Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modulated Expression of Genes Encoding Estrogen Metabolizing Enzymes by G1-Phase Cyclin-Dependent Kinases 6 and 4 in Human Breast Cancer Cells

G1-phase cell cycle defects, such as alterations in cyclin D1 or cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk) levels, are seen in most tumors. For example, increased cyclin D1 and decreased cdk6 levels are seen in many human breast tumors. Overexpression of cdk6 in breast tumor cells in culture has been shown to suppress proliferation, unlike the growth stimulating effects of its close homolog, cdk4. In addition to directly affecting proliferation, alterations in cdk6 or cdk4 levels in breast tumor cells also differentially influence levels of numerous steroid metabolic enzymes (SMEs), including those involved in estrogen metabolism. Overexpression of cdk6 in tumor cell lines having low cdk6 resulted in decreased levels of mRNAs encoding aldo-keto reductase (AKR)1C1, AKR1C2 and AKR1C3, which are hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (HSDs) involved in steroid hormone metabolism. In contrast, increasing cdk4 dramatically increased these transcript levels, especially those encoding AKR1C3, an enzyme that converts estrone to 17β-estradiol, a change that could result in a pro-estrogenic state favoring tumor growth. Effects on other estrogen metabolizing enzymes, including cytochrome P450 (CYP) 19 aromatase, 17β-HSD2, and CYP1B1 transcripts, were also observed. Interactions of cdk6 and cdk4, but not cyclin D1, with the promoter region of a cdk-regulated gene, 17β-HSD2, were detected. The results uncover a previously unsuspected link between the cell cycle and hormone metabolism and differential roles for cdk6 and cdk4 in a novel mechanism for pre-receptor control of steroid hormone action, with important implications for the origin and treatment of steroid hormone-dependent cancers.
Effects of Linguistic Abstractness in the Mass Media

Media coverage contributes to the perpetuation of stereotypes and prejudice. So far, research has focused on biased content rather than style in reporting about minorities. One such stylistic dimension is the so-called linguistic intergroup bias: The tendency to describe positive behavior of members of one's own group and negative behavior of other groups' members in a more abstract way (compared to the same behavior of the respective other group). Recipients of communication biased in this way judge the described individuals in line with abstract descriptions (i.e., own-group members more positively than members of other groups). The current study demonstrates that linguistically biased news reports about minorities lead to higher levels of prejudice. Hence, media coverage does not only affect attitudes about minorities by what is reported, but also by how it is presented.
Abnormal tactile temporal discrimination in psychogenic dystonia

Objective: Neurophysiologic studies demonstrated that patients with primary torsion dystonia (PTD) and with psychogenic dystonia (Psy-D) share similar abnormalities in the motor system. In this study, we evaluated somatosensory function in Psy-D by testing temporal discrimination threshold (TDT), and compared the results with those obtained in patients with PTD. Methods: TDT of tactile stimuli was assessed in 10 patients with Psy-D, 10 patients with PTD, and 16 control subjects. The 2 groups of patients were matched for age, gender, disease duration, and distribution of dystonia. Tactile stimuli consisted of pairs of non-noxious electrical shocks delivered to the right or left hand at interstimulus interval increasing from 0 to 400 msec, in 10-msec steps. TDT was defined as the value at which subjects recognized the 2 stimuli as asynchronous. Results: TDT was higher in Psy-D and PTD compared to control subjects, for both the right and the left hand. In a subgroup of patients with unilateral dystonia (Psy-D = 4, PTD = 5), TDT did not differ between the affected and the unaffected side in both groups of patients. Disease duration was not correlated to the increased TDT value. Conclusions: Our study suggests an impaired processing of somatosensory inputs in both Psy-D and PTD. These abnormalities might represent a neurophysiological trait predisposing to develop a dystonic posture triggered by psychiatric and psychological factors.
Contact heterogeneity in deer mice: implications for Sin Nombre virus transmission

Heterogeneities within disease hosts suggest that not all individuals have the same probability of transmitting disease or becoming infected. This heterogeneity is thought to be due to dissimilarity in susceptibility and exposure among hosts. As such, it has been proposed that many host–pathogen systems follow the general pattern whereby a small fraction of the population accounts for a large fraction of the pathogen transmission. This disparity in transmission dynamics is often referred to as ‘20/80 Rule’, i.e. approximately 20 per cent of the hosts are responsible for 80 per cent of pathogen transmission. We investigated the role of heterogeneity in contact rates among potential hosts of a directly transmitted pathogen by examining Sin Nombre virus (SNV) in deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus). Using foraging arenas and powder marking, we documented contacts between wild deer mice in Great Basin Desert, central Utah. Our findings demonstrated heterogeneity among deer mice, both in frequency and in duration of contacts with other deer mice. Contact dynamics appear to follow the general pattern that a minority of the population accounts for a majority of the contacts. We found that 20 per cent of individuals in the population were responsible for roughly 80 per cent of the contacts observed. Larger-bodied individuals appear to be the functional group with the greatest SNV transmission potential. Contrary to our predictions, transmission potential was not influenced by breeding condition or sex.
The impact of equilibrium assumptions on tests of selection

With the increasing availability and quality of whole genome population data, various methodologies of population genetic inference are being utilized in order to identify and quantify recent population-level selective events. Though there has been a great proliferation of such methodology, the type-I and type-II error rates of many proposed statistics have not been well-described. Moreover, the performance of these statistics is often not evaluated for different biologically relevant scenarios (e.g., population size change, population structure), nor for the effect of differing data sizes (i.e., genomic vs. sub-genomic). The absence of the above information makes it difficult to evaluate newly available statistics relative to one another, and thus, difficult to choose the proper toolset for a given empirical analysis. Thus, we here describe and compare the performance of four widely used tests of selection: SweepFinder, SweeD, OmegaPlus, and iHS. In order to consider the above questions, we utilize simulated data spanning a variety of selection coefficients and beneficial mutation rates. We demonstrate that the LD-based OmegaPlus performs best in terms of power to reject the neutral model under both equilibrium and non-equilibrium conditions—an important result regarding the relative effectiveness of linkage disequilibrium relative to site frequency spectrum based statics. The results presented here ought to serve as a useful guide for future empirical studies, and provides a guide for statistical choice depending on the history of the population under consideration. Moreover, the parameter space investigated and the Type-I and Type-II error rates calculated, represent a natural benchmark by which future statistics may be assessed.
[Angiotensin I converting enzyme].

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE ACE reagent is for use in the determination of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity in serum or plasma at 340 nm. Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE, dipeptidyl carboxypeptidase) is a glycoprotein peptidyldipeptide hydrolase that cleaves histidylleucine dipeptide from angiotensin I, a relatively inactive decapeptide. The latter is converted to the potent vasoconstrictor, angiotensin II. ACE also inactivates bradykinin. Elevated levels of ACE activity occur in serum of patients with active sarcoidosis, and occasionally in premature infants with respiratory distress syndrome, in adults with tuberculosis, Gaucher’s disease, leprosy, and in many other pathologic conditions involving lung and liver diseases.
Frequency of non-motor symptoms in Peruvian patients with Parkinson's disease.

INTRODUCTION Non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease are often not well recognized in clinical practice. Non-motor symptoms questionnaire (NMSQuest) is a simple instrument that allows patients or caregivers to report non-motor symptoms in a practical manner. OBJECTIVE We attempted to determine the prevalence of non-motor symptoms in three hundred Parkinson's disease outpatients. RESULTS The mean total non-motor symptoms was 12.41, ranging from 0 to 27 of a maximum of 30. At least one was present in 99.3% of patients. A progressive increase in mean total score was observed across each 5-year interval. Depression domain scored the most "positive" answers while urinary and anxiety /memory were secondly and thirdly most prevalent respectively. CONCLUSION The large number of patients included in this study allowed evaluation of the occurrence of non-motor symptoms in early and advanced disease in addition to the relationship of these kinds of symptoms with progression of disease.
Parametrized infinite-horizon model predictive control for linear time-invariant systems with input and state constraints

In this work we propose a parametric description of input and state trajectories in order to approximate infinte-horizon optimal control problems encountered in model predictive control. The consequences of applying the parametric description to receding horizon control (model predictive control) are discussed. In particular, recursive feasibility and closed-loop stability are shown. In contrast to the standard, discrete-time finite-horizon model predictive control formulation, the parametric approach provides inherent stability guarantees and has typically fewer optimization variables. A numerical example is used to illustrate the proposed control algorithm.
δ-catenin, an Adhesive Junction–associated Protein Which Promotes Cell Scattering

The classical adherens junction that holds epithelial cells together consists of a protein complex in which members of the cadherin family linked to various catenins are the principal components. δ-catenin is a mammalian brain protein in the Armadillo repeat superfamily with sequence similarity to the adherens junction protein p120ctn. We found that δ-catenin can be immunoprecipitated as a complex with other components of the adherens junction, including cadherin and β-catenin, from transfected cells and brain. The interaction with cadherin involves direct contact within the highly conserved juxtamembrane region of the COOH terminus, where p120ctn also binds. In developing mouse brain, staining with δ-catenin antibodies is prominent towards the apical boundary of the neuroepithelial cells in the ventricular zone. When transfected into Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) epithelial cells δ-catenin colocalized with cadherin, p120ctn, and β-catenin. The Arm domain alone was sufficient for achieving localization and coimmunoprecipitation with cadherin. The ectopic expression of δ-catenin in MDCK cells altered their morphology, induced the elaboration of lamellipodia, interfered with monolayer formation, and increased scattering in response to hepatocyte growth factor treatment. We propose that δ-catenin can regulate adhesion molecules to implement the organization of large cellular arrays necessary for tissue morphogenesis.
Corticodentatonigral degeneration with neuronal achromasia.

IN RECENT years staff members of the Neurology Service at the Massachusetts General Hospital have had the opportunity of examining three adult patients suffering from a slowly progressive neurological illness that defied all attempts at exact diagnosis and effective treatment. This strange disorder was characterized by severe impairment in the control of muscular movements, by abnormalities in posture and by involuntary motor activity. Despite serious disability, there was little muscular weakness, and mental faculties were relatively spared until the end. After years of increasing incapacity, all three patients died of the effects of the illness. Postmortem neuropathological studies showed a disease process in the central nervous system that was unlike any that we had previously seen or had been described by others. Since it appears to us that we may be dealing with a hitherto unrecognized disorder of the central nervous system, we feel justified in reporting our findings
Early Embryonic Lethality of Mice Lacking the Essential Protein SNEV

ABSTRACT SNEV (Prp19, Pso4, NMP200) is a nuclear matrix protein known to be involved in pre-mRNA splicing, ubiquitylation, and DNA repair. In human umbilical vein endothelial cells, SNEV overexpression delayed the onset of replicative senescence. Here we analyzed the function of the mouse SNEV gene in vivo by employing homologous recombination in mice and conclude that SNEV is indispensable for early mouse development. Mutant preimplantation embryos initiated blastocyst formation but died shortly thereafter. Outgrowth of SNEV-null blastocysts showed a lack of proliferation of cells of the inner cell mass, which subsequently underwent cell death. While SNEV-heterozygous mice showed no overt phenotype, heterozygous mouse embryonic fibroblast cell lines with reduced SNEV levels displayed a decreased proliferative potential in vitro. Our experiments demonstrate that the SNEV protein is essential, functionally nonredundant, and indispensable for mouse development.
Implicit Incompressible SPH on the GPU

This paper presents CUDA-based parallelization of implicit incompressible SPH (IISPH) on the GPU. Along with the detailed exposition of our implementation, we analyze various components involved for their costs. We show that our CUDA version achieves near linear scaling with the number of particles and is faster than the multi-core parallelized IISPH on the CPU. We also present a basic comparison of IISPH with the standard SPH on GPU.
Toward Standard Usability Questionnaires for Handheld Augmented Reality

Usability evaluations are important to improving handheld augmented reality (HAR) systems. However, no standard questionnaire considers perceptual and ergonomic issues found in HAR. The authors performed a systematic literature review to enumerate these issues. Based on these issues, they created a HAR usability scale that consists of comprehensibility and manipulability scales. These scales measure general system usability, ease of understanding the information presented, and ease of handling the device. The questionnaires' validity and reliability were evaluated in four experiments, and the results show that the questionnaires consistently correlate with other subjective and objective measures of usability. The questionnaires also have good reliability based on the Cronbach's alpha. Researchers and professionals can directly use these questionnaires to evaluate their own HAR applications or modify them with the insights presented in this article.
Biogeography and Ecological Setting of Indian Ocean Hydrothermal Vents

Within the endemic invertebrate faunas of hydrothermal vents, five biogeographic provinces are recognized. Invertebrates at two Indian Ocean vent fields (Kairei and Edmond) belong to a sixth province, despite ecological settings and invertebrate-bacterial symbioses similar to those of both western Pacific and Atlantic vents. Most organisms found at these Indian Ocean vent fields have evolutionary affinities with western Pacific vent faunas, but a shrimp that ecologically dominates Indian Ocean vents closely resembles its Mid-Atlantic counterpart. These findings contribute to a global assessment of the biogeography of chemosynthetic faunas and indicate that the Indian Ocean vent community follows asymmetric assembly rules biased toward Pacific evolutionary alliances.
Nonspecific stimulation of lymphocytes by tuberculin

Lymphocytes from uninfected, nonimmune mice can be stimulated to proliferate and produce antibody to diverse antigens in culture when exposed to the purified protein derivative of tuberculin or unheated tuberculin culture filtrate. Lymphocytes from numerous inbred strains of mice respond to tuberculin, but no true low responder strain has been found as yet. The evidence presented suggests that a subpopulation of B cells, which are distinct from those activated by lipopolysaccharide endotoxin, respond to tuberculin. The results of digestion experiments with insolubilized enzymes suggest that the nonspecific activating principles in tuberculin are protein.
Uric Acid – A Uremic Toxin?

Uric acid might often be regarded as a simple marker of renal disease. Although it is well known that hyperuricemia causes gout which is associated with renal insufficiency and cardiovascular disease, one might think that it could attribute to the intrarenal urate crystal, but not to uric acid per se. In order to clarify the role of uric acid in the kidney, we hypothesized that uric acid causes renal disease. To generate mild hyperuricemia without intrarenal crystal in rats, we used low doses of an uricase inhibitor (2% oxonic acid). Hyperuricemia induced systemic hypertension, glomerular hypertrophy/hypertension, afferent arteriolar sclerosis, and macrophage infiltration in normal rat kidney. In progressive renal disease, such as cyclosporine nephropathy and remnant kidney in rat, uric acid accelerated the progression of renal disease. Thus, we concluded that uric acid is not a simple marker, but a cause of renal disease.
Age Groups Classification in Social Network Using Deep Learning

Social networks have a large amount of data available, but often, people do not provide some of their personal data, such as age, gender, and other demographics. Although the sentiment analysis uses such data to develop useful applications in people’s daily lives, there are still failures in this type of analysis, either by the restricted number of words contained in the word dictionaries or because they do not consider the most diverse parameters that can influence the sentiments in a sentence; thus, more reliable results can be obtained, if the users profile information and their writing characteristics are considered. This research suggests that one of the most relevant parameter contained in the user profile is the age group, showing that there are typical behaviors among users of the same age group, specifically, when these users write about the same topic. A detailed analysis with 7000 sentences was performed to determine which characteristics are relevant, such as, the use of punctuation, number of characters, media sharing, topics, among others; and which ones can be disregarded for the age groups classification. Different learning machine algorithms are tested for the classification of the teenager and adult age group, and the deep convolutional neural network had the best performance, reaching a precision of 0.95 in the validation tests. Furthermore, in order to validate the usefulness of the proposed model for classifying age groups, it is implemented into the enhanced sentiment metric (eSM). In the performance validation, subjective tests are performed and the eSM with the proposed model reached a root mean square error and a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.25 and 0.94, respectively, outperforming the eSM metric, when the age group information is not available.
Impact of Comorbidities on Ischemic Stroke Outcomes in Women

Background and Purpose— We assessed the association of prestroke comorbidities with long-term stroke outcomes among women with ischemic stroke. Methods— Prestroke comorbid conditions in 133 women admitted with acute ischemic stroke were scored with the Charlson Index (CI). We assessed whether the CI and other specific conditions were associated with modified Rankin Score (mRS) at 90 days or more poststroke. Results— After adjustment for initial NIHSS and age, higher CI was the sole factor independently associated with poorer 90 day mRS scores. When CI was excluded, coronary disease and diabetes were independently associated with poorer outcome. Conclusion— The extent of comorbidities as assessed by the CI is independently associated with 90-day mRS among women with ischemic stroke, but the individual comorbidities of CHD and DM were each associated with functional outcome.
Delivery of Cisplatin from Pluronic Co-polymer Systems: Liposome Inclusion and Alginate Coupling

The aim of this work was to evaluate the use of Pluronic F127 (PF) hydrogels incorporating liposomes and/or grafted with alginate (AP) for the parenteral delivery of cisplatin. The physicochemical properties such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), polarity and sol–gel transition temperature, as well as in vitro drug release of developed hydrogels were examined. The sol–gel temperature of PF, PF with liposomes and AP was 26.4, 19.7 and 26.6°C, respectively. A hydrogel with stronger strength was obtained by alginate coupling (AP) according to SEM images and viscosity kinetics as compared to PF. Both liposomes and hydrogels could sustain the release of cisplatin to a certain level. The drug release from the vehicles decreased in the order of PF > liposomes ≥ AP ≥ PF/liposomes > AP/liposomes. The burst release effect of cisplatin was inhibited when using the AP/liposomes composite system as the vehicle. Formulations were administered intratumorally in melanoma-bearing mice. The respective liposomes or hydrogels did not increase cisplatin accumulation in melanomas compared to the control (aqueous solution). PF/liposomes and AP/liposomes, respectively, increased cisplatin deposition by 2.5- and 4.4-fold. To our best of knowledge, the present work is the first report to investigate the drug delivery from PF–alginate conjugates.
Plant diversity accurately predicts insect diversity in two tropical landscapes

Plant diversity surely determines arthropod diversity, but only moderate correlations between arthropod and plant species richness had been observed until Basset et al. (2012, Science 338: 1481-1484) finally undertook an unprecedentedly comprehensive sampling of a tropical forest and demonstrated that plant species richness could indeed accurately predict arthropod species richness. We now require a high-throughput pipeline to operationalize this result so that we can (1) test competing explanations for tropical arthropod megadiversity, (2) improve estimates of global eukaryotic species diversity, and (3) use plant and arthropod communities as efficient proxies for each other, thus improving the efficiency of conservation planning and of detecting forest degradation and recovery. We therefore applied metabarcoding to Malaise-trap samples across two tropical landscapes in China. We demonstrate that plant species richness can accurately predict arthropod (mostly insect) species richness and that plant and insect community compositions are highly correlated, even in landscapes that are large, heterogeneous, and anthropogenically modified. Finally, we review how metabarcoding makes feasible highly replicated tests of the major competing explanations for tropical megadiversity.