Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CHARACTERIZATION OF POTENTIAL ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF HIGH-DEGREE POLYMERIZED CHITOOLIGOSACCHARIDES

The potential antibacterial activity of high degree polymerized chitooligosaccharides designated as medium molecular weight chitosans (MMWCs) was evaluated as IC50 ranged from 150 to 490 μg/ml of the concentration toward gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The results of this study suggest that MMWCs derived from the high molecular weight chitosan (CTSN) can be a potent factor affecting on antimicrobial activity. For the determination of MW of high degree polymerized chitooligosaccharides having potent antibacterial activity, quantitative analysis of amine residue, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) in an effort to determine a more precise measurement of MW, respectively, for MMWCs were performed. Consequently, the MW of the MMWCs was subsequently determined by spectrophotometric method which showed the proportionality in the concentration of MMWCs, ranged from 0 to 10 mg/ml. Determination of the MW of several MMWCs obtained from the hydrolysis of CTSN showed good agreement with those values from HPLC and MALDI-TOF MS analyses. This is the first report demonstrating the relationship between the molecular weight of MMWCs determined in comparative methods and their potent antibacterial activity.
Analysis of Signals and Functions of the Chimeric Human Granuloctye-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor Receptor in BA/F3 Cells and Transgenic Mice

Receptors for GM-CSF, IL-3, and IL-5 are composed of two subunits: α, which is specific for each cytokine, and βc, which is shared by all. Although the role of βc in signal transduction has been extensively studied, the role of the α subunit has remained to be clarified. To analyze the role of the human (h) GM-CSF receptor α subunit, we constructed a chimeric receptor subunit composed of extracellular and transmembrane regions of α fused with the cytoplasmic region of βc, designated α/β. In BA/F3 cells, chimeric receptor composed of α/β,β can transduce signals for mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade activation and proliferation in response to hGM-CSF. Although phosphorylation of Jak1 but not of Jak2 occurred with stimulation of hGM-CSF, the dominant-negative Jak2 but not the dominant-negative Jak1 suppresses c-fos promoter activation. To determine whether the chimeric receptor α/β,β is functional in vivo, we developed transgenic mice expressing the chimeric receptor α/β,β. Bone marrow cells from the transgenic mice expressing the α/β,β receptor form not only GM colonies but also various lineages of colonies in response to GM-CSF. In addition, mast cells were produced when bone marrow cells of the transgenic mouse were cultured with hGM-CSF. Thus, it appears that the cytoplasmic region of the α subunit is not required for hGM-CSF promoting activities, even in bone marrow cells.
A key role for transketolase-like 1 in tumor metabolic reprogramming

Metabolic reprogramming, a crucial cancer hallmark, shifts metabolic pathways such as glycolysis, tricarboxylic acid cycle or lipogenesis, to enable the growth characteristics of cancer cells. Here, we provide evidence that transketolase-like 1 (TKTL1) orchestrates aerobic glycolysis, fatty acid and nucleic acid synthesis, glutamine metabolism, protection against oxidative stress and cell proliferation. Furthermore, silencing of TKTL1 reduced the levels of sphingolipids such as lactosylceramide (a sphingolipid regulating cell survival, proliferation and angiogenesis) and phosphatidylinositol (which activates PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling). Thus, in addition to its well-known roles in glucose and amino acid metabolism, TKTL1 also regulates lipid metabolism. In conclusion, our study provides unprecedented evidence that TKTL1 plays central roles in major metabolic processes subject to reprogramming in cancer cells and thus identifies TKTL1 as a promising target for new anti-cancer therapies.
Designing hybrid gate dielectric for fully printing high-performance carbon nanotube thin film transistors

The electrical characteristics of carbon nanotube (CNT) thin-film transistors (TFTs) strongly depend on the properties of the gate dielectric that is in direct contact with the semiconducting CNT channel materials. Here, we systematically investigated the dielectric effects on the electrical characteristics of fully printed semiconducting CNT-TFTs by introducing the organic dielectrics of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) to modify SiO2 dielectric. The results showed that the organic-modified SiO2 dielectric formed a favorable interface for the efficient charge transport in s-SWCNT-TFTs. Compared to single-layer SiO2 dielectric, the use of organic–inorganic hybrid bilayer dielectrics dramatically improved the performances of SWCNT-TFTs such as mobility, threshold voltage, hysteresis and on/off ratio due to the suppress of charge scattering, gate leakage current and charge trapping. The transport mechanism is related that the dielectric with few charge trapping provided efficient percolation pathways for charge carriers, while reduced the charge scattering. High density of charge traps which could directly act as physical transport barriers and significantly restrict the charge carrier transport and, thus, result in decreased mobile carriers and low device performance. Moreover, the gate leakage phenomenon is caused by conduction through charge traps. So, as a component of TFTs, the gate dielectric is of crucial importance to the manufacture of high quality TFTs from the aspects of affecting the gate leakage current and device operation voltage, as well as the charge carrier transport. Interestingly, the OTS-modified SiO2 allows to directly print horizontally aligned CNT film, and the corresponding devices exhibited a higher mobility than that of the devices with the hybrid PMMA/SiO2 dielectric although the thickness of OTS layer is only ∼2.5 nm. Our present result may provide key guidance for the further development of printed nanomaterial electronics.
Neurochemical phenotype of corticocortical connections in the macaque monkey: Quantitative analysis of a subset of neurofilament protein‐immunoreactive projection neurons in frontal, parietal, temporal, and cingulate cortices

The neurochemical characteristics of the neuronal subsets that furnish different types of corticocortical connections have been only partially determined. In recent years, several cytoskeletal proteins have emerged as reliable markers to distinguish subsets of pyramidal neurons in the cerebral cortex of primates. In particular, previous studies using an antibody to nonphosphorylated neurofilament protein (SMI‐32) have revealed a consistent degree of regional and laminar specificity in the distribution of a subpopulation of pyramidal cells in the primate cerebral cortex. The density of neurofilament protein‐immunoreactive neurons was shown to vary across corticocortical pathways in macaque monkeys. In the present study, we have used the antibody SMI‐32 to examine further and to quantify the distribution of a subset of corticocortically projecting neurons in a series of long ipsilateral corticocortical pathways in comparison to short corticocortical, commissural, and limbic connections. The results demonstrate that the long association pathways interconnecting the frontal, parietal, and temporal neocortex have a high representation of neurofilament protein‐enriched pyramidal neurons (45–90%), whereas short corticocortical, callosal, and limbic pathways are characterized by much lower numbers of such neurons (4–35%). These data suggest that different types of corticocortical connections have differential representation of highly specific neuronal subsets that share common neurochemical characteristics, thereby determining regional and laminar cortical patterns of morphological and molecular heterogeneity. These differences in neuronal neurochernical phenotype among corticocortical circuits may have considerable influence on cortical processing and may be directly related to the type of integrative function subserved by each cortical pathway. Finally, it is worth noting that neurofilainent protein‐immunoreactive neurons are dramatically affected in the course of Alzheimer's disease. The present results support the hypothesis that neurofilament protein may be crucially linked to the development of selective neuronal vulnerability and subsequent disruption of corticocortical pathways that lead to the severe impairment of cognitive function commonly observed in age‐related dementing disorders. © Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Use of Electrophysiological Methods in the Study of Recombinant and Native Neuronal Ligand‐Gated Ion Channels

This unit is geared towards investigators wishing to study the effects of externally and internally applied agents on the behavior of ligand‐gated ion channels (LGICs, specifically the GABAA receptor). The reader is taken through a number of electrophysiological techniques applied to whole cell and excised patch recordings of recombinant and native GABAA receptor subtypes used in the generation and analysis of a variety of pharmacological parameters. These data interpretations form the basis for the analysis of potentially novel pharmacological agents active at the GABAA receptor target, but could equally be applied to other LGICs. The analysis is extended to incorporate post‐synaptic inhibitory events in hippocampal neurons. Complementary descriptions of how tissues for such studies are prepared from recombinant and native receptor preparations are included. Attention is given to the physiological phenomena most relevant to everyday scientific literature.
Inflammatory Response to Therapeutic Gold Bead Implantation in Canine Hip Joint Osteoarthritis

Inflammatory changes associated with periarticular pure gold bead implants were studied in dogs involved in a clinical trial investigating motor dysfunction and chronic pain owing to hip joint dysplasia and osteoarthritis. Gold beads were percutaneously implanted via a needle into different locations surrounding the greater trochanter of the femur. Nine dogs with implants were necropsied. In all examined animals, characteristic histologic lesions were observed in the tissue surrounding the gold implants—namely, a fibrous capsule composed of concentric fibroblasts intermixed with a variable number of inflammatory cells and a paucicellular innermost layer of collagen with a few fibrocyte-like cells in empty lacunae. Lymphocytes dominated the inflammatory infiltrate, with rarely observed macrophages present in close proximity to the implant site. No giant cells were observed. Immunohistochemistry showed mixed populations of lymphocytes, both CD3 positive (T cells) and CD79a positive (B cells), which in some cases formed lymphoid follicles. Diffuse inflammatory changes were present to a minor extent in the perimysium and surrounding fascia. The inflammation observed in dogs is similar to that observed with gold implants in humans. It is possible that the clinically beneficial effect of gold beads for chronic osteoarthritis depends on sustained localized inflammation with localized release of soluble mediators. The encapsulation of the implant by a paucicellular and poorly vascularized fibrous capsule may help prevent an exaggerated inflammatory reaction by sequestering the gold bead from the surrounding tissue.
Upper arm length along with mid-upper arm circumference to enhance wasting prevalence estimation and diagnosis: sensitivity and specificity in 6–59-months-old children

Objective To evaluate the added value of the use of upper arm length (UAL) along with mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) to diagnose and estimate the prevalence of wasting in comparison to current WHO standard and other MUAC-based methods. Design UAL and usual anthropometric measurements were collected during a national cross-sectional nutritional survey. Children were classified into three upper arm length groups (UALGs): UALG1, UALG2 and UALG3 according to the following UAL limits: ≤150, 151–180 and ≥181 mm, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to determine the best MUAC cut-off for each group using weight-for-height Z-score (WHZ) as a reference standard. Wasting prevalence, sensitivity and specificity of all diagnostic methods were compared. Setting This study was conducted in Mauritania. Participants National representative sample of children from 6 to 59 months old. Results In total, 12 590 children were included in the study. Wasting prevalence was 16.1%, 5.0% and 12.5% when diagnosed by WHZ <−2, MUAC <125 mm and MUAC–UALG methods, respectively. Using the MUAC–UALG method increased the sensitivity for wasting diagnosis from 17.98% with MUAC <125 mm to 39.43% with MUAC–UALG. The specificity decreased from 97.49% with MUAC <125 mm to 92.71% with MUAC–UALG. With MUAC–height Z score and MUAC <138 mm, sensitivity was 26.04% and 69.76% and specificity were 97.40% and 75.64% respectively. Conclusion This alternative method using MUAC tape to measure UAL increases the wasting diagnosis accuracy and allows for a better estimation of wasting prevalence. This method could be used as a potential alternative method for quick surveys in emergency settings such as Corona virus disease 2019 context.
Serum magnesium levels and mean platelet volume (MPV) as biomarkers in acute myocardial infarction

Background: Myocardial infarction which is an outcome measure in clinical trials, observational studies and quality assurance program have several conventional risk factors which include older age, hypertension, diabetes, decreased physical activity, alcohol intake, smoking, abdominal obesity, highrisk diet, psychological stress. Hypomagnesemia and means platelet volume is now recognized as a significant risk factor for atherogenesis, and thus for hypertension, ischemic heart disease, cardiac arrhythmias, coronary vasospasm, sudden cardiac death, cerebrovascular accident, and myocardial infarction. The aim of the study: To determining the relationship between serum Magnesium levels on platelet reactivity in Acute Myocardial infarction. Therefore in this study, we attempted to find the impact of serum Magnesium level on the Mean Platelet Volume and the use of these parameters as novel biomarkers to predict AMI. Materials and methods: A case-control study was carried out in the Department of Cardiology, Govt. Royapettah Hospital/ Kilpauk Medical College. Totally 88 Acute Myocardial Infarction patients (for the estimated prevalence of 30.36% in urban Indian population) admitted in the Intensive Coronary Care Unit between July to October 2015 and 88 age and sex-matched apparently normal individuals were included. Fasting venous peripheral blood samples were drawn within 48 hours of admission. Blood samples were taken into standardized trisodium citrate tubes (stored at room N. Jayaprakash, V. Madhavan, Aswanaa Kamanuru Govindarajulu. Serum magnesium levels and mean platelet volume (MPV) as biomarkers in acute myocardial infarction. IAIM, 2019; 6(4): 1-8. Page 2 temperature) and a sterile vacutainer which was serum separated, aliquoted into 2 Eppendorf’s and stored at minus 20 o C until further analysis. Results: Both the Systolic and Diastolic Blood pressure was significantly elevated in the cases (p= 0.000) which was statistically significant. The Fasting Blood Glucose levels were raised in AMI patients (p=0.001) although only 38.6% were known Diabetics. Urea levels were increased in cases (p=0.007) which was significant. The serum magnesium values were significantly lower in AMI patients in comparison to the normal individuals (p= 0.000) and the Mean Platelet Volume was significantly elevated in the cases than the control (p=0.004). Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that Magnesium levels were reduced in AMI patients and that Mean platelet Volume was elevated in AMI patients however a cause-effect relationship between the two parameters was not established. However, we propose that MPV and Magnesium may be useful biomarkers in identifying patients with increased risk for AMI. Further, a cohort study design including all the confounding variables can better address their relationship and role as adjuvant biomarkers in the diagnosis of AMI.
Soapberry Bug (Hemiptera: Rhopalidae: Serinethinae) Native and Introduced Host Plants: Biogeographic Background of Anthropogenic Evolution

ABSTRACT Soapberry bugs (Hemiptera: Rhopalidae: Serinethinae) have recently colonized introduced and invasive plants in the soapberry family (Sapindaceae), and they have rapidly differentiated as a result. These plants have been carried among continents at many places and times, and they may possess alien coevolutionary histories with other soapberry bug genera and species, exposing native bugs worldwide to both new challenges and new opportunities in host exploitation. To provide geographic and phylogenetic contexts for this human-catalyzed evolution, we analyzed the worldwide host relations of the three soapberry bug genera on native versus non-native sapinds. We found that the adopted introduced hosts are taxonomically distant from native hosts in six of seven global biogeographic regions. Only a few genera account for most of the introductions, and natives and non-natives are now reciprocally distributed across several pairs of continents. The evolutionary result may be local diversification, but also global convergence on currently rare bug phenotypes when plants with small endemic ranges are widely exported.
The Place of Dual Organization in Early Andean Ceremonialism : A Comparative Review

Les AA. s'interessent au « dualisme dynamique », a l'« opposition duale », principe cosmologique de base dans le ceremonialisme inca. Afin de montrer que ce dualisme andin existe depuis le ceremonialisme chavin (1 er siecle av. J.-C.) et meme aux 2 nd et 3 eme siecle av. J.-C. dans l'architecture religieuse et rituelle, les AA. mettent l'accent sur trois cas : le centre de Chavin de Huantar dans les hautes-terres de l'epoque initiale recente et du debut de l'horizon, le centre de Cardal de la periode initiale recente et le centre de Kotosh du preceramique recent. Pendant ces trois millenaires, la societe s'est hierachisee et la nature de l'acces a l'architecture religieuse s'est modifiee.
Publisher pdf Poster: Force-Directed Layout for Euler Diagrams

Euler diagrams are the only diagrams that intuitively represent containment, intersection and exclusion of data, but none of the current automatic diagram layout techniques produce good layouts in a reasonable time. We adopt a force-directed approach to automatically layout aesthetically pleasing Euler diagrams in a relatively fast time. A Java prototype demonstrates our novel force model.
From Infant Affect Expression to Symbolic Play: The Coherence of Development in Down Syndrome Children

To examine further the coherence of development of a sample of Down syndrome children, assessments were made of the quality and level of play at age 3-5 years. It was found that, with corrections for mental age, the play of these children was similar to that of nonhandicapped children. Moreover, individual differences in the level and quality of play were strongly predicted from Bayley DQ scores obtained at age 2 and by several indexes of affective expressiveness including 1 obtained in the first year of life. This was despite limitations on the performance range represented in the subsample included in this follow-up study. Finally, the various aspects of play, as indexed by 5 separate scales, intercorrelated strongly, suggesting consistent individual differences in the play session itself. All of these findings point to the coherence of development of these children. In addition, it is suggested that early affective assessments are strong predictors of the later functioning of Down syndrome.
Genetic determinants of obesity-related lipid traits Published, JLR Papers in Press, February 1, 2004. DOI 10.1194/jlr.M300474-JLR200

In our ongoing effort to identify genes influencing the biological pathways that underlie the metabolic disturbances associated with obesity, we performed genome-wide scanning in 2,209 individuals distributed over 507 Caucasian families to localize quantitative trait loci (QTLs), which affect variation of plasma lipids. Pedigree-based analysis using a quantitative trait variance component linkage method that localized a QTL on chromosome 7q35-q36, which linked to variation in levels of plasma triglyceride [TG, logarithm of odds (LOD) score = 3.7] and was suggestive of linkage to LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C, LOD = 2.2). Covariates of the TG linkage included waist circumference, fasting insulin, and insulin:glucose, but not body mass index or hip circumference. Plasma HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were suggestively linked to a second QTL on chromosome 12p12.3 (LOD = 2.6). Five other QTLs with lower LOD scores were identified for plasma levels of LDL-C, HDL-C, and total cholesterol. These newly identified loci likely harbor genetic elements that influence traits underlying lipid adversities associated with obesity.
Atomic-sized metallic contacts: Mechanical properties and electronic transport.

Measuring simultaneously the force and the conductance during the formation and rupture of an atomic-sized gold contact at room temperature, we observe that deformation occurs as a sequence of structural transformations involving elastic and yielding stages and that force and conductance before rupture have definite values which are likely to correspond to a single atom contact. We measure the mechanical properties of contacts consisting of only a few atoms and show that the stepwise variation of the conductance is always due to the atomic rearrangements in the contact.
Automated Tracking and Quantification of Autistic Behavioral Symptoms Using Microsoft Kinect

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has risen significantly in the last ten years, and today, roughly 1 in 68 children has been diagnosed. One hallmark set of symptoms in this disorder are stereotypical motor movements. These repetitive movements may include spinning, body-rocking, or hand-flapping, amongst others. Despite the growing number of individuals affected by autism, an effective, accurate method of automatically quantifying such movements remains unavailable. This has negative implications for assessing the outcome of ASD intervention and drug studies. Here we present a novel approach to detecting autistic symptoms using the Microsoft Kinect v.2 to objectively and automatically quantify autistic body movements. The Kinect camera was used to film 12 actors performing three separate stereotypical motor movements each. Visual Gesture Builder (VGB) was implemented to analyze the skeletal structures in these recordings using a machine learning approach. In addition, movement detection was hard-coded in Matlab. Manual grading was used to confirm the validity and reliability of VGB and Matlab analysis. We found that both methods were able to detect autistic body movements with high probability. The machine learning approach yielded highest detection rates, supporting its use in automatically quantifying complex autistic behaviors with multi-dimensional input.