nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Apobec 1 Complementation Factor (A1CF) Inhibits Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition and Migration of Normal Rat Kidney Proximal Tubular Epithelial Cells
Venue: International journal of molecular sciences

Apobec 1 complementation factor (A1CF) is a member of the heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNP) family, which participates in site specific posttranscriptional RNA editing of apolipoprotein B (apoB) transcript. The posttranscriptional editing of apoB mRNA by A1CF in the small intestine is required for lipid absorption. Apart from the intestine, A1CF mRNA is also reported to be highly expressed in the kidneys. However, it is remained unknown about the functions of A1CF in the kidneys. The aim of this paper is to explore the potential functions of A1CF in the kidneys. Our results demonstrated that in C57BL/6 mice A1CF was weakly expressed in embryonic kidneys from E15.5dpc while strongly expressed in mature kidneys after birth, and it mainly existed in the tubules of inner cortex. More importantly, we identified A1CF negatively regulated the process of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) in kidney tubular epithelial cells. Our results found ectopic expression of A1CF up regulated the epithelial markers E cadherin, and down regulated the mesenchymal markers vimentin and a smooth muscle actin (a SMA) in NRK52e cells. In addition, knockdown of A1CF enhanced EMT contrary to the overexpression effect. Notably, the two A1CF variants led to the similar trend in the EMT process. Taken together, these data suggest that A1CF may be an antagonistic factor to the EMT process of kidney tubular epithelial cells.
Six2 Is a Coordinator of LiCl Induced Cell Proliferation and Apoptosis
Venue: International journal of molecular sciences

The metanephric mesenchyme (MM) cells are a subset of kidney progenitor cells and play an essential role in mesenchymal epithelial transition (MET) the key step of nephron generation. Six2, a biological marker related to Wnt signaling pathway, promotes the proliferation, inhibits the apoptosis and maintains the un differentiation of MM cells. Besides, LiCl is an activator of Wnt signaling pathway. However, the role of LiCl in cellular regulation of MM cells remains unclear, and the relationship between LiCl and Six2 in this process is also little known. Here, we performed EdU assay and flow cytometry assay to, respectively, detect the proliferation and apoptosis of MM cells treated with LiCl of increasing dosages. In addition, reverse transcription PCR (RT PCR) and Western blot were conducted to measure the expression of Six2 and some maker genes of Wnt and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling pathway. Furthermore, luciferase assay was also carried out to detect the transcriptional regulation of Six2. Then we found LiCl promoted MM cell proliferation at low concentration (10, 20, 30, and 40 mM) The expression of Six2 was dose dependently increased in low concentration (10, 20, 30, and 40 mM) at both mRNA and protein level. In addition, both of cell proliferation and Six2 expression in MM cells declined when dosage reached high concentration (50 mM) However, Six2 knock down converted the proliferation reduction at 50 mM. Furthermore, Six2 deficiency increased the apoptosis of MM cells, compared with negative control cells at relative LiCl concentration. However, the abnormal rise of apoptosis at 30 mM of LiCl concentration implies that it might be the reduction of GSK3b that increased cell apoptosis. Together, these demonstrate that LiCl can induce the proliferation and apoptosis of MM cells coordinating with Six2.
Predicting Fluctuations in Cryptocurrency Transactions Based on User Comments and Replies
Venue: PloS one

This paper proposes a method to predict fluctuations in the prices of cryptocurrencies, which are increasingly used for online transactions worldwide. Little research has been conducted on predicting fluctuations in the price and number of transactions of a variety of cryptocurrencies. Moreover, the few methods proposed to predict fluctuation in currency prices are inefficient because they fail to take into account the differences in attributes between real currencies and cryptocurrencies. This paper analyzes user comments in online cryptocurrency communities to predict fluctuations in the prices of cryptocurrencies and the number of transactions. By focusing on three cryptocurrencies, each with a large market size and user base, this paper attempts to predict such fluctuations by using a simple and efficient method.
Centrally Banked Cryptocurrencies
Venue: NDSS

Current cryptocurrencies, starting with Bitcoin, build a decentralized blockchain based transaction ledger, main tained through proofs of work that also serve to generate a monetary supply. Such decentralization has benefits, such as independence from national political control, but also significant limitations in terms of computational costs and scalability. We introduce RSCoin, a cryptocurrency framework in which central banks maintain complete control over the monetary supply, but rely on a distributed set of authorities, or mintettes, to prevent double spending. While monetary policy is centralized, RSCoin still provides strong transparency and auditability guarantees. We demonstrate, both theoretically and experimentally, the benefits of a modest degree of centralization, such as the elimination of wasteful hashing and a scalable system for avoiding double spending attacks.
When Cryptocurrencies Mine Their Own Business
Venue: Financial Cryptography

Bitcoin and hundreds of other cryptocurrencies employ a consensus protocol called Nakamoto consensus which rewards miners for maintaining a public blockchain. In this paper, we study the security of this protocol with respect to rational miners and show how a minority of the computation power can incentivize the rest of the network to accept a blockchain of the minority's choice. By deviating from the mining protocol, a mining pool which controls at least 38.2% of the network's total computational power can, with modest financial capacity, gain mining advantage over honest mining. Such an attack creates a longer valid blockchain by forking the honest blockchain, and the attacker's blockchain need not disrupt any "legitimate" non mining transactions present on the honest blockchain. By subverting the consensus protocol, the attacking pool can double spend money or simply create a blockchain that pays mining rewards to the attacker's pool. We show that our attacks are easy to encode in any Nakamoto consensus based cryptocurrency which supports a scripting language that is sufficiently expressive to encode its own mining puzzles.
Human Cytomegalovirus Requires Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Signaling To Enter and Initiate the Early Steps in the Establishment of Latency in CD34+ Human Progenitor Cells
Venue: Journal of Virology

The establishment of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) latency and persistence relies on the successful infection of hematopoietic cells, which serve as sites of viral persistence and contribute to viral spread. Here, using blocking antibodies and pharmacological inhibitors, we document that HCMV activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and downstream phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K) mediates viral entry into CD34+ human progenitor cells (HPCs) resulting in distinct cellular trafficking and nuclear translocation of the virus compared to that in other immune cells, such as we have documented in monocytes. We argue that the EGFR allows HCMV to regulate the cellular functions of these replication restricted cells via its signaling activity following viral binding. In addition to regulating HCMV entry/trafficking, EGFR signaling may also shape the early steps required for the successful establishment of viral latency in CD34+ cells, as pharmacological inhibition of EGFR increases the transcription of lytic IE1/IE2 mRNA while curbing the expression of latency associated UL138 mRNA. EGFR signaling following infection of CD34+ HPCs may also contribute to changes in hematopoietic potential, as treatment with the EGFR kinase (EGFRK) inhibitor AG1478 alters the expression of the cellular hematopoietic cytokine interleukin 12 (IL 12) in HCMV infected cells but not in mock infected cells. These findings, along with our previous work with monocytes, suggest that EGFR likely serves as an important determinant of HCMV tropism for select subsets of hematopoietic cells. Moreover, our new data suggest that EGFR is a key receptor for efficient viral entry and that the ensuing signaling regulates important early events required for successful infection of CD34+ HPCs by HCMV.  HCMV establishes lifelong persistence within the majority of the human population without causing overt pathogenesis in healthy individuals. Despite this, reactivation of HCMV from its latent reservoir in the bone marrow causes significant morbidity and mortality in immunologically compromised individuals, such as bone marrow and solid organ transplant patients. Lifelong persistent infection has also been linked with the development of various cardiovascular diseases in otherwise healthy individuals. Current HCMV therapeutics target lytic replication, but not the latent viral reservoir; thus, an understanding of the molecular basis for viral latency and persistence is paramount to controlling or eliminating HCMV infection. Here, we show that the viral signalosome activated by HCMV binding to its entry receptor, EGFR, in CD34+ HPCs initiates early events necessary for successful latent infection of this cell type. EGFR and associated signaling players may therefore represent promising targets for mitigating HCMV persistence.
Efficacy of focal adhesion kinase inhibition in non small cell lung cancer with oncogenically activated MAPK pathways
Venue: British Journal of Cancer

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is overexpressed in many types of tumours, including lung cancer. Y15, a small molecule which inhibits Y397 FAK autophosphorylation, decreases growth of human neuroblastoma, breast and pancreatic cancers. In this study, we investigated the in vitro and in vivo effects of Y15, and the underlying mechanism on non small cell lung cancer cells.The cytotoxic effects of Y15 targeting FAK signalling were evaluated. Gene knockdown experiments were performed to determine the anti cancer mechanism. Xenografts with RAS or EGFR mutations were selected for in vivo Y15 treatment.Y15 blocked autophosphorylation of FAK in a time and dose dependent manner. It caused dose dependent decrease of lung cancer cell viability and clonogenicity. Y15 inhibited tumour growth of RAS mutant (A549 with KRAS mutation and H1299 with NRAS mutation) as well as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutant (H1650 and H1975) lung cancer xenografts. JNK activation is a mechanism underlying Y15 induced Bcl 2 and Mcl 1 downregulation. Moreover, knockdown of Bcl 2 or Bcl xL potentiated the effects of Y15. The combination of various inhibitors of the Bcl 2 family of proteins with FAK inhibitors demonstrated synergy in multiple lung cancer cell lines in vitro.FAK inhibition demonstrated efficacy both in vitro and in vivo in lung cancers with either oncogenic RAS or EGFR mutations. In addition, FAK inhibition in combination with inhibitors of Bcl 2 family of anti apoptotic proteins has synergistic activity in these MAPK activated non small cell lung cancer cell line models.
Spatial structure, cooperation and competition in biofilms
Venue: Nature Reviews Microbiology

Bacteria often live within matrix embedded communities, termed biofilms, which are now understood to be a major mode of microbial life. The study of biofilms has revealed their vast complexity both in terms of resident species composition and phenotypic diversity. Despite this complexity, theoretical and experimental work in the past decade has identified common principles for understanding microbial biofilms. In this Review, we discuss how the spatial arrangement of genotypes within a community influences the cooperative and competitive cell cell interactions that define biofilm form and function. Furthermore, we argue that a perspective rooted in ecology and evolution is fundamental to progress in microbiology.
The Viability and Reliability of the Fractal Leadership Practices Scale

Leadership has undoubtedly become the fulcrum of educational institutions in a bid to transform the education system. It remains the most critical process at all levels of education and in all forms of educational institutions. The way leadership is served is directly related to the success or otherwise of a particular educational institution. This explains why all leaders at various levels have been grappling with establishing the best way of leading their followers and institutions alike. The outcome of such efforts has been the emergence and re emergence of leadership styles and approaches within the education system from the traditional (autocratic, bureaucratic, democratic and laissez faire leadership) modern (transformational, transactional and charismatic leadership) to the more contemporary ones which are born of specificity (servant, people, shared, values based, ethical, service, quantum, plazma and fractal leadership among others) In order to establish the fractal leadership practices of school principals, a scale was developed by the authors following ten adopted constructs. This paper, therefore, aimed at exploring the validity and reliability of the fractal leadership practices scale. The validity was computed via responses of experts, and the reliability was analysed basing on views of respondents using the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) programme. First, a general reliability measure was undertaken for all the items in the scale, and later, the reliability of each of the ten constructs was also measured. The items found as desired based on their Cronbach alpha scores were excluded, and the scale was remeasured. The scale was found suitable enough to measure fractal leadership practices of school principals.
H(/peptide transporter (PEPT2) is expressed in human epidermal keratinocytes and is involved in skin oligopeptide transport.
Venue: Biochemical and biophysical research communications

Peptide transporter 2 (PEPT2) is a member of the proton coupled oligopeptide transporter family, which mediates the cellular uptake of oligopeptides and peptide like drugs. Although PEPT2 is expressed in many tissues, its expression in epidermal keratinocytes remains unclear. We investigated PEPT2 expression profile and functional activity in keratinocytes. We confirmed PEPT2 mRNA expression in three keratinocyte lines (normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEKs) immortalized keratinocytes, and malignant keratinocytes) by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT PCR) and quantitative real time RT PCR. In contrast to PEPT1, PEPT2 expression in the three keratinocytes was similar or higher than that in HepG2 cells, used as PEPT2 positive cells. Immunolocalization analysis using human skin showed epidermal PEPT2 localization. We studied keratinocyte transport function by measuring the oligopeptide content using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. Glycylsarcosine uptake in NHEKs was pH dependent, suggesting that keratinocytes could absorb small peptides in the presence of an inward H( gradient. We also performed a skin permeability test of several oligopeptides using skin substitute, suggesting that di and tripeptides pass actively through the epidermis. In conclusion, PEPT2 is expressed in keratinocytes and involved in skin oligopeptide uptake.
Cloning of oligopeptide transport carrier PepT1 and comparative analysis of PepT1 messenger ribonucleic acid expression in response to dietary nitrogen levels in yak (Bos grunniens) and indigenous cattle (Bos taurus) on the Qinghai Tibetan plateau1

The gastrointestinal lumen can directly absorb all di and tripeptide protein degradation products, and oligopeptide absorption depends on the specific peptide transport carriers, which are located in gastrointestinal epithelial cells on the brush border membrane. Yak (Bos grunniens) use N more efficiently than cattle do, which implies that yak have a specific mechanism of nonprotein utilization including a peptide absorption mechanism. However, this mechanism has not been clarified. Our objective was to explore whether yak possess any adaptive mechanisms of peptide absorption to survive in the harsh foraging environment of the Qinghai Tibetan plateau. Twelve castrated males of each of 2 genotypes, yak (B. grunniens) and indigenous cattle (Bos taurus) were fed diets of various N levels. The yak PepT1 (yPepT1) cDNA was cloned in omasum epithelial tissue. Our results showed that the full length yPepT1 cDNA contains 2,805 bp, and a 2,121 bp open reading frame encodes a putative protein of 707 AA residues. The yPepT1 AA sequence identified 5 putative extracellular N glycosylation sites (Asn(406) Asn(434) Asn(438) Asn(498) and Asn(508) 2 putative intracellular protein kinase A sites (Ser(271) and Thr(359) and 3 intracellular putative protein kinase C sites (Ser(252) Ser(266) and Ser(357) The yPepT1 AA sequence was 99, 95, 86, and 83% identical to PepT1 from cattle (B. taurus) sheep (Ovis aries) pigs (Sus scrofa) and humans (Homo sapiens) respectively. The relative PepT1 mRNA expression for indigenous cattle was greater than yak in the rumen, omasum, duodenum, ileum, and liver (P 0.001) however, it was lower in jejunum tissue (P 0.01) The relative PepT1 mRNA expression in response to increasing dietary N for both genotypes were linear in the rumen and jejunum (P 0.10) quadratic or cubic in the reticulum (P 0.01) linear or quadratic in the duodenum, ileum, and liver (P 0.01) and linear, quadratic, or cubic in the omasum (P 0.001) Moreover, there were significant interactions between genotype and dietary N in rumen, reticulum, omasum, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and liver tissues. In conclusion, the PepT1 profile and expression in gastrointestinal epithelial cells of yak varied from those of cattle, implying that yak have evolved a peptide transport mechanism to adapt the environment of the Qinghai Tibetan plateau.
Contextualisation of Humanitarian Assistance and its Shortcomings in International Human Rights Law

This article challenges the idea that contextualisation of humanitarian aid affects the principle of universality of human rights as well as the principles of neutrality and impartiality. It seeks to demonstrate that contextualisation will not only improve access, delivery and protection: contextualising a mission also enables aid workers to respect the local context without impacting negatively upon universal human rights. The author argues that affecting the societies in which aid is delivered is inevitable. The key then becomes to avoid endorsing indirect cultural relativism. This is why the article puts forward the idea of creating a yardstick or a test that would help in deciding which beliefs and values are to be included when considering the context, and which should be excluded. The process of selection of values and beliefs is to be operated by an empowered local population. The filter suggested in the case at hand is the Muslim legal instrument of maslaha which protects the public interest. The use of this filter can be efficient only if Islamic authoritative sources are interpreted differently, in a reformist fashion, to try and match universal human rights law. This is possible through the Muslim theories advocating change. Muslim beneficiaries who are vulnerable as a result of a disaster or during a conflict provide an opportunity to test the filter of maslaha looking at how an empowered community can change and influence the agendas of aid agencies.
Water determination in iron oxyhydroxides and iron ores by Karl Fischer titration
Venue: PCM 2016

Protohematite (Fe2 x/3(OH)xO3 x 1 x 0.5) and hydrohematite (Fe2 x/3(OH)xO3 x 0.5 x 0) are iron defective phases containing hydroxyl groups in their structures. These species were described in prior studies mainly with the aid of X ray diffraction and Infrared spectroscopy. The existence of these phases in soils might have influence in redox processes, and they were considered as a possible water reservoir in Martian soils. In this study, we have used for the first time the Karl Fischer titration method to determine the amount of water released after heating several synthetic samples of goethite, hematite and natural iron ores at 105, 400, 600 and 900 degC. It was found that heating at 105 degC did not remove all moisture from the samples, and higher temperatures were necessary to completely remove all the absorbed water. The water contents determined at 400, 600 and 900 degC were found to be the same within the experimental errors, suggesting the inexistence of both protohematite and hydrohematite in the investigated samples. Therefore, the above mentioned effects of these phases in soils might have to be reevaluated.
Water determination in iron oxyhydroxides and iron ores by Karl Fischer titration
Venue: Physics and Chemistry of Minerals

Protohematite (Fe2 x/3(OH)xO3 x 1 x 0.5) and hydrohematite (Fe2 x/3(OH)xO3 x 0.5 x 0) are iron defective phases containing hydroxyl groups in their structures. These species were described in prior studies mainly with the aid of X ray diffraction and Infrared spectroscopy. The existence of these phases in soils might have influence in redox processes, and they were considered as a possible water reservoir in Martian soils. In this study, we have used for the first time the Karl Fischer titration method to determine the amount of water released after heating several synthetic samples of goethite, hematite and natural iron ores at 105, 400, 600 and 900 degC. It was found that heating at 105 degC did not remove all moisture from the samples, and higher temperatures were necessary to completely remove all the absorbed water. The water contents determined at 400, 600 and 900 degC were found to be the same within the experimental errors, suggesting the inexistence of both protohematite and hydrohematite in the investigated samples. Therefore, the above mentioned effects of these phases in soils might have to be reevaluated.
Morphological and Molecular Identification of Phytophthora tropicalis as Causal Agent of Crown and Root Rot on Albizia julibrissin

Isolates of a Phytophthora sp. were obtained from soil and root baiting of declining Albizia julibrissin plants grown in soil in an Italian nursery. Identification was performed on the basis of morphological, pathological and molecular features. As main characteristics, isolates did not grow at 35degC, were poorly pathogenic when inoculated on bell pepper plants, and had the average sporangium pedicel length longer than 100, being similar to Phytophthora tropicalis. A comparative study of internal transcribed spacer, beta tubulin, translation elongation factor 1 alpha and cytochrome c oxidase subunit II (CoxII) sequences supported the identification of the isolates as P. tropicalis. Comparison included all the European isolate sequences available in GenBank. Pathogenicity tests reproduced symptoms of root and crown browning and rotting and wilting as originally observed on nursery plants. Considering all the results, we identified P. tropicalis as the causal agent of A. julibrissin decline, crown and root rot. To our knowledge, this is the first report of this host pathogen combination in Italy or elsewhere. P. tropicalis has to be considered a serious threat to agricultural and natural environment because it is highly polyphagous and easy to spread due to its caducous sporangia.