Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Oxalomalate, a competitive inhibitor of NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase, regulates lipid peroxidation-mediated apoptosis in U937 cells

Membrane lipid peroxidation processes yield products that may react with DNA and proteins to cause oxidative modifications. Recently, we demonstrated that the control of cytosolic redox balance and the cellular defense against oxidative damage is one of the primary functions of cytosolic NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDPc) through to supply NADPH for antioxidant systems. The protective role of IDPc against lipid peroxidation-mediated apoptosis in U937 cells was investigated in control and cells pre-treated with oxlalomalate, a competitive inhibitor of IDPc. Upon exposure to 2,2′-azobis (2-amidinopropane) hydrochloride (AAPH) to U937 cells, which induces lipid peroxidation in membranes, the susceptibility to apoptosis was higher in oxalomalate-treated cells as compared to control cells. The results suggest that IDPc plays an important protective role in apoptosis of U937 cells induced by lipid peroxidation-mediated oxidative stress.
Sources of variation in performance on a shared OSCE station across four UK medical schools

Context High‐stakes undergraduate clinical assessments should be based on transparent standards comparable between different medical schools. However, simply sharing questions and pass marks may not ensure comparable standards and judgements. We hypothesised that in multicentre examinations, teaching institutions contribute to systematic variations in students’ marks between different medical schools through the behaviour of their markers, standard‐setters and simulated patients.
Rheology of biofilms formed at the surface of NF membranes in a drinking water production unit

In this study, the mechanical properties of biofilms formed at the surface of nano-filtration (NF) membranes from a drinking water plant were analysed. Confocal laser scanning microscopy observations revealed that the NF biofilms formed a dense and heterogeneous structure at the membrane surface, with a mean thickness of 32.5 ± 17.7 μm. The biofilms were scraped from the membrane surface and analysed in rotation and oscillation experiments with a RheoStress 150 rotating disk rheometer. During rotation analyses, a viscosity decrease with speed of shearing characteristic of rheofluidification was observed (η = 300 Pa s for ý = 0.3 s−1). In the oscillation analyses with a sweeping of frequency (1–100 Hz), elasticity (G′) ranged from 3000 to 3500 Pa and viscosity (G″) from 800 to 1200 Pa. Creep curves obtained with an application of a shear stress of 30 Pa were viscoelastic in nature. The G 0 and η values were, respectively, 1.4 ± 0.3 × 103 Pa and 3.3 ± 0.65 × 106 Pa s. The relationship between the characteristics of NF biofilms and the flow conditions encountered during NF is discussed.
Global Dynamics of a Lotka-Volterra Model with Two Predators Competing for One Prey

In this paper, we study the global dynamics of a class of 3-dimensional Lotka--Volterra systems with eight parameters. This system describes two predators competing for the same food; i.e., they share one prey. By theoretical analysis on this system, we obtain sufficient and necessary conditions for the principle of competitive exclusion to hold and give the global dynamical behavior of the three species in the first octant. It is shown that there are two coexistence states for the three species: periodic oscillations and steady states, which depend on the resource for the prey. These results are biologically important in pest control.
Leaf traits of 14 dominant arbuscle and Liana species in karst hills of Guilin

In this paper, the leaf dry weight (DW), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), leaf area (LA), leaf thickness (LT) and specific leaf area (SLA) of the 14 dominant arbuscle and liana species in karst hills of Guilin were measured to study the adaption to the karst habitat. The results showed that the DW, LDMC, LA, LT and SLA were significant differences among dominant arbuscle and liana species. The average of the DW, LDMC, LA, LT and SLA was 0.17 g, 0.44g·g−1, 18.40cm2, 0.33mm, 102.28cm2·g−1, respectively. Based on the five leaf traits, the 14 dominant arbuscle and liana species were divided into three groups by clustering analysis. The first group included Loropetalum chinense, Pyracantha fortuneana, Sageretia rugosa, Rosa cymosa, Bauhinia championii, Mallotus repandus and Grewia biloba var. parviflora. This group often occurred at the mesoslope or downslope with habitat of thinner soil layer, less moisture and nutrient where the pioneer community of the liana and bushes succession stage occurred. The second group included Sinosideroxylon wightianum, Pittosporum planilobum, Decaspermum esquirolii, Ligustrum retusum and Ficus tinctoria. This group often occurred at the mesoslope or upslope with habitat of thinner soil layer, less moisture and poor nutrient where the middle and late succession community of the bushes stage occurred. The third group included Alchornea trewioides and Vitex negundo. This group often occurred at the downslope with habitat of relatively thicker soil layer, relatively more moisture and richer nutrient where the pioneer succession community of the bushes stage occurred. The results showed that the five leaf traits of the 14 dominant arbuscle and liana species well reflected the countermeasure on adaption to karst hills.
A Multidimensional Test Approach for the Description of the CNS Activity of Drugs in Human Pharmacology

In a double-blind cross-over trial ten healthy male volunteers were administered placebo as well as one representative of each of the four hypothetical psychotropic drug classes, antipsychotics, antidepressants, anxiolytics, and psychostimulants. The drugs were: 75 mg of chlorpromazine, 75 mg of amitriptyline, 10 mg of diazepam and 18 mg of dextroamphetamine sulfate. The effects of the compounds were assessed by pharmaco EEG, an adjective checklist, and a battery of psychological performance tests. The results demonstrate that the test model differentiates well between sedative and stimulatory drug effects. In addition, this multidimensional test approach discriminates adequately the effects of the various sedative drugs. The advantages and limitations of multidimensional test approaches for the description of psychotropic drugs along with the importance of employing such an approach for the development of psychotropic drugs are discussed.
Répertoire vocabulaire type : enfant franco-ontarien et franco-dominant

Methode : Demarche psycholinguistique utilisant des echantillons de langage spontanes recueillis chez des enfants franco-ontariens grâce a une periode de conversation semi-structuree. Analyse avec le logiciel SALT (2012) de la longueur moyenne des enonces (en mots) produits par ces enfants dans chacun des echantillons de langage ayant servi a cette etude et provenant de donnees d’une recherche anterieure (Mayer-Crittenden, 2013).
Hox Genes: Master Regulators of the Animal Bodyplan

Typical vertebrateslike dogs and cats and fish usually have their head-tail body axis parallel to the ground. The head is at the front end and the tail at the back. All limbs (legs or fins) are used for locomotion. In this configuration, we know the headtail axis as the anteroposterior (main) axis. The upper side of the animal is called its dorsal side and the lower side its ventral side. In humans, the anteroposterior axis is held upright. Only the hind limbs are used for walking. Your front is your ventral side and your back your dorsal side. We use the terminology for a typical vertebrate in the sections that follow.
Cytokinins, A classical multifaceted hormone in plant system

Today, owing to the versatile functionality and physiological importance of the phytohormone cytokinin (Ck) is a major focus of attention in contemporary wide areas of plant science. Cytokinins (Cks) have implicated in diverse essential processes of plant growth and development as well as in regulation of key genes responsible for the metabolism and activities of plants. Cytokinin interact in a complex manner to control a myriad of aspects related to growth, development and differentiation and its deficiency also causes pleiotropic developmental changes such as reduced shoot and increased root growth. Cytokinin signaling involves His Kinase receptors that perceive cytokinin and transmit the signal via a multi-step phosphorelay similar to bacterial two-component signaling system. Also, this review present a scheme for homeostatic regulation of endogenous cytokinins level in terms of the described mechanism of cytokinin action including its receptors and steps involved in regulation of gene expression at the post-transcriptional level and its role in whole plant as well as cell division. In addition, we also demonstrate a wide variety of biological effects including those on gene expression, inhibition of auxin action, stimulation of cell cycle etc.
l-Ascorbic Acid Potentiates Nitric Oxide Synthesis in Endothelial Cells*

Ascorbic acid has been shown to enhance impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilation in patients with atherosclerosis by a mechanism that is thought to involve protection of nitric oxide (NO) from inactivation by free oxygen radicals. The present study in human endothelial cells from umbilical veins and coronary arteries investigates whether l-ascorbic acid additionally affects cellular NO synthesis. Endothelial cells were incubated for 24 h with 0.1–100 μm ascorbic acid and were subsequently stimulated for 15 min with ionomycin (2 μm) or thrombin (1 unit/ml) in the absence of extracellular ascorbate. Ascorbate pretreatment led to a 3-fold increase of the cellular production of NO measured as the formation of its co-product citrulline and as the accumulation of its effector molecule cGMP. The effect was saturated at 100 μm and followed a similar kinetics as seen for the uptake of ascorbate into the cells. The investigation of the precursor moleculel-gulonolactone and of different ascorbic acid derivatives suggests that the enediol structure of ascorbate is essential for its effect on NO synthesis. Ascorbic acid did not induce the expression of the NO synthase (NOS) protein nor enhance the uptake of the NOS substrate l-arginine into endothelial cells. The ascorbic acid effect was minimal when the citrulline formation was measured in cell lysates from ascorbate-pretreated cells in the presence of known cofactors for NOS activity. However, when the cofactor tetrahydrobiopterin was omitted from the assay, a similar potentiating effect of ascorbate pretreatment as seen in intact cells was demonstrated, suggesting that ascorbic acid may either enhance the availability of tetrahydrobiopterin or increase its affinity for the endothelial NOS. Our data suggest that intracellular ascorbic acid enhances NO synthesis in endothelial cells and that this may explain, in part, the beneficial vascular effects of ascorbic acid.
Simulation of bandwidth enhancement on the quarter-wave shorted patch by adding a shorting pin

Microstrip antennas have the attractive features of low profile and light weight. They can be made conformal to mounting structures. For microstrip antennas which operate in the lower microwave frequency range, however, their size may be too large for practical applications. Several techniques have been proposed to reduce the size of the conventional half-wave patch. However, these approaches would lead to narrow bandwidth. We apply the shorting pin approach on the shorting edge quarter-wave patch. All the simulation results are demonstrated by the simulation software package, IE3D 7.0. The impedance bandwidth obtained is as much as 16.3% for SWR <2, where the thickness of the patch is only 0.053/spl lambda//sub O/, If only a shorting edge quarter-wave patch has the same thickness and without the shorting pin, the impedance bandwidth is only 9.2%.
Post-mortem Bronchography in the Study of Bronchitis and Emphysema

Many characteristic bronchographic features have been recorded in patients with chronic bronchitis but current interest is focused on the changes at the periphery of the bronchial tree (Freimanis and Molnar, 1960; Hirschfeld, 1961 ; Hirschfeld, Brantigan, Kress, and Goco, 1962). There are two reasons for this. Firstly, the small rather than the large airways are believed to be of major importance in 'obstructive' pulmonary disease. Secondly, some abnormal peripheral patterns described in chronic bronchitis may give a lead to the diagnosis of emphysema, including even the specific anatomical type. Opportunities of examining lungs pathologically shortly after bronchography are rare, hence the need for a method of post-mortem bronchography which can be used to study radiological-pathological correlations and assist in interpreting bronchograms produced during life. This paper describes a method using airborne lead particles. Although this substance cannot be used in the living patient we chose it because lead, due to its high atomic weight, is sufficiently dense radiographically to produce a clear image of the finest air passages when they are merely coated on their surfaces. This was preferred to the solid filling obtained with liquid media, such as Microtrast or the mixture of Micropaque and gelatin used by Reid (1955a). Wyatt, Fischer, and Sweet (1961 and 1962) also chose a dry powder Micropaque microcrystalline barium sulphate. Sills (1962) used iodine vapour but judging from his illustration it is doubtful whether the peripheral structure is clearly shown. It is possible by our technique to ascertain accurately the level at which respiratory structure begins.
Gap junctional intercellular communication between cultured ependymal cells, revealed by lucifer yellow CH transfer and freeze‐fracture

In order to analyze intercellular communication between ependymal cells in mammalian brain, we have studied gap junctional communication of ependymal and glial cells in long term primary cultures derived from fetal mouse or rat hypothalamus and choroid plexus obtained in serum supplemented media with two complementary methods: (1) dye transfer of Lucifer Yellow CH after intracellular microinjection of the different cellular types, and (2) freeze‐fracture of the same cultured ependymal cells. In our culture conditions, we have shown that the GJIC capacity to transfer dye was very different according to cellular types microinjected with Lucifer Yellow CH in the following respects: (1) in ependymal cells, GJIC was always important: ciliated ependymal cells, which are numerous in hypothalamic ependymal cultures (10–120 coupled cells), choroidal ependymocytes in plexus cultures (15–250 coupled cells), and non‐choroidal ependymocytes in diencephalic roof cultures (10–30 coupled cells), and (2) in astroglial cells found in these primary cultures, no GJIC was observed in spite of the presence of well‐differentiated gap junctions revealed by freeze‐fracture replicas. All these results show a strong GJIC in ependymal cells and indicate the very good functional state of these cells in vitro.
Análisis de los Procesos de Comercialización de Tecnología en Dos Instituciones de Educación Superior Mexicanas Analysis of the Technology Commercialization Process in Two Mexican Higher Education Institutions

La sociedad del conocimiento reserva un lugar especial a las instituciones de educacion superior, particularmente aquellas capaces de dinamizar los procesos de generacion de beneficios para la sociedad. Esta propuesta busca identificar las caracteristicas que les permiten lograr la comercializacion de tecnologias que generan, para ello, ademas de realizar una revision de la literatura sobre el tema, se analiza informacion directa e indirecta de las dos principales instituciones de educacion superior en Mexico. Entre los resultados se pueden mencionar el creciente reconocimiento de buenas practicas y procesos medulares para la comercializacion, asi como una creciente cultura entre sus comunidades respecto a la proteccion y comercializacion de tecnologia y sus implicaciones e impacto en el desarrollo institucional.
Enhanced antibody response of mice to polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid by antithymocyte serum and its age-dependent loss in NZB-W mice.

A single injection of a double stranded RNA antigen, polyinosinic·polycytidylic acid (rI·rC), in aqueous solution leads to an antibody response which is augmented when heterologous antithymocyte serum (ATS) is given with the antigen. Since the response to rI·rC is largely thymic independent, the enhancement is explainable by the elimination of regulator cells by the ATS. An additional mechanism, an adjuvant-like action of ATS, was suggested by the enhancement of the antibody response by ATS despite prior thymectomy and ATS treatment. NZB/W mice which spontaneously develop an autoimmune disease characterized by antibodies to nucleic acids demonstrate an age-dependent loss of the ATS-mediated enhancement of the response to rI·rC. This loss of regulation of the response to nucleic acid antigens could explain their spontaneous antibody production and may be caused by spontaneously occurring antithymocyte antibody.
Comparing Contrast-Modulated and Luminance-Modulated Masking: Effects of Spatial Frequency and Phase

The masking of a sinusoidal test grating by contrast-modulated (CM) gratings could, in principle, be attributable to the presence of a distortion product, injected into the stimulus during some nonlinear transformation at an early level of visual processing (eg Nachmias, 1989 Vision Research 29 137 – 142). If so, CM gratings and luminance-modulated (LM) gratings of similar effective contrast and spatial frequency should mask the detection of sinusoids in a similar fashion. We compared the effects of masking by 1 cycle deg−1 CM gratings [both simple beats (8 + 9 cycles deg−1) and amplitude-modulated gratings (8 + 9 + 10 cycles deg−1)], with those of masking by 1 cycle deg−1 LM gratings of low contrast. We found that: (i) CM and low-contrast LM grating masks yielded similar spatial-frequency tuning functions around the modulation frequency of 1 cycle deg−1; (ii) low-contrast LM gratings masked the detection of test sinusoids in a highly phase-dependent fashion, while masking by CM gratings did not vary systematically with relative spatial phase. The results suggest that masking produced by CM gratings cannot simply be explained by the presence of a distortion product at the beat or modulation frequency.
Avaliação de Desempenho da Área de Suprimentos por meio de Indicadores: Um Estudo Exploratório nas Empresas Localizadas no Pólo Industrial de SUAPE

O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar se a utilizacao dos indicadores de desempenho pa avaliar a area de suprimentos das empresas atuantes no polo Industrial de Suape, localizad no estado de Pernambuco, esta relacionada com o porte, a nacionalidade e a posica hierarquica desta area dentro das organizacoes. A pesquisa aplicada teve carater exploratorio utilizou-se do metodo qualitativo e quantitativo na sua consecucao, utilizou-se do SPSS com forma de auxiliar a analise de dados e realizacao dos testes de hipoteses. Como forma d coleta de dados foi utilizado um questionario semiestruturado baseado no estudo de Libona (2002) e aplicado atraves de entrevistas face-a-face aos gestores de suprimentos de 3 empresas atuantes em Suape. Os dados da pesquisa revelaram que todas as empresa pesquisadas utilizavam indicadores para avaliar o desempenho de suprimentos. Dos 1 indicadores apresentados no questionario, 14 eram utilizados pela maioria dos respondentes outros 2, eram utilizados pela metade das organizacoes. Nenhum novo indicador foi indicad pelos respondentes. Os resultados deste estudo revelaram que houve um aumento de 77,7% quanto ao uso de indicadores de desempenho para avaliar a area de suprimentos e comparacao com o estudo de Libonati (2002). Diante da resposta encontrada, rejeita-s parcialmente a hipotese geral com base nos testes estatisticos e possivel inferir que utilizacao de indicadores para medir o desempenho da area de suprimentos nao es totalmente relacionada com o porte, com a nacionalidade e a posicao hierarquica desta are nas empresas atuantes em Suape.
SUSY breaking mediation mechanisms and ( g − 2 ) μ , B → X s γ , B → X s l + l − and B s → μ + μ −

We show that there are qualitative differences in correlations among (g− 2)μ, B → Xsγ, B → Xsll and Bs → μ+μ− in various SUSY breaking mediation mechanisms: minimal supergravity (mSUGRA), gauge mediation (GMSB), anomaly mediation (AMSB), gaugino mediation (g̃MSB), weakly and strongly interacting string theories, and D brane models. After imposing the direct search limits on the Higgs boson and SUSY particle search limits and B → Xsγ branching ratio, we find all the scenarios can accommodate the aμ ≡ (g − 2)μ/2 in the range of (a few tens)×10−10, and predict that the branching ratio for B → Xsll can differ from the standard model (SM) prediction by ±20% but no more. On the other hand, the Bs → μ+μ− is sensitive to the SUSY breaking mediation mechanisms through the pseudoscalar and stop masses (mA and mt̃1), and the stop mixing angle. In the GMSB with a small messenger number, the AMSB, the g̃MSB and the noscale scenarios, one finds that B(Bs → μ+μ−) . 2 × 10−8, which is below the search limit at the Tevatron Run II. Only the mSUGRA or string inspired models can generate a large branching ratio for this decay.
Could Tissue-Specific Genes be Silenced in Cattle Carrying the Rob(1;29) Robertsonian Translocation?

Robertsonian translocations (rob) are frequent chromosome rearrangements observed in human (Nielsen & Wohlert, 1991), plants (Friebe et al., 2005), mice (Saferali et al., 2010) and domestic animals (Fries & Popescu, 1999), that are considered in arthropods classical mechanisms of chromosome evolution (Robertson, 1916). In cattle, this type of translocation is the most widespread chromosomal abnormality in European and American Creole cattle breeds. In Uruguayan Creole cattle the monocentric Robertsonian translocation rob(1;29) presents a frequency of 4%, whereas a frequency between 4 to 10% is described in beef and dairy cattle breeds (King, 1991; Postiglioni et al., 1996). In these populations there is a high incidence of heterozygous carriers and a very small number or even absence of homozygous individuals (Kastelic & Mapletoft, 2003). This situation has also been observed in the majority of cattle populations in which rob(1;29) has been detected (Ducos et al., 2008).