Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association of physical functioning of persons with dementia with caregiver burden and depression in dementia caregivers: an integrative data analysis

ABSTRACT Objectives: To determine whether caregiver relationship and race modify associations between physical functioning of persons with dementia (PWD) and their caregiver's burden and general depressive symptoms. Method: We pooled data from four behavioral intervention trials (N = 1,211). Using latent growth modeling, we evaluated associations of PWD physical functioning with the level and rate of change in caregiver burden and caregivers' general depressive symptoms and stratified these associations by caregiver relationship and race. Results: PWD were, on average, 81 years old (68% female) with mean follow-up of 0.5 years. More baseline PWD physical impairment was associated with less worsening in caregiver burden over time (β = −0.23, 95% CI: −0.29, −0.14), but this relationship was not modified by caregiver characteristics. More impaired baseline PWD physical functioning was not associated with changes in depressive symptoms (β = −0.08, 95% CI: −0.17, 0.00), but was associated with less worsening in depressive symptoms among spousal (β = −0.08, 95% CI: −0.17, 0.00) and non-white (β = −0.08, 95% CI: −0.17, 0.00) caregivers. Conclusions: Dementia caregivers may experience reduced caregiver-related burden because of adjustment to PWD functional status, while spousal and non-white caregivers may experience less depressive symptoms resultant of adjustment to functional status.
Comparison of In-Flight Measured and Computed Aeroelastic Damping: Modal Identification Procedures and Modeling Approaches

The Operational Modal Analysis technique is a methodology very often applied for the identification of dynamic systems when the input signal is unknown. The applied methodology is based on a technique to estimate the Frequency Response Functions and extract the modal parameters using only the structural dynamic response data, without assuming the knowledge of the excitation forces. Such approach is an adequate way for measuring the aircraft aeroelastic response due to random input, like atmospheric turbulence. The in-flight structural response has been measured by accelerometers distributed along the aircraft wings, fuselage and empennages. The Enhanced Frequency Domain Decomposition technique was chosen to identify the airframe dynamic parameters. This technique is based on the hypothesis that the system is randomly excited with a broadband spectrum with almost constant power spectral density. The system identification procedure is based on the Single Value Decomposition of the power spectral densities of system output signals, estimated by the usual Fast Fourier Transform method. This procedure has been applied to different flight conditions to evaluate the modal parameters and the aeroelastic stability trends of the airframe under investigation. The experimental results obtained by this methodology were compared with the predicted results supplied by aeroelastic numerical models in order to check the consistency of the proposed output-only methodology. The objective of this paper is to compare in-flight measured aeroelastic damping against the corresponding parameters computed from numerical aeroelastic models. Different aerodynamic modeling approaches should be investigated such as the use of source panel body models, cruciform and flat plate projection. As a result of this investigation it is expected the choice of the better aeroelastic modeling and Operational Modal Analysis techniques to be included in a standard aeroelastic certification process.
The gut microbial profile in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis is distinct from patients with ulcerative colitis without biliary disease and healthy controls

Objective Gut microbiota could influence gut, as well as hepatic and biliary immune responses. We therefore thoroughly characterised the gut microbiota in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) compared with healthy controls (HC) and patients with ulcerative colitis without liver disease. Design We prospectively collected 543 stool samples. After a stringent exclusion process, bacterial DNA was submitted for 16S rRNA gene sequencing. PSC and HC were randomised to an exploration panel or a validation panel, and only significant results (p<0.05, QFDR<0.20) in both panels were reported, followed by a combined comparison of all samples against UC. Results Patients with PSC (N=85) had markedly reduced bacterial diversity compared with HC (N=263, p<0.0001), and a different global microbial composition compared with both HC (p<0.001) and UC (N=36, p<0.01). The microbiota of patients with PSC with and without IBD was similar. Twelve genera separated PSC and HC, out of which 11 were reduced in PSC. However, the Veillonella genus showed a marked increase in PSC compared with both HC (p<0.0001) and UC (p<0.02). Using receiver operating characteristic analysis, Veillonella abundance yielded an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.64 to discriminate PSC from HC, while a combination of PSC-associated genera yielded an AUC of 0.78. Conclusions Patients with PSC exhibited a gut microbial signature distinct from both HC and UC without liver disease, but similar in PSC with and without IBD. The Veillonella genus, which is also associated with other chronic inflammatory and fibrotic conditions, was enriched in PSC.
Correction: Biomarkers of Inflammation, Immunosuppression and Stress with Active Disease Are Revealed by Metabolomic Profiling of Tuberculosis Patients

There was an error in the title of this article. The correct title is: Biomarkers of Inflammation, Immunosuppression and Stress Are Revealed by Metabolomic Profiling of Tuberculosis Patients. The correct citation is: Weiner J 3rd, Parida SK, Maertzdorf J, Black GF, Repsilber D, et al. (2012) Biomarkers of Inflammation, Immunosuppression and Stress Are Revealed by Metabolomic Profiling of Tuberculosis Patients. PLoS ONE 7(7): e40221. doi:10.1371/journal.pone. 0040221
Recombinant Human Vimentin Binds to P-Selectin and Blocks Neutrophil Capture and Rolling on Platelets and Endothelium

Leukocyte adhesion to vascular endothelium and platelets is an early step in the acute inflammatory response. The initial process is mediated through P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1) on leukocytes binding to platelets adhered to endothelium and the endothelium itself via P-selectin. Although these interactions are generally beneficial, pathologic inflammation may occur in undesirable circumstances, such as in acute lung injury (ALI) and ischemia and reperfusion injury. Therefore, the development of novel therapies to attenuate inflammation may be beneficial. In this article, we describe the potential benefit of using a recombinant human vimentin (rhVim) on reducing human leukocyte adhesion to vascular endothelium and platelets under shear stress. The addition of rhVim to whole blood and isolated neutrophils decreased leukocyte adhesion to endothelial and platelet monolayers. Furthermore, rhVim blocked neutrophil adhesion to P-selectin–coated surfaces. Binding assays showed that rhVim binds specifically to P-selectin and not to its counterreceptor, PSGL-1. Finally, in an endotoxin model of ALI in C57BL/6J mice, treatment with rhVim significantly decreased histologic findings of ALI. These data suggest a potential role for rhVim in attenuating inflammation through blocking P-selectin–PSGL-1 interactions.
Depth map super-resolution using non-local higher-order regularization with classified weights

High-order regularization in depth map super-resolution (SR) contributes to producing smoother depth map. However, assigning appropriate weights within regularization term is also important for preserving more detail information. In this paper, a novel and more adaptive depth SR model is proposed by using non-local total generalized variation (NLTGV) with classified weights. A random forest based classifier is trained to classify the pixels of depth map into four categories on the basis of several local structure features, such as gradient magnitude and texture energy extracted from color image, and then the weights within NLTGV are assigned with four groups of parameters corresponding to the four kinds of pixels. Evaluation results demonstrate that the local features make pixels have a good separability, and the classified weights can obviously improve the accuracy of depth map SR.
Selection of appropriate reference genes for the detection of rhythmic gene expression via quantitative real-time PCR in Tibetan hulless barley

Hulless barley (Hordeum vulgare L. var. nudum. hook. f.) has been cultivated as a major crop in the Qinghai-Tibet plateau of China for thousands of years. Compared to other cereal crops, the Tibetan hulless barley has developed stronger endogenous resistances to survive in the severe environment of its habitat. To understand the unique resistant mechanisms of this plant, detailed genetic studies need to be performed. The quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) is the most commonly used method in detecting gene expression. However, the selection of stable reference genes under limited experimental conditions was considered to be an essential step for obtaining accurate results in qRT-PCR. In this study, 10 candidate reference genes—ACT (Actin), E2 (Ubiquitin conjugating enzyme 2), TUBα (Alpha-tubulin), TUBβ6 (Beta-tubulin 6), GAPDH (Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase), EF-1α (Elongation factor 1-alpha), SAMDC (S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase), PKABA1 (Gene for protein kinase HvPKABA1), PGK (Phosphoglycerate kinase), and HSP90 (Heat shock protein 90)—were selected from the NCBI gene database of barley. Following qRT-PCR amplifications of all candidate reference genes in Tibetan hulless barley seedlings under various stressed conditions, the stabilities of these candidates were analyzed by three individual software packages including geNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper. The results demonstrated that TUBβ6, E2, TUBα, and HSP90 were generally the most suitable sets under all tested conditions; similarly, TUBα and HSP90 showed peak stability under salt stress, TUBα and EF-1α were the most suitable reference genes under cold stress, and ACT and E2 were the most stable under drought stress. Finally, a known circadian gene CCA1 was used to verify the service ability of chosen reference genes. The results confirmed that all recommended reference genes by the three software were suitable for gene expression analysis under tested stress conditions by the qRT-PCR method.
Unchanged β-Adrenergic Stimulation of Cardiac L-type Calcium Channels in Cav1.2 Phosphorylation Site S1928A Mutant Mice*

Phosphorylation of serine 1928 (Ser1928) of the cardiac Cav1.2 subunit of L-type Ca2+ channels has been proposed as the mechanism for regulation of L-type Ca2+ channels by protein kinase A (PKA). To test this directly in vivo, we generated a knock-in mouse with targeted mutation of Ser1928 to alanine. This mutation did not affect basal L-type current characteristics or regulation of the L-type current by PKA and the β-adrenergic receptor, whereas the mutation abolished phosphorylation of Cav1.2 by PKA. Therefore, our data show that PKA phosphorylation of Ser1928 of Cav1.2 is not functionally involved in β-adrenergic stimulation of Cav1.2-mediated Ca2+ influx into the cardiomyocyte.
Therapeutic Potential of Biologically Reduced Silver Nanoparticles from Actinomycete Cultures

Silver nanoparticles are applied in nanomedicine from time immemorial and are still used as powerful antibiotic and anti-inflammatory agents. Antibiotics produced by actinomycetes are popular in almost all the therapeutic measures, and this study has proven that these microbes are also helpful in the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles with good surface and size characteristics. Silver can be synthesized by various chemical methodologies, and most of them have turned to be toxic. This study has been successful in isolating the microbes from polluted environment, and subjecting them to the reduction of silver nanoparticles, characterizing the nanoparticles by UV spectrophotometry and transmission electron microscopy. The nanoparticles produced were tested for their antimicrobial property, and the zone of inhibition was greater than those produced by their chemically synthesized counterparts. Actinomycetes, helpful in bioremediating heavy metals, are useful for the production of metallic nanoparticles. The biosynthesized silver nanoparticles loaded with antibiotics prove to be better in killing the pathogens and have opened up new areas for developing nanobiotechnological research based on microbial applications.
Lsd1 interacts with cMyb to demethylate repressive histone marks and maintain inner ear progenitor identity

ABSTRACT During development, multipotent progenitor cells must maintain their identity while retaining the competence to respond to new signalling cues that drive cell fate decisions. This depends on both DNA-bound transcription factors and surrounding histone modifications. Here, we identify the histone demethylase Lsd1 as a crucial component of the molecular machinery that preserves progenitor identity in the developing ear prior to lineage commitment. Although Lsd1 is mainly associated with repressive complexes, we show that, in ear precursors, it is required to maintain active transcription of otic genes. We reveal a novel interaction between Lsd1 and the transcription factor cMyb, which in turn recruits Lsd1 to the promoters of key ear transcription factors. Here, Lsd1 prevents the accumulation of repressive H3K9me2, while allowing H3K9 acetylation. Loss of Lsd1 function causes rapid silencing of active promoters and loss of ear progenitor genes, and shuts down the entire ear developmental programme. Our data suggest that Lsd1-cMyb acts as a co-activator complex that maintains a regulatory module at the top of the inner ear gene network. Summary: In chick inner ear development, cMyb is identified as a novel Lsd1-interacting partner that recruits Lsd1 to promoter regions of actively transcribed genes to control H3K9 demethylation.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Abstract:Inflammatory bowel disease is a complex, chronic, multifactorial inflammatory disorder of the digestive tract. Standard therapies include immunosuppressive and biological treatments, but there is increasing interest in the potential benefit of complementary and alternative medicine for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. Given the high prevalence of use of complementary and alternative medicine among inflammatory bowel disease patients, gastroenterologists must remain knowledgeable regarding the risks and benefits of these treatment options. This article reviews the updated scientific data on the use of biologically based complementary and alternative therapies for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.
An in vitro evaluation of graphene oxide reduced by Ganoderma spp. in human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231)

Background Recently, graphene and graphene-related materials have attracted much attention due their unique properties, such as their physical, chemical, and biocompatibility properties. This study aimed to determine the cytotoxic effects of graphene oxide (GO) that is reduced biologically using Ganoderma spp. mushroom extracts in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells. Methods Herein, we describe a facile and green method for the reduction of GO using extracts of Ganoderma spp. as a reducing agent. GO was reduced without any hazardous chemicals in an aqueous solution, and the reduced GO was characterized using a range of analytical procedures. The Ganoderma extract (GE)-reduced GO (GE-rGO) was characterized by ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Furthermore, the toxicity of GE-rGO was evaluated using a sequence of assays such as cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase leakage, and reactive oxygen species generation in human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231). Results The preliminary characterization of reduction of GO was confirmed by the red-shifting of the absorption peak for GE-rGO to 265 nm from 230 nm. The size of GO and GE-rGO was found to be 1,880 and 3,200 nm, respectively. X-ray diffraction results confirmed that reduction processes of GO and the processes of removing intercalated water molecules and the oxide groups. The surface functionalities and chemical natures of GO and GE-rGO were confirmed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The surface morphologies of the synthesized graphene were analyzed using high-resolution scanning electron microscopy. Raman spectroscopy revealed single- and multilayer properties of GE-rGO. Atomic force microscopy images provided evidence for the formation of graphene. Furthermore, the effect of GO and GE-rGO was examined using a series of assays, such as cell viability, membrane integrity, and reactive oxygen species generation, which are key molecules involved in apoptosis. The results obtained from cell viability and lactate dehydrogenase assay suggest that GO and GE-rGO cause dose-dependent toxicity in the cells. Interestingly, it was found that biologically derived GE-rGO is more toxic to cancer cells than GO. Conclusion We describe a simple, green, nontoxic, and cost-effective approach to producing graphene using mushroom extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The proposed method could enable synthesis of graphene with potential biological and biomedical applications such as in cancer and angiogenic disorders. To our knowledge, this is the first report using mushroom extract as a reducing agent for the synthesis of graphene. Mushroom extract can be used as a biocatalyst for the production of graphene.
Deep Learning-Based Banknote Fitness Classification Using the Reflection Images by a Visible-Light One-Dimensional Line Image Sensor

In automatic paper currency sorting, fitness classification is a technique that assesses the quality of banknotes to determine whether a banknote is suitable for recirculation or should be replaced. Studies on using visible-light reflection images of banknotes for evaluating their usability have been reported. However, most of them were conducted under the assumption that the denomination and input direction of the banknote are predetermined. In other words, a pre-classification of the type of input banknote is required. To address this problem, we proposed a deep learning-based fitness-classification method that recognizes the fitness level of a banknote regardless of the denomination and input direction of the banknote to the system, using the reflection images of banknotes by visible-light one-dimensional line image sensor and a convolutional neural network (CNN). Experimental results on the banknote image databases of the Korean won (KRW) and the Indian rupee (INR) with three fitness levels, and the Unites States dollar (USD) with two fitness levels, showed that our method gives better classification accuracy than other methods.
Protein restriction in the pregnant mouse modifies fetal growth and pulmonary development: role of fetal exposure to β‐hydroxybutyrate

Maternal undernutrition during sensitive periods of pregnancy results in offspring predisposed towards the development of a number of diseases of adulthood, including hypertension and diabetes. In order to determine the nature of any gross alterations in fetal growth during early organogenesis, we supplied timed‐mated pregnant mice with diets containing 6% protein (6%P), 9% protein (9%P) or 18% protein (18%P; control) from day 0 of pregnancy. At embryonic days 11 (E11), 12 (E12) and 13 (E13), females were killed and fetuses removed. Gross morphological analysis revealed that fetal limb growth was impaired between E11 and E12 in 6%P animals, but this recovered by E13. Likewise, fetal liver growth and lung branching morphogenesis were seen to exhibit an initial growth impairment at E12 followed by a rapid recovery by E13. Coincident with the observed changes in fetal growth, we noted an elevation in maternal hepatic triglyceride content, expression of the ketogenic 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl‐CoA synthase 2 (Hmgcs2) and circulating plasma β‐hydroxybutyrate (BOHB). In addition, fetal liver Hmgcs2 expression was switched on by E13 in both 6%P‐ and 9%P‐exposed animals. Exogenous BOHB did not influence branching morphogenesis in fetal lung explant cultures; however, we cannot rule out the possibility that this may occur in vivo. In conclusion, we find that disturbance of fetal growth by maternal dietary protein restriction is associated and therefore potentially indicated by changes in maternal and fetal ketone body metabolism.
1 ME-04 Roughness and texture of epitaxial LZO thin films grown on RABiTS Ni 5 W substrates

Low cost Coated Conductors (CC) are required in order to put together competitive superconducting cables. The buffer layer architecture is one of the key aspects of CC processing. Very interresting results have been obtained with complex architectures. It may not be necessary to have high Jc for cable applications, thus simpler architectures can be considered. We suggested that only one buffer could be sufficient. Because the YBCO deposition needs a perfect surface for epitaxy, we aim to eliminate the different defects appearing on this surface. To do so we suggest to identify the defects. We show the annealing results of the NiW/LZO substrates with La2Zr2O7 (LZO) deposited by MOD at different annealing temperatures. The buffer layer microstructure is studied in detail and the texture is investigated as a function of the annealing temperature.
Victimization and PTSD in a Danish national youth probability sample.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the prevalence of traumatic events and life events in relation to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). METHOD In a Danish national representative sample of 390 eighth-grade students with a mean age of 14.5 years, 20 prevalent potential traumatizing and distressing events were described, along with the psychological impact of these events. RESULTS Eighty-seven percent of the females and 78% of the males were exposed to at least one event. The most common events were the death of a family member, threat of violence, or serious accidents. The most distressing subjective events were rape, suicide attempts, death in the family, serious illness, and childhood abuse. Gender, parents' education, and living with a single parent were associated with specific events. The estimated lifetime prevalence of PSTD was 9.0%, whereas another 14.1% reached a subclinical level of PTSD. After exposure, females suffered from PTSD twice as often as males. Being exposed to multiple traumatic events was associated with an increase in PTSD. CONCLUSION The findings in this study suggest substantial mental health problems in adolescents who are associated with various types of victimization.