Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Suppression of the Viability and Proliferation of HepG2 Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Line by Konjac Glucomannan.

BACKGROUND Konjac Glucomannan (KGM) is a water-soluble dietary fibre extracted from Amorphophallus konjac K. Koch (Araceae). Konjac fibre has been clinically proven as an effective antioxidant agent in weight control but its traditionally known tumour suppression property remains to be explored. OBJECTIVE The main objective of this study is to determine the potential anti-proliferative effect of KGM on cancer and normal human liver cell lines, HepG2 and WRL68, respectively. METHOD HepG2 and WRL68 cells were treated with KGM, D-mannose, KGM-D-mannose and 5-fluorouracil. The morphological changes in those treated cells were observed. Cytotoxic effect of the treatments on cell viability and proliferation, and apoptosis genes expression were assessed by cytotoxicity assay, flow cytometry and RT-PCR analyses. RESULTS The results show that KGM treatment resulted in reduced viability of HepG2 cells significantly, in line with the apoptosis-like morphological changes. Up-regulation of BAX and down-regulation of BCL2 genes as reflected by high Bax to Bcl 2 ratio suggests that the inhibitory effect of KGM on HepG2 cells most likely via Bcl2/Bax protein pathway. Despite the effectiveness of standard drug 5-FU in suppressing the viability and proliferation of HepG2 cells, it however, exhibited no selective inhibition of cancer cells as compared to KGM. CONCLUSION Current findings suggested that KGM is a potential anti-cancer compound/drug entity, which could be an alternative preventive agent against liver cancer.
5G NR Jamming, Spoofing, and Sniffing: Threat Assessment and Mitigation

In December 2017, the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) released the first set of specifications for 5G New Radio (NR), which is currently the most widely accepted 5G cellular standard. 5G NR is expected to replace LTE and previous generations of cellular technology over the next several years, providing higher throughput, lower latency, and a host of new features. Similar to LTE, the 5G NR physical layer consists of several physical channels and signals, most of which are vital to the operation of the network. Unfortunately, like for any wireless technology, disruption through radio jamming is possible. This paper investigates the extent to which 5G NR is vulnerable to jamming and spoofing, by analyzing the physical downlink and uplink control channels and signals. We identify the weakest links in the 5G NR frame, and propose mitigation strategies that should be taken into account during implementation of 5G NR chipsets and base stations.
Mate choice decision rules: Trait synergisms and preference shifts

Abstract An important and understudied question in sexual selection is how females evaluate information from multiple secondary sexual traits (SSTs), particularly when expression of traits is phenotypically uncorrelated. We performed mate choice experiments on zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata castanotis Gould) to evaluate two hypotheses: preference shifts (obstacles to choice using one trait increase chooser reliance on others) and trait synergisms (choice based on the sum/product of two or more independently varying traits). The first experiment, which employed males raised on diets that impact SST expression, supported the trait synergism hypothesis: overall, male pairing success was best predicted by synergisms involving beak color and cheek patch size. Results did not support the preference shift hypothesis. Results of a follow‐up experiment that included males reared on a single diet, and in which male beak color and cheek patch size were manipulated, were also consistent with the trait synergism hypothesis. Results have implications for understanding the long‐term persistence of multiple SSTs in populations and for the measurement of repeatability and heritability of mate preferences.
MysiRNA-Designer: A Workflow for Efficient siRNA Design

The design of small interfering RNA (siRNA) is a multi factorial problem that has gained the attention of many researchers in the area of therapeutic and functional genomics. MysiRNA score was previously introduced that improves the correlation of siRNA activity prediction considering state of the art algorithms. In this paper, a new program, MysiRNA-Designer, is described which integrates several factors in an automated work-flow considering mRNA transcripts variations, siRNA and mRNA target accessibility, and both near-perfect and partial off-target matches. It also features the MysiRNA score, a highly ranked correlated siRNA efficacy prediction score for ranking the designed siRNAs, in addition to top scoring models Biopredsi, DISR, Thermocomposition21 and i-Score, and integrates them in a unique siRNA score-filtration technique. This multi-score filtration layer filters siRNA that passes the 90% thresholds calculated from experimental dataset features. MysiRNA-Designer takes an accession, finds conserved regions among its transcript space, finds accessible regions within the mRNA, designs all possible siRNAs for these regions, filters them based on multi-scores thresholds, and then performs SNP and off-target filtration. These strict selection criteria were tested against human genes in which at least one active siRNA was designed from 95.7% of total genes. In addition, when tested against an experimental dataset, MysiRNA-Designer was found capable of rejecting 98% of the false positive siRNAs, showing superiority over three state of the art siRNA design programs. MysiRNA is a freely accessible (Microsoft Windows based) desktop application that can be used to design siRNA with a high accuracy and specificity. We believe that MysiRNA-Designer has the potential to play an important role in this area.
Predicting outcome in acute organophosphorus poisoning with a poison severity score or the Glasgow coma scale.

BACKGROUND Organophosphorus (OP) pesticide poisoning kills around 200,000 people each year, principally due to self-poisoning in the Asia-Pacific region. AIM We wished to assess whether patients at high risk of death could be identified accurately using clinical parameters soon after hospital admission. DESIGN We evaluated the usefulness of the International Program on Chemical Safety Poison Severity Score (IPCS PSS) and the Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) prospectively for predicting death in patients poisoned by OP pesticides. METHODS Data were collected as part of a multicenter cohort study in Sri Lanka. Study doctors saw all patients on admission, collecting data on pulse, blood pressure, pupil size, need for intubation and GCS. RESULTS Of the patients, 1365 with a history of acute OP poisoning were included. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were calculated for the IPCS PSS and GCS on admission. The IPCS PSS and GCS had similar ROC area under the curves (AUC) and best cut points as determined by Youden's index (AUC/sensitivity/specificity 0.81/0.78/0.79 for IPCS PSS > or = grade 2 and 0.84/0.79/0.79 for GCS < or = 13). The predictive value varied with the pesticide ingested, being more accurate for dimethoate poisoning and less accurate for fenthion poisoning (GCS AUC 0.91 compared with 0.69). CONCLUSION GCS and the IPCS PSS were similarly effective at predicting outcome. Patients presenting with a GCS < or = 13 need intensive monitoring and treatment. However, the identity of the organophosphate must be taken into account, since the half of all patients who died from fenthion poisoning only had mild symptoms at presentation.
Antioxidant Supplementation Is Not Associated with Long-term Quality of Life in Stage-II Colorectal Cancer Survivors: A Follow-up of the Study of Colorectal Cancer Survivors Cohort

ABSTRACT Cancer survivors are motivated to change lifestyle following diagnosis, but studies investigating the outcomes are scarce. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between antioxidant supplementation and quality of life (QoL) in stage-II colorectal cancer survivors. Four-hundred-fifty-three survivors were enrolled from the North Carolina Cancer Registry from 2009 to 2011. Interview data on demography, treatment, health behaviors, and QoL were collected at diagnosis, and at 12 and 24 mo post-diagnosis. Antioxidant supplementation was self-reported as use of selenium, zinc, beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin E, or vitamin C at baseline. Two-hundred-sixty-one subjects completed the 24-mo interview. After adjusting for multiple confounders, there was no association between antioxidant use and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Treatment-Colorectal [β = 1.41; 95% confidence interval (CI): −2.48, 5.30] or the medical outcomes 12-item short form (physical composite score: β = 0.84; 95% CI: −1.39, 3.07; mental composite score: β = −0.61; 95% CI: −2.65, 1.43). This study revealed no benefit of antioxidant use among survivors, possibly explained by a limited sample size of antioxidant users. More prospective studies are necessary to assess the benefits of antioxidants.
Integrating Personality Research and Animal Contest Theory: Aggressiveness in the Green Swordtail Xiphophorus helleri

Aggression occurs when individuals compete over limiting resources. While theoretical studies have long placed a strong emphasis on context-specificity of aggression, there is increasing recognition that consistent behavioural differences exist among individuals, and that aggressiveness may be an important component of individual personality. Though empirical studies tend to focus on one aspect or the other, we suggest there is merit in modelling both within- and among-individual variation in agonistic behaviour simultaneously. Here, we demonstrate how this can be achieved using multivariate linear mixed effect models. Using data from repeated mirror trials and dyadic interactions of male green swordtails, Xiphophorus helleri, we show repeatable components of (co)variation in a suite of agonistic behaviour that is broadly consistent with a major axis of variation in aggressiveness. We also show that observed focal behaviour is dependent on opponent effects, which can themselves be repeatable but were more generally found to be context specific. In particular, our models show that within-individual variation in agonistic behaviour is explained, at least in part, by the relative size of a live opponent as predicted by contest theory. Finally, we suggest several additional applications of the multivariate models demonstrated here. These include testing the recently queried functional equivalence of alternative experimental approaches, (e.g., mirror trials, dyadic interaction tests) for assaying individual aggressiveness.
EFFECTS OF TIBIAL PLATEAU LEVELING OSTEOTOMY AND TIBIAL TUBEROSITY ADVANCEMENT ON STIFLE CONTACT MECHANICS AND KINEMATICS By

of Thesis Presented to the Graduate School of the University of Florida in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science EFFECTS OF TIBIAL PLATEAU LEVELING OSTEOTOMY AND TIBIAL TUBEROSITY ADVANCEMENT ON STIFLE CONTACT MECHANICS AND KINEMATICS By Stanley Eunwoo Kim December 2008 Chair: Antonio Pozzi Cochair: Daniel D. Lewis Major: Veterinary Medical Sciences Tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) and tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA) are currently popular surgical treatment options for treating cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL) insufficiency in dogs; however, little is known regarding the biomechanical implications of these procedures. The objectives of this study were to review the literature regarding tibial osteotomies for CrCL insufficiency, and to investigate the effects of TPLO and TTA on femorotibial contact mechanics and three-dimensional stifle kinematics in CrCL-deficient stifles of dogs during weight-bearing. Contralateral hind limbs from eight large (greater than 25 kg) breed dogs were randomly assigned to receive either TPLO or TTA. Poses of nylon screws implanted in the femur and tibia were digitized using a Microscribe digitizing arm with the limb under an axial load of 30% body weight and stifle angle at 135 degrees. Digital pressure sensors placed subjacent to the menisci were used to measure femorotibial contact force, contact area, peak and mean contact pressure, and peak pressure location. Each specimen was tested under normal, CrCL-deficient, and treatment (TPLO or TTA) conditions. Repeated measures analysis of variance with a Tukey post-hoc test (P less than 0.05) was used for statistical comparison.
The effects of prolonged vegetative reproduction of the two Iranian olive cv. tree cultivars (Dezful Baghmalek and Dezful Safiabad) on morphological traits

Somaclonal variation of the two Iranian olive cultivars named Dezful Baghmalek (DB) and Dezful Safiabad (DS) during the long-term propagation among 7 subcultures were evaluated. Morphological traits such as leaf length, leaf width, number of leaves on shoot, the length of shoots, internode distance and rooting percentage were measured. The study results showed that DB affected somaclonal variations more than the DS cultivar, especially rooting percentage, but the DS cultivar had a steady behavior, especially rooting percentage, during several subcultures. Although in all the traits that were fluctuating, irregular and unpredictable changes such as the length of shoots were observed, the most significant trait that was studied with almost a similar vibration in the two cultivars were leaf length and width changes measures. Totally, we could not select any specific subculture period for the creation of the maximum satisfied morphological changes, because it was suitable for increasing the internode distance (DB) and leaf length which were in the second and seventh subcultures that were optimized. Consequently, it was suitable for DS in the seventh subculture. For the purpose of accomplishing the proper morphological changes in the length of shoots, number of leaves and enhancement of rooting percentage in DB cultivar and also, internode distance and leaf width increase in DS cultivar, somaclonal variation during several subcultures will be appropriate.
Health services determinants of the duration of untreated psychosis among African-American first-episode patients.

OBJECTIVE The duration of untreated psychosis is associated with poor outcomes in multiple domains in the early course of nonaffective psychotic disorders, although relatively little is known about determinants of this critical period, particularly health services-level determinants. This study examined three hypothesized predictors of duration of untreated psychosis (lack of insurance, financial problems, and broader barriers) among urban, socioeconomically disadvantaged African Americans, while controlling for the effects of three patient-level predictors (mode of onset of psychosis, living with family versus alone or with others before hospitalization, and living above versus below the federally defined poverty level). METHODS Analyses included data from 42 patient-family member dyads from a larger sample of 109 patients with a first episode of nonaffective psychosis. The duration of untreated psychosis and all other variables were measured in a rigorous, standardized fashion in a study designed specifically to examine determinants of treatment delay. Survival analyses and Cox regression assessed the effects of the independent predictors on time from onset of psychosis to hospital admission for initial evaluation and treatment. RESULTS The median duration of untreated psychosis was 24.5 weeks. When the analyses controlled for the three patient-level covariates, patients without health insurance, with financial problems, or with barriers to seeking help had a significantly longer duration of untreated psychosis. CONCLUSIONS Health services-related factors, such as lack of insurance, are predictive of longer treatment delay. Efforts to eliminate uninsurance and underinsurance, as well as minimize barriers to treatment, would be beneficial for improving the prognosis of young patients with emerging nonaffective psychotic disorders.
Removal of Municipal Wastewater BOD, COD, and TSS by Phyto-Reduction: A Laboratory-Scale Comparison of Aquatic Plants at Different Species Typha Latifolia and Saccharum Spontaneum

Application of phyto-reduction by aquatic plants Typha latifolia and Saccharum spontaneum to treat municipal wastewater was conducted to know the effectiveness in reducing concentrations of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Total Suspended Solid (TSS) from the municipal wastewater. The research conducted in a laboratory-scale of sand gravel filter by flowing wastewater in the sand gravel filter polybags planted with aquatic plants, Typha latifolia and Saccharum spontaneum continuously at HRT 24 hours. After aquatic plants were exposed to the wastewater, growths of aquatic plants were observed by measuring the increase of shoots at specified interval times and the reductions of COD, BOD, and TSS in water phase were determined. Results showed that municipal wastewater inhibits the growth of aquatic plants, Typha latifolia more resistance compared to Saccharum spontaneum. Application of phyto-reduction by Typha latifolia to treat municipal wastewater may decrease the concentration of COD, BOD, and TSS in the percentage of 50.15%, 56.72%, and 88.83%, respectively. The application of phyto-reduction by Saccharum spontaneum to treat municipal wastewater also may decrease the concentration of COD, BOD, and TSS in the percentage of 56.41%, 37.31, and 97.96%, respectively. These results lead a conclusion that although municipal wastewater inhibit the growth of aquatic plants (Typha latifolia and Saccharum spontaneum), these plants potentially and effectively be used to phyto-reduction process of COD, BOD, and TSS from municipal wastewater.
Stable isotope evidence for trophic subsidy of coastal benthic fisheries by river discharge plumes off small estuaries

Abstract Major rivers produce large plumes which subsidize benthic marine food webs. Because most plumes are smaller, we tested whether these also can link marine food webs with riverine discharges. We used stable isotopes to detect assimilation of terrestrial organic matter by fish, crustaceans and cephalopods harvested from plume areas off two small estuaries in eastern Australia, contrasted with values from marine reference sites. A terrestrial signal was evident in most marine consumers as shifts in carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios. The strongest signal for terrestrial carbon uptake was found in two species harvested commercially, the portunid crab, Portunus sanguinolentus, and the flounder, Pseudorhombus arsius, demonstrating a link between river discharge and fisheries productivity in coastal seas. Against a backdrop of the general presence of a trophic signal imparted by small plumes, absolute contributions of these subsidies were, however, smaller than in larger systems. Also, for the species occurring in both coastal and estuarine waters (sand whiting, Sillago ciliata), isotopic variation was considerably smaller in marine waters than across the estuarine gradient. Overall, small plumes can make contributions to the energy requirements of coastal fisheries species, but their ephemeral nature and small physical dimensions set limits to the degree of land–water ecotonal coupling.
Sevoflurane induces long-term memory impairment and increases MeCP 2 phosphorylation in developing mice

Sevoflurane is the most widely used volatile anesthetic in pediatric anesthesia. Some pediatric plastic surgery procedures (such as cleft lip repair, the repair of brachial plexus injury, etc.) may require multiple operations, requiring some children to repeatedly inhale this anesthetic. Evidence has suggested that sevoflurane may cause neuronal deficiency. We investigated the long-term effects of sevoflurane use and possible mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration induced by repeated sevoflurane exposure in the developing brain in the present study. Postnatal day 7 (P7) C57BL/6 mice were randomly exposed to either 1.5% sevoflurane or air control for 2 hours/day on 5 consecutive days. Methyl-CpG island binding protein 2 (MeCP2) phosphorylation and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in the hippocampus were measured by western blotting. Seven weeks after sevoflurane exposure, a fear conditioning test was used to evaluate associative learning processes. Repeated exposure to 1.5% sevoflurane resulted in increased MeCP2 phosphorylation and decreased BDNF expression in the hippocampus. This study demonstrates that P7 mice exposed to 1.5% sevoflurane for 2 hours on 5 consecutive days have significant contextual learning and memory impairment after 7 weeks. These data suggest that repeated sevoflurane exposure may cause neurotoxicity in the developing brain by increasing MeCP2 phosphorylation and decreasing BDNF expression in the hippocampus.
Predictors and Outcomes of Twelve-Step Sponsorship of Stimulant Users: Secondary Analyses of a Multisite Randomized Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVE This secondary data analysis explored predictors and outcomes of having a 12-step sponsor among individuals receiving treatment for stimulant use disorders, inclusive of four types of 12-step groups (Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous, Cocaine Anonymous, and Crystal Meth Anonymous). METHOD For a multisite randomized clinical trial, participants (N = 471; 59% women) were recruited among adult patients in 10 U.S. community treatment programs. Participants were randomized into treatment as usual (TAU) or a 12-step facilitation (TSF) intervention: Stimulant Abuser Groups to Engage in 12-Step (STAGE-12). Logistic regression analyses explored the extent to which participants obtained sponsors, including the extent to which treatment condition and other predictors (12-step experiences, expectations, and beliefs) were associated with having a sponsor. The relationship between end-of-treatment sponsorship and follow-up substance use outcomes was also tested. RESULTS Participants were more likely to have a sponsor at the end of treatment and 3-month follow-up, with the STAGE-12 condition having higher sponsorship rates. Twelve-step meeting attendance and literature reading during the treatment period predicted having a sponsor at the end of treatment. Sponsorship at the end of treatment predicted a higher likelihood of abstinence from stimulant use and having no drug-related problems at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS This study extends previous research on sponsorship, which has mostly focused on alcohol use disorders, by indicating that sponsorship is associated with positive outcomes for those seeking treatment from stimulant use disorders. It also suggests that sponsorship rates can be improved for those seeking treatment from stimulant use disorders through a short-term TSF intervention.