCJD produced antibodies to neither murine nor human prion proteins. Our results provide evidence for host species‐‐specific epitopes on prion proteins. The existence of such epitopes is consistent with the apparent lack of an immune response during prion infections and the finding that prion protein molecules are encoded by host genes.
Determinación de la presencia de anticuerpos de Leptospira interrogans, en perros no vacunados; por la prueba de Microaglutinación (MAT), en clínicas veterinarias ubicadas en la zona 18 de la capital de Guatemala

Se analizaron 30 sueros de perros no vacunados contra Leptospira interrogans de diferentes edades, sexo, raza, en dos clinicas veterinarias ubicadas en la zona 18 de la capital de Guatemala encontrandose los siguientes resultados mediante la tecnica de Microaglutinacion en campo oscuro empleando 12 serovares de Leptospira interrogans siendo: Leptospira interrogans serogrupo autumnalis serovar Autumnalis, Leptospira interrogans Serogrupo australis serovar Australis, Leptospira interrogans Serogrupo ballum serovar Ballum, Leptospira interrogans serogrupo canicola serovar Canicola, Leptospira interrogans serogrupo celledoni serovar Celledoni, Leptospira interrogans serogrupo gruippotyphosa serovar grippotyphosa, Leptospira interrogans serogrupo sejroe serovar Sejroe, Leptospira interrogans serogrupo icterohaemorrhagiae serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae, Leptospira interrogans serogrupo panama serovar Panama, Leptospira interrogans serogrupo pomona serovar Pomona, Leptospira interrogans serogrupo pirogenes serovar Pyrogenes, Leptospira interrogans serogrupo sejroe serovar Hardjo (Ver Anexo listado cepas de referencia de Leptospira interrogans). Se consideraron positivos aquellos sueros que presentaron aglutinacion, de los cuales siete fueron seropositivos, a la prueba de microaglutinacion en campo oscuro, obteniendo 23.33 % de las muestras positivas, lo cual indica que en el area de estudio existe una alta proporcion de animales con anticuerpos a Leptospira interrogans. De las muestras obtenidas fueron mas afectados los machos que las hembras pero se debe de tomar en cuenta la relacion de muestreo de machohembras que fue de 2:1
Complete Genome Sequence of Southern tomato virus Identified in China Using Next-Generation Sequencing

ABSTRACT The complete genome sequence of Southern tomato virus (STV), a double-stranded RNA virus that affects tomato in China, was determined using small RNA deep sequencing. This Chinese isolate shares 99% sequence identity to other isolates from Mexico, France, Spain, and the United States. This is the first report of STV infecting tomatoes in Asia.
An IgA-binding Peptide Derived from a Streptococcal Surface Protein*

Surface proteins that bind to the Fc part of human IgA are expressed by many strains of Streptococcus pyogenes, a major human pathogen. Studies of these proteins have been complicated by their size and by their ability to bind human plasma proteins other than IgA. Here, we describe a synthetic 50-residue peptide, derived from streptococcal protein Sir22, that binds human IgA but not any of the other plasma proteins known to bind to Sir22. The peptide binds serum IgA and secretory IgA and binds IgA of both subclasses. Evidence is presented that the peptide folds correctly both in solution and when it is immobilized and that it readily renatures after denaturation. Together, these data indicate that the peptide corresponds to a protein domain that binds IgA with high specificity. This is the first report of an IgA-binding domain that retains its properties in isolated form.
Stat3 Activation by Src Induces Specific Gene Regulation and Is Required for Cell Transformation

ABSTRACT While signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs) were originally discovered as intracellular effectors of normal signaling by cytokines, increasing evidence also points to a role for STAT transcription factors in oncogenesis. Previous studies have demonstrated that one STAT family member, Stat3, possesses constitutively elevated tyrosine phosphorylation and DNA-binding activity in fibroblasts stably transformed by the Src oncoprotein. To determine if this Stat3 activation by Src could induce Stat3-mediated gene expression, luciferase reporter constructs based on synthetic and authentic promoters were transfected into NIH 3T3 cells. Activation of endogenous cellular Stat3 by the Src oncoprotein induced gene expression through a Stat3-specific binding element (TTCCCGAA) of the C-reactive protein gene promoter. A naturally occurring splice variant of human Stat3 protein, Stat3β, with a deletion in the C-terminal transactivation domain abolished this gene induction in a dominant negative manner. Expression of Stat3β did not have any effect on a reporter construct based on the c-fos serum response element, which is not dependent on Stat3 signaling, indicating that Stat3β does not nonspecifically inhibit other signaling pathways or Src function. Transfection of vectors expressing Stat3β together with Src blocked cell transformation by Src as measured in a quantitative focus formation assay using NIH 3T3 cells. By contrast, Stat3β had a much less pronounced effect on focus formation induced by the Ras oncoprotein, which does not activate Stat3 signaling. In addition, three independent clones of NIH 3T3 cells stably overexpressing Stat3β were generated and characterized, demonstrating that Stat3β overexpression does not have a toxic effect on cell viability. These Stat3β-overexpressing clones were shown to be deficient in Stat3-mediated signaling and refractory to Src-induced cell transformation. We conclude that Stat3 activation by the Src oncoprotein leads to specific gene regulation and that Stat3 is one of the critical signaling pathways involved in Src oncogenesis. Our findings provide evidence that oncogenesis-associated activation of Stat3 signaling is part of the process of malignant transformation.
Levels of HIV-1 in subgingival biofilm of HIV-infected patients.

AIM The aims of the current study were to compare the levels of HIV-1 in the subgingival biofilm (SHVL) between detectable and undetectable plasmatic HIV-1 viral load (PHVL) in HIV-infected patients as well as to determine the association of SHVL with PHVL and clinical periodontal parameters. MATERIAL AND METHODS Forty-one HIV-infected individuals were divided into two groups: detectable (21) and undetectable (20) PHVL. Subgingival biofilm samples were obtained for detection and quantification of HIV-1 by real-time RT-PCR. To estimate the effect of co-variables on the outcome undetectable SHVL, the Generalized Estimation Equation (GEE) was employed. RESULTS Detectable SHVL was observed only in the detectable PHVL group and the detection of the HIV-1 was observed in 40% of these individuals. In the bivariate analysis between co-variables from the individual level and the outcome SHVL, significant difference was observed only for the CD4+ T lymphocytes levels (p = 0.017). The multiple logistic model demonstrated that only CD4+ T lymphocytes levels had a significant effect on the outcome undetectable SHVL [OR 8.85 (CI 3.6-9.2), p = 0.002]. CONCLUSION HIV-1 can be detected and quantified in the subgingival biofilm of HIV-infected individuals, but these findings are not associated with PHVL and periodontal clinical parameters.
Instrumentation Amplifier for the Heart Rate Measurement with Low Power Consumption

Medical Instrumentation amplifiers are one of the most important parts in biologic signal recording systems which have various application in medicine. The main challenges in these circuits designing come from the nature of biologic signals. The amplifying circuit should work in low power to prevent the tissues heating and doesn’t disturb the tissue cells. In this paper an amplifier in CMOS 0.18 μm has been designed for the power consumption reduction and prevention of patient skin disturbing that only uses 7 μw. Also the amplifier should use low level of silicon to reduce the amount of implantable medical sensor. For the chip size reduction in designing the MOSFET transistors has been utilized instead of passive resistances.
[Hypertension survey in Yi ethnic group in Yunnan Province, China].

我国彝族约有60%左右的人口分布在云南省,其中主要居住在滇西北大凉山、红河哈尼族彝族自治州和楚雄彝族自治州. 1991年卫生部曾对彝族人群的血压水平作过调查,高血压患病率仅为3. 23%[1]. 但随着诊断标准的细化以及社会发展,有必要对彝族人群的血压水平再次调查. 本次是对云南省多个较为封闭的彝族村寨进行随机抽样调查,共调查彝族3020人,其中男1385人,女1635人,男女比率为1∶1.22,调查对象≥15岁. 高血压分类按照WHO 1999年的标准划分[2],并以我国2000年人口构成对数据进行标化。
Is There a Need for Contrast and Local Anesthetic in Cervical Epidural Steroid Injections?

We read with great interest the recent article by Lagemann et al[1][1] regarding the extraforaminal needle tip position for CT-fluoroscopic cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injections to reduce the risk of intravascular injection. The technique for injection is outlined in the “Materials
Modeling developmental language difficulties from school entry into adulthood: literacy, mental health, and employment outcomes.

PURPOSE Understanding the long-term outcomes of developmental language difficulties is key to knowing what significance to attach to them. To date, most prognostic studies have tended to be clinical rather than population-based, which necessarily affects the interpretation. This study sought to address this issue using data from a U.K. birth cohort of 17,196 children, following them from school entry to adulthood, examining literacy, mental health, and employment at 34 years of age. The study compared groups with specific language impairment (SLI), nonspecific language impairment (N-SLI), and typically developing language (TL). METHOD Secondary data analysis of the imputed 5-year and 34-year data was carried using multivariate logistic regressions. RESULTS The results show strong associations for demographic and biological risk for both impairment groups. The associations are consistent for the N-SLI group but rather more mixed for the SLI group. CONCLUSIONS The data indicate that both SLI and N-SLI represent significant risk factors for all the outcomes identified. There is a strong case for the identification of these children and the development of appropriate interventions. The results are discussed in terms of the measures used and the implications for practice.
Hepatitis E virus: Molecular virology, clinical features, diagnosis, transmission, epidemiology, and prevention

Hepatitis E virus (HEV), the sole member of the genus Hepevirus in the family of Hepeviridae, is the major cause of several outbreaks of waterborne hepatitis in tropical and subtropical countries and of sporadic cases of viral hepatitis in endemic and industrialized countries. Transmission of HEV occurs predominantly by the fecal‐oral route although parenteral and perinatal routes have been implicated. The overall death rate among young adults and pregnant women is 0.5–3% and 15–20%, respectively. HEV is a small non‐enveloped particle that consists of a polyadenylated single‐strand RNA molecule containing three discontinuous and partially overlapping open reading frames. There are four major genotypes of HEV and a single serotype. At present, there are approximately 1,600 sequences of HEV that are already available at INSDC of both human and animal isolates. Diagnostic and molecular assays have been described for the accurate differentiation of ongoing from remote infection of HEV. Identification and characterization of swine HEV in the United States, Japan, and many other countries and their close relationship to locally characterized human HEV found in the same geographic areas prove that HEV is indeed a zoonotic virus and that domestic swine, wild deer, and boars are reservoirs of HEV in nature. A cell culture system for the propagation of the virus has been described, and a very successful phase 2 vaccine trial has been completed. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the molecular biology, clinical features, transmission, diagnosis, epidemiology, and prevention of HEV. J. Med. Virol. 80:646–658, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Importance of chemokine (CC-motif) ligand 2 in breast cancer

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in women in the United States. Chemokine (CC-motif) ligand 2 (CCL2), an inflammatory cytokine and chemokine, is highly expressed within the tumor and stromal cell populations and has been associated with enhanced tumorigenesis. In breast cancer patients, CCL2 has been correlated with high tumor grade and has been shown to have significant prognostic value for relapse-free survival. CCL2 likely exerts its pro-tumorigenic effects through recruitment of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs); TAMs promote a tumorigenic microenvironment through the induction of growth enhancers, angiogenic factors and inflammatory mediators. CCL2 may also stimulate angiogenesis independently of TAM recruitment as it is closely associated with several endothelial cell growth factors. Additionally, CCL2 has been implicated in several processes leading to metastatic establishment including the development of bone metastasis. It has also been reported to directly upregulate pro-tumorigenic inflammatory mediators, including regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). While there is emerging support for a tumor promoting role of CCL2 in breast cancer, additional research is required before CCL2 can be decisively established as a prognostic factor and/or treatment target in breast cancer.
The serendipity of electroweak baryogenesis

The origin of the matter–antimatter asymmetry of the universe remains unexplained in the Standard Model (SM) of particle physics. The origin of the flavour structure is another major puzzle of the theory. In this article, we report on recent work attempting to link the two themes through the appealing framework of electroweak (EW) baryogenesis. We show that Yukawa couplings of SM fermions can be the source of CP violation for EW baryogenesis if they vary at the same time as the Higgs is acquiring its vacuum expectation value, offering new avenues for EW baryogenesis. The advantage of this approach is that it circumvents the usual severe bounds from electric dipole moments. These ideas apply if the mechanism explaining the flavour structure of the SM is connected to EW symmetry breaking, as motivated for instance in Randall–Sundrum or Composite Higgs models. We compute the resulting baryon asymmetry for different configurations of the Yukawa coupling variation across the bubble wall and show that it can naturally be of the right order. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue ‘Higgs cosmology’.
Performance of Galactomannan , Beta-D-Glucan , 1 Aspergillus Lateral-Flow Device , Conventional Culture 2 and PCR tests for Diagnosis of Invasive Pulmonary 3 Aspergillosis in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid

9 Section of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine and Division of Pulmonology, Medical 10 University of Graz, Graz, Austria. 11 Department of Hematology and Oncology, Mannheim University Hospital, University of 12 Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany. 13 3 Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of 14 Graz, Graz, Austria. 15 Division of Hematology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria. 16 Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of 17 Graz, Graz, Austria. 18 6 Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom. 19 20 Running head: Diagnosis of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis in BAL 21
Choline deprivation: An overview of the major hepatic metabolic response pathways

Abstract Choline (Ch) is an important nutrient that is involved in many physiological functions. Deprivation of Ch (CD) may lead to hepatocellular modifications and/or even hepatic tumorigenesis and it can be a frequent problem in clinical settings; it can accompany various common pathological (alcoholism and malnutrition) or physiological states (pregnancy and lactation). The aim of this review is to provide an up-to-date overview of the major metabolic pathways involved in the hepatic response toward the experimentally or clinically induced CD, and to shed more light on the implicated (and probably interrelated) mechanisms responsible for the observed hepatocellular modifications and/or carcinogenesis.
Who Knows the Bed Bug? Knowledge of Adult Bed Bug Appearance Increases with People’s Age in Three Counties of Great Britain

Abstract The current reemergence of bed bugs in the western world has a multitude of causes. One of them may be low early detection rate of emerging infestations because of a current poor knowledge among the population of what bed bugs look like. In a survey conducted in three counties of the United Kingdom, 10% of 358 individuals recognized the bed bug when presented with a live adult. Older people were more likely to correctly identify the bed bug. If an increasing knowledge of the bed bug appearance facilitates early detection of infestations, the hospitality and travel industry may benefit from educating their staff on the bed bug appearance.
Intraflagellar transport at a glance

Intraflagellar transport (IFT) is the bidirectional transport of multisubunit protein complexes, called IFT particles, along axonemal microtubules (MTs) beneath the ciliary membrane. IFT plays essential roles in the assembly and function of cilia and flagella by contributing to cell motility,
Adrenoceptors and Their Second Messenger Systems

The catecholamines noradrenaline and adrenaline are produced in, and released from, nerve terminals and chromaffin tissue to produce a wide range of effects by activating multiple adrenoceptor subtypes. The classification of adrenoceptors into a and subtypes (Ahlquist, 1948), and later into aland a,adrenoceptors (Langer, 1974) and PIand @,-adrenoceptors (Arnold et al., 1966; Lands et al., 1967), was made on the basis of the rank orders of potency of a series of structurally related catecholamines in organ bath experiments. This approach, in some cases aided by the use of radioligand binding techniques, has provided evidence for at least three subtypes of a,-adrenoceptor (Han et al., 1987b), a,-adrenoceptor (Bylund, 1988), and @-adrenoceptor (Kaumann, 1989). Evidence for multiple adrenoceptor subtypes was regarded skeptically, particularly when based on receptor binding experiments. However, these approaches have been shown to be somewhat conservative with the advent of molecular biology techniques that have provided definitive structural information on many new subtypes (Dohlman et al., 199 1; Strosberg, 199 1). All of the adrenoceptors for which the sequences are known belong to the G protein-linked superfamily of receptors, have seven hydrophobic transmembrane-spanning regions, are proteins of between 402 and 560 amino acids in length (Dixon et al., 1986; Kobilka et al., 1987a-c; Cotecchia et al., 1988; Emorine et al., 1989; Raymond et al., 1990; Dohlman et al., 199 1 ; Strosberg, 199 l), and, in the case of well-characterized members such as the P,-adrenoceptor, have been shown to have specific regions that are critical for G protein coupling, agonist activation, ligand binding, protein kinase A (PKA) and C (PKC) phosphorylation, and P-adrenoceptor kinase phosphorylation (Dixon et al., 1988; Dohlman et al., 1991). Activation of these receptors by an agonist produces dissociation of GDP from the G protein. This is followed by association of GTP and the interaction of the activated G protein complex with an enzyme, such as adenylate cyclase or phospholipase C, to modulate levels of intracellular second messengers (Birnbaumer, 1 990). There are three major subgroups of adrenoceptors that have different classes of G protein linking them to their respective effector systems (Bylund, 1988). a,-Adrenoceptors are linked to phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) by a G protein, probably G, (Smrcka et al., 199 l), a,-adrenoceptors to adenylate cyclase by Gi, and 0-adrenoceptors to adenylate cyclase by G,.
Age‐grading the biting midge Culicoides sonorensis using near‐infrared spectroscopy

Age‐grading of insects is important in the control and monitoring of both insect populations and vector‐borne diseases. Microscopy and morphological techniques exist to age‐grade most blood‐feeding flies, but these techniques are laborious, often destructive to the insects, and slow. Near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) can be automated and is a non‐destructive technique for age‐grading. We applied NIRS techniques to age‐grade females of the biting midge, Culicoides sonorensis Wirth & Jones (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), the vector of bluetongue and other arboviruses in North America. Female flies of five known age cohorts (1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 days post‐emergence) from three laboratory colonies were used. The data indicate that NIRS can be used to differentiate age groups of C. sonorensis.