Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ARIES 144 Week Results: Durable Virologic Suppression in HIV-Infected Patients Simplified to Unboosted Atazanavir/Abacavir/Lamivudine

Abstract Background: The open-label study ARIES (http://ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00440947) utilized a ritonavir (/r)-boosted protease inhibitor treatment simplification strategy. Antiretroviral-naïve subjects received abacavir/lamivudine (ABC/3TC) + atazanavir/ ritonavir (ATV/r) from baseline through randomization at week 36, then maintained or discontinued ritonavir for an additional 108 weeks. Non-inferiority of the unboosted regimen was demonstrated at week 84. In this optional extension phase, virologic suppression and adverse events were assessed through week 144.Methods: Patients were randomized at week 36 if they had confirmed HIV RNA <50 copies/mL by week 30 and no previous virologic failure (VF; defined as failure to achieve HIV RNA <400 copies/mL or confirmed rebound after achieving HIV RNA ≥400 copies/mL). Three hundred sixty-nine subjects who completed 84 weeks in ARIES participated in the extension phase and maintained their randomized regimen for an additional 60 weeks post randomization.Results: At week 144, 146/189 (77%) versus 132/180 (73%) subjects in the unboosted ATV and ATV/r groups, respectively, maintained HIV RNA <50 copies/mL. Post randomization (weeks 36-144), treatment-related grade 2x–4 adverse events were more common in the ATV/r-treated (23%) compared to the ATV-treated (13%) group; the most frequently reported was increased serum bilirubin (6% of ATV-treated subjects vs 14 % of ATV/r-treated subjects). During the extension phase, 3% (11/369) of subjects met protocol-defined VF (5 ATV-treated and 6 ATV/ r-treated subjects); one ATV/r-treated subject had treatment-emergent major viral resistance-associated mutations. The median change in fasting triglycerides from baseline to week 144 was significantly different (P=.001) in the ATV-treated (-8.5 mg/dL) compared to the ATV/r-treated (28.5 mg/dL) groups.Conclusions: These long-term study results demonstrate that ATV in combination with ABC/3TC is a potent, well-tolerated regimen in patients who have achieved initial suppression on a ritonavir-boosted regimen.
#IUseTwitterBecause: content analytic study of a trending topic in Twitter

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a robust framework for assessing motivations to use Twitter. Drawing on previous studies, Diffusion of Innovations, Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, and Uses and Gratifications frameworks were incorporated to capture the variety in Twitter gratifications. Design/methodology/approach This study explored the motivations to use Twitter through data mining and content analysis of #IUseTwitterBecause trending topic in Turkey. The sample was consisted of 4465 tweets posted by 3794 unique Twitter persona. Findings Findings revealed thirteen distinct Twitter gratifications which were grouped under four main categories: content, process, social and technology. Process gratifications were found to be the strongest motives for using Twitter whereas content gratifications were the weakest. The current findings indicated that Turkish users engage with Twitter mostly for self-expression, escapism, and social interaction. Moreover, the study found a nove.
Brown versus White Adipose Tissue: A Mini-Review

Background: Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is abundant in small mammals and in newborns and helps them to survive cold temperatures. In adults, it had long been considered to be absent or at least of no relevance. Recent investigations, however, have fuelled interest in adult BAT. Objective: We aimed at (1) summarizing structural and physiological characteristics of BAT versus white adipose tissue (WAT); (2) discussing the development of the two adipose tissue types; (3) reviewing the data available from human studies on BAT, and (4) discussing the impact of aging. Methods: We summarize recent descriptions of BAT and WAT based on the original literature and reviews in the field, with emphasis on human BAT. Results: WAT and BAT have essentially antagonistic functions: WAT stores excess energy as triglycerides and BAT is specialized in the dissipation of energy through the production of heat. Considerable amounts of BAT are present in a substantial proportion of adult humans and relatively high quantities of BAT are associated with lower body weight. With increasing age, BAT decreases and body weight increases. Conclusions: Although the available cross-sectional data do not allow definite conclusions to be drawn concerning a causal relationship between loss of BAT and increasing body weight with advancing age or obesity-related metabolic disorders of older age, stimulation of BAT appears to be an attractive novel candidate target for the treatment of age-related obesity.
Membrane Proteins Are Dramatically Less Conserved than Water-Soluble Proteins across the Tree of Life

Membrane proteins are crucial in transport, signaling, bioenergetics, catalysis, and as drug targets. Here, we show that membrane proteins have dramatically fewer detectable orthologs than water-soluble proteins, less than half in most species analyzed. This sparse distribution could reflect rapid divergence or gene loss. We find that both mechanisms operate. First, membrane proteins evolve faster than water-soluble proteins, particularly in their exterior-facing portions. Second, we demonstrate that predicted ancestral membrane proteins are preferentially lost compared with water-soluble proteins in closely related species of archaea and bacteria. These patterns are consistent across the whole tree of life, and in each of the three domains of archaea, bacteria, and eukaryotes. Our findings point to a fundamental evolutionary principle: membrane proteins evolve faster due to stronger adaptive selection in changing environments, whereas cytosolic proteins are under more stringent purifying selection in the homeostatic interior of the cell. This effect should be strongest in prokaryotes, weaker in unicellular eukaryotes (with intracellular membranes), and weakest in multicellular eukaryotes (with extracellular homeostasis). We demonstrate that this is indeed the case. Similarly, we show that extracellular water-soluble proteins exhibit an even stronger pattern of low homology than membrane proteins. These striking differences in conservation of membrane proteins versus water-soluble proteins have important implications for evolution and medicine.
Child Abuse, Resting Blood Pressure, and Blood Pressure Reactivity to Psychosocial Stress.

OBJECTIVE Childhood trauma is associated with hypertension in adults. It is unknown whether childhood trauma predicts elevated blood pressure earlier in development. We investigated whether the trauma of child abuse was associated with blood pressure in adolescents. METHODS The sample included 145 adolescents aged 13-17 years, 40% with exposure to child abuse. The mean age of participants was 14.93 years (SD = 1.33); 58% were female. The majority self-identified as non-Hispanic White (43%), with the remainder identifying as non-Hispanic Black (17%), Hispanic (17%), or other/mixed race (23%). We used established age/sex/height-specific cutoffs to determine the prevalence of prehypertension and hypertension in the sample. We used two-sample t tests to examine associations of abuse with resting systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and blood pressure reactivity to the Trier Social Stress Test and a frustration task. We used linear regression to adjust for potential confounders including sociodemographic variables, body mass index, smoking, and psychopathology. RESULTS Mean resting SBP and DBP were 114.07 mmHg and 61.35 mmHg in those with a history of abuse and 111.39 mmHg and 56.89 mmHg in those without a history of abuse. This difference was significant for DBP only. Twelve percent of participants met criteria for prehypertension or hypertension based on resting blood pressure values; this did not differ between those with and without an abuse history. Child abuse was associated with lower DBP and SBP reactivity to laboratory stress tasks and reduced DBP reactivity to frustration. These associations were robust to adjustment for potential confounders. CONCLUSIONS Child abuse is associated with higher resting DBP and blunted DBP and SBP reactivity to laboratory stress in adolescence. These findings suggest a potential pathway by which child abuse leads to hypertension.
Role of health in predicting moves to poor neighborhoods among Hurricane Katrina survivors

Significance Although neighborhood outcomes and health may influence each other reciprocally, existing studies overwhelmingly focus on neighborhood effects on health. Health’s influence on neighborhood is largely viewed as a nuisance that may bias neighborhood effects estimates. However, if health shapes whether individuals attain better neighborhoods, understanding selection processes may advance both health and urban policy objectives. We follow a socially vulnerable cohort of Hurricane Katrina survivors from 2003–2010 and find that although health was not associated with neighborhood poverty before the disaster, those with pre-Katrina health problems ended up living in poorer neighborhoods years after the storm. Understanding whether and how poor health impedes poverty deconcentration efforts may help inform programs and policies designed to help low-income families move into—and stay in—higher opportunity neighborhoods. In contrast to a large literature investigating neighborhood effects on health, few studies have examined health as a determinant of neighborhood attainment. However, the sorting of individuals into neighborhoods by health status is a substantively important process for multiple policy sectors. We use prospectively collected data on 569 poor, predominantly African American Hurricane Katrina survivors to examine the extent to which health problems predicted subsequent neighborhood poverty. Our outcome of interest was participants’ 2009–2010 census tract poverty rate. Participants were coded as having a health problem at baseline (2003–2004) if they self-reported a diagnosis of asthma, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart problems, or any other physical health problems not listed, or complained of back pain, migraines, or digestive problems at baseline. Although health problems were not associated with neighborhood poverty at baseline, those with baseline health problems ended up living in higher poverty areas by 2009–2010. Differences persisted after adjustment for personal characteristics, baseline neighborhood poverty, hurricane exposure, and residence in the New Orleans metropolitan area, with baseline health problems predicting a 3.4 percentage point higher neighborhood poverty rate (95% confidence interval: 1.41, 5.47). Results suggest that better health was protective against later neighborhood deprivation in a highly mobile, socially vulnerable population. Researchers should consider reciprocal associations between health and neighborhoods when estimating and interpreting neighborhood effects on health. Understanding whether and how poor health impedes poverty deconcentration efforts may help inform programs and policies designed to help low-income families move to—and stay in—higher opportunity neighborhoods.
Inflammatory cytokine response and cardiac troponin I changes in cardiopulmonary bypass using two cardioplegia solutions; del Nido and modified St. Thomas’: a randomized controlled trial

Background: Long intervals of del Nido (DN) solution administration, 90 minutes, may result in rewarming of the myocardial tissue and elevate metabolic demand and hypoxia. This will potentially increase inflammatory response due to ischemia-reperfusion injury. We conducted this study to compare the inflammatory response between patients receiving DN and multi-dose St Thomas’ cardioplegia solution (MST) in cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) surgery for the correction of tetralogy of Fallot (TF). Methods: Fifty-nine pediatric patients undergoing TF total correction surgery were randomly assigned into two groups: DN and MST. The patients’ demographic data, blood chemistry parameters, hemodynamics and other clinical variables were recorded. TNF-a, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and cTnI were measured after anesthesia induction (before skin incision), immediately after cross-clamp removal and 24 hours after admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). Results: Thirty-two patients of a mean age of 28.0±16.4 months received DN and 27 patients of a mean age of 24.2±15.9 months received MST. Perioperative clinical parameters were not significantly different between the two groups. Cytokine levels for all patients were significantly increased after surgery. Inter-group comparisons of cytokine levels demonstrated no significant differences in TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-8 cytokines levels. IL-10 level showed a moderately significant increase in the MST group compared to the DN group after surgery (2.94±0.9 vs. 2.46±0.61 log10 pg/mL, respectively; p=0.039). Postoperative lactate level was significantly different between two groups (2.475±1.29 vs 1.63±0.82 mg/dL in DN and MST groups, respectively; p=0.007). CTnI levels increased after surgery and remained constant until 24 hours after surgery. Significant differences between the MST and DN groups, at all times, were not detected. Conclusions: The anti-inflammatory cytokine response in the MST group is significantly better than in the DN group. This may be due to shorter intervals of the MST cardioplegia solution administration, which prevents rewarming of the myocardium, increased metabolic demand and hypoxia. Decreasing the intervals of DN administration may improve its cardioprotective properties.
Non-Coding RNAs in Hodgkin Lymphoma

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression by binding to the 3’-UTR of their target genes, can act as oncogenes or tumor suppressors. Recently, other types of non-coding RNAs—piwiRNAs and long non-coding RNAs—have also been identified. Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is a B cell origin disease characterized by the presence of only 1% of tumor cells, known as Hodgkin and Reed-Stenberg (HRS) cells, which interact with the microenvironment to evade apoptosis. Several studies have reported specific miRNA signatures that can differentiate HL lymph nodes from reactive lymph nodes, identify histologic groups within classical HL, and distinguish HRS cells from germinal center B cells. Moreover, some signatures are associated with survival or response to chemotherapy. Most of the miRNAs in the signatures regulate genes related to apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, or signaling pathways. Here we review findings on miRNAs in HL, as well as on other non-coding RNAs.
Mating Disruption of the Navel Orangeworm (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Using Widely Spaced, Aerosol Dispensers: Is the Pheromone Blend the Most Efficacious Disruptant?

Abstract The navel orangeworm, Amyelois transitella (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), is a key pest of almonds and pistachios and is sometimes controlled using mating disruption as part of a program of integrated management. The formulation used has a single, nonattractive compound [(11Z,13Z )-hexadecadienal] as the active ingredient that is emitted from timed aerosol dispensers. This study compared this nonattractive, single-compound formulation with two aerosol formulations also containing two additional compounds [(11Z,13Z)-hexadecadien-1-ol and (3Z,6Z,9Z,12Z,15Z)-tricosapentaene] that are found in the pheromone glands, and that in combination with the aldehyde are attractive in wind-tunnel and field-attraction trials. An experiment in pistachios found 97% to 99% suppression of males captured in female-baited traps and 82–93% suppression of mating in sentinel females. Both assays revealed a trend to greater suppression by the more complete pheromone formulations. In almonds, where the abundance of navel orangeworm was lower, all three formulations suppressed males captured in traps and mating in sentinel females by >99%. Each of the formulations significantly reduced damage to Nonpareil almonds. In almonds, there were no significant differences among the formulations in disruption of sexual communication or in damage. These findings suggest that it may be possible to make mating disruption more cost-effective and to achieve higher levels of mating disruption by using attractive aerosol formulations to reduce the number of dispenser per ha. Such a formulation, however, would be more expensive to register in the United States than pheromones meeting the definition of straight-chain lepidopteran pheromone, including the currently used aldehyde-only formulation.
Human embryonic lung epithelial tips are multipotent progenitors that can be expanded in vitro as long-term self-renewing organoids

The embryonic mouse lung is a widely used substitute for human lung development. For example, attempts to differentiate human pluripotent stem cells to lung epithelium rely on passing through progenitor states that have only been described in mouse. The tip epithelium of the branching mouse lung is a multipotent progenitor pool that self-renews and produces differentiating descendants. We hypothesized that the human distal tip epithelium is an analogous progenitor population and tested this by examining morphology, gene expression and in vitro self-renewal and differentiation capacity of human tips. These experiments confirm that human and mouse tips are analogous and identify signalling pathways that are sufficient for long-term self-renewal of human tips as differentiation-competent organoids. Moreover, we identify mouse-human differences, including markers that define progenitor states and signalling requirements for long-term self-renewal. Our organoid system provides a genetically-tractable tool that will allow these human-specific features of lung development to be investigated. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.7554/eLife.26575. 001
License to evaluate: preparing learning analytics dashboards for educational practice

Learning analytics can bridge the gap between learning sciences and data analytics, leveraging the expertise of both fields in exploring the vast amount of data generated in online learning environments. A typical learning analytics intervention is the learning dashboard, a visualisation tool built with the purpose of empowering teachers and learners to make informed decisions about the learning process. Related work has investigated learning dashboards, yet none have explored the theoretical foundation that should inform the design and evaluation of such interventions. In this systematic literature review, we analyse the extent to which theories and models from learning sciences have been integrated into the development of learning dashboards aimed at learners. Our analysis revealed that very few dashboard evaluations take into account the educational concepts that were used as a theoretical foundation for their design. Furthermore, we report findings suggesting that comparison with peers, a common reference frame for contextualising information on learning analytics dashboards, was not perceived positively by all learners. We summarise the insights gathered through our literature review in a set of recommendations for the design and evaluation of learning analytics dashboards for learners.
Post-treatment controllers after treatment interruption in chronically HIV-infected patients

Objective: Control HIV replication requires continuous combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) as discontinuation of cART results in a rapid viral rebound. However, a few individuals exist who took cART for several years and did not show the expected viral rebound after treatment cessation. Most post-treatment controllers (PTCs) are early treated individuals. We report three cases who started cART during chronic infection. Design: Patients were treated and monitored according to Italian guidelines. For the description of cases, the percentage of CD8+CD38−HLA*DR+ cells, CD8+CD38–HLA*DR+ cells, major histocompatibility complex genotyping, total HIV-DNA and plasma levels of anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs were performed. Results: Patients started therapy during chronic infection. Patient 26636 started her first ARV drug two years after diagnosis and patients 93016 and 50293 started cART with high viral loads and low CD4+ cell counts. Time without cART was 13, 11 and 1.5 years, respectively. None presented any of the protective class I HLA alleles and patient 93016 has the HLA−B*35 allele that appears to be enriched in PTCs. Patients 93016 and 50293 had very low levels of CD8+CD38−HLA*DR+ cells (<5%) much lower than those of patient 26636 (27%). T-cell-associated HIV-DNA was 3.78, 3.48 and 3.13 log copies/106 CD4+, respectively. Conclusion: Patients like ours may advance our understanding of the characteristics for which individuals may be more likely to achieve ART-free remissions. Furthermore, our patients are among the few so far described who started cART during chronic infection extending the hope that a functional cure is possible even in this setting.
Thermotolerance and Heat-Shock Protein Gene Expression Patterns in Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) Mediterranean in Relation to Developmental Stage

Abstract Temperature plays an important role in the growth, development, and geographic distribution of insects. There is convincing evidence that heat-shock proteins (HSPs) play important roles in helping organisms adapt to thermal stress.To better understand the physiological and ecological influence of thermal stress on the different development stages of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) Mediterranean species (MED), nymphs and adults were shocked with temperatures of 35, 38, and 41°C for 1 and 2 h, respectively, and the survival rate, fecundity, and developmental duration were investigated in the laboratory. The expression levels of the hsp40, hsp70, and hsp90 genes were assessed using real-time PCR. The results indicate that the survival rates of the nymphs and adults decreased with increased temperature. A 2-h heat shock at 41°C induced a significant reduction in fecundity in adults and an increase in developmental duration in young nymphs. Hsp90 showed higher temperature responses to thermal stress than hsp40 or hsp70. The expression levels of the hsps in the adults were significantly down-regulated by a 2-h heat shock at 41°C compared with that by a 1-h treatment. A significant decrease in the expression levels of the hsps also occurred in the adults when the temperature increased from 38 to 41°C for the 2-h treatment, whereas no significant decrease occurred in the nymphs. Compared with previous studies, we provide some evidence indicating that MED has the potential to adapt to a wider temperature range than the Middle East-Asia Minor 1 species.
Trends in Recruitment Rates for Acute Stroke Trials, 1990–2014

Background and Purpose— Slow recruitment in acute stroke trials hampers the evaluation of new therapies and delays the adoption of effective therapies into clinical practice. This systematic review evaluates whether recruitment efficiency and rates have increased in acute stroke trials from 1990 to 2014. Methods— Acute stroke trials from 2010 to 2014 were identified by a search of PubMed, Medline, the Cochrane Database of Research in Stroke, and the Stroke Trials Registry. These trials were compared to a previously published data set of trials conducted from 1990 to 2004. Results— The median recruitment efficiency of trials from 1990 to 2004 was 0.41 participants/site/month compared with 0.26 participants/site/month from 2010 to 2014 (P=0.14). The median recruitment rate of trials from 1990 to 2004 was 26.8 participants/month compared with 19.0 participants/month from 2010 to 2014 (P=0.13). Conclusions— For acute stroke trials, neither recruitment efficiency nor recruitment rates have increased over the past 25 years and, if anything, have declined.