Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
4-Oxo-Aldehydes from the Dorsal Abdominal Glands of the Bed Bug (Hemiptera: Cimicidae)

ABSTRACT Analyses of the dorsal abdominal glands of fourth- and fifth-instar nymphs of the bed bud, Cimex lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), indicated the predominant constituents were (E)-2-hexenal and (E)-2-octenal, with lesser amounts of 4-oxo-(E)-2-hexenal and 4-oxo-(E)-2-octenal. The latter two compounds have not been reported previously as occurring in bed bugs. There were no differences in the chemical composition of the dorsal abdominal glands excised from exuviae left behind by either male or female adults, nor from glands excised from fourth-instar exuviae. Because the two oxo-aldehydes made up at least 16% of the gland contents, further study of the functional role of these chemicals seem advisable.
Nursing practice environment and work satisfaction in critical units.

Objective: to analyze the association between the environment of nursing practices and work satisfaction in Intensive Care Units (ICU). Method: a cross-sectional study was performed in eight adult ICUs of a public university hospital between 2012 and 2015. The Nursing Work Index-Revised (NWI-R), in their short forms, and the Index of Work Satisfaction (IWS) were applied to investigate the environment of nursing practices and work satisfaction, respectively. Results: a total of 100 (34.84%) nurses and 187 (65.15%) nursing assistants/technicians participated in this study. The environment was favorable for autonomy and relationships and it showed vulnerability for control of practices and organizational support. The IWS score indicated low work satisfaction. "Environment of practices", "length of work in the ICU" and "willingness to work" were associated with work satisfaction. Conclusion: to invest in the environment of practices, in factors that promote willingness to work and length of experience in the ICU increases nursing work satisfaction.
Results of Extremely-low-birth-weight Infants Randomized to Receive Extra Enteral Calcium Supply

Background and Objective: Bone mineral deficiency continues to occur in extremely-low-birth-weight (ELBW) infants despite formulas enriched in calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P). This study tested whether extra enteral Ca supplementation increases bone mineral content (BMC) and prevents dolichocephalic head flattening and myopia in ELBW infants. Study Design: Infants 401 to 1000 birth weight receiving enteral feeds were randomized to receive feeds supplemented with Ca-gluconate powder or pure standard feeds. The main outcome measures were the excretion of Ca and P by weekly spot urine measurements, the degree of dolichocephalic deformation (fronto-occipital diameter to biparietal diameter ratio, FOD/BPD) at 36 weeks postmenstrual age, and the BMC (by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) at discharge. Cycloplegic refraction was measured at 18 to 22 months corrected age. Patients and Results: Ninety-nine ELBW infants with a gestational age of 26 weeks (23–31) (median [minimum-maximum]) were randomized at a postnatal age of 12 days (5–23) weighing 790 g (440–1700). Urinary Ca excretion increased and P excretion decreased in the Ca-supplemented group. Total BMC was 89.9 ± 2.4 g (mean ± SE) in the supplemented group and 85.2 ± 2.6 g in the control group (P = 0.19). The FOD/BPD was 1.50 (1.13–1.69, mean ± SD [standard deviation]) and 1.47 (1.18–1.64) in the supplemented and control groups, and the refraction 0.98 ± 1.23 and 1.40 ± 1.33 dpt (P = 0.68), respectively in 64 ELBW infants (79% of survivors) at 2-year follow-up. Conclusions: Extra enteral Ca supplementation did not change BMC, head shape, or refraction. The decreased P excretion may reflect P deficiency in infants receiving extra Ca, preventing improved bone mineral accretion.
Prevalence and determinants of the metabolic syndrome among Tunisian adults: results of the Transition and Health Impact in North Africa (TAHINA) project

Abstract Objective To determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components and to evaluate the relationship between this diagnosis and cardiovascular risk factors, demographic and socio-economic variables. Design A cross-sectional study using a questionnaire including information on sociodemographic and CVD risk factors. Blood pressure, anthropometric indices, fasting glucose and lipid profile were measured. MetS was defined according to the criteria of the National Cholesterol Education Program, Adult Treatment Panel III. Setting The whole Tunisian territory; Transition and Health Impact in North Africa (TAHINA) project. Subjects A total of 4654 individuals (1840 men and 2814 women), aged 35 to 74 years, who participated in the Tunisian national survey. Results The overall prevalence of MetS was 30·0 %, higher in women (36·1 %) than in men (20·6 %; P < 0·001). In both genders MetS prevalence increased significantly with age (P < 0·001), but this increase was more important in women. Multiple regression analyses showed that the odds for MetS increased significantly with urban area for both men and women (P < 0·05 and P < 0·001, respectively). The multivariate models showed also that the odds for MetS increased significantly with increasing level of education and in those with a family history of CVD for men (both P < 0·05) and after the menopausal transition for women (P < 0·05). Conclusions The study highlights the MetS problem in a middle-income developing country. There is an urgent need for a comprehensive, integrated, population-based intervention programme to ameliorate the growing problem of MetS in Tunisians.
NMR Structure of the Single QALGGH Zinc Finger Domain from the Arabidopsis thaliana SUPERMAN Protein

Zinc finger domains of the classical type represent the most abundant DNA binding domains in eukaryotic transcription factors. Plant proteins contain from one to four zinc finger domains, which are characterized by high conservation of the sequence QALGGH, shown to be critical for DNA‐binding activity. The Arabidopsis thaliana SUPERMAN protein, which contains a single QALGGH zinc finger, is necessary for proper spatial development of reproductive floral tissues and has been shown to specifically bind to DNA. Here, we report the synthesis and UV and NMR spectroscopic structural characterization of a 37 amino acid SUPERMAN region complexed to a Zn2+ ion (Zn–SUP37) and present the first high‐resolution structure of a classical zinc finger domain from a plant protein. The NMR structure of the SUPERMAN zinc finger domain consists of a very well‐defined ββα motif, typical of all other Cys2‐His2 zinc fingers structurally characterized. As a consequence, the highly conserved QALGGH sequence is located at the N terminus of the α helix. This region of the domain of animal zinc finger proteins consists of hypervariable residues that are responsible for recognizing the DNA bases. Therefore, we propose a peculiar DNA recognition code for the QALGGH zinc finger domain that includes all or some of the amino acid residues at positions −1, 2, and 3 (numbered relative to the N terminus of the helix) and possibly others at the C‐terminal end of the recognition helix. This study further confirms that the zinc finger domain, though very simple, is an extremely versatile DNA binding motif.
Electroretinographic abnormalities in parents of patients with Leber congenital amaurosis who have heterozygous GUCY2D mutations.

BACKGROUND Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) is an infrequently encountered congenital form of retinitis pigmentosa with marked genetic and clinical heterogeneity. Thus far, 10 genes have been identified in this disorder since 1996. In the future, LCA may become treatable by gene and/or pharmacological intervention, and these therapies will likely be gene specific, giving major significance to rapid gene identification and gene-phenotype studies. OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that parents of patients with LCA have identifiable electroretinographic and psychophysical changes. SUBJECTS, MATERIALS, AND METHODS: Complete eye examinations and electroretinographic studies were performed on 2 sets of parents whose offspring were diagnosed as having LCA and who were found to carry a mutation in 1 of the 10 LCA genes-GUCY2D. One set of parents also underwent static perimetry threshold measurements. RESULTS We found that single flash-light-adapted a- and b-wave amplitudes, 30-Hz flicker, or both cone signals were significantly decreased in amplitude in 4 heterozygotes, while 2 parents showed delayed 30-Hz flicker implicit times. Electroretinographic rod-mediated signals were normal in 2 of the heterozygotes, but subnormal in 2. Static perimetry testing showed normal thresholds in the 2 heterozygotes tested. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Single flash-light-adapted a- and b-wave amplitudes and implicit times, 30- or 32-Hz flicker amplitudes and implicit times, rod-mediated signals, and dark-adapted, rod-mediated thresholds. CONCLUSIONS Some carrier parents of patients with LCA and a GUCY2D mutation develop measurable, cone and possibly rod abnormalities most consistent with a mild cone-rod dysfunction. This correlates well with the known retinal expression pattern of GUCY2D, which is considerably higher in cone compared with rod photoreceptor cells.
Productive folding to the native state by a group II intron ribozyme.

Group II introns are large catalytic RNA molecules that fold into compact structures essential for the catalysis of splicing and intron mobility reactions. Despite a growing body of information on the folded state of group II introns at equilibrium, there is currently no information on the folding pathway and little information on the ionic requirements for folding. Folding isotherms were determined by hydroxyl radical footprinting for the 32 individual protections that are distributed throughout a group II intron ribozyme derived from intron ai5gamma. The isotherms span a similar range of Mg(2+) concentrations and share a similar index of cooperativity. Time-resolved hydroxyl radical footprinting studies show that all regions of the ribozyme fold slowly and with remarkable synchrony into a single catalytically active structure at a rate comparable to those of other ribozymes studied thus far. The rate constants for the formation of tertiary contacts and recovery of catalytic activity are identical within experimental error. Catalytic activity analyses in the presence of urea provide no evidence that the slow folding of the ai5gamma intron is attributable to the presence of unproductive kinetic traps along the folding pathway. Taken together, the data suggest that the rate-limiting step for folding of group II intron ai5gamma occurs early along the reaction pathway. We propose that this behavior resembles protein folding that is limited in rate by high contact order, or the need to form key tertiary interactions from partners that are located far apart in the primary or secondary structure.
Synergistic activity of sorafenib and betulinic acid against clonogenic activity of non‐small cell lung cancer cells

The highly selective multi‐targeted agent sorafenib is an inhibitor of a number of intracellular signaling kinases with anti‐proliferative, anti‐angiogenic and pro‐apoptotic effects in various types of tumors, including human non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Betulin displays a broad spectrum of biological and pharmacological properties, including anticancer and chemopreventive activity. Combination of drugs with different targets is a logical approach to overcome multilevel cross‐stimulation among key signaling pathways in NSCLC progression. NSCLC cell lines, A549, H358 and A427, with different KRAS mutations, and normal human peripheral blood lymphocyte cells, were treated with sorafenib and betulinic acid alone and in combination. We examined the effect of different combined treatments on viability (MTS test), proliferation and apoptotic susceptibility based on flow cytometry, alterations in signaling pathways by western blotting and colony‐forming ability. The combination of sorafenib with betulinic acid had a strong effect on the induction of apoptosis of different NSCLC cell lines. In addition, this combination was not toxic for human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Combination treatment changed the expression of proteins involved in the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway and induced apoptotic death by caspase activation. Importantly, combination treatment with low drug concentrations tremendously reduced the colony‐forming ability of A549, H358 and A427 cells, as compared to both compounds alone. In this study, we showed that combination therapy with low concentrations of sorafenib and betulinic acid had the capacity to induce high levels of cell death and abolish clonogenic activity in some NSCLC cell lines regardless of KRAS mutations.
Massive Online Crowdsourced Study of Subjective and Objective Picture Quality

Most publicly available image quality databases have been created under highly controlled conditions by introducing graded simulated distortions onto high-quality photographs. However, images captured using typical real-world mobile camera devices are usually afflicted by complex mixtures of multiple distortions, which are not necessarily well-modeled by the synthetic distortions found in existing databases. The originators of existing legacy databases usually conducted human psychometric studies to obtain statistically meaningful sets of human opinion scores on images in a stringently controlled visual environment, resulting in small data collections relative to other kinds of image analysis databases. Toward overcoming these limitations, we designed and created a new database that we call the LIVE In the Wild Image Quality Challenge Database, which contains widely diverse authentic image distortions on a large number of images captured using a representative variety of modern mobile devices. We also designed and implemented a new online crowdsourcing system, which we have used to conduct a very large-scale, multi-month image quality assessment (IQA) subjective study. Our database consists of over 350 000 opinion scores on 1162 images evaluated by over 8100 unique human observers. Despite the lack of control over the experimental environments of the numerous study participants, we demonstrate excellent internal consistency of the subjective data set. We also evaluate several top-performing blind IQA algorithms on it and present insights on how the mixtures of distortions challenge both end users as well as automatic perceptual quality prediction models. The new database is available for public use at <;uri xlink:href="http://live.ece. utexas.edu/research/ChallengeDB/index.html" xlink:type="simple">http://live.ece. utexas.edu/research/ChallengeDB/index.html<;/uri>.
Modeling Alzheimer’s disease: from past to future

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is emerging as the most prevalent and socially disruptive illness of aging populations, as more people live long enough to become affected. Although AD is placing a considerable and increasing burden on society, it represents the largest unmet medical need in neurology, because current drugs improve symptoms, but do not have profound disease-modifying effects. Although AD pathogenesis is multifaceted and difficult to pinpoint, genetic and cell biological studies led to the amyloid hypothesis, which posits that amyloid β (Aβ) plays a pivotal role in AD pathogenesis. Amyloid precursor protein (APP), as well as β- and γ-secretases are the principal players involved in Aβ production, while α-secretase cleavage on APP prevents Aβ deposition. The association of early onset familial AD with mutations in the APP and γ-secretase components provided a potential tool of generating animal models of the disease. However, a model that recapitulates all the aspects of AD has not yet been produced. Here, we face the problem of modeling AD pathology describing several models, which have played a major role in defining critical disease-related mechanisms and in exploring novel potential therapeutic approaches. In particular, we will provide an extensive overview on the distinct features and pros and contras of different AD models, ranging from invertebrate to rodent models and finally dealing with computational models and induced pluripotent stem cells.
Safety of the novel influenza viral vector Brucella abortus vaccine in pregnant heifers

The present study provides the first information about the safety of a new influenza viral vector vaccine expressing the Brucella ribosomal protein L7/L12 or Omp16 containing the adjuvant Montanide Gel01 in pregnant heifers. Immunization of pregnant heifers was conducted via the conjunctival (n=10) or subcutaneous (n=10) route using cross prime and booster vaccination schedules at an interval of 28 days. The vector vaccine was evaluated in comparison with positive control groups vaccinated with B. abortus S19 (n=10) or B. abortus RB51 (n=10) and a negative (PBS+Montanide Gel01; n=10) control group. Clinical studies, thermometry, assessment of local reactogenicity and observation of abortion showed that the vector vaccine via the conjunctival or subcutaneous route was completely safe for pregnant heifers compared to the commercial vaccines B. abortus S19 or B. abortus RB51. The only single adverse event was the formation of infiltration at the site of subcutaneous injection; this reaction was not observed for the conjunctival route.
Removal of Organic Matter and Etodolac from Pharmaceutical Industry Wastewater by PAC Adsorption

The removal of organic matter and etodolac (an anti‐inflammatory pharmaceutical) from a real process wastewater by using powdered activated carbon (PAC) adsorption before and after Fenton oxidation has been studied. The wastewater sample is collected from the final stage of chemical synthesis of a pharmaceutical (etodolac). Fenton oxidation resulted with decrease in chemical oxygen demand (84% removal) and etodolac concentration was reduced to 0.7 mg L−1. Optimum adsorption equilibrium conditions were found as t = 16 hours, and m = 10 g L−1. The Freundlich model showed the best fit for the adsorption of both wastewater with R2 values of 0.89 and 0.99. Lower pseudo‐second‐order rate constant (k2) (0.067 < 2.62) obtained from the adsorption of raw wastewater with higher organic matter concentration confirms the chemisorption of the adsorbates onto the PAC. Pore surface mass diffusion with R2 value of 0.92 was found as rate‐controlling step for adsorption process with Fenton pre‐treated wastewater.
Temperament and Attentional Bias in Vocal Emotional Stroop Tasks

Human information processing is influenced by the affective quality of pleasant and unpleasant stimuli. A widely known example is the emotional variant of the colour–naming Stroop task. Although participants are not instructed to attend to valence, it nevertheless influences response times. We studied how persons differ in ignoring the irrelevant valence of stimuli and how such differences are related to personality traits. In two emotional Stroop tasks using a vocal response mode, participants were instructed to name the colour of unpleasant and pleasant words presented in different physical colours. In Study 2, we introduced a second task to increase the cognitive load. Across both studies, extraversion and approach temperament were associated with higher interferences by pleasant words. Neuroticism and avoidance temperament, however, were associated with higher interferences by unpleasant words only when cognitive load increased because of a task switch. This finding suggests that highly neurotic individuals can mitigate influences of emotional stimuli on information processing under conditions of low cognitive load. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Self‐disclosure in computer‐mediated communication: The role of self‐awareness and visual anonymity

Three studies examined the notion that computer-mediated communication (CMC) can be characterised by high levels of self-disclosure. In Study One, significantly higher levels of spontaneous self-disclosure were found in computer-mediated compared to face-to-face discussions. Study Two examined the role of visual anonymity in encouraging self-disclosure during CMC. Visually anonymous participants disclosed significantly more information about themselves than non-visually anonymous participants. In Study Three, private and public self-awareness were independently manipulated, using video-conferencing cameras and accountability cues, to create a 2 × 2 design public self-awareness (high and low)×private self-awareness (high and low). It was found that heightened private self-awareness, when combined with reduced public self-awareness, was associated with significantly higher levels of spontaneous self-disclosure during computer-mediated communication. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Impact of global financial crisis on Islamic and conventional stocks in emerging market : an application of ARCH and GARCH method

s In the wake of recent global crisis, the stock market shocks spread and transmitted from its epicenter in the developed stock market to emerging stock markets. The financial contagion affects performance of emerging stock markets like those of in Indonesia, Malaysia and in most Southeast Asia countries. In supporting development of emerging stock markets, this study aims to see the resilient of the Islamic stock index compare to conventional stock index in facing the global financial crisis. Another purpose of this study is to provide a new guide for the investors in emerging stock market before making investment decisions. This study examines the risk performance of Islamic stock index (Jakarta Islamic Index/JAKISL) and its conventional counterpart (Jakarta Composite Index/JCI) in Indonesia. Daily data from early January 2001 to December 2009 will be adopted. In order to measure the involved risk, we employ the ARCH and GARCH methodologies. The result shows that investing in Islamic stock index is less risky than that of the conventional
A 90nm CMOS gated-ring-oscillator-based 2-dimension Vernier time-to-digital converter

Two branches of gated ring oscillators (GRO) act as the delay lines in 2-dimension Vernier time-to-digital converter (TDC). The proposed architecture reduces dramatically the inherent latency of vernier structure. The already small quantization noise of the standard Vernier TDC is further first-order shaped by the GRO operation. The TDC has been simulated in 90nm CMOS technology. Operating from 50MHz reference frequency, it achieves a resolution better than 2ps assuming a signal bandwidth of 1.56MHz (OSR=16), for a minimum current consumption of 1.8mA from 1.2V.