Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Vitamin D in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Its Correlation with Disease Activity

Background: Vitamin D is believed to have an immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory action, and its deficiency has been linked with several autoimmune disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The relationship between the severity of RA and serum levels of Vitamin D is a subject of immense interest and therapeutic implications. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective, comparative study conducted on 100 participants, 50 cases of RA and 50 healthy controls, all in the age group of 18–75 years. Serum Vitamin D levels were measured and compared in cases and controls. Vitamin D levels in RA patients were also assessed in different stages of disease activity to assess the correlation between the two. Results: Eighty-four percent patients of RA were Vitamin D deficient versus only 34% of controls. The serum Vitamin D levels were also significantly lower in the RA patients (mean value of 21.05 ± 10.02 ng/ml), as compared to the controls (mean value of 32.87 ± 14.16 ng/ml). There was a significant inverse correlation between serum Vitamin D levels and RA disease activity. The mean serum Vitamin D levels were 35.28 ± 9.0 ng/ml, 33.80 ± 4.1 ng/ml, 22.47 ± 6.18 ng/ml, and 14.21 ± 6.97 ng/ml in the remission, low disease activity, moderate disease activity, and high disease activity groups, respectively. Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency is more common in RA patients and may be one of the causes leading to development or worsening of the disease.
The Small Muscle-Specific Protein Csl Modifies Cell Shape and Promotes Myocyte Fusion in an Insulin-like Growth Factor 1–Dependent Manner

We have isolated a murine cDNA encoding a 9-kD protein, Chisel (Csl), in a screen for transcriptional targets of the cardiac homeodomain factor Nkx2-5. Csl transcripts were detected in atria and ventricles of the heart and in all skeletal muscles and smooth muscles of the stomach and pulmonary veins. Csl protein was distributed throughout the cytoplasm in fetal muscles, although costameric and M-line localization to the muscle cytoskeleton became obvious after further maturation. Targeted disruption of Csl showed no overt muscle phenotype. However, ectopic expression in C2C12 myoblasts induced formation of lamellipodia in which Csl protein became tethered to membrane ruffles. Migration of these cells was retarded in a monolayer wound repair assay. Csl-expressing myoblasts differentiated and fused normally, although in the presence of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 they showed dramatically enhanced fusion, leading to formation of large dysmorphogenic “myosacs. ” The activities of transcription factors nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) and myocyte enhancer–binding factor (MEF)2, were also enhanced in an IGF-1 signaling–dependent manner. The dynamic cytoskeletal localization of Csl and its dominant effects on cell shape and behavior and transcription factor activity suggest that Csl plays a role in the regulatory network through which muscle cells coordinate their structural and functional states during growth, adaptation, and repair.
What Am I Looking at? Interpreting Dynamic and Static Gaze Displays

Abstract Displays of eye movements may convey information about cognitive processes but require interpretation. We investigated whether participants were able to interpret displays of their own or others' eye movements. In Experiments 1 and 2, participants observed an image under three different viewing instructions. Then they were shown static or dynamic gaze displays and had to judge whether it was their own or someone else's eye movements and what instruction was reflected. Participants were capable of recognizing the instruction reflected in their own and someone else's gaze display. Instruction recognition was better for dynamic displays, and only this condition yielded above chance performance in recognizing the display as one's own or another person's (Experiments 1 and 2). Experiment 3 revealed that order information in the gaze displays facilitated instruction recognition when transitions between fixated regions distinguish one viewing instruction from another. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Heterogeneity among Mycobacterium ulcerans from French Guiana Revealed by Multilocus Variable Number Tandem Repeat Analysis (MLVA)

Buruli ulcer is an emerging and neglected tropical disease caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans. Few cases have been reported so far in the Americas. With 250 cases reported since 1969, French Guiana is the only Buruli ulcer endemic area in the continent. Thus far, no genetic diversity studies of strains of M. ulcerans from French Guiana have been reported. Our goal in the present study was to examine the genetic diversity of M. ulcerans strains in this region by using the Multilocus Variable Number Tandem Repeat Analysis (MLVA) approach. A total of 23 DNA samples were purified from ulcer biopsies or derived from pure cultures. MVLA was used in the study of six previously-described Variable Number of Tandem Repeat (VNTR) markers. A total of three allelic combinations were characterized in our study: genotype I which has been described previously, genotype III which is very similar to genotype I, and genotype II which has distinctly different characteristics in comparison with the other two genotypes. This high degree of genetic diversity appears to be uncommon for M. ulcerans. Further research based on complete genome sequencing of strains belonging to genotypes I and II is in progress and should lead soon to a better understanding of genetic specificities of M. ulcerans strains from French Guiana.
Party rules, party resources and the politics of parliamentary democracies

This article introduces the first findings of the Political Party Database Project, a major survey of party organizations in parliamentary and semi-presidential democracies. The project’s first round of data covers 122 parties in 19 countries. In this article, we describe the scope of the database, then investigate what it tells us about contemporary party organization in these countries, focusing on parties’ resources, structures and internal decision-making. We examine organizational patterns by country and party family, and where possible we make temporal comparisons with older data sets. Our analyses suggest a remarkable coexistence of uniformity and diversity. In terms of the major organizational resources on which parties can draw, such as members, staff and finance, the new evidence largely confirms the continuation of trends identified in previous research: that is, declining membership, but enhanced financial resources and more paid staff. We also find remarkable uniformity regarding the core architecture of party organizations. At the same time, however, we find substantial variation between countries and party families in terms of their internal processes, with particular regard to how internally democratic they are, and the forms that this democratization takes.
Power explorer: a casual game style for encouraging long term behavior change among teenagers

When it comes to motivating teenagers towards energy awareness, new approaches need to be considered. One such is the use of pervasive games connected to the players own energy consumption. Earlier work has confirmed this to be a highly effective approach. The question however remains if post game effects on behavior can be achieved. In this paper we try to answer this by trying out a slightly different design compared to previous work. The hypothesis is that a more casual game play and a richer learning interaction enabled by building the game on a real time sensor system could stimulate more lasting effects. Electric consumption data after the 7 days evaluation on a test group of 15 players shows tentative indications for a persistent post game effect compared to the control group of 20 households. Findings also show a statistically significant positive change in the players' attitude towards saving energy compared to the same group. Findings, at the same time, also indicate a negative effect on the player's attitude toward environmental questions in general.
SmartPhoto: A Resource-Aware Crowdsourcing Approach for Image Sensing with Smartphones

Photos obtained via crowdsourcing can be used in many critical applications. Due to the limitations of communication bandwidth, storage, and processing capability, it is a challenge to transfer the huge amount of crowdsourced photos. To address this problem, we propose a framework, called <italic>SmartPhoto</italic>, to quantify the quality (utility) of crowdsourced photos based on the accessible geographical and geometrical information (called <italic>metadata </italic>) including the smartphone's orientation, position, and all related parameters of the built-in camera. From the metadata, we can infer where and how the photo is taken, and then only transmit the most useful photos. Four optimization problems regarding the tradeoffs between photo utility and resource constraints, namely Max-Utility, online Max-Utility, Min-Selection, and Min-Selection with <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$k$</tex-math> <alternatives><inline-graphic xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="wu-ieq1-2444379.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula>-coverage, are studied. Efficient algorithms are proposed and their performance bounds are theoretically proved. We have implemented SmartPhoto in a testbed using Android based smartphones, and proposed techniques to improve the accuracy of the collected metadata by reducing sensor reading errors and solving object occlusion issues. Results based on real implementations and extensive simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms.
Slow intestinal transit contributes to elevate urinary p‐cresol level in Italian autistic children

The uremic toxin p‐cresol (4‐methylphenol) is either of environmental origin or can be synthetized from tyrosine by cresol‐producing bacteria present in the gut lumen. Elevated p‐cresol amounts have been previously found in the urines of Italian and French autism spectrum disorder (ASD) children up until 8 years of age, and may be associated with autism severity or with the intensity of abnormal behaviors. This study aims to investigate the mechanism producing elevated urinary p‐cresol in ASD. Urinary p‐cresol levels were thus measured by High Performance Liquid Chromatography in a sample of 53 Italian ASD children assessed for (a) presence of Clostridium spp. strains in the gut by means of an in vitro fecal stool test and of Clostridium difficile‐derived toxin A/B in the feces, (b) intestinal permeability using the lactulose/mannitol (LA/MA) test, (c) frequent use of antibiotics due to recurrent infections during the first 2 years of postnatal life, and (d) stool habits with the Bristol Stool Form Scale. Chronic constipation was the only variable significantly associated with total urinary p‐cresol concentration (P < 0.05). No association was found with presence of Clostridium spp. in the gut flora (P = 0.92), augmented intestinal permeability (P = 0.18), or frequent use of antibiotics in early infancy (P = 0.47). No ASD child was found to carry C. difficile in the gut or to release toxin A/B in the feces. In conclusion, urinary p‐cresol levels are elevated in young ASD children with increased intestinal transit time and chronic constipation. Autism Res 2016, 9: 752–759. © 2015 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Experimental Study on Bond-Slip Behavior of Longitudinal Bars in Reinforced Concrete Beams Confined with Fiber Reinforced Polymer Sheets

Twenty cantilever type specimens and four beam specimens were tested to evaluate the bond behavior in reinforced concrete members confined with carbon or aramid FRP sheets. The main test variables were the vertical depth, the diameter and the number of longitudinal bars, and the type and the amount of FRP sheets. The test results showed that the confined specimens had higher bond strength, larger peak load slip displacement and lesser bond degradation after the peak than their unconfined prototype counterparts. Based on the test results, an equation was developed to predict the increase in bond strength due to the FRP sheet confinement. That increase was expressed similarly to that due to transverse steel reinforcement except that the elastic modulus of the FRP sheet was validated using results of column specimens tested in other research institutes and by cantilever and beam specimens test by authors. It was proved that as long as the bond strength of an unconfined prototype specimen is evaluated properly, the total bond strength of confined specimens can be predicted accurately using the proposed equation although the limitations of the proposed equation still need to be clarified.
Effects of 5-Aza-2′-deoxycytidine (decitabine) on gene expression

Abstract 5-Aza-2’-deoxycytidine (AzaD), also known as Decitabine, is a deoxycytidine analog that is typically used to activate methylated and silenced genes by promoter demethylation. However, a survey of the scientific literature indicates that promoter demethylation may not be the only (or, indeed, the major) mechanism by which AzaD affects gene expression. Regulation of gene expression by AzaD can occur in several ways, including some that are independent of DNA demethylation. Results from several studies indicate that the effect of AzaD on gene expression is highly context-dependent and can differ for the same gene under different environmental settings. This may, in part, be due to the nature of the silencing mechanism(s) involved – DNA methylation, repressive histone modifications, or a combination of both. The varied effects of AzaD on such context-dependent regulation of gene expression may underlie some of the diverse responses exhibited by patients undergoing AzaD therapy. In this review, we describe the salient properties of AzaD with particular emphasis on its diverse effects on gene expression, aspects that have barely been discussed in most reviews of this interesting drug.
West Nile virus antibodies in permanent resident and overwintering migrant birds in south-central Kansas.

UNLABELLED We conducted serological studies, using epitope-blocking ELISAs directed at West Nile virus (WNV) and flavivirus antibodies, of wild birds in south-central Kansas, the first for this state, in the winters of 2003-04 through 2005-06. Overwintering migratory species (primarily the American tree sparrow and dark-eyed junco) consistently showed significantly lower seropositivity than permanent residents (primarily the northern cardinal). The cardinal showed annual variation in seropositivity between winters. Of 35 birds that were serial sampled within a single winter, one cardinal may have seroconverted between late December and mid-February, providing a preliminary suggestion of continued enzootic transmission, chronic infection, or bird-bird transfer as overwintering mechanisms. Breeding population size of the cardinal did not change after the introduction of WNV to Kansas. Of eighteen birds that were serial sampled between winters, none seroconverted. Among overwintering migrants, the Harris' Sparrow showed the highest seropositivity, possibly related to its migration route through the central Great Plains, an area of recent high WNV activity. The finding that permanent resident birds exhibit higher seropositivity than migrant birds suggests that resident birds contribute to the initiation of annual infection cycles,although this conclusion is speculative in the absence of data on viral titers and the length of viremia. KEYWORDS West Nile Virus-flavivirus-birds-epitope-blocking ELISA-winter.
Too much of a good thing is bad: proteasome inhibition induces stressed hearts to fail.

This editorial refers to ‘Proteasome functional insufficiency activates the calcineurin–NFAT pathway in cardiomyocytes and promotes maladaptive remodelling of stressed mouse hearts’ by M. Tang et al . , pp. 424–433, this issue. A fine balance between protein synthesis and protein degradation regulates cellular homeostasis. Cardiac remodelling is a common response of the heart to changes in physiological or pathological demand. Hypertrophic growth is the primary mechanism through which the heart normalizes ventricular wall stress. It is characterized by an increase in the volume of individual cardiac myocytes, which can be the result of an acceleration of synthesis or a reduced degradation rate of proteins. However, while the synthesis rate has always been shown to be increased, protein degradation has been shown to be either accelerated or unchanged in hypertrophic hearts and inhibited by induction of cardiac work or high aortic pressure in Langendorff preparations.1 The ubiquitin–proteasome system (UPS) is one of the two major proteolytic systems that degrade most cellular, nuclear, and myofibrillar proteins in cells, as recently reviewed in a Spotlight issue of Cardiovascular Research . 2 A main function of the UPS is to prevent accumulation of damaged, misfolded, and mutant proteins. Over the past two decades, the UPS has been increasingly recognized as a main player in regulating a multitude of cellular processes and dynamics. Two consecutive steps characterize the UPS. The first one is ubiquitination, which consists of the addition of several ubiquitin moieties onto a target intended for degradation and which involves the concerted action of at least three … *Corresponding author. Tel: +49 40 7410 57208; fax: +49 40 7410 55925, Email: l.carrier{at}uke.uni-hamburg.de
Sustained-release of FGF-2 from a hybrid hydrogel of heparin-poloxamer and decellular matrix promotes the neuroprotective effects of proteins after spinal injury

Introduction The short lifetime of protein-based therapies has largely limited their therapeutic efficacy in injured nervous post-spinal cord injury (post-SCI). Methods In this study, an affinity-based hydrogel delivery system provided sustained-release of proteins, thereby extending the efficacy of such therapies. The affinity-based hydrogel was constructed using a novel polymer, heparin-poloxamer (HP), as a temperature-sensitive bulk matrix and decellular spinal cord extracellular matrix (dscECM) as an affinity depot of drug. By tuning the concentration of HP in formulation, the cold ternary fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2)-dscECM-HP solution could rapidly gelatinize into a hydrogel at body temperature. Due to the strong affinity for FGF2, hybrid FGF2-dscECM-HP hydrogel enabled sustained-release of encapsulated FGF2 over an extended period in vitro. Results Compared to free FGF2, it was observed that both neuron functions and tissue morphology after SCI were clearly recovered in rats treated with FGF2-dscECM-HP hydrogel. Moreover, the expression of neurofilament protein and the density of axons were increased after treatment with hybrid FGF2-dscECM-HP. In addition, the neuroprotective effects of FGF2-dscECM-HP were related to inhibition of chronic endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis. Conclusion The results revealed that a hybrid hydrogel system may be a potential carrier to deliver macromolecular proteins to the injured site and enhance the therapeutic effects of proteins.
Simulating the onset of spring vegetation growth across the Northern Hemisphere

Changes in the spring onset of vegetation growth in response to climate change can profoundly impact climate–biosphere interactions. Thus, robust simulation of spring onset is essential to accurately predict ecosystem responses and feedback to ongoing climate change. To date, the ability of vegetation phenology models to reproduce spatiotemporal patterns of spring onset at larger scales has not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, we took advantage of phenology observations via remote sensing to calibrate and evaluated six models, including both one‐phase (considering only forcing temperatures) and two‐phase (involving forcing, chilling, and photoperiod) models across the Northern Hemisphere between 1982 and 2012. Overall, we found that the model that integrated the photoperiod effect performed best at capturing spatiotemporal patterns of spring phenology in boreal and temperate forests. By contrast, all of the models performed poorly in simulating the onset of growth in grasslands. These results suggest that the photoperiod plays a role in controlling the onset of growth in most Northern Hemisphere forests, whereas other environmental factors (e.g., precipitation) should be considered when simulating the onset of growth in grasslands. We also found that the one‐phase model performed as well as the two‐phase models in boreal forests, which implies that the chilling requirement is probably fulfilled across most of the boreal zone. Conversely, two‐phase models performed better in temperate forests than the one‐phase model, suggesting that photoperiod and chilling play important roles in these temperate forests. Our results highlight the significance of including chilling and photoperiod effects in models of the spring onset of forest growth at large scales, and indicate that the consideration of additional drivers may be required for grasslands.
On the causes of trends in the seasonal amplitude of atmospheric CO2

No consensus has yet been reached on the major factors driving the observed increase in the seasonal amplitude of atmospheric CO2 in the northern latitudes. In this study, we used atmospheric CO2 records from 26 northern hemisphere stations with a temporal coverage longer than 15 years, and an atmospheric transport model prescribed with net biome productivity (NBP) from an ensemble of nine terrestrial ecosystem models, to attribute change in the seasonal amplitude of atmospheric CO2. We found significant (p < .05) increases in seasonal peak‐to‐trough CO2 amplitude (AMPP‐T) at nine stations, and in trough‐to‐peak amplitude (AMPT‐P) at eight stations over the last three decades. Most of the stations that recorded increasing amplitudes are in Arctic and boreal regions (>50°N), consistent with previous observations that the amplitude increased faster at Barrow (Arctic) than at Mauna Loa (subtropics). The multi‐model ensemble mean (MMEM) shows that the response of ecosystem carbon cycling to rising CO2 concentration (eCO2) and climate change are dominant drivers of the increase in AMPP‐T and AMPT‐P in the high latitudes. At the Barrow station, the observed increase of AMPP‐T and AMPT‐P over the last 33 years is explained by eCO2 (39% and 42%) almost equally than by climate change (32% and 35%). The increased carbon losses during the months with a net carbon release in response to eCO2 are associated with higher ecosystem respiration due to the increase in carbon storage caused by eCO2 during carbon uptake period. Air‐sea CO2 fluxes (10% for AMPP‐T and 11% for AMPT‐P) and the impacts of land‐use change (marginally significant 3% for AMPP‐T and 4% for AMPT‐P) also contributed to the CO2 measured at Barrow, highlighting the role of these factors in regulating seasonal changes in the global carbon cycle.