Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Transcriptional stimulation of the retina-specific QR1 gene upon growth arrest involves a Maf-related protein

The avian neural retina (NR) is derived from proliferating neuroectodermal precursors which differentiate after terminal mitosis and become organized in cell strata. Proliferation of postmitotic NR cells can be induced by infection with Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) and requires the expression of a functional v-Src protein. QR1 is a retina-specific gene expressed exclusively at the stage of growth arrest and differentiation during retinal development. In NR cells infected with tsPA101, an RSV mutant conditionally defective in pp60v-src mitogenic capacity, QR1 expression is downregulated in proliferating cells at 37 degrees C and is fully restored when the cells become quiescent as a result of pp60v-src inactivation at 41 degrees C. We were able to arrest proliferation of tsPA101-infected quail NR cells expressing an active v-Src protein by serum starvation at 37 degrees C. This allowed us to investigate the role of cell growth in regulating QR1 transcription. We report that QR1 transcription is stimulated in growth-arrested cells at 37 degrees C compared with that in proliferating cells maintained at the same temperature. Growth arrest-dependent stimulation of QR1 transcription requires the integrity of the A box, a previously characterized cis-acting element responsible for QR1 transcriptional stimulation upon v-Src inactivation and during retinal differentiation. We also show that formation of the C1 complex on the A box is increased upon growth arrest by serum starvation in the presence of an active v-Src oncoprotein. Thus, the C1 complex represents an important link between cell cycle and developmental control of QR1 gene transcription during NR differentiation and RSV infection. By using antibodies directed against different Maf proteins of the leucine zipper family and competition with Maf consensus site-containing oligonucleotides in a gel shift assay, we show that the C1 complex is likely to contain a Maf-related protein. We also show that a purified bacterially expressed v-Maf protein is able to bind the A box and that the level of a 43-kDa Maf-related protein is increased upon growth arrest in infected retinal cells. Moreover, ectopic expression of c-mafI, c-mafII, and mafB cDNAs in quiescent tsPA101-infected quail NR cells is able to stimulate transcription of a QR1 reporter gene through the A box. Therefore, QR1 appears to be the first target gene for a Maf-related protein(s) in the NR.
A Design Philosophy for Agents in the Smart Home

The home is often the most private space in people's lives, and not one in which they expect to be surveilled. However, today's market for smart home devices has quickly evolved to include products that monitor, automate, and present themselves as human. After documenting some of the more unusual emergent problems with contemporary devices, this body of work seeks to develop a design philosophy for intelligent agents in the smart home that can act as an alternative to the ways that these devices are currently built. This is then applied to the design of privacy empowering technologies, representing the first steps from the devices of the present towards a more respectful future.
The use of sodium hyaluronate in freezing media for bovine and murine embryos.

Four experiments were designed to determine whether sodium hyaluronate (SH) may be used to replace newborn calf serum (NCS) in murine and bovine embryo freezing media. A total of 780 mouse and 178 cattle embryos were frozen. Freezing media were prepared in Dulbecco's phosphate-buffered saline supplemented with 20% NCS and 10% glycerol (v/v) (medium A). In experiments I and II, NCS was replaced by 0.1% SH (w/v) in medium B and by 0.1% polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) (w/v) in medium C. In experiments III and IV, NCS was replaced in mouse embryo freezing medium by three different molecular weights of SH as follows: 0.1 or 0.2% (SH-1; < 3 x 10(5) Da) in medium B, by 0.1 or 0.05% (SH-2; 5-7.5 x 10(5) Da) in medium C, and by 0.1 or 0.025% (SH-3; > 1.2 x 10(6) Da) in medium D. Embryos were frozen and thawed using standard procedures. Glycerol was diluted from embryos after thawing in a single step with 1.0 M sucrose. After 48 h in culture (Ham's F-10 medium for cattle embryos and BWW medium for mouse embryos), embryos were evaluated for development to expanded or hatched blastocysts. Survival rates were compared by chi 2 analysis. In experiment I, there were no significant differences in mouse embryo survival or development between NCS, SH, and PVA groups (84.1, 79.2, and 83.3%, respectively). In experiment II, there were no significant differences in bovine embryo survival between NCS and SH groups (67.2 and 67.7%), but both had significantly higher survival than the PVA group (37.9%; P < 0.05). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Socioeconomic Status as a Common Factor Underlying the Association Between Enuresis and Psychopathology

ABSTRACT. The association between enuresis and psychopathology (e.g., attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder) has been well studied. However, past research failed to adjust this relationship for the influence of sociodemographic variables underlying both problems. This study, using the Child Behavior Checklist and the Disruptive Behavior Disorder Rating Scale, compares 154 enuretic children with a control group of 153 children who had urinary control. The results reveal that enuretic children show significantly higher scores on both questionnaires. However, when sociodemographic variables are entered in the analysis, group differences disappear, and social class category, as a measure of socioeconomic status (SES), becomes a significant factor in explaining the variance in problem scores. Although children with enuresis have more internalizing, externalizing, and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms than continent children, when the analysis is performed controlling for SES, this relationship is no longer present.
Clinical analysis of computed tomography-staged orbital cellulitis in children.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Bacterial infection of the orbital structures can affect all age groups, but is more frequent in pediatric populations. Prompt recognition, correct diagnosis, and adequate management are important if serious complications are to be avoided. This study sought to delineate the clinical, bacteriological and radiological findings, management and outcome of orbital cellulitis. METHODS This retrospective study reviewed 80 children admitted to Chang Gung Children's Hospital with a diagnosis of orbital cellulitis who were staged by computed tomography (CT), between January 1999 and August 2005. The staging classification was as follows: stage I, inflammatory edema (preseptal); stage II, subperiosteal phlegmon and abscess; stage III, orbital cellulitis; stage IV, orbital abscess; and stage V, ophthalmic vein and cavernous sinus thrombosis. The patients were categorized into 2 groups: preseptal (stage I) and postseptal (stage II-V). RESULTS Of the 80 children, 50 were male and the mean age was 6.8 years. Sinusitis and upper respiratory tract infection were the most common predisposing factors. Forty one percent of patients in stage I presented with symptoms that indicated postseptal involvement. The patients with postseptal involvement had a significantly higher rate of proptosis and limitation of extraocular motility. Bacterial pathogens were identified in 31 patients (39%), the 2 most common pathogens being Staphylococcus and Streptococcus. Ten patients (13%) had polymicrobial infection. Twenty three patients underwent sinus and/or orbital and/or intracranial surgery, including all 5 patients (100%) in stage IV, 3 of 6 patients (50%) in stage III, 13 of 35 patients (37%) in stage II, and 2 of 34 patients (6%) in stage I. Complete resolution without complication was achieved in 72 children. Eight patients had complications, including intracranial infection in 3, recollection of abscess in 2, ophthalmoplegia in 2, and corneal scar in 1. CONCLUSIONS Proptosis and limitation of extraocular motility may be considered the most important signs on CT examination in children with suspicious orbital cellulitis. Given that polymicrobial infection is common, broad-spectrum antibiotics are indicated initially. Surgery should be considered not only when an abscess is demonstrated by CT scan but also if clinical deterioration occurs within 24 to 36 h of adequate intravenous antibiotic treatment.
Vesicle-associated Membrane Protein-associated Protein-A (VAP-A) Interacts with the Oxysterol-binding Protein to Modify Export from the Endoplasmic Reticulum*

Oxysterol-binding protein (OSBP) is 1 of 12 related proteins implicated in the regulation of vesicle transport and sterol homeostasis. A yeast two-hybrid screen using full-length OSBP as bait was undertaken to identify partner proteins that would provide clues to the function of OSBP. This resulted in the cloning of vesicle-associated membrane protein-associated protein-A (VAP-A), a syntaxin-like protein implicated in endoplasmic reticulum (ER)/Golgi vesicle transport, and phospholipid regulation in mammalian cells and yeast, respectively. By using a combination of yeast two-hybrid, glutathione S-transferase pull-down and immunoprecipitation experiments, the VAP-A-binding region in OSBP was localized to amino acids 351–442. This region did not include the pleckstrin homology (PH) domain but overlapped with the N terminus of the oxysterol binding and OSBP homology domains. C- and N-terminal truncations or deletions of VAP prevented interaction with OSBP but did not affect VAP multimerization. Although the OSBP PH domain was not necessary for VAP-A binding in vitro, interaction with VAP-A was enhanced in cells by mutation of the conserved PH domain tryptophan (OSBP W174A) or deletion of the C-terminal half of the PH domain (OSBP Δ132–182). OSBP W174A retained oxysterol binding activity, association with phospholipid vesicles via the PH domain, and localized with VAP in unusual ER-associated structures. At 40 °C, misfolded ts045-vesicular stomatitis virus G protein fused to green fluorescent protein was co-localized with VAP-A/OSBP W174A structures on the ER but was exported to the Golgi when folded normally at 32 °C. A fluorescent ceramide analogue also accumulated in these ER inclusions, and export to the Golgi was partially inhibited as indicated by decreased Golgi staining and a 30% reduction in sphingomyelin synthesis. These studies show that OSBP binding to the ER and Golgi apparatus is regulated by its PH domain and VAP interactions, and the complex is involved at a stage of protein and ceramide transport from the ER.
Microtubule depolymerizing vascular disrupting agents: novel therapeutic agents for oncology and other pathologies

Vascular disrupting agents (VDAs) are a relatively new group of ‘vascular targeting’ agents that exhibit selective activity against established tumour vascular networks, causing severe interruption of tumour blood flow and necrosis to the tumour mass. Microtubule depolymerizing agents form by far the largest group of small molecular weight VDAs many of which, including lead compound disodium combretastatin A‐4 3‐O‐phosphate (CA‐4‐P), are under clinical development for cancer. Although distinct from the angiogenesis inhibitors, VDAs can also interfere with angiogenesis and therefore constitute a potential group of novel drugs for the treatment of pathological conditions characterized by excessive angiogenesis, in addition to cancer. The endothelial cytoskeleton is the primary cellular target of this family of drugs, and some progress in understanding the molecular and signalling mechanisms associated with their endothelial disrupting activity has been made in the last few years. Susceptibility of tumour vessels to VDA damage is ascribed to their immature pericyte‐defective nature, although the exact molecular mechanisms involved have not been clearly defined. Despite causing profound damage to tumours, VDAs fail to halt tumour growth unless used together with conventional treatments. This failure is attributed to resistance mechanisms, primarily associated with cells that remain viable within the tumour rim, and enhanced angiogenesis. The focus is now to understand mechanisms of susceptibility and resistance to identify novel molecular targets and develop strategies that are more effective.
Fighting behaviour, vigilance and predation risk in the cichlid fish
 Nannacara anomala
 


I studied the fighting behaviour of a small South American cichlid fish, Nannacara anomala, in relation to predation risk. In this species, which reduces vigilance during escalated fighting, differences in fighting ability are most accurately assessed during mouth wrestling. Thus, there is a potential trade-off between agonistic behaviours that are effective for assessing differences in fighting ability between contestants and agonistic behaviours that minimize the risk of being killed by predators. I investigated whether breaks between bouts of mouth wrestling improved the contestants' ability to flee from an approaching model fish predator. During the breaks between mouth wrestling the contestants had a significantly longer escape distance than males that were actively mouth wrestling. Fighting males also changed their fighting behaviour after the introduction of the model predator compared with males that were not exposed to it. Low-intensity behaviours such as lateral display and tail beating were preferred to mouth wrestling. In addition, both the number and duration of bouts of active mouth wrestling decreased significantly after the introduction of the model predator while the duration of the breaks between bouts of active mouth wrestling increased significantly compared with the control. Including predation risk in the costs of intense fighting may increase our understanding of both the temporal structuring of fighting behaviour and the evolution of fighting behaviour in general.1998 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour
Cdc2-Cyclin B Triggers H3 Kinase Activation of Aurora-A in Xenopus Oocytes*

Xenopus oocytes are arrested in meiotic prophase I and resume meiotic divisions in response to progesterone. Progesterone triggers activation of M-phase promoting factor (MPF) or Cdc2-cyclin B complex and neosynthesis of Mos kinase, responsible for MAPK activation. Both Cdc2 and MAPK activities are required for the success of meiotic maturation. However, the signaling pathway induced by progesterone and leading to MPF activation is poorly understood, and most of the targets of both Cdc2 and MAPK in the oocyte remain to be determined. Aurora-A is a Ser/Thr kinase involved in separation of centrosomes and in spindle assembly during mitosis. It has been proposed that in Xenopus oocytes Aurora-A could be an early component of the progesterone-transduction pathway, acting through the regulation of Mos synthesis upstream Cdc2 activation. We addressed here the question of Aurora-A regulation during meiotic maturation by using new in vitro and in vivo experimental approaches. We demonstrate that Cdc2 kinase activity is necessary and sufficient to trigger both Aurora-A phosphorylation and kinase activation in Xenopus oocyte. In contrast, these events are independent of the Mos/MAPK pathway. Aurora-A is phosphorylated in vivo at least on three residues that regulate differentially its kinase activity. Therefore, Aurora-A is under the control of Cdc2 in the Xenopus oocyte and could be involved in meiotic spindle establishment.
Negative Emotion, Positive Performance? A Glimpse into Emotional Influences on Moving Target Selection

Moving target selection is one of the most fundamental interaction tasks in user interfaces involving dynamic content. In such kind of systems, many stimuli will cause individual positive or negative emotions. Users need to make the selection with the influences of these emotions, such as waving a stick to hit a fast-moving spider. In this study, we explored the effects of induced emotion on user performances in a time-constrained moving target selection task. We found that participants tended to select the targets faster but make more mistakes in positive emotion condition, while they select the targets slower with fewer mistakes in negative emotion condition. We discussed future research directions on this topic and how it could potentially help the design in user interfaces with dynamic content.
Synovial Cysts of the Lumbar Facet Joints in a Symptomatic Population: Prevalence on Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Study Design. A retrospective review of 303 MRI scans of the lumbar spine was conducted. Objectives. To determine the prevalence of lumbar facet joint synovial cysts arising from the joints anteriorly and posteriorly. To examine the association of these cysts with facet joint osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease. Summary of Background Data. Sporadic reports of such cysts exist as do limited studies describing the prevalence of symptomatic anterior facet joint synovial cysts. However, the overall prevalence of lumbar facet joint synovial cysts has not been formally studied, and the mechanism of formation of these cysts is not fully understood. Methods. One observer undertook a review of MRI of the lumbar spine from one facility in a series of 303 patients referred mostly for back pain or radiculopathy. The presence of lumbar facet joint synovial cysts, their relationship to the facet joint, the degree of associated facet joint osteoarthritis, the presence of spondylolisthesis, and the degree of associated disc degeneration were recorded. Results. Seven anterior cysts (prevalence = 2.3%) were identified, only two of which did not clearly cause nerve root compression. Twenty-three posterior cysts in 22 patients (prevalence = 7.3%) were identified. Statistically significant associations with increased frequency and severity of facet joint osteoarthritis and with spondylolisthesis were demonstrated compared to patients without cysts. Conclusions. Both anterior and posterior lumbar facet joint synovial cysts are rare. Posterior cysts are more common than anterior cysts. Both types of cysts are related to facet joint osteoarthritis but not to disc disease.
Prevalence of hypertension among teenage students in Kano, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND Hypertension has been reported among young people worldwide. It is known to track from youth to adulthood, which makes it a useful predictor of essential hypertension in adulthood. This study determined the prevalence of hypertension and associated cardiovascular risk factors among secondary school teenagers in Kano, Nigeria. METHODS A questionnaire was administered on a cross section of 1000 teenage students to inquire about cardiovascular risk factors. Participants' blood pressure, height and weight were measured. Relevant investigations were done for those with raised blood pressure. RESULTS The participants' ages ranged from 13 to 19 years with a mean of 15.91.62 years. Seventy of the students had systolic blood pressure 140mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure 90mmHg giving a prevalence rate of hypertension of 7.2% [95% CI = 5.6-8.9%]. Specifically, 32 (6.7%) of the 476 males were hypertensive compared to 38 (7.7%) of the 492 female participants. This difference was not statistically significant (2 =1.6 df = 1 p > 0.05). The prevalence rate of hypertension rose from 4.3% (among the younger participants) to 11.8% among the oldest students. Of the 70, a majority (88.5%) had grade 1 hypertension, 10.0% had Grade 2 hypertension and 1.5% had Grade 3 hypertension. The hypertensives were about twice more likely to have a family history of hypertension compared to their normotensive counterparts. This difference was statistically significant [OR = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.12-3.83] (2 = 6.4 df = 1 p = 0.01). CONCLUSION Hypertension exists among teenage students in Kano, Nigeria. Early detection can reduce risk of cardiovascular changes and end organ damage.
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma plays a critical role in inhibition of cardiac hypertrophy in vitro and in vivo.

BACKGROUND Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are transcription factors of the nuclear receptor superfamily. It has been reported that the thiazolidinediones, which are antidiabetic agents and high-affinity ligands for PPARgamma, regulate growth of vascular cells. In the present study, we examined the role of PPARgamma in angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced hypertrophy of neonatal rat cardiac myocytes and in pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy of mice. METHODS AND RESULTS Treatment of cultured cardiac myocytes with PPARgamma ligands such as troglitazone, pioglitazone, and rosiglitazone inhibited Ang II-induced upregulation of skeletal alpha-actin and atrial natriuretic peptide genes and an increase in cell surface area. Treatment of mice with a PPARgamma ligand, pioglitazone, inhibited pressure overload-induced increases in the heart weight-to-body weight ratio, wall thickness, and myocyte diameter in wild-type mice and an increase in the heart weight-to-body weight ratio in heterozygous PPARgamma-deficient mice. In contrast, pressure overload-induced increases in the heart weight-to-body weight ratio and wall thickness were more prominent in heterozygous PPARgamma-deficient mice than in wild-type mice. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that the PPARgamma-dependent pathway is critically involved in the inhibition of cardiac hypertrophy.
Neuronal activity in rat medial prefrontal cortex during sucrose solution intake

The rat's prefrontal cortex plays a role in integration of feeding-related information. In this study, we investigated the neuronal activity changes of medial prefrontal cortex during licking of sucrose solution by freely moving rats. We found two different types of excitatory and two different types of inhibitory single neuron responses time locked to the beginning of the licking clusters. Changes in firing rates occurred either within 2 s before the first lick of the licking cluster or during the licking cluster. These observations suggest that neuronal responses in the medial prefrontal cortex may represent anticipation and consummation of liquid food reward.
[Application of the Gail method of calculating risk in the population of Valencia].

BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to verify whether the method defined by Gail is applicable and predictive in a population of women in Valencia (Spain). POPULATION AND METHODS Of the 685 patients diagnosed with breast cancer and attended-to in 2000-2001, 186 incident cases were identified. The variables studied were obtained from a specific questionnaire which included characteristics of reproductive history, number of biopsies and contraceptive pill consumption prior to the diagnosis. Using the model of the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP), an adaptation of the Gail model, the risk of developing breast cancer at 5 years was estimated. RESULTS Only 40% of those women diagnosed as having breast cancer would have been identified as a high-risk patient by the Gail method. With our population group, the method detected the elderly women with a medical history of breast cancer who developed advanced stage disease. CONCLUSIONS The Gail method does not adapt well to the study population of Valencia. It would be necessary to add other risk-factors to the Gail method so as to identify more patients in our area.