Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evidence for Frozen-Niche Variation in a Cosmopolitan Parthenogenetic Soil Mite Species (Acari, Oribatida)

Parthenogenetic lineages may colonize marginal areas of the range of related sexual species or coexist with sexual species in the same habitat. Frozen-Niche-Variation and General-Purpose-Genotype are two hypotheses suggesting that competition and interclonal selection result in parthenogenetic populations being either genetically diverse or rather homogeneous. The cosmopolitan parthenogenetic oribatid mite Oppiella nova has a broad ecological phenotype and is omnipresent in a variety of habitats. Morphological variation in body size is prominent in this species and suggests adaptation to distinct environmental conditions. We investigated genetic variance and body size of five independent forest - grassland ecotones. Forests and grasslands were inhabited by distinct genetic lineages with transitional habitats being colonized by both genetic lineages from forest and grassland. Notably, individuals of grasslands were significantly larger than individuals in forests. These differences indicate the presence of specialized genetic lineages specifically adapted to either forests or grasslands which coexist in transitional habitats. Molecular clock estimates suggest that forest and grassland lineages separated 16-6 million years ago, indicating long-term persistence of these lineages in their respective habitat. Long-term persistence, and morphological and genetic divergence imply that drift and environmental factors result in the evolution of distinct parthenogenetic lineages resembling evolution in sexual species. This suggests that parthenogenetic reproduction is not an evolutionary dead end.
Comparative Efficacy of Yohimbine Against Pyridostigmine for the Treatment of Orthostatic Hypotension in Autonomic Failure

Orthostatic hypotension affects patients with autonomic failure producing considerable disability because of presyncopal symptoms. Severely affected patients may have residual sympathetic tone that can be engaged to increase blood pressure (BP) with the &agr;-2 adrenergic antagonist yohimbine. This medication activates sympathetic outflow centrally and unrestrains norepinephrine release from noradrenergic neurons. Alternatively, the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, pyridostigmine, can increase sympathetic tone by improving ganglionic cholinergic neurotransmission. Our purpose was to compare these complementary approaches and to explore whether the combination would lead to synergistic increases in BP. We compared the effects of 60 mg of pyridostigmine and 5.4 mg of yohimbine in a single-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover fashion. In a subset of patients we tested the combination of pyridostigmine and yohimbine. Our primary outcome was the change in standing diastolic BP 60 minutes after drug administration from baseline. We studied a total of 31 patients with severe autonomic failure. Yohimbine significantly improved standing diastolic BP as compared with placebo (11±3 mm Hg [95% CI: 6 to 16 mm Hg]; P<0.001). On the contrary, pyridostigmine did not increase the standing diastolic BP (0.6±3 mm Hg [95% CI: −5 to 5 mm Hg]; P=0.823). Only yohimbine showed a significant improvement in presyncopal symptoms. Sixteen patients received the combination of pyridostigmine and yohimbine, but no evidence of synergistic pressor effect was found. Engaging residual sympathetic tone with yohimbine is a more effective approach to improve orthostatic hypotension as compared with pyridostigmine in patients with severe orthostatic hypotension.
Distributed Cooperative Q-Learning for Power Allocation in Cognitive Femtocell Networks

In this paper, we propose a distributed reinforcement learning (RL) technique called distributed power control using Q-learning (DPC-Q) to manage the interference caused by the femtocells on macro-users in the downlink. The DPC-Q leverages Q-Learning to identify the sub-optimal pattern of power allocation, which strives to maximize femtocell capacity, while guaranteeing macrocell capacity level in an underlay cognitive setting. We propose two different approaches for the DPC-Q algorithm: namely, independent, and cooperative. In the former, femtocells learn independently from each other, while in the latter, femtocells share some information during learning in order to enhance their performance. Simulation results show that the independent approach is capable of mitigating the interference generated by the femtocells on macro- users. Moreover, the results show that cooperation enhances the performance of the femtocells in terms fairness and aggregate femtocell capacity.
Development and testing of the Oncology Patients' Perceptions of the Quality of Nursing Care Scale.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To develop and test the Oncology Patients' Perceptions of the Quality of Nursing Care Scale (OPPQNCS). STUDY DESIGN Development and psychometric testing of a scale to measure perceptions of patients with cancer of quality of nursing care. SETTING AND SAMPLE Hematology-oncology service of a comprehensive center in a New England tertiary medical center. The sample consisted of 436 patients in active treatment for cancer; two-thirds were female, and the mean age was 54.8 years. METHODS Eight subscales and 112 initial items were developed from concepts and data from a grounded theory study of patients' perspectives of the quality of their cancer nursing care. Fifty-nine items resulted from an expert panel's review for content validity. Construct validity was tested using exploratory factor analysis. Principal components analyses (PCA) with promax (oblique) rotation were conducted. Criteria for item retention were a factor loading of greater than or equal to 0.4 and unambiguous loading on one factor. Internal consistency reliability was determined using coefficient alpha. FINDINGS The initial PCA yielded four factors that explained 81% of the variance. Three forced four-factor solutions using PCA and promax rotation were required for all items to meet criteria. The final scale included 40 items (alpha = 0.99) in four subscales: responsiveness (22 items, alpha = 0.99), individualization (10, 0.97), coordination (3, 0.87), and proficiency (5, 0.95). A short form (18 items, alpha = 0.97) was created using stepwise regression. CONCLUSIONS Psychometric properties indicated that both OPPQNCS forms adequately measure cancer nursing care quality from the patient's perspective. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING The OPPQNCS holds promise for nurses who wish to monitor and improve the quality of patient-centered cancer nursing care and those who wish to investigate relations among care quality and healthcare system characteristics, patient characteristics, and nurse sensitive patient outcomes.
Gender differences in the functional organization of the brain for working memory

Gender differences in brain activation during working memory tasks were examined with fMRI. Seventeen right-handed subjects (nine males, eight females) were studied with four different verbal working memory tasks of varying difficulty using whole brain echo-planar fMRI. Consistent with prior studies, we observed activation of the lateral prefrontal cortices (LPFC), the parietal cortices (PC), and additionally, caudate activation in both sexes. The volume of activated brain tissue increased with increasing task difficulty. For all four tasks, the male subjects showed bilateral activation or right-sided dominance (LPFC, PC and caudate), whereas females showed activation predominantly in the left hemisphere. The task performance data demonstrated higher accuracy and slightly slower reaction times for the female subjects. Our results show a highly significant (p < 0.001) gender differences in the functional organization of the brain for working memory. These gender-specific differences in functional organization of the brain may be due to gender-differences in problem solving strategies or the neurodevelopment. Therefore, gender matching or stratification is required for studies of brain function using imaging techniques.
Abnormal homocysteine metabolism in rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE To assess total homocysteine (tHcy) metabolism in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS Assessments were performed to determine the fasting levels of tHcy and the increase in tHcy in response to methionine (Met) challenge in blood samples from 28 patients with RA and 20 healthy age-matched control subjects. RESULTS Fasting levels of tHcy were 33% higher in the RA patients than in the control subjects (mean +/- SD 11.7 +/- 1.5 nmoles/ml versus 8.8 +/- 1.1 nmoles/ml; P < 0.01). Four hours after Met challenge, the increase in plasma tHcy levels (delta tHcy) was higher in the RA patients (20.9 +/- 10.4 nmoles/ml) than in the control subjects (15.5 +/- 1.6 nmoles/ml) (P < 0.02). In a subgroup analysis, the delta tHcy in patients taking methotrexate (12.9 +/- 2.2 nmoles/ml) did not differ from that in the control group, while the delta tHcy in patients not taking methotrexate (25.3 +/- 1.7 nmoles/ml) was significantly higher (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION Elevated tHcy levels occur commonly in patients with RA, and may explain some of the increased cardiovascular mortality seen in such patients. Studies of the prevalence and mechanism of hyperhomocysteinemia in RA are warranted.
Estimates of Firms' Patent Rents from Firm Market Value

A simple formal model shows that estimates of an upper bound on the value of firms' patent rents can be obtained from regressions on Tobin's Q. I test this model on a sample of US firms and find it is robust to a variety of considerations. The estimates correspond well with implied estimates derived from previous research. Also, these upper bound estimates are only modestly higher than estimates of patent value obtained from data on patent renewals international patent filings. This suggests that these techniques do not substantially understate patent value.
A miR-208–Mef2 Axis Drives the Decompensation of Right Ventricular Function in Pulmonary Hypertension

Rationale: Right ventricular (RV) failure is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in pulmonary hypertension, but its mechanism remains unknown. Myocyte enhancer factor 2 (Mef2) has been implicated in RV development, regulating metabolic, contractile, and angiogenic genes. Moreover, Mef2 regulates microRNAs that have emerged as important determinants of cardiac development and disease, but for which the role in RV is still unclear. Objective: We hypothesized a critical role of a Mef2-microRNAs axis in RV failure. Methods and Results: In a rat pulmonary hypertension model (monocrotaline), we studied RV free wall tissues from rats with normal, compensated, and decompensated RV hypertrophy, carefully defined based on clinically relevant parameters, including RV systolic and end-diastolic pressures, cardiac output, RV size, and morbidity. Mef2c expression was sharply increased in compensating phase of RVH tissues but was lost in decompensation phase of RVH. An unbiased screening of microRNAs in our model resulted to a short microRNA signature of decompensated RV failure, which included the myocardium-specific miR-208, which was progressively downregulated as RV failure progressed, in contrast to what is described in left ventricular failure. With mechanistic in vitro experiments using neonatal and adult RV cardiomyocytes, we showed that miR-208 inhibition, as well as tumor necrosis factor-&agr;, activates the complex mediator of transcription 13/nuclear receptor corepressor 1 axis, which in turn promotes Mef2 inhibition, closing a self-limiting feedback loop, driving the transition from compensating phase of RVH toward decompensation phase of RVH. In our model, serum tumor necrosis factor-&agr; levels progressively increased with time while serum miR-208 levels decreased, mirroring its levels in RV myocardium. Conclusions: We describe an RV-specific mechanism for heart failure, which could potentially lead to new biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
Fast kinetic studies on the interaction of cholinergic agonists with the membrane-bound acetylcholine receptor from Torpedo marmorata as revealed by quinacrine fluorescence.

Rapid changes of fluorescence intensity take place after fast mixing of quinacrine-labelled receptorrich membrane fragments from Torpedo marmorata with cholinergic effectors and are recorded in the time range of 1 – 1000 ms, accessible to the stopped-flow technique. Agonists such as acetylcholine, phenyltrimethylammonium, carbamylcholine, suberyldicholine or choline cause the change, but not antagonists such as d-tubocurarine, flaxedil or Naja nigricollisα-toxin. In addition, preincubation of the membrane fragments with N. nigricollisα-toxin blocks the response to agonists. Ceruleotoxin, a toxin from Bungarus ceruleus venom which blocks the postsynaptic response to acetylcholine at a site distinct from the α-toxin site, causes a decrease of the apparent amplitude of the fast signal. In the presence of 0.05 mM tetram, an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, the kinetics of the fast response to acetylcholine do not change; in the second or minute range and in the case of acetylcholine, however, a decrease of fluorescence intensity occurs in the absence of acetylcholinesterase inhibitor showing that the fast fluorescence signal is reversible. Under the present experimental conditions the observed fast kinetics do not vary with the concentration of receptor sites or quinacrine but do vary with the concentration of agonist. The data can be analyzed in terms of the phenomenological reaction scheme , when k2»k3, if the fluorescence signal monitors the isomerization from A to A*. The following values of the constants are found: for acetylcholine: k4= (1.5 ± 0.5) s−1, k3= (60 ± 40) s−1, k2≥ 5 × 102 s−1 and k1≥ 107l·mol−1 s−1, K1=k2/k1= (7 ± 3) × 10−5 M, K=K1·k4/k3= (2 ± 1) × 10−6M; for carbamylcholine: k4= (0.2 ± 0.1) s−1, k3= (10 ± 5) s−1, k2× 102 s−1 and k1≥ 3 × 105 s−1, K1= (3 ± 1) × 10−4 M and K= (4 ± 3) × 10−6 M. The values of the apparent dissociation constants determined from the variation of the amplitudes of the fast effect for acetylcholine and carbamylcholine are respectively (1.0 ± 0.5) × 10−6 M and (5 ± 2) × 10−6 M. Some variability in the absolute values of the constants is noticed from one preparation to another and, for a given preparation, changes with age. Sets of kinetic constants have also been determined in the case of choline and suberyldicholine. At 20 °C, the Q10 is about 2.5 in the presence of 0.03 mM carbamylcholine and 1.3 in the presence of 0.01 M carbamylcholine; it is 1.3 with 0.05 M acetylcholine. The data are interpreted in terms of a three-state model and their physiological significance is discussed.
Fitness, reproduction and longevity among European aristocratic and rural Finnish families in the 1700s and 1800s

The life histories of two socio–economically different groups of humans comprising birth cohorts from the 1700s and 1800s were investigated. It was discovered that fertility selection was greater among European aristocrats and mortality selection greater among rural Finns. The life history of the rural Finns involved shorter female life spans, a considerably longer period of reproduction, higher juvenile mortality, a greater total production of offspring and slightly higher individual fitness. In a comparison of parental cohorts, it was discovered that longevity and progeny survival improved significantly from the 1700s to the 1800s. Out of the three factors investigated, longevity was found to influence reproduction and fitness more than socio–economic group or birth cohort. The reproductive efficacy and fitness of women increased along with their life span. However, reproductive success and fitness were lower among women with the longest life span (over 80 years). Among men, reproductive success improved consistently along with the increase in longevity. When birth intervals were examined, it was discovered that the sex of previous offspring did not influence the interval between births.
Knowledge Graph Entity Representation and Retrieval

Recent studies indicate that nearly 75% of queries issued to Web search engines aim at finding information about entities, which are material objects or concepts that exist in the real world or fiction (e.g. people, organizations, products, etc.). Most common information needs underlying this type of queries include finding a certain entity (e.g. “Einstein relativity theory”), a particular attribute or property of an entity (e.g. “Who founded Intel? ”) or a list of entities satisfying a certain criteria (e.g. “Formula 1 drivers that won the Monaco Grand Prix”). These information needs can be efficiently addressed by presenting structured information about a target entity or a list of entities retrieved from a knowledge graph either directly as search results or in addition to the ranked list of documents. This tutorial provides a summary of the recent research in knowledge graph entity representation methods and retrieval models. The first part of this tutorial introduces state-of-the-art methods for entity representation, from multi-fielded documents with flat and hierarchical structure to latent dimensional representations based on tensor factorization, while the second part presents recent developments in entity retrieval models, including Fielded Sequential Dependence Model (FSDM) and its parametric extension (PFSDM), as well as entity set expansion and ranking methods.
Changes in reported physical health symptoms and social function with prolonged exposure therapy for chronic posttraumatic stress disorder

Background: Postraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with significant health risk, illness, and functional impairment, e.g., Green and Kimerling [2004: Physical Health Consequences of Exposure to Extreme Stress. Washington, DC: American Phychological Association] Kimerling et al. [2000: Trauma and Health: J Trauma Stress 13:115–128]. Methods: These analyses examined whether negative health perceptions and general social functioning change with treatment of chronic PTSD among women from a randomized controlled study comparing prolonged exposure (PE; n=48) or PE combined with cognitive restructuring (PE/CR; n=40) to waitlist (n=19; Foa et al., 2005: J Consult Clin Psychol 73:953–964]. Results: Self‐ reported physical health difficulties were significantly reduced in the PE and PE/CR conditions compared to the waitlist condition. These reductions did not demonstrate significant change during the 12 month follow‐up period. Self‐reported discomfort associated with physical health difficulties did not demonstrate significant change over treatment. No difference was detected between the active treatment and waitlist conditions. Both the PE and PE/CR groups reported improved social functioning at post treatment compared to the waitlist. Additional improvement in general social functioning was found between 3 and 12 month follow‐up assessments. Changes in PTSD and depressive symptoms over treatment accounted for 29% of the variance in reduction of reported health problems and 30% of the variance in improvement of general social functioning. Importantly, only changes in PTSD symptoms significantly contribute to the model predicting change in physical health problems with depression associated only at a trend level. However, collinearity between PTSD and depression makes interpretation difficult. Conclusions: Negative health perceptions and general social function improve with PE. Changes in depression and PTSD with treatment are related to these changes. Depression and Anxiety, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Rac1 mediates STAT3 activation by autocrine IL-6

The activity of the small GTPase, Rac1, plays a role in various cellular processes including cytoskeletal rearrangement, gene transcription, and malignant transformation. In this report constitutively active Rac1 (Rac V12) is shown to stimulate the activation of STAT3, a member of the family of signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs). The activity of Rac1 leads to STAT3 translocation to the nucleus coincident with STAT3-dependent gene expression. The expression of Vav (Δ1–187), a constitutively active guanine nucleotide exchange factor for the Rho GTPases, or activated forms of Ras or Rho family members, leads to STAT3-specific activation. The activation of STAT3 requires tyrosine phosphorylation at residue 705, but is not dependent on phosphorylation of Ser-727. Our studies indicate that Rac1 induces STAT3 activation through an indirect mechanism that involves the autocrine production and action of IL-6, a known mediator of STAT3 response. Rac V12 expression results in the induction of the IL-6 and IL-6 receptor genes and neutralizing antibodies directed against the IL-6 receptor block Rac1-induced STAT3 activation. Furthermore, inhibition of the nuclear factor-κB activation or disruption of IL-6-mediated signaling through the expression of IκBα S32AS36A and suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 , respectively, blocks Rac1-induced STAT3 activation. These findings elucidate a mechanism dependent on the induction of an autocrine IL-6 activation loop through which Rac1 mediates STAT3 activation establishing a link between oncogenic GTPase activity and Janus kinase/STAT signaling.
Predicting protein-protein interactions from primary structure

MOTIVATION An ambitious goal of proteomics is to elucidate the structure, interactions and functions of all proteins within cells and organisms. The expectation is that this will provide a fuller appreciation of cellular processes and networks at the protein level, ultimately leading to a better understanding of disease mechanisms and suggesting new means for intervention. This paper addresses the question: can protein-protein interactions be predicted directly from primary structure and associated data? Using a diverse database of known protein interactions, a Support Vector Machine (SVM) learning system was trained to recognize and predict interactions based solely on primary structure and associated physicochemical properties. RESULTS Inductive accuracy of the trained system, defined here as the percentage of correct protein interaction predictions for previously unseen test sets, averaged 80% for the ensemble of statistical experiments. Future proteomics studies may benefit from this research by proceeding directly from the automated identification of a cell's gene products to prediction of protein interaction pairs.